With the launch of a new system, there are usually just a couple of decent games to buy. However, the Xbox 360 has been out for a little under a month, and there are really some quality titles out right now. [i]Quake 4[/i] is definitely one of these.

Let me start this by saying one thing: I have been a hardcore gamer for the past 10 years now, and [i]Quake 4[/i] is the most beautiful game I have ever played. Everything about it is remarkable. The graphics, lighting, and sound effects are all amazing. The game has a real dark and gritty feel to it, which works flawlessly.

You start the game off as a marine who is flown into an alien planet where the ‘Strogg’ live. They are threatening to become more hostile, and you have to stop them before they do. This is really an overused genre, but there is enough action and plenty of twists to keep your attention. The alien enemies that litter the planet are pretty tough. There is a wide range of enemies, so it really doesn’t feel like you are fighting the same guy over and over. The dark gameplay also allowed the developers to thrown in some pretty scary scenes.

There really weren’t that many flaws in [i]Quake 4[/i]. My biggest complaint was with the loading time. We are all used to it, but with the new systems, I didn’t think it would be that bad. I was wrong. The loading time in [i]Quake 4[/i] was horrible. I also came across a couple of glitches that were really annoying. I once died when I fell two feet down a ladder, and another time my character got stuck behind a box, so I had to kill myself to reload the game. But those are some petty things.

Overall, I can’t say enough about [i]Quake 4[/i]. It is the perfect launch title. It mixes great gameplay with unmatched console graphics and a good storyline. The game also has an Xbox Live feature that is always a bonus nowadays. If you have an Xbox 360, you must own this game. And if you are thinking about getting a 360, think about picking [i]Quake 4[/i] up as your first title.