The graphics in Quake II are very nice, considering it’s on the PlayStation. Sure, you don’t get the alpha blending and 1024x768 resolution that my TNT 2 Ultra pumps, but that’s not Hammerhead’s fault -- the PlayStation would choke. For what the PlayStation can do, Quake II’s graphics are top-notch. They’re high frame-rate, too, even when you’re playing four-player -- proof of the excellent port that Hammerhead made. The menus are sparse, but they get the job done. When you’re in four-player mode, the character and weapon models are actually clear enough to discern, which is a serious boon to the game (and rather unlike SOME four-player games).

The sound effects are just as yummy as on the PC, with the ratta-tat-tats and the pounding music that we’ve come to know and love. For a PC-to-console port, this game excels in every way possible in the presentation department.

This is what Quake II is all about, and this game has gameplay in spades. There’s the one player game, where you can play an altered version of the original Quake II missions. An interesting addition to the game is corridors between level sections where the game loads -- somewhat annoying, but it keeps the game playable with the very limited PlayStation texture RAM. Once again, it’s Hammerhead doing the best they can with aging hardware. The single-player game is quite enjoyable, but this is not the reason to get Quake II.

The reason to get Quake II is very simple... four-player Deathmatch. This is, without a doubt, some of the most fun I’ve had with a couple of friends on the PlayStation... ever. The gameplay in the Deathmatch levels (and there are quite a few, more than the usual six or so) is fast and furious, with players blowing the ever-loving crap out of each other with all the weapons we know and love. Sure, it’s not the full screen blow-em-up you get on a computer with a LAN party, but Quake II for the PSX is so much easier to set up -- throw on a multitap, take out a few more controllers, and you’re set. This game, quite simply, rocks.

There are a few balance issues (for example, Quad respawns WAY too fast for my tastes), but overall, the Deathmatch is a total blast. The ability to adjust the gravity makes for an interesting change of pace, but generally we found it plenty satisfying to keep it at the normal level and just let the creativity of the level designers fuel our games. It helps that the game’s control scheme is tight, once you know what you’re doing with it. Some friends and I have been playing this and Crash Team Racing, and I’ve got to say, Quake II ranks as the best multiplayer experience I’ve ever had on the PlayStation. It’s a great way to piss off your friends, and in general, have a good time. And there’s not just old-school Deathmatch -- you can do Team Deathmatch, which pits two vs. two. Fun stuff.

Put simply, this game rocks.

The single-player campaign for Quake II, of course, has the difficulty selection at the beginning that makes the game everything from relatively easy to impossible. Choose at your own leisure. The real difficulty, of course, comes from how good your friends are. Just like any good multiplayer game, the challenge is in the human competition.

Quake II plays ultra-smooth. I had some issues with my Dual Shock flaking out when playing with some friends who had third party controllers, but when we hooked up just two first-party Dual Shocks, the game worked fine. Same with all third-party. The game supports the PSX mouse. But if you’re going to go that far, just get the computer game. The Dual Shock analog controls are more than adequate. Beware the pure digital ones, though -- they’re bound to give you headaches. The game plays flawlessly, though, other than a few polygon tearing issues and the rather unbalancing re-spawn rate of the Quad Damage. Despite these problems, I highly recommend Quake II as the PSX party game of the year -- especially if you’re a fan of blow ‘em ups. Come get some!