RAGE iOS Goes Free For One Week

[Earnest Cavalli]

RAGE iOS Goes Free For One Week

What could possibly be better than head-shotting mutants in a post-apocalyptic dystopia? Head-shotting mutants for free.

In celebration of the RAGE Facebook page [http://www.facebook.com/rage] hitting 100,000 "Likes," publisher Bethesda Softworks has decided to reward fans by dropping the price on both iOS iterations of the game.

Actually, "dropping" isn't quite accurate. Bethesda's generosity has completely removed the price from both RAGE and RAGE HD. Both games can now be downloaded absolutely gratis from the iTunes App Store [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rage/id396956740?mt=8].

It should be pointed out that this deal has one major caveat: It's a limited-time offer. You now have until August 25 at 12:01AM to download RAGE for free.

I should also probably mention that the iOS adaptation isn't exactly a port of id Software's upcoming PC/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 shooter. So what is it exactly? I'll let the press release explain:

RAGE comes to your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch with the hit of the wastelands, Mutant Bash TV! This intense first-person shooter casts you in the starring role of a post-apocalyptic game show where you'll be stalked by hungry mutants while you scour pulse-pounding levels for ammo and cash pick-ups. Make a deal with J.K Stiles, the show's menacing host, and see if you have what it takes to survive this carnage-filled carnival of death!

What that fails to mention is that the game isn't really a first-person shooter either. I mean, it is, in the most literal sense of the word, but for the most part its gameplay is really more akin to on-rails shooters like Panzer Dragoon, than DOOM.

That's not a value judgment by any means. I've been playing RAGE all morning and am totally into it. I just thought I should warn you all before you download the free game and go looking for non-existent WASD analogues.

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[dogenzakaminion]

Sweet, now if only they can make a version for Android so I don't have to borrow my girlfriends iPhone all the time.

 

[Armored Prayer]

Just played it this morning and I loved it. My only complaint that it seems to be only three levels long, or maybe I did something wrong?

Besides that the game plays well and I'm loving the graphics both in game and cinematic.

 

[valkeminator]

Can't download this since im not in the US Sadness.

 

[SmugFrog]

I didn't like it very much. I mean, the graphics and production value of it is amazing, but the control/gameplay is pretty bad. I had fun with it for about 30 minutes before the frustrations of it made me delete it.

In an on-rails shooter, you shouldn't feel like your character has multiple personality disorder when you're trying to aim. During combat, it's not very noticable or there is very little movement; but when you're trying to pick up items or shoot bullseyes while the game is trying to do a "cinematic" style first person camera while you're trying to aim at the same time, it just becomes frustrating.

When your character steps up to the next spot to have combat, you're locked into a particular viewing angle that sometimes leaves powerups and bullseyes just out of range by a hair. Why can't I just aim at them? Why do I only get to target them during the movement phase? The last straw that made me quit and remove it was when my character was walking by ammo that was on his left. I was aiming to the left, trying to pick up the ammo as he walked by it. When he entered the next room, there was a bullseye on my right - but as I start aiming to the right my character starts pivoting to the left, leaving the bullseye where I can see it but slightly beyond where I'm "allowed" to aim. Don't even get me started about the how the guy just walks right into the middle of the room to soak up damage.

The graphics are great and it is ok to play, but this is a gametype that has been done years ago by othe companies in a much better way. Call of Duty still has the obligatory on-rails section, but they don't make it feel cheap. This gameplay leaves me feeling like playing a really pretty Sega CD game.

Why am I complaining about something that was free? Because the free promotion was only done to gather more (free) advertisement for their game. This game is just another example that outstanding graphics aren't what gaming is all about.