Quake

"The best 3D game ever? Not probably, but a serious contender to the title."

Quake is a game which holds an special place in my heart, though it was only recently I began to realize how this game has influenced me as a gamer.

Released in 1996 (if I'm not mistaken), Quake showed us the real 3D engine which has been arguably the most influential and most innovative change in the FPS gaming history.

STORY: 3/10

Quake has no story to speak of. Unfortunately for us, id has been making games with no story around ever since DoOm. Of course, there is a lot of possibilities with this stuff, but, frankly, the story is quite simple: You're a simple soldier who's chosen to go and stop someone who's been attacking slip gates bases, which are teleporting devices. Obviously, you're in a hell of a lot of trouble. Sucks to be you.

GRAPHICS: 10/10

Well, the graphics are one of the high points of the game. One of the reasons is the detail that has been put on making the game beautiful. Really beautiful. Quake is really sexy to look, and it isn't tiresome like some of DoOm II and Blood levels (to name some).

The game is insanely dark, that's for one point. But it really contributes to the game, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

SOUND: 8/10

The music, for one part, is wonderful. This might be really biased because Industrial Rock is my favorite kind of music, and NiN does great industrial rock. But you are reading my review, so I'm free to say the music is excellent. Really moody and powerful.

The sound effects (also done by Nine Inch Nails) are very good, but are somewhat forced. With good speakers, most of the weapons blast your mind off, and is seriously scary to hear enemies tracking you down when you're running for your life ^_^. Pretty good also.

GAMEPLAY 10/10

Quake has 4 episodes with 6/8 levels, a secret level and four difficulty levels (one hidden). It is hellish long, but is also lot of fun.

The level design is flawless. Very gothic and dark, the levels are closed and claustrophobic giving you castles and dungeons where salvation escapes through little windows where the dark and cloudy sky blows it away, and your only hope to redemption is to slaughter everything in your path.

The enemies are hard and tough as nails. When you suddenly realize the tactics and approaches of the monsters, you still have something to find out: the monsters are VERY damaging. Fiends, for one example can take 98 points of health in ONE swing.

Multiplayer is also flawless. Lots of options, lots of strategies, and lots of fun.

REPLAY VALUE 9/10

This is another interesting point. Not only you can frag it out with your friends from here to eternity, but the game is STILL alive and LOTS of mods are out there, and more are being produced.

OVERALL 9/10

Don't miss this piece of history. It will show you why people like me are still playing this. Long live Quake!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/26/02, Updated 09/26/02