The series that helped popularize the arena shooter genre is back and better than ever with a remastered version of Quake now available on modern consoles and PCs. Developed by Nightdive Studios, the port was shadow-dropped during the first day of QuakeCon 2021 in celebration of its 25th anniversary.
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It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since the original game took first-person shooters to the next level, serving as a showcase for the genre and the hardware of the time with its fully polygonal character models and environments. The introduction of a remaster means that nostalgic players can now relive the classic like never before. This is also the perfect opportunity for new players to check the game out. And for those worried about getting bodied in its multiplayer modes, here are a few tips to help you stay ahead of the pack.
Practice With Bots
One of the new features added in the Quake remaster is the introduction of bots in the multiplayer deathmatch mode.
This allows new players and rusty veterans alike to learn the ropes without the added pressure of having to deal with smack-talking players itching to blow them to bits. So throw a few easy bots onto a map and practice, practice, practice.
Familiarize Yourself With The Maps
It should go without saying, but one of the quickest ways to hasten your journey towards complete Quake dominance is by getting familiar with the game's multiplayer maps.
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This is important because each one has its own layout and flavor, even though spawn points for pickups remain the same, making it essential to learn where all the good guns, health, and power-ups can be found.
Win The Mad Dash
The first few seconds of a deathmatch are often the most crucial.
This is when all the players who have taken the time to familiarize themselves with the map go beelining for the best weapons and power-ups. You can either try to get to those weapons and power-ups before they do or use their focus to your advantage and attempt to take them out while their backs are turned.
Stay On The Move
The action in an arena shooter can be quite fast and frantic, so you'll definitely want to avoid making yourself an easy target by not staying stationary for long stretches of time.
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Unless you happen to be camping at a particularly great vantage point that allows you to see all the other players. But even then, you'll still need twitch reflexes should they happen to corner or gang up on you.
Circle Around Your Enemies
One way of staying on the move in Quake is by employing a technique known as circle-strafing.
This is basically when you avoid enemy fire by strafing left or right, all the while keeping said enemy in your sights by aiming at them with your mouse or thumbstick. This allows you to return fire, turning a defensive maneuver into an offensive one.
Read Other Players
Shooting other players in Quake can be quite tricky at first, because of all the fast action and chaos that accompany a typical deathmatch.
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So one trick you'd want to master is how to predict another player's current trajectory. For example, you are more likely to score a hit with a rocket launcher by aiming at the floor or nearby walls in the direction a player is running towards than by shooting at them directly.
Learn To Rocket Jump
Speaking of rocket launchers, one of the staple moves pro players use in Quake is the rocket jump. The move is performed by timing a regular jump with an explosion from one of their rockets.
This enables players to reach greater heights or cross greater distances than a regular jump would allow. The tradeoff is they lose some health each time the move is performed, so it should definitely be used sparingly.
Take Out Respawning Players
In Quake, a player is most vulnerable right after respawning, mainly because they spawn with their default weapons, and those are typically harder to defend with.
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So use that knowledge to your advantage by scoring a few cheap kills by targeting players as they respawn. Just don't complain when you find yourself on the receiving end of this particular technique.
Know When To Run Away From A Fight
This is typically when you are running low on health, or when the other player has a significantly more powerful weapon than you do.
In such situations, you almost always end up biting the dust, unless another player turns up and frags them from behind. So there is no shame in running away from a fight you know you can't possibly win.
Don't Be Afraid To Die
Unlike modern battle royale games where players only get one shot at winning the round, deathmatches in Quake are all about raking up as many kills as you can within the time limit, irrespective of how many times you get fragged along the way.
So definitely use this to your advantage and never shy away from jumping into the fray and raking up those kills.
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