DOOMATHON entry #9/20
List: https://www.backloggd.com/u/Mariofan717/list/doom--quake-campaigns-ranked/
Quake 2 is a very interesting piece of history - it continued id's trailblazing streak by being the first FPS that I know of to have a cohesive narrative and world, one in which every level is connected and gives clear context - but it lives in the shadow of both its more atmospheric predecessor from the year prior and Half-Life from the year to follow, a game whose commitment to naturalism and narrative design arguably outshines its gunplay.
The same cannot be said of Quake 2, which stands out almost entirely because of its damn solid shooting. Approaching this replay with the knowledge that it was a sequel in name only upon its release, I was able to better appreciate its specific brand of gameplay while still admiring iteration of the mechanics that allow it to still feel like Quake from moment to moment, something that will be relevant later in this marathon.
Although the overwhelmingly gray/brown interiors and orange skies of the Strogg homeworld blend together more than the mazes of any previous id game and make the backtracking between loading areas feel more protracted than it is in actuality (the bizarre decision to pause the soundtrack upon the completion of an objective also contributes to this), the level design is commendable for being the studio's first deviation from the classic formula. There's a stronger emphasis on rooms that are specifically designed for large combat encounters, and it allows the weapons and enemy behaviors to really shine. There's some redundancy in the weapon selection here, particularly with the hyperblaster feeling more like a variation of the chaingun than an adaptation of Doom's plasma rifle as it was clearly intended to be, but the weapons are perhaps the best feeling of any in this marathon so far. The super shotgun in particular is an absolute joy to use, especially with how it allows you to get an up-close look at the modular damage inflicted upon enemies and the increased frequency of gibs compared to its predecessor.
The previous game's effortlessly smooth movement is entirely maintained here as far as I can tell, allowing full 3D combat to be pushed farther than the before. The final few levels are relentless without relying too heavily on tankier enemies and will most likely remain one of the best stretches of shooting in this marathon despite being capped off by an unsurprisingly underwhelming boss. Quake 2 doesn't have as strong of an artistic identity as its predecessor, but it's not without reason that it would define the franchise going forward - it's a really fun shooter at the end of the day, one that stands the test of time even if it left less of a mark on history.
Cross-posted on Twitter: https://x.com/mariofan717/status/1755166386064900368
List: https://www.backloggd.com/u/Mariofan717/list/doom--quake-campaigns-ranked/
Quake 2 is a very interesting piece of history - it continued id's trailblazing streak by being the first FPS that I know of to have a cohesive narrative and world, one in which every level is connected and gives clear context - but it lives in the shadow of both its more atmospheric predecessor from the year prior and Half-Life from the year to follow, a game whose commitment to naturalism and narrative design arguably outshines its gunplay.
The same cannot be said of Quake 2, which stands out almost entirely because of its damn solid shooting. Approaching this replay with the knowledge that it was a sequel in name only upon its release, I was able to better appreciate its specific brand of gameplay while still admiring iteration of the mechanics that allow it to still feel like Quake from moment to moment, something that will be relevant later in this marathon.
Although the overwhelmingly gray/brown interiors and orange skies of the Strogg homeworld blend together more than the mazes of any previous id game and make the backtracking between loading areas feel more protracted than it is in actuality (the bizarre decision to pause the soundtrack upon the completion of an objective also contributes to this), the level design is commendable for being the studio's first deviation from the classic formula. There's a stronger emphasis on rooms that are specifically designed for large combat encounters, and it allows the weapons and enemy behaviors to really shine. There's some redundancy in the weapon selection here, particularly with the hyperblaster feeling more like a variation of the chaingun than an adaptation of Doom's plasma rifle as it was clearly intended to be, but the weapons are perhaps the best feeling of any in this marathon so far. The super shotgun in particular is an absolute joy to use, especially with how it allows you to get an up-close look at the modular damage inflicted upon enemies and the increased frequency of gibs compared to its predecessor.
The previous game's effortlessly smooth movement is entirely maintained here as far as I can tell, allowing full 3D combat to be pushed farther than the before. The final few levels are relentless without relying too heavily on tankier enemies and will most likely remain one of the best stretches of shooting in this marathon despite being capped off by an unsurprisingly underwhelming boss. Quake 2 doesn't have as strong of an artistic identity as its predecessor, but it's not without reason that it would define the franchise going forward - it's a really fun shooter at the end of the day, one that stands the test of time even if it left less of a mark on history.
Cross-posted on Twitter: https://x.com/mariofan717/status/1755166386064900368