Latest news with #QuakeII
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
7 games to play as you wait for Doom The Dark Ages
(Image via Bethesda Softworks) Doom : The Dark Ages hype is real, but there's still some time for its release. It has left the fans craving some high-octane signature chaos, and this list here is to fill that void. The list mentioned below takes a dive into the 7 explosive FPS titles that are known to channel similar adrenaline-pumping energy. It does so through retro vibes, relentless combat, and sci-fi carnage. From some remastered classics to modern games, here is the survival guide for your wait. Quake II Remastered Quake II - Official Trailer (2023) The game is a revival of Quake II by Nightdive Studios. It delivers the nostalgia-packed punch, with the definitive edition bundling the upgraded visuals, expansions, and the new MachineGames campaign. The blast through Strogg hordes with the gameplay tweaks that's silky-smooth. It also includes a handy objective compass. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Quake II Remastered is a fast-paced and no-frills action that remains timeless. Whether you are diving into online multiplayer or exploring the remastered levels of N64, this game is the way to experience the FPS brilliance from the '90s. Metro: Exodus Metro Exodus - Launch Trailer I PS5 Swap the hellscapes for the nuclear winter in the game. The atmospheric trilogy blends perfectly the haunting open-world exploration and claustrophobic tunnels. Scavenge through, survive, and then fend off the mutants under the eerie skies that are enhanced by the ray tracing in Enhanced Edition. Metro: Exodus is the gripping story of sacrifice and hope that pairs perfectly with the tense combat. It's a slower burn than Doom but is equally gripping in the grim immersion. Halo: The Master Chief Collection Halo: The Master Chief Collection - The Ultimate Halo Experience With this game, you get a chance to relive the sage that truly redefined the console shooters. The anthology packs 6 Halo games that are remastered with modern enhancements. The battles of Master Chief against Covenant offer varied sandbox combat, legendary set pieces, and iconic weapons. From the depth of Halo 4 to Combat Evolved and its simplicity, the game is the masterclass within evolving gameplay. It is perfect to hone the one-army instincts before Doom The Dark Ages is released. Wolfenstein: The New Order Wolfenstein: The New Order - E3 Trailer Wolfenstein: The New Order perfectly blends the machinegames' brutal gunplay with the signature heartfelt story. Dual-wield the shotguns, dismantle mechs, and then topple the dystopian regime in the alternate 1960s. The crusade of B.J. Blazkowicz balances the stealth and also the all-out carnage. While the quieter moments do explore humanity amidst the war, the frenetic combat of the game channels the spirit of Doom. It is a must-play for fans of the action storytelling and headshots, which are quite satisfying. Dusk DUSK - LAUNCH TRAILER The Indie game nails the FPS vibe of the '90s with a modern twist. The battle cultists and the Lovecraftian horrors across 3 blood-soaked episodes. From sickles to the explosive rifle arsenal, it feels both inventive and classic. Dusk's aesthetic hides a clever level design and the breakneck pacing. It doesn't just imitate the past but elevates it and makes every single shotgun blast and secret hunt a thrill. Titanfall 2 Titanfall 2 Single Player Cinematic Trailer The cult classic of Titanfall 2 merges the fluid movement with the Titan warfare. The wall run, pilot towering mechanics, and campaign slides are creative and appreciative. The skill-based chaos of the game is why it still shines years later. While it is shorter than Doom, the kinetic combat and its seamless scale-switching together make it essential prep for the rumored mech battles of Doom The Dark Ages. Note: Your speed is your survival here. Supplice Supplice - Official Early Access Launch Trailer The game is born from the modding passion and channels the DNA of Doom through the retro-futuristic lens. Drill here through the alien hordes in the character of Zorah Null, wielding some absurd weapons across pixel art and trippy words. The game delivers clever callbacks and relentless action to the players. With abundant secrets and a killer soundtrack, the game is fresh and yet offers the familiar rush. It is proof that Indie devs do understand the heart of Doom— no plot twists. Just some unhinged pure carnage. While Doom The Dark Ages is soon going to be released on May 15, 2025, the seven titles above offer all, from unapologetic chaos to storytelling. Whether you are craving innovation or nostalgia or are feeling like something to shoot, the lineup here will ensure your wait feels less hellish and more like a preparation.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft releases AI-generated Quake II demo, but admits ‘limitations'
Microsoft has released a browser-based, playable level of the classic video game Quake II. This functions as a tech demo for the gaming capabilities of Microsoft's Copilot AI platform — though by the company's own admission, the experience isn't quite the same as playing a well-made game. You can try it out for yourself, using your keyboard to navigate a single level of Quake II for a couple minutes before you hit the time limit. In a blog post describing their work, Microsoft researchers said their Muse family of AI models for video games allows users to 'interact with the model through keyboard/controller actions and see the effects of your actions immediately, essentially allowing you to play inside the model.' To show off these capabilities, the researchers trained their model on a Quake II level (which Microsoft owns through its acquisition of ZeniMax). 'Much to our initial delight we were able to play inside the world that the model was simulating,' they wrote. 'We could wander around, move the camera, jump, crouch, shoot, and even blow-up barrels similar to the original game.' At the same time, the researchers emphasized that this is meant to be 'a research exploration' and should be thought of as 'playing the model as opposed to playing the game.' More specifically, they acknowledged 'limitations and shortcomings,' like the fact that enemies are fuzzy, the damage and health counters can be inaccurate, and most strikingly, the model struggles with object permanence, forgetting about things that are out of view for 0.9 seconds or longer. In the researchers' view, this can 'also be a source of fun, whereby you can defeat or spawn enemies by looking at the floor for a second and then looking back up,' or even 'teleport around the map by looking up at the sky and then back down.' Writer and game designer Austin Walker was less impressed by this approach, posting a gameplay video in which he spent most of his time trapped in a dark room. (This also happened to me both times I tried to play the demo, though I'll admit I'm extremely bad at first-person shooters.) Referring to a Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's recent statements that AI models could help with game preservation by making classic games 'portable to any platform,' Walker argued this reveals 'a fundamental misunderstanding of not only this tech but how games WORK.' 'The internal workings of games like Quake — code, design, 3d art, audio — produce specific cases of play, including surprising edge cases,' Walker wrote. 'That is a big part of what makes games good. If you aren't actually able to rebuild the key inner workings, then you lose access to those unpredictable edge cases.' This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft releases AI-generated Quake II demo, but admits ‘limitations'
Microsoft has released a browser-based, playable level of the classic video game Quake II. This functions as a tech demo for the gaming capabilities of Microsoft's Copilot AI platform — though by the company's own admission, the experience isn't quite the same as playing a well-made game. You can try it out for yourself, using your keyboard to navigate a single level of Quake II for a couple minutes before you hit the time limit. In a blog post describing their work, Microsoft researchers said their Muse family of AI models for video games allows users to 'interact with the model through keyboard/controller actions and see the effects of your actions immediately, essentially allowing you to play inside the model.' To show off these capabilities, the researchers trained their model on a Quake II level (which Microsoft owns through its acquisition of ZeniMax). 'Much to our initial delight we were able to play inside the world that the model was simulating,' they wrote. 'We could wander around, move the camera, jump, crouch, shoot, and even blow-up barrels similar to the original game.' At the same time, the researchers emphasized that this is meant to be 'a research exploration' and should be thought of as 'playing the model as opposed to playing the game.' More specifically, they acknowledged 'limitations and shortcomings,' like the fact that enemies are fuzzy, the damage and health counters can be inaccurate, and most strikingly, the model struggles with object permanence, forgetting about things that are out of view for 0.9 seconds or longer. In the researchers' view, this can 'also be a source of fun, whereby you can defeat or spawn enemies by looking at the floor for a second and then looking back up,' or even 'teleport around the map by looking up at the sky and then back down.' Writer and game designer Austin Walker was less impressed by this approach, posting a gameplay video in which he spent most of his time trapped in a dark room. (This also happened to me both times I tried to play the demo, though I'll admit I'm extremely bad at first-person shooters.) Referring to a Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's recent statements that AI models could help with game preservation by making classic games 'portable to any platform,' Walker argued this reveals 'a fundamental misunderstanding of not only this tech but how games WORK.' 'The internal workings of games like Quake — code, design, 3d art, audio — produce specific cases of play, including surprising edge cases,' Walker wrote. 'That is a big part of what makes games good. If you aren't actually able to rebuild the key inner workings, then you lose access to those unpredictable edge cases.'
