User blog:EezyCheezy/First Impressions On Quake

Quake was a game I wanted to play ever since I got into 90's FPS games with Doom and Duke 3D. And after months of waiting, my dream of playing the game did come true. A friend gifted me the game on Steam, and I downloaded it the moment I got the gift. However, it appeared that there was no music. I had to patch the game with the Ultimate Quake patch, and then after that, I was ready to play. Please note that this isn't a review, but rather my first impressions. I haven't played through the full game yet, so it will only focus on what I've played so far.

The graphics in the game are amazing. While Doom had 3d enviorments with 2D sprites, this game had full 3D models and it looked great, especially on GlQuake and Darkplaces, two engines for the game. The atmosphere was also a nice change of pace from the sci-fi and satanic settings of Doom, and the city and sci-fi settings of Duke 3D, since it goes for a more medival look, while still keeping the futuristic bits from Doom in there. I actually found myself rushing to kill an enemy who just suddenly appeared, and that's all thanks to the atmosphere.

Now, the gameplay might look like Doom but with better graphics, but you're wrong. Unlike Doom, the level design involves lots of puzzle solving and sometimes first person platforming (The 5th level of the 1st episode is extremely fun, since it requires you to jump around in low gravity, and once you grab the rocket launcher, you can rocket jump and go even higher). The level design is great and unique, and there's some well placed secrets. The weapons are awesome too. You start off with a single barrel shotgun, and then you can obtain more weapons such as the famous rocket launcher (Which you can rocket jump with unlike in Doom, and this became of staple of the multiplayer scene for years to come),  a grenade launcher, a nailgun, a super nailgun, and a double barrel shotgun. You also get a melee weapon, but you'll find yourself not using it that often. Just like Doomguy, Ranger moves at high speeds, making for some fast paced action. It's really fun to speed past traps and enemies as well as speed through the level like a madman, just like Doom. I'd say the gameplay is an upgrade from other FPS games at the time, with it's great level design and weapons.

I thought that Quake was a great game. I really enjoyed it, and it's the most fun I've had out of a single player FPS for a while, since I don't play FPS games a lot (Save for a few FPS games I play often).