I can see why there are so many requests for a "no clip" code. Like most id games this one, except for vehicle driving, puts you in a glass tunnel and sends you on your way.

The justification that an elite combat character can only hop a foot-and-a-half off the floor and can't crawl over a two-foot high crate escapes me. I read one comment by a player used to being coddled by games with a checkpoint save system that he loses immersion by having to go to the menu to save. I hardly begin to get immersed when suddenly I run into an invisible wall.

The simple reason for this is easier game design and removing the requirement of thinking from the player. Game strategy is removed to allow the player to concentrate on simple combat strategy. Some may consider this 'dumbing down' others simply a design choice. Either way, points off for id.

This might be more acceptable if the enemy AI were any better. Unfortunately the degree of difficulty in RAGE combat is raised by throwing in the occasional bullet-sponge enemy. The Bosses are 'bad' because your ammo is winnowed by an unending stream of minions. Instead of glowing weak points, an early one has his weak-spot targeted by a new weapon you conveniently find just before he attacks.

You never get lost because there are only two directions to go; forward or backward, and backward is frequently blocked. Quests must be solved A-B-C-D. Saving designers from the effort of creating what-if scenarios if quests are solved out of order, or creating multiple paths or methods of solving each quest.

Deus Ex is a prime example of how a well made modern FPS/RPG works. Let's also not forget Morrowind and Oblivion, which set the standards for this kind of game design.

I have already seen reviewers referring to this as a "driving game." I must agree. Freely roaming the wasteland in a leaping dune buggy is fun. Knocking down gun towers or sniping their gunners would be more rewarding if they weren't magically replaced.

The racing mini-games also provide the only real adrenaline rush in the game. Fortunately they can be repeated ad infinitum and without penalty.

While an interesting diversion, I don't think this will fill the (now 30 days and counting) void until Skyrim arrives.

I agree that It shouldn't be linear. However, this game has no map. The Hideouts don't even have a minimap. So if they weren't linear then it would be pretty much impossible to
complete any mission as you would have to memorize the entire building. I can't even remember the last time i played a game like this that had no map. It seems like the most
obvious thing to add, yet it is nowhere to be found.

You are so right. No maps, because no maps are needed. And where they do have a map (while outside) it takes up a large portion of the screen—hiding terrain and enemies you want to see. They could have put it on the dashboard like a real GPS.

As I said, this is a typical id shooter with all the design and game play shortcuts they are known for.

I gather they have promised a construction set. My game will sit on the shelf until it does.