Quake 2

Developed by: id Software Distributed by: Activision

MULTIPLAYER Quake 2 multiplayer can be described as nothing other than an adrenaline rush. Human opponents breath new life into a game once hindered by AI, this combined with cutting edge graphics, (eclipsed only by the eye-candy of Unreal and the upcoming Quake3 Arena) ingenious level design in various settings, and a decent assortment of weapons is a combination that has proved unbeatable to date. The levels are architecturally stunning (sometimes I load up the game just to take a look at the architecture) and well ballanced, offering plenty of opportunities for snipers while at the same time providing the hunter/killer gung-ho type with the weapons needed to pick off those pesky snipers that have decided to set up camp. The weapons are well balanced, and each suited for a different situation. The more powerful weapons are somewhat ballanced out by an increased need for accuracy and a slower rate of fire. This ballance between the weapons provides a player with the machine gun or shotgun a reasonable chance against someone with the rocket launcher or rail gun, as long as he knows how to make himself a moving target. With an unending supply of mods released by aspiring game developers you'll always have an enticing new variation of the game available to play when you briefly get worn out with the beloved DeathMatch. There are plenty of servers out there running independantly developed levels to keep the multiplayer experience alive when the q2dm series gets a bit too repetetive for your liking. Have a slow connection to the internet? There are plenty of bots offering a reasonable alternative to multiplayer on those days when your connection just won't cooperate, and a better practicing aid than the single player monsters. CONCLUSION In spite of Quake 2's disappointing single player game, the multiplayer aspect is well worth the money and a great game for anybody that has an internet connection. I highly recommend the game for the latter and if your system meets the requirements you should definitely consider buying it (3d accelerator strongly recommended), although most gamers would wait for the long anticipated Q3 Arena. Æ Back To Main