Twenty-five years after it first launched, the remastered edition of Id Software’s groundbreaking first-person shooter Quake made its debut. Quake was released across all major platforms in August 2021 and despite its blocky graphics, ageing level design sensibilities and simple mechanics, the re-release has been a success.

Quake even became one of the Nintendo Switch’s most downloaded games in the month of its release. While this may seem surprising because of just how old the game is, there are a number of reasons why gamers are favoring this archaic FPS over a host of other, more modern rivals. While its legacy certainly plays a part in that popularity, the game also holds up very well.

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Quake Was Once The World’s Most Eagerly Anticipated Game

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Quake was originally released in 1996 by Id Software as its stratospherically-hyped follow-up to the world-conquering and still-popular Doom franchise. At the time, it was one of the biggest video game releases on the planet, with gore-drenched, multiple-page spreads splattered across every computer magazine on the shelves. Like Doom, it’s a first-person shooter, released before the term ‘FPS’ was even invented (they were still called ‘Doom clones’ back then). Unlike the original Doom, it was a truly three-dimensional experience, surpassing its progenitor to open up enormous new possibilities in terms of map design and verticality.

At the time, this technology was absolutely revolutionary, with clunky pre-Pentium PCs only able to run the game if players tolerated a dawdling frame rate or splashed out big money on state-of-the-art graphics cards. While console gamers had to wait a long time to get their hands on Id Software’s masterpiece, PC gamers were hooked by the game’s intricate maps and by a brooding, bizarre marriage of science fiction trappings with Lovecraftian horror themes that reportedly arose from disagreements during development.

Reasons Quake Still Holds Up

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A quarter of a century later, Quake is far from a technical marvel, but its perfectly calibrated, breakneck gameplay is still earning the game stellar reviews. Following the success of 2016’s Doom reboot, there has been a recognition that many gamers do not want overly realistic military simulators, but would rather blast their way through hordes of monsters without worrying about reloading or navigating a complicated UI. As such, some enjoy the simple and frantic multiplayer combat that Quake helped to pioneer.

The game’s atmosphere remains deeply unsettling, with the player visiting futuristic military bases before travelling to creepy medieval castles. This uncomfortable mash-up somehow works perfectly, with these sinister settings further enhanced by Quake’s pulsating, ambient soundtrack courtesy of sound designer Trent Reznor, the frontman of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails (who is paid homage to in-game via the ammunition for the nailgun).

Although the original game’s maps are small and fairly basic, the remastered edition includes two new episodes crafted by Machine Games, the developers behind the acclaimed Wolfenstein reboot. "Dimension Of The Past" was released on PC to mark Quake’s 20th anniversary, while "Dimension Of The Machine" is a brand-new addition, featuring impressive use of modern hardware and level design innovations to craft levels that have pleased die-hard fans and franchise newcomers alike.

Indeed, Quake enthusiasts have been making custom maps and mods for the PC version of the game for years, and the opportunity for players to experience these fan-made expansions, or to try their own hand at level design, will increase the game's longevity. Id has announced its intention to release regular updates and add-ons for Quake, which will hopefully bring some of the fan community’s impressive work to consoles and to a wider audience.

The resurgent popularity of ‘boomer shooters’ is proof that there continues to be a strong market for games like Quake. New IPs like Dusk utilize similar mechanics and design, as do remasters of beloved classics like Duke Nukem 3D and upcoming releases such as Graven. Whether players are attracted by the accessible, satisfying gameplay or simply driven by nostalgia, it seems that more retro FPS games are destined to materialize. As for Quake, it appears the venerable shooter will be welcoming generations of gamers into its sprawling industrial complexes and haunting gothic cathedrals for years to come.

Quake is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

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