Xbox 360
At last, consoles get their very own version of last year's hit PC title. Enemy Territory charts the invasion of earth by the brutal Strogg, an army of aliens with a wee bit of a chip on their shoulder. So it's up to you—as either a human Global Defense Force (GDF) soldier or a Strogg hardass—to save, or enslave, the world.
Quake Wars is intended as an online blaster; although an offline mode exists, it doesn't match the intensity of battling real opponents. Those without net connections will be sorely disappointed and should stay clear due to the ludicrously difficult AI bot which moves inhumanly. Nothing can compare to this game's often intense multiplayer.
Standard battles last fifteen minutes and each team is tasked with three objectives. These range from blowing up opposing bases, hacking turrets, and so on. Once an objective is met, your team gains control over the surrounding area. Whoever controls more land wins the round. Simple—or at least is should be.
For starters, this is hella confusing. There are so many symbols and map markers that it's hard to remember what they all mean at first. You are kind of thrown in the deep end without any form of tutorial, so trial and error is the key to success.
The character classes offer a wide range of skill and weapon sets that often prove pivotal to the fight. Mechanics, for example, can repair damaged vehicles and build bridges across rough terrain or rivers, whereas hackers can knock out enemy radar and deactivate gun placements.
The more you use these skills, the better they become through a simple levelling system. To keep games fair, your levels don't transfer to the next set of maps—a neat way of balancing sides and knocking achievement hunters down a peg or two.
However, a few niggles present themselves after a while, including the grating voice acting. When a band of Strogg launches lots of grenades your way, the irritating, repeated "GRENADE" dialogue may have you reaching for the mute button, particularly during solo play.
While it packs some awesome firepower, Enemy Territory lacks somewhat compared to other FPS titles out there. For example, when you take a hit, the damage indicator pops up while the screen stays static and you walk on, seemingly unfazed. Also, aim sensitivity is incredibly twitchy, even on the lower settings, perhaps to replicate the feel of playing with a mouse and keyboard.
Finally, the graphics haven't improved much since the PC version, and the ragged edges and dull palette are much more obvious here. Of course, these things are merely cosmetic and don't tarnish the overall package too much, but it's understandable some hardened FPS veterans out there may turn their noses at what the game has to offer
With intense skirmishes that often descend into a confusing scramble, and well-defined character classes that can become moot due to people's reluctance to work as a team, Quake Wars is great fun if you can overlook its faults. Do some soul-searching: your enjoyment of this game will depend entirely on your particular tastes.