Quake Live Review: There’s Still a Place for Old School
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist
Now who doesn’t remember Quake 3? Released in 1999, Quake 3 was embraced by FPS players everywhere, spawning countless tournaments around the world. Who didn’t like Quake 3? The game was more than just your regular FPS in my opinion, with rocket jumps and other cool stuff that is not delivered by most FPSes. Quake 3 will definitely hold a place in our hearts– but why stop there? Introducing Quake Live, an MMO game that lets players relive their Quake 3 memories in the comfort of their web browser (or so they say). When I first heard about this game, I knew I had to try it out. The best part is that the game is free-to-play so I guess you don’t have to pay for a shard of nostalgia, but is Quake Live really as good as its client based predecessor? Let’s see…
Is It Really A Browser Game? Maybe
Upon registering your account, you’ll be prompted to download the necessary plugins in order to play the game. It’s a quick DL, after which you are ready to kick some old school ass. The game still runs on a semi client which launches after you’ve picked your channel using your browser. Once you log in, you’ll be forced to take the in game tutorial in order for Quake Live to gauge your abilities. It’s more of a practice match in my opinion, where you will go head to head with one of the AI bots. There you’ll be taught how to execute mandatory skills such as the rocket jump. It’s up to you whether you want to quit on the spot, but it always pays to learn the moves used by pros.
Know your place
Know Your Place
Once the game sizes you up, you will be paired with other players who are roughly at the same level. At least you can be assured that won’t get your butt kicked by pro the moment you jump in. Your skill level also goes up as you continue playing, so don’t be surprised when you suddenly find yourself in a pit of godlike players.
Various Game Modes
Much like the original, Quake Live also has a bunch of game modes to choose from. Though the modes aren’t as diverse as most of the FPSes today, they still provide the same Quakey feeling wehad back then. Game modes consist of: Duels, Team Deathmatches, Capture the flag, Clan Arenas, and other revamped versions of the four. The game also has tons of maps (around 24, I think), giving players more diversity as they pew pew all the way.
Various game modes
Lag
Remember when you used to play via LAN connection? There’s a reason why I still miss it. One of the issues plaguing the system is, of course, your everyday lag. Since the game is fast paced, it’s quite hard to actually hit a running person when you’re lagging. Developers are currently working on a better hit detection system for the game, so I guess it’s safe to assume that this problem won’t be bothering us for long.
Not For Everyone
If you’re looking for a tactical FPS, then I suggest you stay away from this game. Quake, in comparison to fighting games, would be the one played on super turbo speed. Quake requires players to run around, especially since camping in one place won’t do you much good in this game (unless you want a rocket in your face). To cut things short, this is a game that requires a lot of agile movements. Matches also take no longer than 15 minutes (normally 10), so I guess that sort of gives you an idea how fast the game is.
Rocket Jump
This Isn’t COUNTERSTRIKE! NOW SHOOT!
It’s quite easy to play solo as the players rarely rely on their allies to save them from certain doom. Even if it’s Capture the Flag, players will not be able to communicate properly (and probably won’t need to, except if they have voice servers) as everything will be too fast for players to strategize. Once the round starts, a player can only depend on himself and trust his teammates to perform adequately.
If you want to play a game that uses the mundane crouch and shoot method then go play something else.
Graphics
All in all, the graphics are similar to its predecessor. I can’t really dub this game as a browser game as most of the action takes place inside the downloaded client. If I were to compare it to games like War Rock (a pretty old MMO shooter), I’d say War Rock will most likely sweep the floor with Quake’s polygonal models; still, given that this is a classic, it’s quite refreshing to see those polygons explode into bloody pieces again.
The game is also easy to run, allowing low end PCs to get a piece of the action. Are we really surprised? I mean, the game was originally made for those low end PCs anyway XD. The graphics are still acceptable, but will probably trash to those who didn’t experience the original Arena.
The Verdict
I’m not sure if I’ll come off as biased since I really enjoyed Quake 3 Arena. The game really appealed to me, especially due to its free to play nature. It’s a great casual game for people who just want to have fun with gigantic guns and killer weapons that’ll rip your enemies to shreds. The lag really needs some work as I find it really difficult to confirm hits. If you miss the Arena, then this game is for you. As for new players who want to give it a try, it’s free to play, so don’t be afraid to play it! Hell, you might even love it 🙂
Pros:
– QUAKE IS BACK!
– Runs on low end PCs
– ROCKET JUMP BABY!
– Accessibility
– Ranks
Cons:
– Bullet lag
– Not everyone
– Ugly graphics for modern gaming.
