A rousing success, Quake II dropped at QuakeCon 2023 with an updated version. And much like the first game, it’s quite impressive.
You get a lot of content. In addition to the base game, you get Quake II 64 and both major expansions – ‘The Reckoning’ and ‘Ground Zero’ – along with a brand new campaign. In Quake’s update, MachineGames released ‘Dimension of the Machine’, and now they’re back with ‘Call of the Machine’. There’s something fascinating about the MachineGames campaign. It’s fascinating to see a modern campaign designed within one of the greatest shooters of all time, and while many modern boomer shooters can emulate that experience, getting it from the source has its advantages.
There’s a lot of content, but the gameplay under-delivers compared to Quake. Hit detection with the pistol is wildly inconsistent. Fortunately, you rarely need it after finding even one other weapon, so it’s a nuisance at best. In addition to inconsistent hit detection, enemy AI updates may have contributed to this issue when shooting basic Strogg foot soldiers. In spite of the enemy’s ability to dodge your bullets – with fluid animations to boot – your shots often go right through them.
Quake II looks stunning. Crisp textures, vivid, high-contrast environments, and iconic and grotesque enemies.
The package is filled to the brim with new and old content, and barring a few small issues, it’s a brilliant way to revisit an iconic shooter.
Pros:
- A lot to read.
- New campaign.
- The iconic weapons and enemies.
- Affordability
Cons:
- Unreliable hit detection.
- Bland first few levels.
I would rate this game for 7 over 10.