Quake Live Reviews

"Themadpunter10 was railed by a femboy" Yeah right. I wish.

this game is my favourite quake, since quake 3 arena is outdated, this fixes it. 10/10

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure this game is perfectly fun- for the people who have experienced it for the past decade or so. Being a slightly modified version of Quake 3, it doesn't graphically hold up, even though the sound and music design is fantastic. Paired with technical issues on modern machines, there are much better *free* alternatives such as Unreal Gold, Quake Champions (even though many consider that as an inferior product,) and indie titles such as Warfork. I also already have Quake 2 and Doom, and with those titles also having online multiplayer, I just don't need another multiplayer game to sink my teeth into. If you love arena shooters, then great. you'll love this. But I just can't devote that time right now.

Deleted my long review and this game, they voted to kick me from one of the 2 active servers to let someone else in lol, how can i reccomend the game where the only active server has 8 ppl where they kick you for not being one of the 8 ppl who have played for the last decade. Used to love quake live but they killed it years ago.

̶P̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶T̶i̶k̶T̶o̶k̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶F̶o̶r̶t̶n̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶r̶u̶i̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶e̶n̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶s̶p̶a̶n̶s̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶i̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶f̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶g̶a̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶e̶x̶i̶s̶t̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶w̶e̶ ̶w̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶D̶:̶ Quake Live is essentially just Quake 3 but with progression through statistics and achievements, a server browser and a bunch of random improvements. Get it. This is easily the best competitive shooter ever designed. QL was so well designed that the series literally couldn't top it and their next entry was Quake Champions. If you have friends who play as well or have the money to gift it to people it's triple the value because you can start parties. Considering the game's surprisingly far from dead despite being this old it doesn't seem like it'll change either. If you can get it on sale it's like 4 dollars which is practically free to play. Also has workshop support, so if you get bored you can bicker around with mods and the like, but the game hasn't gotten old for me in the 4 hours i've sunk into it already since buying.

immensely lovely - captures that 2000s feel i could only get out of skate 3 and has good gunplay for its type of game - but runs incredibly poorly on Linux using Proton

Quake 3/Live is why arena shooters are seen as bad for multiplayer only. Weapons are all perfectly accurate, high damage, most at or nearing hit scan travel times. Bunny hopping has no limitations, allowing for ludicrous speed. All pickups are on set timers that can be memorized and used for map control. There is no randomization outside of the spread of the shotgun and machinegun. Now, this could be fun in theory. The problem is, it just leads to a skill ceiling that 90% of people can't even see with their naked eye. 9% of the remainder can't be asked to get that good. 1% actually play the game and gatekeep it from everyone else. Due to Epic Games having a fit of corporate greed after the success of Fortnite, the far superior Unreal series is no longer available. You're stuck with this. Buy it if you like bot matches or private games, but don't expect a community or to get a lot out of it unless you get addicted to the gameplay.

Game's absolutely worth the 3 dollars it goes for on sale, bought multiple copies for me and some friends and we had an amazing time Definitely prefer the PQL ruleset over the VQL ruleset just for the air strafing Haven't been able to find an instagib factory with the PQL ruleset but duels are fun too Although I did experience bugs like the game constantly resetting my sensitivity and the menus glitching out after changing a setting Would recommend

Quake Live is a refined and enduring competitive first-person shooter that pays homage to the legacy of Quake III Arena while updating it for a new generation of players. Originally launched as a browser-based title and later migrating to Steam, Quake Live retains the blisteringly fast-paced gameplay, tight movement mechanics, and lethal precision that made its predecessor a staple of arena shooters. For veterans of the genre, it’s a near-perfect preservation of what made Quake III revolutionary. For newcomers, it's a crash course in a brutally unforgiving—but deeply rewarding—style of multiplayer combat that’s all but vanished in modern shooters. At its core, Quake Live is about movement, map control, and raw skill. There are no loadouts, no leveling systems, and no unlockable weapons—every player starts on an even playing field. The difference lies in how you navigate the map, time item pickups, and win control over key areas. It’s a game that rewards practice and mastery above all else. The rocket jumps, strafe jumps, and circle strafing mechanics are integral to survival and dominance, and the learning curve is steep. But once you internalize these mechanics, the fluidity and speed at which you can move through maps becomes exhilarating. Combat is intense, lightning-fast, and brutally precise. Unlike modern shooters that offer generous aim assists or slower pacing, Quake Live demands twitch reflexes and deep map knowledge. Every shot counts. Weapons are iconic and finely balanced—railguns for long-range precision, rocket launchers for splash damage, lightning guns for sustained duels. Mastery of weapon usage, coupled with smart item timing for health, armor, and powerups, forms the heart of competitive play. There's a constant mental calculation happening in high-level matches, and watching skilled players is like observing high-speed chess played with rocket launchers. The game features a wide range of classic and community-created maps, many of which are meticulously designed for competitive play. Each map offers different dynamics, whether it’s verticality, tight corridors, or wide-open arenas. Modes like Duel, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Clan Arena cater to different styles of play, with Duel standing out as the purest test of one-on-one skill. Matches are often short, intense, and devoid of downtime, making the game highly addictive and mentally demanding. Graphically, Quake Live is no longer cutting-edge, but its clean, readable aesthetic ensures that gameplay clarity always takes priority. The visuals may appear dated by modern standards, but the simplicity serves the competitive focus well—there’s no clutter, no visual noise, just pure, functional design. Sound design is equally crucial; directional audio cues are vital for tracking enemies and reacting to events in real time. The minimalist presentation allows for an experience that never distracts from the action. One of the game’s major strengths is its tight community and the competitive culture that surrounds it. Quake Live has long been a training ground for some of the best FPS players in the world, and its esports history is rich with legendary rivalries and tournaments. However, this elite nature can be a double-edged sword. New players may find the skill gap daunting, especially without modern matchmaking systems to ease them in. The game’s learning curve, while satisfying for those who stick with it, is steep enough to deter casual players who expect more accessibility or progression-based incentives. Over time, Quake Live has aged gracefully in terms of mechanics, but it faces challenges from a shrinking player base and the evolving tastes of the FPS genre. While newer titles prioritize persistent rewards, cosmetics, or expansive lore, Quake Live remains a purist’s dream—stripped down to its competitive essence. This uncompromising focus is admirable, but it also limits its mainstream appeal. It's a game built for people who love the process of getting better, who value mastery for its own sake, and who don't mind a lack of frills. Ultimately, Quake Live is not just a throwback—it’s a living museum of arena FPS design, still functional, still exhilarating, and still capable of producing some of the most intense multiplayer experiences you can find. For players craving a shooter that prioritizes raw skill and moment-to-moment decision-making over loadouts and grinding, there is simply nothing else like it. Whether you’re returning to relive the glory days or discovering the roots of competitive FPS, Quake Live remains a benchmark for how refined and brutally beautiful a shooter can be. Rating: 8/10

Good game, but would not recommend because the remaining players (on this version at least) are quake die hards with thousands of hours who would kick new players from the servers for being "too bad and ruining the game for others" for the most part. Though it is worth playing with friends/people of the same level, in this case consider it.