Quake
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Quake Trailers
Celebrating 25 Years of Quake with id Software and Machine Games
Quake - Official Trailer (2021)
Critic Reviews for Quake
The definitive version of the game that set the blueprint for modern first person shooters.
If you're into action games, or even if you're not, you should be playing Quake right now - it's as good as PC gaming gets.
QUAKE is not just another 3D shoot-em-up game. It’s a whole new level of gaming. The amazing performance and features of QUAKE are the future of gaming. Whether you are new to this type of game or you are an old DOOM hack, you will fall in love with QUAKE. Grab yourself a copy and come play me on the ‘net.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
Quake is a seminal shooter that helped define the genre, but it's definitely starting to show its age. It's well worth experiencing the campaign, but its design and enemy placement can occasionally feel unfair. Just as well, the multiplayer is difficult to get into if you're not already familiar with it.
Enemies are visually grotesque, and their blinding-rage aggression makes for an experience that, even if you’ve played previously, is a challenging experience. You have to make the most of all your weapons, although the classic strategy of “use your shotgun as often as possible” remains viable. Ditto for the rocket launcher, the weapon most closely associated with the game.
Arguably the modern template for so many self-styled retro shooters, Quake has returned in stunning form. A stellar remaster, Quake not only maintains the essence of id Software's classic 1996 shooter, but it meaningfully iterates upon it too with all new additional content, mod support and crossplay. At a super budget price point, there is no reason to dive into one of the very best 3D shooters of all time.
Rather than score the game itself, what follows is an evaluation of the remaster. On that front, this is a fantastic release. I ran into a slight snag running it on the PS5, but that was it. Between the five campaigns, the console mods, and the multiplayer, this is a lot of bang for your buck. The controls are intuitive, the graphics are crisp, and the soundtrack is still excellent. I wish you weren’t tied to your Bethesda login, but that’s a grievance I can live with. As far as versions of Quake go, this one is exemplary. The platonic ideal, one might say. If you’ve found yourself missing those frantic, gib-centric days of chunky violence and blistering speed, Quake Remastered is exactly what you need. You really can’t get more Quake than this.
