As a big fan of the DOOM games, I was interested in the successor series that id made in the late 90s. Quake I (or just Quake) is a huge step forward from DOOM II: Hell on Earth. The entire game is in full 3D vector graphics all the way down to the viewmodels. However, there is no interpolation in neither texture nor animation, which didn't bother me because I found it fitting for the 320x240 resolution. The enemies are also creative and don't copy the ones found in DOOM.
The same thing, however, can't be said about the guns. There are only 7 (compared to the 8 in DOOM II), 3 of which are super versions of other guns. They aren't super fun to fire and I also found myself frequently running out of ammo.
Overall it is a huge improvement over DOOM II and will definitely keep you entertained for 20+ hours.
Quake II is an equally large step up from Quake. Mouselook is always enabled and the vertical exploration is no longer hampered by a horizontal FOV. The guns have also been greatly improved over Quake and feel amazing to shoot. Even though 3 of the guns are still just upgraded versions of 3 other guns, the normal guns are still useful in different situations from the upgraded versions. The enemies have improved animations (and actual interpolation), fighting mechanics, and variety. The levels are fun to progress through because they all look different from each other and they seamlessly (for a 1997 PC game) load to and from each other. Some levels are in space, others are underground, some are outside, and a couple are inside a torture chamber. The game also boasts full motion video cutscenes and decently impressive skybox art. All these changes allow Quake II to be a more immersive experience with a richer atmosphere and realistic appearance.
Quake III: Arena differs from the first two games because it is only multiplayer. There isn't a lot to say about this game that hasn't already been said a thousand times over the past two decades, so I'll just skip right to the recommendations.
I would recommend these games to fans of FPSs, video game history buffs, and fans of arena shooters. For Quake III specifically, while there are people who still play it, you might want to convince your friends to buy copies first.
Quake: 8/10
Quake II: 10/10
Quake III: Arena: 10/10
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