Quake

Happy 30th Quake 1. This is the game that made me definitively a PC gamer. There is something about this unique combo of Lovecraftian/eldritch horror, dark ambient Nine Inch Nails music, fluid and fast movement, and depressing atmosphere that stands the test of time. I still put Trent Reznor's Quake 1 theme as one of the best intros to a game ever. The moment it plays, you're put into a trance. If you know you know. This is the one game I risked a lot of punishment for. In high school, I had network admin privileges and I installed Quake 1 in the back row of the computer lab where "the boys" and I would play deathmatch while our should-be-retired teacher droned on about C++. This was when 56k modems were the norm so playing on super low ping and seeing my friends' reactions in real time was an incredible high. Little did we know that Quake 1 would spawn the beginnings of eSports, multiplayer client-server architecture, WASD, and usher in the era of accelerated graphics cards. I eventually got caught where I vividly remember my teacher saying "Ahem, what is THAT?" and had my privileges revoked. Needless to say I didn't ask that teacher for a letter of recommendation. Perhaps there is a game that you too were willing to risk a lot for and hopefully there is a game that sticks with you for 30+ years like Quake 1 has for me.

If this beautiful game wasn't made, there would have no call of duty, no battlefield, no apex legends, no cs2, no half-life or no valorant existed. You don't have to love this game but you will respect it :)

[h3]Quake is a timeless shooter with a vast modding scene[/h3] Don't get me wrong, the base game and it's expansions were fun, especially if you play the 2021 Quake Remastered version as it plays and feels more fluid compared to OG Quake. Though in my opinion the actual beauty of this game lies in it's modding community. [b]There are quite literally 30 years worth of content to play.[/b] Plenty of websites with individual maps and mod packs as well. Some of which I'd [b]highly[/b] recommend are [b]Arcane Dimensions[/b] and [b]Quake Brutalist Jam 3[/b]. These mods alter Quake in the perfect ways. Footstep sounds, destructible environments, new weapons, enemies, mechanics and sometimes a completely new take on level design and art style. Seriously, give em a shot if you like Quake.