Quake 4

Quake 4 continues directly from the second game and casts the player as soldier Matthew Kane, a member of Rhino Squad, who continues the ground invasion of the Strogg home planet after Quake II broke their main defenses. Unlike the maze-like, exploration-driven structure of Quake II, this is a more linear, more cinematic campaign with squadmates at your side, radio chatter from commanders, and scenes that emphasize smooth storytelling between firefights with no visible transitions or loading screens – including the famous mid-game sequence where the hero is captured, strapped to an operating table, and partially transformed against his will into a Strogg-style cyborg before he manages to break free.

The game was developed by Raven Software in collaboration with id Software, running on the id Tech 4 engine – the same technology that had powered Doom 3 a year earlier – which shows in the emphasis on dynamic shadowing, flickering lights, and dark, industrial base and machine-shop environments. Compared to the claustrophobic Doom 3, firefights are faster and more open, the player frequently travels in vehicles like a dune buggy or a mech, and fights alongside squadmates who, unlike ordinary escort characters, survive entire sections and provide healing or ammo, making the campaign feel more cohesive than the scattered companion characters of earlier entries in the series. The multiplayer carried over the tried-and-tested fast movement and weapon arsenal from Quake III Arena and added team-based, base-capturing modes that foreshadowed the series' later online modes. The result is a game that skillfully combines a short, cinematically told campaign with open, fast, old-school multiplayer.

Why play it: Suited to players who want a more cinematic, more linear sequel to Quake II on the solid id Tech 4 engine, with a memorable stroggification sequence, vehicle segments, and fast, open multiplayer.