WHAT I SAW:

Bethesda and id Software presenting a near-final build of open-world shooter, RAGE

WHAT I EXPECTED:

Going to an id Software presentation is a lot like getting set up with a model; you know whatever awaits you is going to look fantastic, but there's no guarantee it's going to be any fun. I had no doubt that RAGE would be a visual masterpiece, but with id's history of making linear corridor shooters I was unsure whether I believed they could create a compelling open-world experience.

WHAT THEY SHOWED:

Traipsing through the post-apocalyptic wasteland, hot sun casting long shadows over a burnt-out world, you immediately get flashbacks of Fallout 3. But then, the second you start thinking Bethesda's handing you a second serving of the same dusty dystopia, the mutant freaks come out and you immediately appreciate just how powerful id's new graphics engine is.

As they clamor towards you, moving about like spastic primates, you get a real sense of tension as their fluid and varied animations provide them with a life-like believability. Within moments though you're loading your weapon and pumping slugs into their chests, and that's when you appreciate just how good the studio is at designing guns. It makes sense too, so much of the classic id experience is defined by the way their weapons feel and it's great to see that pedigree has carried over to Rage.

It's not all familiar content though, after clearing the area of the marauding wastoids I was presented with a driving section - something id's never really gotten right before. What surprised most about guiding my dune buggy-like junker is how well it handles. Cars play an important role in Rage, but unlike Borderlands' weaponized timesaver, these vehicles are meant for racing. Whipping around corners at blistering speeds, it's hard to believe this is made by the same people who perfected the slow, hallway-stalking pace of Doom.

The final part of the demo brought me into the twisted reality program, Mutant Bash TV. If there's a moment in the game that convinces you the classic id formula still works, this is it. Well-paced and tons of fun, the brisk horror show has players blitzing through rooms full of enemies while their environment swings spinning blades and other torturous implements at them. This is easily the most fun co-op partners will have in the game, racing through the courses trying to best their high scores.

WHAT I THOUGHT:

While it's impossible to understand the true scope and scale of an open-world game in a brief demo, all fears of the studio stagnating and being unable to break out of their tried-and-true formulas have been put to rest. The demo proved to me id Software is capable of making beautifully spacious environments, high-energy racing, and still deliver what we expect from them. If they're capable of doing all that, I'm willing to put faith in their ability to create an engaging post-apocalyptic world worth exploring.