I've watched nearly all of the developer interviews and gameplay videos shown of Rage so far, and I'm left scratching my head. What's so special about it? Why are some people acting as if this is the second coming? Why have sites  such as Gametrailers listed it as the most exciting game of E3 for multiple platforms and categories? If someone said "imagine if Borderlands and Fallout 3 had a baby", Rage seems like it would be an accurate manifestation. Borderlands and FO3 are both great games, but I don't see why another post-apocalyptic first person shooter is somehow groundbreaking. It seems like it looks and plays quite nice, but other than that I have trouble finding anything truly distinctive about it that could justify elevating it above "just another good game" status. So what am I missing? Or do a lot of you feel the same way? 

It's... rage enducing! RAAAAAAAAAAAAR 
 
I think the hype is because of the technology behind it, but like you, i don't generally have fun while looking at some neat new features, while the rest is derivative of what i've experienced before. 

It's made by id? That still means a lot to a lot of people I guess? At the very least just from that you're reasonably assured of a graphical showstopper? Other than that I think maybe you're just over-egging the coverage a little bit, I personally haven't noticed anything too crazy. What other multiplatform game are you thinking deservers more excitement?   

I have no idea either. Unless it's doing something really awesome in terms of gameplay, I can't say I'm gonna be rushing out to buy it on day one.

It's pretty

I'm with you OP. I watched a bunch of developer interviews and gameplay vids and I didn't see anything worth getting excited about. I guess having John Carmack at the helm helps as far as publicity but if they want my money they need to really "wow" me with something or just make DOOM 4. Yea...DOOM 4 would be nice.

Id software dude

It's gonna be good....really fucking good

" I'm with you OP. I watched a bunch of developer interviews and gameplay vids and I didn't see anything worth getting excited about. I guess having John Carmack at the helm helps as far as publicity but if they want my money they need to really "wow" me with something or just make DOOM 4. Yea...DOOM 4 would be nice. "

Because of the frontier they're braving with the new engine, id tech 5. With this so-called Mega-Texture tech, games aren't going to be as limited by having to load every texture file into the RAM. It's neat stuff.

" Id software dude "

I just think it looks like it could be fun.

" John Carmack. I've said enough. "

It's because some people think that Id is still relevant in 2010.

I don't get it either. I mean, visually it looks good....I guess?  
 
But is that it? Is that all Rage has going for it? And don't say some piece of tech. Being a showpiece for technology means nothing to me and isn't enough to get me excited about a game. 

I asked this question to myself a while ago. I'm still waiting for Rage to draw me in. I'm waiting for that little thing, something that I can point to and be like: "YEAH! That's why I'm getting it! That's what the gaming press sees!" 
 
This hasn't happened yet, and it's good to see that I'm not alone. I also don't think it's going to happen.
Especially when the creative director is quoted saying stuff like:

 "There's nothing that we're doing besides technology that really hasn't been done before,"  
 -Tim Willits

 Bethesda Game Director Todd Howard explained in a separate interview with IGN that his game would not use id Tech 5. The studio's new engine built for its upcoming title is more beneficial to creating huge, open-world games, such as Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, while id Tech 5 is better for more contained environments.

"We decided to really reboot our technology after Fallout 3, so we had been making plans for that and started doing some things. The id thing came along later, so it's a mix of that plus the kinds of games we do are a bit bigger and more dynamic.

"Id Tech 5 is the best thing in the world at doing a very static environment that looks pretty and you're going to run through. But for the kinds of things I like to do, I like the world to be more dynamic."

idtech5, the gameplay seems original- the openness of an RPG but instead you get action. I love open world games, the world seems well-conceived, I like the option to customize playstyle "puzzle-like" combat with drones, etc.