id software were once regarded as the top developers of FPS games on the PC. They are responsible for some of the biggest names in FPS such as Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake. Quake III: Arena took a different route to the previous Quake games. Quake and Quake II were primarily single player games with a strong multiplayer base. For the first time in the series, id software made a game that focused almost exclusively on multiplayer. Several issues of the previous games are addressed and they made a game that is going strong even after 10 years of its release.
New generation of gamers who didn't learn their history lesson, Quake III is the ultimate deathmatch experience. I have played several games with deathmatch modes - Halo, Quake 4, Doom 3, Unreal Tournament - but they are just not as good as Quake III. There is something about this game that is hard to pinpoint, its so much fun when playing on LAN with a group of friends.
The graphics engine used in Quake 3 was one of the most widely used. Call of Duty, the series that so popular on consoles now, owes its success to the id Tech 3 engine. Quake 3 was used as a benchmark for PCs for the longest time, like we would use Crysis right now. Also, the engine is extremely scalable. I first played this game in 2000 on a Pentium 3 machine with all graphics settings low at 800x600. Nine years later, on a different continent, I am playing the same game on a Intel Quad Core, GeForce 260GTX at 1920x1200. THAT is not something we find often. Diablo and Diablo II are still widely played, but they are not scalable. Quake III stands almost as if it carved in stone.
The gameplay is rudimentary, in a very good way. Imagine Pac-Man, you always go back to it. Quake III is the same for me. It is possible to play skirmish matches against the bots and I've been playing 3 minute deathmatch rounds for years now. Its the perfect game for me when I want to take a short break and get some gaming done. Its a classic PC game.
Apart from deathmatch, there is Capture The Flag and Team Deathmatch as well.
The source code for Quake III is available on id Software's FTP site, and this ensures the longevity of the game – it is still played online, there are several servers to chose from. Also, there are hundreds of mods and maps available. This game is a must for any LAN party.
If I have to pick the best game ever, it would have to be a toss up between Deus Ex and Quake III: Arena.
Every FPS gamer on the PC should own a copy of this game, and for the price that it is available, there is no reason to not buy it.
+ Fast deathmatch
+ Excellent graphics
+ Scalable
+ Music
Verdict – One of the best games ever
