Rage

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 9,141 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Rage Game Cover
Rage is the complete package that fans of shooters, RPGs, and buggy racers have been waiting for. Combined with its jaw-dropping visual presentation, Rage easily one of the best games of the year.
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"Rage: Anarchy Edition" is a first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland after an asteroid impact. The game features both single-player and multiplayer modes with a good story, solid game mechanics, and impressive visuals. As a survivor, you must navigate the harsh world, battling raiders, mutants, and an oppressive government regime.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 9,141 reviews
story1,067 positive mentions
stability274 negative mentions
  • story5,142 mentions

    The story in "Rage" is generally criticized for being generic and underdeveloped, often described as a series of repetitive fetch quests with minimal character development and a lack of engaging narrative. Many players noted that the game ends abruptly, leaving significant plot threads unresolved and failing to deliver a satisfying conclusion, which detracts from the overall experience. While the gameplay and graphics received praise, the storyline is often seen as a weak point, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative.

    • “The story of Rage is set in a dystopian future where an asteroid has struck Earth, leaving the planet in ruins and civilization in disarray.”
    • “The story starts strong: you wake up from cryo-sleep in a world gone mad, and everyone immediately wants you dead.”
    • “Despite the presence of upgrade systems, mini-games, side quests, and car racing challenges, Rage is primarily a shooter.”
    • “Although the wasteland initially appears graphically convincing, the story missions can be summarized as follows after a lengthy intro: drive to point X, shoot everything that moves, loot everything and everyone, and drive back to collect your reward.”
    • “The only thing holding this game back is a dull story; however, the world and stuff to do in it is a joy.”
    • “The story is almost non-existent, and then abruptly ends; you press a button and you get a cinematic, and that's it, lackluster ending.”
  • graphics2,154 mentions

    The graphics of "Rage" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the game's stunning visuals and unique art style, particularly for its time of release in 2011. However, players have noted significant issues such as texture pop-in, low-resolution textures up close, and limited graphical settings, which detract from the overall experience. While the game showcases impressive landscapes and character models, the graphical inconsistencies and performance problems, especially on AMD systems, have led to frustration among some players.

    • “The graphics are amazing, the world is fun, the characters are interesting too.”
    • “The graphics are quite good for the time it was developed (about 14 years ago) and voice acting is fairly solid.”
    • “The graphics hold up really well considering its release date.”
    • “The graphics are terrible up close.”
    • “The graphics of the game are dated.”
    • “The graphics aren't very pretty and everything has this brown filter over it, but it's by no means the worst looking game even by today's standards; however, you are very limited on options meaning that the game either looks okay or just awful.”
  • gameplay1,867 mentions

    The gameplay of "Rage" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fun shooting mechanics and solid gunplay, which are hallmarks of id Software's design. However, players have criticized the game for its repetitive mission structure, lackluster story, and underwhelming driving mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a variety of gameplay elements, including crafting and vehicle combat, some feel these features are poorly integrated and lead to a somewhat linear and predictable gameplay loop.

    • “The gameplay is smooth, the story is okay, but the whole atmosphere and sheer carnage that prevails in the post-apocalyptic world of Rage are probably the biggest selling points.”
    • “The gameplay is a fast-paced first-person shooter where you shoot a lot of bandits and mutants in the game.”
    • “Rage delivers with fast-paced, brutal gameplay that id has always been known for.”
    • “The gameplay loop is also extremely boring.”
    • “It's a very boring ugly game with no encouragement for exploration, no level up system, and gameplay that becomes a complete yawn fest of fetch quests, boring copy/paste enemy design, and a constant feeling that you could be playing something better.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive and gets really boring really fast.”
  • atmosphere295 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and visually stunning design, effectively capturing a gritty post-apocalyptic world reminiscent of titles like Mad Max and Borderlands. Many reviewers highlight the game's dynamic sound design and art direction, which enhance the overall experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay and story depth. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a significant strength, making the game enjoyable for fans of the genre.

    • “The game's high-definition graphics and stunning visual effects enhance the immersive experience, showcasing a world teeming with atmospheric beauty amidst the chaos of destruction.”
    • “The atmosphere and sound while on quests draw you in and help you feel the suspense, reminding me of Bioshock.”
    • “Rage is a testament to id software's brilliant ability to create a shooter with a deeply immersive atmosphere.”
    • “Very mediocre gameplay with no atmosphere and feeling.”
    • “The second area is completely devoid of any good feelings, atmosphere, etc. It's gray and bland.”
    • “Overall the weapons and character models look nice, the intro sucked me right into the game and atmosphere but as soon as the game really began it lost all of its charm.”
  • stability293 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players noted improvements after patches and found the game to run smoothly on certain systems, many still experienced issues such as texture pop-ins, audio glitches, and frequent freezing, particularly during vehicular gameplay. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with many recommending caution or suggesting it only be played during sales due to its technical shortcomings.

    • “Runs great now in 64bit, and looks excellent considering its age.”
    • “It looks amazing and runs great even on low-end laptops, can't believe how good the game looks and how fluidly it runs on my three-and-a-half-year-old Core i3 laptop.”
    • “Everything runs great, looks beautiful, and it's actually a hell of a lot of fun for a pretty simple shooter.”
    • “The game is good and deserves more attention, but unfortunately, for god knows what reason, it is pretty buggy.”
    • “You literally have to run mods on this game to make it playable, and even then it has issues with video memory glitches and the frame-rate is atrocious along with constant stuttering no matter what you do in-game.”
    • “This game is a buggy mess; the textures are horrible and it plays poorly on modern hardware, it's locked at 60fps.”
  • optimization253 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, texture pop-ins, and inconsistent frame rates, even on modern hardware. While some players have managed to improve performance through tweaks and mods, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for PC, often requiring significant manual adjustments to run smoothly. Despite its initial promise, the game's optimization problems have left a lasting impression, making it difficult to recommend without caveats.

    • “It's worth noting that at launch it was one of the most optimized games out there, which goes to show the effort the devs put into it.”
    • “The game engine is powerful and renders beautiful scenes without sacrificing performance.”
    • “The game runs very well, very well optimized.”
    • “Under the default configurations, the game is terribly optimized, with stuttering and constant texture pop-in problems, as well as a low FOV. To make matters worse, the game doesn't allow you to change these settings in the in-game options menu, forcing you to dive into the config files manually if you want the game to run properly.”
    • “You literally have to run mods on this game to make it playable, and even then it has issues with video memory glitches and the frame rate is atrocious along with constant stuttering no matter what you do in-game.”
    • “The optimization for this game is horrible, with inconsistent frame rates that fluctuate all over the place, just like pretty much all OpenGL games.”
  • music200 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it atmospheric but ultimately forgettable. While some appreciate the dynamic sound design and how the music enhances the gameplay experience, others criticize it for being generic or distracting during combat. Overall, the soundtrack serves its purpose but lacks memorability, with some players opting to turn it off to focus on sound effects and gameplay.

    • “This game delivers an immersive audio experience through its dynamic sound design, featuring impactful weapon sounds, environmental effects, and atmospheric music that intensify gameplay.”
    • “Combine this visual splendor with the wonderfully atmospheric sound effects and subtle tension-building music and you have a game that already manages to stimulate at least two senses quite well.”
    • “The music matches the fights perfectly and is able to get your nerves going for when those mutant enemies come jumping off the balconies and catwalks ready to make a little late-night snack of your face.”
    • “The music is annoying; it randomly changes pace, or distracts you from trying to aim or listen to nearby enemies.”
    • “The sound design is fine, but the music feels generic and out of place in most areas.”
    • “The soundtrack is utterly forgettable.”
  • grinding122 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being slow, tedious, and repetitive, often requiring players to engage in monotonous fetch quests and vehicle combat that detracts from the overall experience. Many reviewers noted that the need for grinding to progress, particularly in card battles and vehicle upgrades, can lead to frustration and boredom, overshadowing the game's potential for fun and engaging gameplay. While some players found enjoyment in the shooting mechanics and exploration, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding elements significantly hinder the game's pacing and enjoyment.

    • “Also, it wasn't a problem for me, but you are at least going to some areas twice. The developers change the way and direction you approach these areas, making it not tedious and enjoyable again.”
    • “Enemies are kind of bullet-sponges but just enough to feel challenging and not tedious.”
    • “Still, the game is pretty good and fun to play if you like post-apocalyptic shooters with a bit of a Mad Max vibe that aren't too grindy.”
    • “If you're a fan of receiving a relatively interesting plot start and proceed to grinding it to a screeching halt, instead forcing you to do pointless missions that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual plot, you've come to the right place.”
    • “The quest design is tedious with this whole 'I won't let you progress unless you do this.' mentality which might not be annoying in some other games, but 1: most of the game relies on fetch quests and 2: you could be doing a quest and you'll have to do another quest just to complete the quest you were on, so you got stacked with progression blocking parts that are annoying.”
    • “I found myself feeling bored within ten minutes of completing the overly long and tedious tutorial sequence only to find that the game really consisted of repetitive fetch quests, repetitive driving and racing, repetitively listening to uninteresting people I don't care about ramble on about nothing in particular.”
  • humor116 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as lacking, with many reviewers comparing it unfavorably to the more comedic tone of titles like Borderlands. While there are occasional funny moments and quirky NPC interactions, the overall consensus is that the game feels like a serious, gritty version of Borderlands without its charm or wit. Many players noted that attempts at humor often fall flat, resulting in a game that feels devoid of personality and engaging dialogue.

    • “Rage is a funny game.”
    • “The humorous Borderlands-like parts at some point make space for a darker, grimmer, and at times almost horror-like setting.”
    • “Some funny moments in it too, like a bad guy saying 'he's not getting up from that', for example.”
    • “It's not funny nor overly serious and epic.”
    • “An unfunny version of Borderlands.”
    • “Imagine, if you will, the first Borderlands if it attempted to be gritty, realistic, and not funny.”
  • replayability84 mentions

    The reviews indicate a mixed perception of replayability in the game, with many users noting a lack of significant replay value due to repetitive side missions, linear gameplay, and a short overall experience. While some players found enjoyment in revisiting the game for achievements or specific encounters, the consensus leans towards it being a one-time playthrough rather than a title with lasting replayability.

    • “This is my top game of all time, it's hard, it's fun, and it's replayable.”
    • “The fast-paced first-person shooter combat, exploration, and intense car combat are entertaining enough to definitely warrant additional playthroughs, so the replayability of this title is quite high in my opinion.”
    • “Rage is a stunning ride with much replay value and certainly one of the best adventure-shooters out there.”
    • “Side missions recycle previously visited locations and offer no replay value.”
    • “Completed in a few hours and has no replay value that I could see.”
    • “The entire storyline, including all side quests, takes about 10 hours to finish, and there's little replay value as everything plays out the same way each time.”
  • character development62 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal or non-existent, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth in the narrative and character arcs. While the character designs and animations are praised for their creativity and detail, they often overshadow the weak storytelling and limited interaction, leaving players craving more substantial character engagement. Overall, the game's visual appeal does not compensate for its shortcomings in character development and narrative depth.

    • “Rage managed to mesmerize me with its visually striking post-apocalyptic landscapes, meticulously crafted environments, and detailed character designs, including well-animated characters and beautiful attention to detail.”
    • “The animators and character designers did an absolutely fantastic job on all the various characters that feel very distinct from each other; the sheer variety and personalities even the non-essential characters possess is just incredible.”
    • “The character designs and animations are also bursting with personality, bringing this breathtaking wasteland world to life.”
    • “While the writing establishes a compelling backdrop, the game's plot progression and character development may feel less extensive compared to its immersive gameplay elements.”
    • “Unfortunately the story is boring as hell, the character development is non-existent, the environments are way too similar, the level design within the missions is a one-way corridor, the enemies are bulletproof during the last third of the game, the economy and upgrade system are bare-bones, the pseudo hub-like zones you can explore are absolutely useless and seem to exist only to justify adding vehicles in the game... and the ending is probably the worst I've ever seen in a game.”
    • “There is almost no character development for you or the NPCs, and the silent protagonist view doesn't work well because the NPCs talk to you like you're actually responding.”
  • emotional52 mentions

    Overall, the emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers describing the story as boring, linear, and lacking depth, which prevents any real emotional investment in the characters or plot. While some players found enjoyment in the gameplay mechanics, the absence of a satisfying conclusion or emotional payoff left them feeling disappointed and disconnected from the game world. The consensus suggests that despite its potential, the game fails to evoke strong emotional responses, making it a forgettable experience.

    • “A slightly emotional closure.”
    • “It's been years and I still am not over how sad this terrible, awful game made me feel.”
    • “The intro starts with a powerful and emotional cutscene.”
    • “Boring story, linear and hollow open-world, shallow characters, bad ending.”
    • “Painfully boring story and ending though.”
    • “There is a rudimentary crafting and scavenging component present, but it just encourages you to spend more time looking at boring corners in boring levels in order to upgrade boring guns to kill more boring enemies in order to progress a boring story.”
  • monetization28 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players labeling it a cash grab, particularly criticizing the presence of advertisements and the potential for microtransactions in a single-player experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and additional content from DLCs, the overall sentiment suggests frustration with the game's perceived reliance on monetization strategies rather than delivering a fully realized experience.

    • “I heard that there's going to be microtransactions in the game; there's no place for those in single-player games.”
    • “The monetization model feels fair and doesn't disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without forcing them on players.”
    • “Kinda sucks, not gonna lie. I had some semi-nostalgic memories of being a die-hard Bethesda fanboy as a tween. Forget that and forget this game; it's a total cash grab.”
    • “Secondly, I heard that there's going to be microtransactions in the game. There's no place for those in single-player games.”
    • “Fake open world cash grab that was poorly designed and not tested properly; I'll be uninstalling.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

Buy Rage

Play time

13hMedian play time
23hAverage play time
11hMain story
23hCompletionist
5-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 58 analyzed playthroughs

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