Storyline & Features
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is set on Earth in 2160 as the Strogg first invade the planet. The action in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is set years before Quake 2 and pits the technologically superior Strogg against the GDF.

Gameplay in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is described as an online strategic shooter. You can play a single player mode, but it is very similar to the more recent titles in the Unreal Tournament series where you are playing simulated online matches with computer-controlled bots. You can choose to play as either Strogg or as GDF. Each army has unique abilities, weapons, and structures.

The game isn’t a run and gun affair like the pervious Quake online mode was, rather it is focused around multiple player classes each fighting to perform specific objectives while the opposing army fights to keep you from performing your objectives and to perform their own. You can simply run around shooting if you desire, but only certain player classes can complete certain goals. Neglecting your objectives could keep your team from winning the round.

Graphics & Player Classes
Graphics in the game are top notch and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is very demanding on computer hardware. The game scales well so if your rig is not running top of the line hardware, you can still enjoy the game. However, if you want to run the game maxed out at high resolutions your computer will need some muscle. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is not a DirectX 10 game, it doesn’t use DirectX at all. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars runs on a modified Doom 3 engine that provides over a square mile of territory with no fogging at inch level detail.

If you are like are like me and like to play sniper characters this massive field of view is perfect. I prefer to play the GDF sniper. The GDF sniper rifle is an awesome weapon. It’s not as technologically advanced as the Strogg weaponry, but it has serious power. Single shot kills from 600 yards or more are possible if your aim is true. One of the coolest parts about sniping in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is that it’s not automated at all like some games. You can’t simply put the crosshair on a target and expect a kill. You have to lead the target if it’s moving and physics come into play.

Once you get the hang of it, you can be very effective at distances where your target can’t even see you. If you happen to get sniped from 600 yards while running by a GDF covert operative named McGeek, that’s just little old me so say hi.

Gamers preferring to get up close and personal for their kill will have a blast in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars as well. There are five classes to choose from in each army with multiple weapons load outs for each class. GDF classes include solider, covert ops (sniper), medic, field ops, and engineer. Each team must have all classes to win the battle. The Strogg classes include aggressor, technician, oppressor, infiltrator, and constructor.

At first glance, I thought Enemy Territory: Quake Wars was just a rip off of Battlefield 2142 because of a similar look and gameplay. However, after spending several weeks of playing the game my initial impressions were incorrect. The objective based play adds a new facet to online shooters and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is easily the best of the new breed of online shooters around. Gamers looking for the old hectic breed of online play associated with Quake will not find it in the new version that is more refined.