Quake IV (Xbox 360)

Advantages: decent single player mode
Disadvantages: online multiplayer is somewhat lacking

...other game in the series Quake IV has made it onto consoles, with this incarnation running on Microsofts next gen machine. The single player game follows on from the classic Quake II as you play the part of a human space marine in the war against the cybernetic monstrosities that are the Strogg. At the end of the last story the Stroggs leader, the Makron, was defeated and things looked good for humanity, but they just went and built another one. ...
...the Xbox 360s additional power Quake IV easily matches the PC version of the games on the graphics front. The Doom 3 engine is used to much better effect than it was on the original Xbox, with a much smoother framrate and a lot more going on onscreen. Everything looks great too with well detailed character models and scenery, lighting effects are outstanding too with the game being a lot brighter than the dank visuals of Doom 3. Sound sis a match ... Read review

Advantages: Great storyline and gameplay.
Disadvantages: Somewhat lacking in multiplayer.

...This is the cinematic-like effect Quake 4 throws at you non-stop during this gory adventure, from the opening scene to the fantastic climax. Combine the gore of Doom 3, the speed of Unreal Championship and a blockbuster movie and you end up with ID Softwares greatest game yet. Quake 4 certainly sets a benchmark for the upcoming horde of Xbox 360 shooters that are just around the corner, in terms of both gameplay and graphical prowess. The explosions ...
...basic FPS boxes then, but Quake 4 is a lot more involved and involving then it lets on. The storyline is like a vice - it grips you and doesn't let go until the very end. The Marine struggle against the half-mechanical Strogg is showcased in a fantastic way, by following the story of the silent terminator-like Matthew Kane, whose combat experience against the Strogg earned him a place in an assault against a massive Strogg held planet named Stroggos ... Read review

Advantages: Frantic adrenaline ride
Disadvantages: Frame rate drops when things get very busy - not all levels work OK

In response to some comments; I've extended the review. I decided to start off this game in 'Corporal' difficulty level. It took a while to figure out how to fight and when to run but after a few goes everything fell ito place. You get some real adrenaline rushes during the game - great. I don't have HD so can't comment on the HD graphics but the standard graphics are quite nice. The array of different weapons is very good - I particularly like ...
...fairly long video sequence - corpses and debris floating in space - followed by the arrival of three ships full of marines - this has an 'Aliens' feel to it - the ships look just like the marines ship in the film Aliens. At the end of the opening sequence you (Kane) are dumped unceremoniously into the thick of it and you start by recovering consiousness. Save the game immediately or the first time you get killed you have to resit throught the long ... Read review