The legendary Lovecraftian shooter Quake, one of the best first-person shooters to come out of the 90s, has recently seen a resurgence thanks to Nightdive Studio's excellent remaster that dropped in August 2021. Unlike id's slightly more iconic Doom games, the Quake series has faded in and out of public consciousness with sporadic, inconsistent releases — and we haven't seen a proper entry in the series since the multiplayer-focused Quake Champions in 2017.
As such, new players might be interested in exploring the history of the series, but unsure of where to start. Luckily, there are only nine entries in the Quake series, and not all of them are necessarily worth playing. While Quake fans' opinions on each game vary as wildly as the aesthetics of the series, we've done our best to compile a definitive ranked list based on critical and fan reception across a variety of sources.
9 Quake Plus 3D
While this obscure Java-based game for early mobile platforms and PDAs could barely be considered an entry in the Quake series, we've included it as a piece of forgotten gaming history. Developed by defunct studio M3GWorks (who also produced a similar version of Counter-Strike, among a few other games), little information exists about Quake Plus 3D. It is slow-paced and lacks basic features like the ability to interact with buttons and look up and down — so it plays more like Wolfenstein 3D or Doom. Aside from the novelty, it's not worth playing.
8 Quake 3 Revolution
Quake 3 Revolution combined elements of Quake 3 Arena and its multiplayer expansion Team Arena and brought it to the then-brand-new PlayStation 2 in 2001. While it was noted for its impressive graphics and serviceable gameplay, it lacked the online multiplayer component that made the original Quake 3 so special. In its place were single-player and co-op missions, as well as a technically impressive four-player split-screen multiplayer (which was unfortunately hampered by lack of keyboard and mouse support and long load times). Dedicated Quake fans might find it interesting to play, but it's no replacement for the original Quake 3 Arena (see below).
7 Quake Champions
The last major entry in the Quake series, Champions failed to make much of a splash in the multiplayer gaming world upon its release in 2017 and eventually went free-to-play a year later on August 10th, 2018. Despite this, its playerbase has been declining thanks to mixed reviews. With an average user rating of only 6.9 on Metacritic, Quake fans remain divided on this release.
Some fans find the return to a Multiplayer-based experience harkens back to the glory days of Quake 3 Arena, and praise modern mechanics such as the inclusion of characters with unique perks and abilities. Conversely, critics are disappointed with the lack of single-player options and the addition of loot boxes. Quake multiplayer veterans might find some fun to be had, but the steep learning curve will turn off newcomers.
6 Quake Live
Quake Live was an impressive, free-to-play, modern update to Quake 3 Arena when it was originally released in 2010. With a huge collection of characters, maps, game types, and weapons, it was a true multiplayer Quake game that could be launched right from your computer's web browser. It remained quite popular throughout its lifespan, and its playerbase today is small but dedicated.
Players looking for a slightly updated take on Quake 3 will now find the game purchasable on Steam for $10. Unlike the original release, the Steam version of Quake Live includes content that was originally locked behind the game's subscription service. Like with all multiplayer Quake games, Quake Live has a high skill ceiling and requires some experience to play effectively. However, it's a distilled Quake game that ranks above Champions for its authenticity.
5 Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
This spin-off title, released in 2007 for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, stands out from the other entries in the Quake series by being a tactical first-person shooter, similar to the Battlefield series. Developed by Splash Damage and published by Activision, Quake Wars features tactical multiplayer scenarios where players take command of AI infantry to complete objectives.
The game was praised for its graphics and gameplay upon release, with the console versions faring slightly worse due to technical limitations. Dedicated Quake fans will want to keep an eye out for copies of this game, as it was removed from Steam and remains hard to find. Newcomers to the series won't find much of worth here, as the game's availability and dwindling playerbase make it hard to recommend.
4 Quake 4
About a year after the release of Doom 3, Raven Software brought the same plot-focused, single-player experience to the Quake series with Quake 4. It is a direct sequel to the story set up by Quake 2 (which is mostly unrelated to Quake and Quake 3) and sees a space marine named Kane fighting against a race of invading aliens called the Strogg.
New players might find Quake 4 worth picking up: it is available on Steam and features an extensive campaign that received praise for its story direction, voice acting, graphics, and gameplay upon release. However, those interested in the multiplayer aspect of the series will want to look elsewhere, as it was not as well-received as the previous entries: critics saw it as repetitive and lacking in comparison to the earlier, more successful multiplayer of Quake 3 Arena.
3 Quake
Quake may not be the very best of the Quake series, but its revolutionary graphics and networking technology make it one of the most significant first-person shooters of all time. Quake defied the odds and became a first-person shooter sensation despite its tumultuous development, and received praised for its frantic, fast-paced gameplay and nightmarish visuals. Its mishmash of gothic and Lovecraftian horror influences was born out of creative differences among the development team.
Nightdive Studio's excellent 2021 port of Quake makes it a perfect place to jump on for newcomers and allows veterans to try their hand at racking up frags online. Owners of the original Quake will receive the update for free; otherwise, you can find it on Steam.
2 Quake 2
1997's follow-up to Quake has little in common aesthetically with its predecessor. In fact, it began as a totally new franchise: the team at id Software only knew that the game would feature a sci-fi setting with a race of enemy aliens known as the Strogg. It was only after the gameplay felt similar enough to the original Quake that they decided to consider it a standalone sequel. The cramped, gothic hallways have been replaced with a more traditional sci-fi environment for this entry.
Despite being mostly disconnected from the original Quake, it received similarly rave reviews for its advances in graphical technology as well as its single and multiplayer game modes. While it hasn't (yet) received the same remaster treatment from Nightdive studios, players with strong PCs might consider trying the free Quake 2 RTX release on Steam, which brings next-gen ray tracing technology to the aging game.
1 Quake 3 Arena
Simply put, Quake 3 is one of the best multiplayer first-person shooters of all time. It brings together elements from Quake, Quake 2, and even Doom and pits players against each other in frantic, fast-paced combat. There is little plot to speak of, and the single-player campaign consists entirely of offline multiplayer matches with AI bots. Similar to its predecessors, Quake 3 brought even more graphical and technical advancements with the id Tech 3 engine.
Quake fans consistently cite Quake 3 Arena as their favorite game in the series. It introduced the world to a brutal world of multiplayer action at a level never seen prior and launched a new generation of competitive gaming for years to come. New players can find Quake 3 Arena on Steam, although those with a tendency for single-player games may want to look into Quake, Quake 2, or Quake 4 instead.