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Parents' Guide to

Quake (2021 Enhanced Re-Release Version)

By Paul Semel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Mature, violent shooter packs in a lot of gunplay.

Quake (2021 Enhanced Re-Release Version) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 11+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 14+

Even 25 years later, Quake still brings the fun.

Parents need to know that this is a remaster of a shooter game that was released in 1996. This was one of the first fully 3D shooters, and was a massive technical achievement. Though it is very dated and the graphics look pretty old, it is still a ton of fun. Players run through different levels searching for keys to unlock doors and secrets to find cool things that will help them on their journey. They will also encounter monsters that they will need to blast in order to survive. These "monsters" range from hostile humans and humanoid creatures to giant flying snake things that shoot acid at you and white ogres that hit you with lightning. When an enemy is shot, small blood sprays will be seen around where you shot. Whenever they run out of health, they will just fall over. No wounds are seen or anything. However, that isn't exactly what happens when using explosive weapons. If you blow an enemy up, they will explode into bloody chunks. One of those chunks is their head, and while the rest of the pieces will disappear, the severed head of the enemy will remain on the ground for the rest of the level. Players will need to use explosive weapons at times, because some enemies can only be killed by blowing them apart. Also, this sometimes happens when using the double barrel shotgun. However, even though the game is remastered, it still looks really dated and unrealistic. Because of this, the gore packs much less impact then CommonSenseMedia makes it sound. It's still violent and bloody though, which is why the game would probably be best for teens. Even though the game is dated, it is more fun then a lot of modern shooters because it has a retro feel and time has not taken that away. The game can also be scary at times for some kids, and the music isn't exactly rock n' roll. It uses lots of creepy sound effects and scary music to sell it's horror. If parents are looking for a similar game for their teens that packs a similar feel to this but is a bit less dark and disturbing, try Doom 1993. That one is even more dated then this, and the gore isn't as bad. It also has a very lighthearted feel that makes it less disturbing then this. I would recommend that one for kids that get scared more easily, but still like to blast monsters. I would recommend this game to teens and adults who like shooters and are looking for some pure retro fun with a lot of charm and nothing slowing it down. I wouldn't recommend this game to kids who are scared easily and are younger than 14. Good luck, you'll need it with this game. :)
age 2+

Good Game Very Family Friendly

Great game

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Though mostly just a nicer looking version of an old (though classic) game, this does add something that makes it worth double dipping. The spiritual successor to Doom (the 1993 original, not the 2016 remake), the sci-fi first-person shooter Quake (2021 Enhanced Re-Release Version) has you running and gunning your way through maze-like areas, killing anything and everything that moves. And like Doom, the gunplay in this game is the same: fast, furious, and feeling like you're sliding around on a freshly waxed floor while wearing new socks (with all of the inertia that implies).

As for what's new in this "Enhanced" and "Re-Released Version," while the original's rather blocky visuals are intact, they're now in HD and (if you have the right system and TV) in 4K, which makes the imagery rather sharp. This also restores the original soundtrack by nine inch nails, which has often been absent in previous reissues. It even adds the ability to play online against people on other systems for the first time. More importantly, this not only includes the two add-ons they released back in the day, it also has the one they added in 2016 ("Dimensions of the Past") and, more importantly, a totally new one called "Dimension of the Machine." It's this latter add-on -- which adds a bunch of all-new levels but still has that classic Quake feel -- that makes this worth getting even if you've played this shooter in the 25 years since it originally came out. And if you haven't, well, then Quake (2021 Enhanced Re-Release Version) is your ticket to a rather fun dimension.

Game Details

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