I think I’ve mentioned it on more than one occasion, but I miss the FPS of yesteryear, the real ones. Because there is a high percentage of games that pay tribute to that stage, but taking advantage of the advantages today, which does not produce the same sensations. Plus, the comparisons are obnoxious when looking back at the mainstays of the First-Person Shooter genre , like DOOM.
Here it is clear to me if I have to say my favorites for multiplayer games: the best are still Quake III: Arena and Unreal Tournament (I don’t care about the year, they all blow me away) for those with a frenzy, without underestimating the mythical Duke Nukem 3D , and already Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory for something more brainy as a team.
The most hectic Quake of the last century. And today
With this classic from 1999, John Carmack and co opted squarely for a Quake oriented exclusively to multiplayer , both with direct confrontations against the machine within a fully arcade campaign, and against other players on LAN or via Internet connection, their real reason of being.
id Software created a spin-off in which they put history aside to offer one-on-one games … or with many more enemies and / or players. His “campaign” was the ideal way to practice, since the difficulty was in crescendo, with increasingly tough opponents, until the final duel against (almost) unbeatable Xaero.
At the time, I really enjoyed the campaigns of the first two Quake (the sequel, even on PlayStation and with the sensational split screen for four players in its Deathmatch), but the challenge is to beat Xaero (especially in Dreamcast, which I configured its command in a thousand ways and none convinced me by not offering the same comfort and precision as the mouse + keyboard combo) or the bite against other people, it was immensely superior. Brutal.
That way the announcer rewarded each death or each remarkable action , remembering our position in front of the rest of the participants, was an extra motivation to try to give the best of himself in each game. And here anything could happen, being frenzied duels where you were dead if you did not worry about picking up any piece of armor to withstand more direct hits, such as the Railgun or the rocket launcher. Also, when you died you would reappear instantly.
A mirror in which certain shooters are still seen
Unlike in the recent Quake Champions, where id Software introduced differences between each character, in Quake III: Arena the only thing that changed was the appearance, even having Doomguy among those available. There was a bit of everything, most of which were unfriendly looking, like a certain legged eye.
This 1999 installment made the Bunny Hopping and Rocket Jump techniques even more popular, which consisted of reaching greater speed as we jumped or reaching higher by shooting at the ground with the rocket launcher, respectively. Two techniques that were burned into me and that I continue to use or try in every shooter that comes out on the market, without realizing it, especially the first jump. And of course, video games that embrace those techniques, like TOXIKK, keep coming out.
Today Quake III: Arena can be blamed for the limited variety of game modes, the main ones being the usual “all against all”, team games or capture the flag, with others with special requirements for weapons ( in that sense, Unreal Tournament was always better by having many more ), but everything it does does it perfectly and it is difficult to play a single game without wanting to throw another 20 more, especially in the face of obtaining unique medals.
Unfortunately, id Software left the flag so high with this installment that nothing that followed managed to top it. Because it even tried a free-to-play version (Quake Live), after several changes, not forgetting the expansion of Quake III: Team Arena or its conversion to Xbox Live Arcade, Quake Arena Arcade . Long live the king!
Has it stood the test of time well?
Yes, totally . I still find it a complete delight that is impossible to resist. Not in vain Quake III: Arena continues to be an absolute reference within that old style in FPS , with a frenetic and lethal rhythm. Along with Unreal, the best .
Essential
Quake III Arena
| Platforms | PC (analyzed version), Linux, Mac, Dreamcast, PS2 and Xbox 360 |
|---|---|
| Multiplayer | Yes, local and online |
| Developer | id Software |
| Company | Activision |
| Launch | 1999 |
| Price | 14.99 (Steam) 12.39 euros (GOG) |
The best
- Exquisite control and full of possibilities
- Arsenal of the most colorful and lethal
- The pique for the announcer’s medals
- Its frantic pace, without pause
- Playing against other people is the best
Worst
- That does not have a more current version
