The Single Player mode is very extensive and while the game does seem to start of a bit on the slow side it does come into its own. It was pretty straightforward and hassle-free, perhaps a little too straightforward. The multiplayer part of the game is arena style, in which you can play as various characters such as Kane, Marines, Strogg and others.

The multiplayer modes are fairly standard and include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Tournament, Capture the Flag, and Arena Capture the Flag. In effect, the multiplayer on offer in Quake IV is very similar to that found in its predecessor Quake III: Arena—only with much stronger graphics. It is here that most of the critics say the game is lacking as one might have been expecting something more action pack but it seems as if they have stuck to the 6 year old Quake III formula.

The multiplayer is designed for up to 16 players but there are NO vehicles in multiplayer however, it's fun, it's fast-moving, and deathmatch is the star of the show, but it's nothing you haven't seen and played to death already. The graphics, AI and sound are all outstanding and really make this a fun game. I was shocked that I found myself playing parts of it over a second time and it still was fun and exciting. I would rate this game anywhere from 8-8.5 / 10 and it's a game that you wouldn't regret buying.

Jason Maitland

PS - if you like to try out and benchmark Quake 4 yourself then be sure to download the HOC Quake 4 benchmark. It was developped by HOC and Guru3D.com (the timedemo was actually made by Hilbert) and is of course a free tool. Grab it here.