Quake II

The movement feels great, the aiming feels great, the guns feel impactful. There's decent enemy variety and I like how the levels go from one area to the next and feel like an actual world. Highly recommend.

While not a true sequel to the original Quake, this multi-hub based shooter is actually really kickass, and Nightdive did a great job with the port. Oh and I 100%ed the game so take that.

This IS the Best FPS Ever Made. Hands down. these updates are AMAZING !!
Looks awesome plays fast runs slick, its all here.

Nightdive excels at remasters because they have huge amounts of respect and passion for the source material. go figure. extremely good value for including both expansions, the n64 port, and even keeping the non-remastered version
Call of the Machine was a wonderful addition, even thoughthe ending was really out of left field

A must-(re)play classic! Timeless. Frenzy action and fun

Very solid old school shooter. The Call of the Machine campaign is even better than the base game.

Great update. Get a crt and lots of fun

It's very, very good. The Enhanced edition does justice to the game from my childhood. The visuals look clean and they added offline bots. Thank you

oldie but goodie, this has some new levels that i hadn't seen before and a lot that i had forgotten.

This game is much better than most of triple A games made nowadays. Just makes you realise that there was a time were games were made with passion.

Also with all the dlcs, there is a lot of content, for an average gamer. Id' say you have over 40-50 hours of joy. Totally worth the price tag. I still cant believe a game like this was made in 97.

If you miss and old school good quality shooting game, I totally recommend this masterpiece.

One of my favorite "Boomer" Shooters. Classic game. I think the weapons are all far more fun and satisfying to use than in the original. The shotguns are as powerful as shotguns should be in a video game. Much more like Doom I and II than Quake I. The electronic-metal soundtrack by Sonic Mayhem is a very cool juxtaposition to Trent Reznor's ambient industrial soundtrack for the original Quake though I do like the connection between id Software and Nine Inch Nails. Quake II is easily my favorite of the Quake series. 10/10.

Amazing, still holds up graphically. Played a lot of it back in the day.

It's a remake of Quake 2, with the only things changed being the graphics engine and the saving/expansion system. All the textures are the same, original res. The graphics are a definite improvement over the original hardware-accelerated version, and improve the atmosphere and playability. It helps if you know how to speed-run the levels, as this is the same old Quake 2, and could be a bit boring, as the levels are a bit labyrinthine. The saving system is pretty poor and can't handle more than about 10 saves at a time, and so it loses points on that.

There's a strange update, I don't remember the weapon scrolling system. Basically, a wheel pops up and you can push the mouse to the item but it doesn't work well. Doesn't interfere with the game though and you can just play without using it.

It's good to replay an old classic (if it's a bit over-simplified compared to Hexen/Heretic). It reminds you it's more about three-dimensional movement than those earlier FPS's. Quake 2 is quite a linear game, despite the recent 3D improvements of the time, and the next few were too. The graphical improvement are a major upgrade to the game, and it feels the same, and yet new.

Quake 2 though a departure from its predecessor is undeniably a must play for every FPS fan that has yet to be corrupted by fortnite. When Quake ll came out many people were understandably outraged at it not being a continuation of the critically acclaimed Quake but the first thing that you need to realize about this game is that though it shares a name and basic gameplay with one of the first and best 3D games ever made it is its own beast. The guns feel utterly blissful to shoot, the enemies are interesting bastards that you feel no remorse in committing genocide on, and the movement is as fast and responsive as you could want in a true boomer shooter. Personally, I have only played this version of Quake II and not the original but from this perhaps flawed basis I would rate Quake ll as above its predecessor, so play it, now.

ID Software best. Amazing game touched up by Nightdive so looks and plays better on todays systems. LOVE IT Played so many times on various systems and PCs over the years.

Man, they really did a smashing job with "Call of the Machine".

I rarely see the point in leaving reviews for old games - especially ones decades-old like Quake 2. But Nightdive and everyone involved in this remaster should be proud.

Not only is the remaster itself top-notch, but the new expansion is probably just about the best Quake 2 has to offer.

The maps are fantastic - huge, multi-tiered levels - all thematically different, atmospheric, and most of all - challenging and engaging (especially on Hard and above), The new weapons absolutely fit in with the original arsenal, and the newer enemy roster adds so much to the feel and flow of the game.

Good job guys and gals - dare we request that Quake 4 now gets the same treatment?

Solid stuff. Much like Doom, this game is relentless and quite frankly, I got pretty exhausted at the end of each session. Which isn't a bad thing. They really put the pedal to the metal.

7/10 STARS

Just doesn't quite hit the same way when I'm not trying to drown out the horrible things my parents are screaming at each other. Still fun tho.

I've been playing this game since the age of 7 years old. I completed it hundreds, if not even thousands of times.
It is my all time favourite shooter.
I know every inch of every map by heart. I can't even explain how i felt when i heard of this remaster.
Since it came out, i'm playing it every day, even though nothing is new to me, i still love it.
And Call of the Machine is absolutely AMAZING.
I love everything about this game.

Back Catalog Review #4: Solid FPS. Even on normal, the last few levels were challenging. Great weapon and enemy variety. Soundtrack is a banger. 8/10

This Remaster is a great improvement from the vanilla game in all honesty, not to down the og game but this here, this is the definitive way to play on a modern PC. The multiplayer is also a huge improvement, it's a shame not many people play, not as much as you'll find on q2pro servers anyways.

This game is even better in this latest version. Great old game, still fun after all these years.

An excellent FPS that is, in large part, a sequel to Quake 1 in name only. Take on alien invaders known as the Strogg as they try to assimilate Earth and it's inhabitants into it's legion, taking out essential infrastructure as a marine known as Bitterman.

I only played the singleplayer campaigns, so that is what I will be speaking to for this.
It is a fairly old game in terms of gameplay, though it's almost puzzle like to figure out which weapon will work best against which foe. Like Quake 1, it offers a similar array of weapons and power ups, and you do get some cameos from familiar foes, though they do not play major roles. Unlike Quake 1, this game does offer a compass you can use if you lose your way, you may chose to use your power ups whenever you choose rather than having to use them then and there, and it takes on a much more sci-fi tone rather than Quake 1's magic and demons. If you are on the hunt for achievements, this game is a good pick, as while it's achievements are fairly easy to get (mostly "complete this level" achievements), they do not feel unearned, especially for the ones involving the other episodes.
This game offers additional episodes, which you CAN play before you beat the main campaign, though I don't recommend it. Each one offers more of that "nice little bow" to the whole experience, and it's fun to see what the name of the character you're playing as for each of them is (you'll be able to see on the crashed shuttle what the character's name is).
There are some flashing light effects, but these can be turned down in settings.
This game does mute when you alt-tab, though it's music is largely atmospheric pieces with the occasional rock segment (though, and this is most likely just me, some of the rock music makes me think of burger places such as Hard Rock Cafe).
Audio balancing in this game is very odd, and I recommend making sure you turn on subtitles, as the cut scene dialogue is quiet and there does not appear to be a way to turn it up, though sound effects can be very, very loud.

Now get out there, and get back our moon, marine!

This is fabulous update to one of my favorite FPS. The graphics, the sound, and the new enemy movements are really awesome.

Timeless Action, Perfectly Remastered
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)

Review:
Quake II Remastered is a stellar update to a classic FPS. The enhanced visuals, smoother gameplay, and added content breathe new life into a genre-defining title. Multiplayer feels as chaotic and fun as ever, and the AI improvements make single-player campaigns exciting. Plus, the option to switch the graphics to a more retro style is a fantastic touch for longtime fans. Whether you're a returning player or a first-timer, this remaster is a must-play. An outstanding revival of an iconic shooter!

They added a optional navigation arrow and paths to find objectives, keys and exits. it's pretty awesome to be able to chill and speed run this old classic without having to re-figure out all the mazey stuff. in addition to that new feature there's new accessibility features and graphic updates too. now more than ever you can chillax and re-live all this classic shooter had to offer.

I have lightly touched Quake II until this came. Bought it for cheap and played the game whole. Really enjoyed it all the way through.
My favorite? Quake II 64!

the greatest multiplayer game EVER

Another remaster of the cult classics. Though I personally like Quake I much more for its unique dark style and gameplay-oriented levels, the Quake II remaster is still great. All official add-ons are now available in one launcher + you get additional Quake II 64 campaign and a brand new "Call of The Machine" expansion made by Nightdive Studios and Machine Games (also, Operation Darkest Depths there is the only Quake II episode that doesn't allow backtracking to previous levels, so be careful if you are going for 100% kills and secrets). Another great addition is the implementation of compass aka the arrow showing where to go, You no longer have to guess what the game wants from you, attempting to hit all possible switches on the map (though sometimes compass does show the final target like a door instead of the secondary one like a switch that opens that door but it is not that frequent). Weapon and items wheels are useful too considering large amount of weapons and items in Quake II (especially in the expansions). Setting up a multiplayer match is very easy and the Nightmare difficulty is now officially implemented and you don't have to use console commands to access it. Overall, just as with Quake I remaster, unless you are planning to do dive deep into modding and custom maps, this source port is the best way to play Quake II nowadays.

One of my old LAN party games, really wonderful to replay. Great soundtrack.

An amazing and iconic shooter and an insanely rad/cool music soundtrack that makes you feel pumped all the time.
Worth playing the game for the soundtrack alone folks, not to mention the 4 different expansions and the Nintendo 64 version that comes bundled with the game too.
If you just wanna have some mindless fun and jam to a rock/heavy metal soundtrack then, this game is not just for you, but for anybody born in the 90s like me.
Loved playing it as a 5 year old back in the day...and love playing it even more now, at 27.
Never change Quake, never change...

Call of the Machine is a great, diverse collection of well made levels with great secrets and hordes and hordes of enemies. If you're looking for an action-packed expansion for the Q2 game, this is it.

Now if only I could get it to work with Quake 2 RTX.

The best Quake game for multiplayer! Remaster by Nightdive Studios exceeds all expectations.

this is literally better than ultrakill or half life, purest form of fun and gameplay with map design that will catch you off-guard every second, makes me incredulous that they made this in 1997.

While often criticized for being an insignificant upgrade over the first entry in the series, Quake 2 replaces the first game's oppressive, tonally inconsistent and abstract elements with something far more cohesive. It's still ultimately not very clever or ground breaking, but it's immediately more approachable.
Quake 2's biggest achievement is how it's able to work around the limitations of reduced enemy counts (compared to something like Doom) and still make fights interesting. The game heavily favours constant movement, in singleplayer and multiplayer alike. Weaponry has a lot of character to it, they feel powerful and yet each weapon has its place. The game is by no means perfectly balanced, as certain inventory powerups like the legendary quad damage or the power shield absolutely trivialize any challenge the game may throw at you.

The re-release package is overall excellent, as it not only boasts a new renderer supporting modern visual effects, like real time shadows, it also contains both of the original expansions, as well as the Nintendo 64 levels. While the original expansions are interesting as products of their time, the level design is often meandering and un-focussed and the new weapons feel underwhelming. On the other hand, Call of the Machine, an entirely new level pack created by Machine Games specifically for the re-release, is absolutely superb and it's very clear Machine Games has a great understanding of what makes Quake 2 work well.

The gameplay of the re-release is NOT identical to the original, which in my opinion is a good thing, since Quake 2 is such a divisive title. It should also be noted, that most of the gameplay changes come from restored content that never made it to the original release, as such nothing ever feels out of place and integrates smoothly in the game, another aspect done extremely well.

A nostalgic trip to my early gaming days with this title. The updates in spite of its age have done a remarkable job of keeping this game relevant to my library.
The classic twitch style gameplay keeps you engaged as you charge through the myriad of corridors and intimidating enemies throughout each campaign.
The local split-screen and online multiplayer feel promising. I enjoyed a couch-play session with family after years of singleplayer campaign play.
The game can be tough, but the raw presentation is part of its charm.

Worth it alone for Quake 2 64. An amazing boomer shooter, great levels, weapons and enemies.

10/10

Classic game. Contains no Woke content.

Timeless. Simply the best way to play Quake 2 on modern hardware

The definition of Boomer Shooter.

Call of the Machine is Machine Games' best work. Most fun I've had since the nineties.

I suppose the Call of the Machine campaign is worth at least a winter sale discount

Remaster is good, works fine. Good multiplayer. Campaign is good old school fps

This is a suddenly-no-longer-underrated gem that's been recently overhauled for free by id games. The enemy models and wall textures/brushes have been upgraded slightly, but not so much that it looks too outside the original 1997 style. The game menus and cutscenes have been given a similar treatment, and the additional single-player campaigns AND the N64 version of the game have been added into the base game for free. Very cool!

As for the game itself, this is the beginning of the fast, twitchy arena shooter style that dominated the late 90s and early 00s, only this one focuses on single-player. The sequel would do away with the campaign altogether and launch the online FPS revolution that changed PC gaming forever. But, back to Q2...

This game crash-lands you (Space Marine "Bitterman") on a hostile alien planet filled with monolithic, industrial scenery and architecture. Not super far-off from Q1's aesthetics, but decidedly less lovecraftian and more... Paul Verhoeven? The enemies, known as the Strogg in-game, are a creepy collection of body-horror nightmare-scenarios, consisting of humanoids that've been "Stroggified" to varying degrees into freakish cyborgs. Some still look vaguely like people, others are so far from human they've been reduced to a brain in a vat.

You'll wind your way through a bunch of not too dissimilar looking industrial arenas and corridors blasting Strogg and not much else. This game lacks even a 'use' button and is focused almost 100% on combat. Run, jump, shoot. Besides a little swimming, that's it! There's some key-hunting and switch-pressing just to pace things out properly, but not much in the way of challenging puzzles. In fact, there's none. Good stuff.

While the visual style of the game is in keeping with the idea of moving thru an industrialised planet purely focused on making weapons of war, it still doesn't save it from looking a little monotonous. That said, the aesthetic of this game is something I keep coming back to and I enjoy it quite a lot. Is that a contradiction?! Yes. Yes, it is.

The weapons in this game are plentiful and with just a few exceptions, VERY fun to use. Their sound design is on point, the updated weapons models look a lot better without being overdone, and the game does a good job giving you just the right amount of ammo to keep having fun without it getting into survival-horror territory, or on the other end, Serious Sam. The starting "blaster" laser pistol has infinite ammo but it's a chore to use.

The story is thus: "Go to planet. Blow up alien guy. Blow up their stuff."
Perfect story for this type of game 10/10 give 'em a fucking Emmy.

If you're into FPS games at all, this is definitely worth playing, even just to get a good look at where a lot of the modern conventions of the genre started. This is a pure shoot-em-up experience and it's really fun even to this day.

Rating: Old but GR8/10

The campaign is kinda meh. it starts off really well, and then gets a little bit boring. The deathmatch is where most of your playtime will come from though. If you want to only play deathmatch, consider buying Quake III. epic game tho

It still holds up even today.

Genuinely enjoyed this game, its a classic, runs on anything, and the updates are very nice.

Another excellent remaster. I played everything else before the main campaign and have had a great time. I would buy more Machine Games levels if they were available.

This might actually be one of the greatest FPS games ever made and you can see the clear inspiration and design choices used in DOOM Eternal. Thanks ID.

Been playing of story driven games as of late and needed a good ol journey where i just gotta shoot dudes in the face. What better place to start than the classics? This game rips! Levels look pretty horrendous and can be kind of annoying to navigate even with the compass but other than that im havin a great time with this on the deck