Getting an invitation to participate in a hands on preview of a high profile game that is set to knock the socks off the FPS gaming community is not something that comes around very often, so when I received mine to come out to LA and play a few rounds of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars with the creators from id Software and Splash Damage, I was more giddy than a school girl to jump at the opportunity. After having the chance to play Enemy Territory: Quake Wars at last years E3 and finding the gameplay outstanding back then, I couldn’t wait to see the improvements made to the game and see just how far it had come along. The ongoing battle between the Strogg and the GDF soldiers rocked then and it could only get even better, given the amount of time that had passed since then.

That bright and early Tuesday morning, after a hearty breakfast and one too many muffins, we sat down at the thirty foot table that featured some 20 odd systems, all connected together for one big fragfest. After a brief jaw dropping trailer introduction of the game, it was easy to see that I was right and the game has made some huge steps forward over the past 10 months. After an overview presented by id Software co-owner Kevin Cloud and Splash Damage founder Paul Wedgwood, of the stages the game has come through it was time to buckle down in front of a monitor and lock and load for some all out carnage; Quake style.

For those unfamiliar with the universe of a little game called Quake, it originally followed the story of a Marine that was stranded on a planet called Stroggos, the home planet of a race of beings known as the Stroggs. The Stroggs have been at war with Earth for several years previously, when they began their invasion on our home world and Earth’s only defense was the army of soldiers known as the Global Defense Force. As a prequel to the blockbuster games Quake 2 and Quake 4, ET: QW follows the Strogg invasion across the Earth in different campaigns from one side of the Earth to the other. Each map you’ll find your self fighting for survival in, takes place in a variety of environments across the globe, where some will be lush valleys, some winter wastelands, arid deserts and even destroyed cities. Each campaign has three maps with their own storyline, history and missions that both sides will need to accomplish to complete their objectives.

As we all got prepared for the death and destruction, we took turns killing each other in the warm up mode in preparation of things to come. We had all been given the mission briefing of the first map we were to tackle, not so creatively entitled Valley, and were eagerly awaiting to take down some Strogg scum. For this map, the GDF forces needed to repair a bridge that would allow them to escort the MCP through the tunnel on the far side. Once through the tunnel, the MCP would need to arrive at the outpost there and then have it deploy, ready for attack. Once deployed, a Covert Ops would need to infiltrate the Stroggs outpost and hack the Shield Generator that protects the Contaminator building. Once the shield was down, the MCP could be fired and the contaminator building can be destroyed. Once it is, the support soldiers can then rush the ruins and plant charges on the Contaminator and destroy it to win the round. The Strogg soldiers on the other hand, need to do their best to keep the GDF from fulfilling their objectives and keep the Contaminator building in one piece by either keeping the bridge from being constructed, stopping the MCP escort or defusing the charges on the contaminator. Keeping an eye on the warm up timer and trying to remember what the mission objectives were, it was finally time to rock and roll.

Saying the games visuals are astounding is an understatement. As detailed and gorgeous as the DOOM 3 engine has been in the past, Quake Wars seems to take it to the next level with massive outdoor environments, rippling water, flying dust, waving trees and so many other details that make you want to pay attention to them. The “MegaTexture” technology that was mentioned some at E3 last year, really shows off in the game and allows characters, objects and the environment in the game to realistically react off one an other. Vehicles slide on dirt while they keep their traction on pavement and characters kick up dust behind them while running through fields but not across roads or concrete. The sun reflections and shadows are just “right” and at first you’ll be looking around at your surroundings, nodding to yourself in agreement how great things look, until a bullet whizzes by your head and you remember you don’t have time to stand around smelling the roses.

Much like Enemy Territory: Wolfenstein, the gameplay is mission oriented and each player plays a role on their team. There are no heroes in this game and if a person feels like playing the lone gun man going all out Rambo style, they aren’t going to last long and they won’t contribute to the team effort. In the process of being useless to the team, they will hinder their team largely, not to mention annoying them greatly. On the GDF side, Soldiers can plant charges to blow open gates and barricades, Engineers can fix objects and vehicles, medics heal fallen comrades and establish supply stations, Field Ops strategize from afar and call in backup strikes while Covert Ops are needed to hack into Strogg computers and snipe the enemies before they know what hit them. Each of the Strogg classes have their own specialties as well, so no matter which team you are on, you have a place and a duty and your team relies on you as you do your team. Strogg armies have Aggressors, which play the support role, Constructors, which can deploy repair and disarming drones, Oppressors which can put up quite a fight and a defense to take a stand on the battle field that can be a chore to over come. As well, there are Infiltrators, who have teleporters and disguises and Technicians, which are the Strogg version of medics that can not only heal but can also create spawn points for his fellow troops by “Stroggifying” a fallen GDF corpse on the field.

Each class has many options of what they can do and duties they can perform. It can seem a little overwhelming at first, but as you get used to it, the option of having so many things to do in each class adds more depth to the game and adds an extra dimension of strategizing and planning before just running in guns blazing. Also each time you accomplish a goal or defeat an enemy, you will receive experience points which will contribute to your ranking and allow you to get awards while you play. As well, the servers will keep a ranking score of how well you play so you can compare how good you are to other players. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is like meeting a woman that is drop dead gorgeous and brainy as well. The game really is the best of both worlds. It’s non-stop action for the FPS junkie in you and the need to plan out your attacks for the best possible outcome and to avoid respawing after respawning while your team loses ground each time.