LogFAQs > #961461850

50. Quake (1996) - PC

I would score this the same as Doom. It's interesting to compare the two. I didn't realize before playing it, but Quake is basically Doom 3 - everything in it is an evolution from Doom, and it really feels like a sequel. Some things about it are different, mostly for better, and a bit for worse. It's a 3D game (one of the first) so you can actually aim up and down, which mostly feels better than Doom's weird shooting where you hit enemies above/below you by shooting straight forward. Some enemies (like those exploding blob things) can be tough to hit, though. Enemy design is different - Doom throws huge waves of enemies at you, while Quake has you fight more powerful enemies in smaller numbers, which I preferred in this instance. Enemy design feels pretty good in general here. The main thing I wish is that the game had more weapon variety. You technically get seven guns, but three of those are alternative versions, so it's more like four, and Thunderbolt ammo is rare enough that I barely used it. Doom had a pretty similar arsenal, but it at least had the BFG9000 and the Chainsaw to use occasionally for a little variety.

Level design is probably in Doom's favor too in terms of how good it was. Doom had a lot more open, memorable levels, whereas Quake has mazes where you have to figure out the right way to go and get keys and such to unlock paths. I got lost less often in Quake though, and was probably having fun more often. Quake feels more like it's about facilitating fun while Doom focuses harder on being interesting? In the end, Quake's a bit more enjoyable overall, but Doom had the advantage of coming/me playing it first, so liked them pretty similar amounts. Solid games, but I didn't love either.

Next game hint: an unlikely crossover.