Single player? I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't play many computer games. I used to be a hardcore Doom fanatic, but that quickly died, as did obsessions with Star Wars- oriented games such as Dark Forces and Rebel Assault. After those obsessions died down, it was quite a few years before I started playing computer games again. It was jump started by a good friend (and fellow Epinion-er by the ID of Gemo) who supplied me with a copy of Quake 2. "Don't bother even trying the single player," he informed me, "the multi-player puts it to shame."

Well, the multi-player certainly does put it to shame, and subsequently I have found myself irreparably obsessed with Quake 2: Multi-player (action Team Play is my venue of choice).

Just as how Goldeneye for Nintendo 64 captivated teenage guys everywhere, Quake 2 has a similar effect- a single player mode has nothing on an intense round of multi-player action. The reason? Simply enough, artificial intelligence cannot compare to the training and reactions of human players. While a player could undoubtedly play enough and eventually beat the single player mode, the challenges that other skilled players present are enough to keep you gaming for a long time- hours at a time, when you get enraptured enough.

Beyond that, the camaraderie and teamwork involved is very intriguing, and Quake II is notorious for it. Clans and tournaments dominate servers, and weekly statistics are recorded at various Quake- oriented sites such as theclq.com and ogl.org. Every week, you can watch your Quake statistics and averages change back and forth with your performance. Rankings and ratings are even given to the best players. Form a clan (I'm a proud member of =ORC=, found commonly on the Aggression Rangers server), and the competitiveness multiplies.

Modem speeds are occasionally slow; however with a decent connection you should move quickly enough to play well (people with cable and DSL are essentially gods). The graphics are phenomenal and reactionary- you can actually see bullets hitting the ground around you. Controls and similarly very easy, and you bind specific controls to whatever keys you deem most ergonomic. Best of all, you can bind custom taunts to certain keys, ready to be busted out after that clutch kill.

I've never played a computer game that has enthralled me to the degree Quake II: multi-player has. Goldeneye lasted awhile, but the same levels over and over eventually got boring, as did the limit of 4 opponents. With Q2, when you get bored of a certain group of levels, switch to a new server. And with a maximum of 12+ opponents at once, the competition will never grow old. It's truly one of most well done computer games I've ever played, and I recommend it to anyone who has any amount of competitiveness in them.

Now then, enough writing. I gotta' get back in the game. =ORC= owns =EAT, foo'. See you in Kumanru.