Quake 4

The main pros of the game

• Engaging Gameplay: Many users praised the gunplay, noting that it feels satisfying with impactful weapons and diverse enemy types. The game is described as fun and fast-paced, especially in the latter parts of the campaign.
• Atmosphere and Design: The game effectively creates a dark and immersive sci-fi horror atmosphere, with impressive visuals for its time, particularly the lighting and sound design. The environments are richly detailed and contribute to a sense of dread.
• Single-player Experience: The campaign is relatively long (around 10 hours) and offers a compelling storyline that continues from Quake II, providing a sense of connection to the series.
• Squad-based Combat: Players appreciated the squad mechanics, where AI companions assist in combat, providing health and armor, which adds a layer of strategy to the gameplay.
• Variety of Weapons: There is a diverse arsenal of weapons, many of which can be upgraded, keeping combat fresh and engaging.

The main cons of the game

• Technical Issues: Many users reported problems with graphics quality, specifically low-resolution textures that require manual configuration to fix. The game can also crash on modern systems, and some players experienced performance issues.
• Linear Design: The level design is often described as too linear and corridor-based, which can make exploration feel limited and repetitive.
• Vehicle Sections: The vehicle segments in the game were criticized for being cumbersome and out of place, detracting from the overall experience.
• Difficulty Balance: Some players found the difficulty to be inconsistent, with certain bosses being overly challenging compared to the rest of the game, and others feeling like bullet sponges.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

• Multiplayer Support: While the game has a multiplayer component, it is not as popular or well-received as Quake III Arena, and many players noted that the multiplayer experience feels lacking.
• Character Development: Users expressed a desire for more depth in character interactions and development, feeling that NPCs lacked personality and engagement.
• Secrets and Exploration: There are fewer secrets and hidden items compared to earlier Quake titles, which disappointed players looking for that classic exploration aspect.
• Dynamic Difficulty Scaling: Some players wanted better balance in enemy difficulty and more dynamic gameplay elements to keep the experience engaging throughout.

Summary

• In summary, Quake 4 is a solid FPS with engaging gameplay and a strong atmosphere, but it suffers from technical issues, linear design, and a lack of depth in certain areas, particularly in its multiplayer and character interactions.

Summary generated on: October 28, 2025