trusteft: Don't quote me on this, but I Am pretty sure the disc version of Quake 4 does NOT have an online activation. Of course it's been many years since I install it, but I am pretty sure about it. I would try it again for you but funny story with the game, I can never find the disc and the key. I need to organize my games better lol.
The game is more about the single player part than online. It has a storyline fighting aliens and it feels surprising a lot like Doom 3 in parts. If you can find it on retail for a reasonable price and you like FPS games, get it.
Just not for the Xbox 360 which is almost broken. PC is the version to get. (there is no PS3 version as far as I know or it is as bad as the 360 one)
Well, either way, I'm probably going to skip the Impulse sale or not buy it at all right now. I'm mostly interested in the single-player experience. I loved the single-player campaign in Quake, and thought the one in Quake II was pretty good as well (though I prefer both the original Quake's singleplayer and multiplayer over the rest of the series).
I've heard criticism that Quake 4's multiplayer adds pretty much nothing to what they did with Quake III (though I'd argue that may not be a
bad thing), and that they focused on making a single-player game this time around, which is fine, as Quake III's multiplayer is great, and it makes up for that game having had no single-player component.
Man, if the game showed up anywhere else, GamersGate, Direct2Drive, GOG, even Steam, that'd be great. Even Quake Wars is widely available, though it rarely goes on sale (and never for a price that I want). I just don't get it. :P