Chris Mumola Publishes New Entry in Quake Retrospective
Earlier on Plus Forward, we introduced readers to Chris Mumola’s ongoing Substack series “Quake’s Bizarre, Beautiful History”, an in-depth retrospective covering the franchise’s evolution across decades. The latest entry — Episode Five: “Follow the Leader” — is now available and it takes a critical look at Quake 4.
Released in 2005 and developed by Raven Software, Quake 4 was meant to carry the franchise into a new era. Instead, as Mumola argues, it abandoned the fast-paced identity of classic Quake in favor of sluggish squad-based combat, underwhelming level design and a tone that felt closer to Halo than Quake III. While the infamous “stroggification” sequence remains one of the game’s few memorable moments, it arrives too late to save the experience.
Interestingly, Quake 4's multiplayer is a throwback to Quake III: Arena — complete with power-ups, familiar movement and no reloads — but Mumola points out that it offered nothing substantial to convince fans to make the switch. The game’s lack of content and lack of innovation caused it to be overshadowed by its predecessor, and it failed to spark new momentum for the franchise.
As Mumola concludes, Quake 4 was a missed opportunity at a critical time, leaving the series adrift during the mid-2000s. The next chapter — Episode Six: “Lost in the Void” — promises to explore the aftermath.
Source: Chris Mumola's Substack
Released in 2005 and developed by Raven Software, Quake 4 was meant to carry the franchise into a new era. Instead, as Mumola argues, it abandoned the fast-paced identity of classic Quake in favor of sluggish squad-based combat, underwhelming level design and a tone that felt closer to Halo than Quake III. While the infamous “stroggification” sequence remains one of the game’s few memorable moments, it arrives too late to save the experience.
Interestingly, Quake 4's multiplayer is a throwback to Quake III: Arena — complete with power-ups, familiar movement and no reloads — but Mumola points out that it offered nothing substantial to convince fans to make the switch. The game’s lack of content and lack of innovation caused it to be overshadowed by its predecessor, and it failed to spark new momentum for the franchise.
As Mumola concludes, Quake 4 was a missed opportunity at a critical time, leaving the series adrift during the mid-2000s. The next chapter — Episode Six: “Lost in the Void” — promises to explore the aftermath.
Source: Chris Mumola's Substack