You Warhammer haters can criticize WH40k Space Marine all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that it is far less generic than Rage. I think its funny how so many people are jumping on the Rage hype bandwagon when id hasn't really made any exceptional games in the past other than Doom 3. The one thing Doom 3 had going for it was the corridor gameplay with sudden scares. Unfortunately, Rage's more open atmosphere will create far less suspense and scares. Also, the less informed gamers on this forum, who criticize WH40k Space Marine and praise Rage, don't seem to realize than Relic has a far better track record than id.

- A huge weapon selection including some pretty uncommon weapon types such as the explosive collars, RC controlled bombs, turrets, traps, mines, crossbows, throwing knifes in addition to all the 'normal' FPS weapons (pistols, shotguns, revolvers, machine guns, rocket launchers.....

Mazoch

As though a larger selection of weapons is some kind of gaming breakthrough. Pfffttt........

- Weapon customization to allow you to actually further diversify your weapons effects. A crafting system to allow you to make different weapons on the fly.

Mazoch

Whoop tee doo.....customized guns.......what depth! Pfffttt........

- Quests, NPC's and dialog that looks like it borrows a few pages out of the RPG play book, again something that breaks the typical FPS mold.

Mazoch

Yeah, Rage is really quite the RPG just like Duke Nukem Forever is an RPG too, right? Gimme a break!

- Some pretty interesting AI elements (I remember seeing on video that showed some AI enemies being able to crawl on walls and ceilings as a way to get the drop on you).

Mazoch

Wow, what briliant unheard of AI..........NOT!

It's obviously hard to tell until the games actually comes out, but to me it looks like Rage is doing quite a lot to try something new, whereas Space Marines look like it's really a pretty run of the mill hack and slash game that just happens to have Space Marines and Orcs.

Mazoch

Actually, it's exactly the opposite. Rage is totally run-of-the-mill and WH40k Space Marine has some uniqueness to it.

As for Dead Island, I don't want to get my hopes up, but for what little I've seen so far it sounds really promising. We'll have to see.

Mazoch

Dead Island looks like a far far better game than Rage.

Rage looks like it offers a lot of different elements compared to your average id shooter

Mazoch

No it doesn't.

- The open world element, something that's traditionally been completely absent from other id games,

Mazoch

Open world element is not gonna save this game.

- The racing component, another thing that id has always stayed clear off (though plenty of other shooters have embraced).

Mazoch

Racing component? Who cares. Why not just play Twisted Metal instead then?

I want WH40K to be great, and I do expect it to be pretty enjoyable, but watching the game play videos it looks like a generic and simple hack n slasher.

Mazoch

Doesn't look generic to me. Looks well made and interesting, unlike Rage.

I'll still want to try it just because killing stuff as a space marine sounds fun, but the game play looks like a run-of-the-mill 3rd person hack 'n slash game.

Mazoch

Run-of-the-mill? No way!

As for the visuals, WH40K hardly looks impressive. Decent SM model, decent Orc models and bland backgrounds

Mazoch

WH40K Space Marine graphics are excellent. I don't know what gameplay videos you have been watching.

Rage has infinitely better value and will be a better game

Krelian-co

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Also, Rage is a game that caters much more to casuals than either WH40k Space Marine or Dead Island.

Rage will be another let down from ID because people have too high expectations of them. Their glory days are long gone.

kaealy

Exactly. Well said.

I'll wait until Rage is in the bargain bin and selling for $5, then I might buy it. Shouldn't be very long by the looks of it.

I predict Rage to score about a 6.0 on Gamespot (not that ratings mean anything anyways).

Rage = overhyped generic shooter with good graphics.

Well I think the issue you(OP) are running into is the mind plague known as confirmation bias. You begin by asking questions and only accepting the answers that match the answer you want, that's not a good method of being able to accept multiple viewpoints. Objectively I can say, RAGE will be technically superior by leaps and bounds compared to anything you mentioned aside from Red Faction: Armageddon(but RFA is basically a tech demo to show off Geomod 2.5, and yes I agree, it will probably remain the most advanced game engine we'll see probably till Geomod 3.0). And from what I've seen so far, the RAGE world has impressive detail and will have full modding support unlike eye-candy-but-no-touch games like RFA and Crysis 2, and the voice acting is superb.

I will agree with you however on that Metro 2033 is a masterpiece in terms of technical achievements, art direction, storyline, voice acting, gameplay, and at times, even humor. Bioshock 1 was definitely a good game, but I wouldn't consider it a masterpiece on the level of Metro 2033, but that's my opinion, it had great voice acting, what some consider the greatest art direction of all time as well as a great story, and its gameplay was very refreshing at its time of release, however I personally think the game Singularity did everything Bioshock 1 did, only better.

There's no need to rationalize choosing one game over another, look up the gameplay videos for the games you like, list the features, pros/cons of each game, and figure out from there which game you will enjoy most playing, and that game will be the one you should play. Space Marine does not look like a bad game, but I've yet to see a WH40K game that doesn't mostly consist of fans of the WH40K universe itself, whereas with truly good games for established IPs you'll see a game like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Metro 2033(based on a book). Don't get me wrong, I love to mindlessly scream WAAAGH at everything WH40k, but I'd be a little more skeptical if I were you, their marketing strategy essentially "abuses" the more "nerdy" WH40K fans, and there are plenty, moreso than for almost any other fictional universe.

What I've seen from RAGE so far is a technically advanced and polished game with very strong art direction and voice acting, tight controls(good responsiveness), and a unique game world. Space Marine seems like a very high action game like the Red Faction or Serious Sam series, it has good art direction, lots of WAAAGH melee, tons of blood everywhere, and it's pretty much a non-stop action game. THQ sure does publish a lot of action-heavy games, I mean there's the Red Faction series, Darksiders, and this over-the-top Space Marine game, all of which are third person games that can be described as "Michael Bay Movie: The Video Game" whereas games like RAGE are a little reserved in terms of gameplay, preferring to carefully design levels around the story and maximizing immersion as much as possible. It's your choice, you have "Michael Bay Movie: The Video Game"(THQ games) or something a bit slower but more meticulous like "Christopher Nolan Movie: The Game"(ID games). It's a matter of what your preference is, as well as how well the game is built/oiled at the time you buy it.

I'm not bashing your opinions or anything of that sort, I'm just pointing out some flaws in your reasoning(as they are prevalent among gamers, not just yourself) so you can better understand how to play games. WH 40k Space Marine isn't even comparable to a new IP like RAGE because WH40k games have had a tendency to mostly receive acclaim from WH40K fans(and there are endless legions of them) whereas ID itself is an inspiration for any video game developer that wants to create an action game, especially if it's an FPS. This isn't to say I'm not skeptical of RAGE, because I am, but I can certainly say, without a doubt, in its beta it is more polished than Space Marine will be after its final patch in a few months/years. Then again, both ID games and WH40K in general are wanked to the extreme so it's hard to trust either, but if I had to pick my poison, I'd at least wait until I'm forced into choosing because we haven't seen enough gameplay or been given enough information about either game to make a rational decision.

Zubinen

Interesting post, but please remember this is an Id game we are talking about. There is nothing subtle about it. There will most likely be nothing intellectual about it either. At least the Warhammer 40k Universe has a lot of depth and lore to it. Id games are notorious for being completely absent of any depth whatsoever.

Now let's talk about a graphical aspect other than technical, that being art direction. Rage looks to have a stereotypical dull post apocalyptic art style that is so common on post apoc games these days. Whereas WH40k Space Marine looks to have very good art direction stylized to the Warhammer Universe of course.

Now let's talk combat. Rage combat look unoriginal and just like any other generic shooter (i.e. shoot this, shoot that, reload, and so forth). Whereas WH40k Space Marine combat looks much more varied with special powers, melee combat, shooting, and even slow-mo.

In conclusion, I see nothing special about Rage at all other than a new graphics engine. On the other hand, WH40k Space Marine is the first time the Warhammer 40k Universe is brought to a 3rd person action game, and that alone is something really cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXHgmK3-OcIhack n slash with bad graphics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4hRlyU-Wwwawesome new engine with tons of weapons customization and great graphics

Krelian-co

WH40k Space Marine's gameplay and graphics both look awesome, so I have no idea what you are talking about.

Rage looks like the same ole same ole Id shooter with improved graphics.