Man, are you sure you played heXen? How can you compare it to Quake? They are very different! Even though ID took Raven's inventory idea...

IMO it's a very good sequel (I've finished the game 4 times and still playing again...) Forget that nostalgic sense of the past hours playing Quake 2...that makes the game greater (in your mind) that it really was. So, Quake 4 is as good as Quake 2 (just not so revolutionary)
The negative points (for me) are the horrible/only/static/noised sky texture and the ridiculous open areas, they are not so large, and you pass through that areas very quickly. Anyway, those open areas are bigger than any Quake 2 outdoor scenary.
I've some issues with audio dialogs, sometimes I cannot hear them, they sound too low, but maybe it's a problem of the spanish translation
I was too excited when i readed about the posibilities to give order commands to your squad (ala Republic Command). Not implemented That would be great..another time
No coop multiplayer. Very very bad thing ;)
Orchestral music fits a lot better than industrial music. It makes the game more film-like and inmersive. The problem is this Quake 4 music is not a very good one. They should called Graeme Revell or Marco Beltrami to do it ;)

D'sparil
Dont get my wrong I like HExen and heritic but Quake 2 is as good as them in it has good level design,hidden stuff,desecnt weapon design and good monster design.

MMmm WC3 was ok if the engine could allow more charatcers on screen it might have been funer

Siete7
Q4 is NOT as good as Q2
what sets Q2 and Q4 appart Q4 lack
Level design
Item belt ( HL2 has key settigns for useign items but the lack of them in the game is annoying )
Music
Gameplay due to bad level design
WTF did you ever paly Q2 ?? ? ?? 0-o it needs rocking gutiars not  Orchestra  ,Orchestra would fit for some doom tracks and most Heretic/hexen games but not a QUake 2 based game....

and the weapon designs are just horried.....better balance might fix that but I dout it.....All Q4 dose is bring quake into todays medicore FPS inviorment....oh well Q3 aint that ebtter in gamepaly...altho the bot AI might be meaner....

D'sparil
check the classic gameing  forum here I left soemthign for uuu :3