Pak-5

Content - Quake - Quake Conversions - Quake Partial Conversions

Author: Axeman & Dust | Rating: 7.00 | Download: e-5.zip

For those that wonder if it is possible to condense Quake’s 4 episodes down into 4 levels, here’s your chance to see it at work. Despite the rather unimaginative name, there’s still some pretty cool game play in this conversion folks.

As you may have guessed, this level pack has separate levels which act as “episodes”, each complete with their own central theme. You can start the first three in any order you like, but the 4th one only becomes available after clearing the first three. At the end of each level is one of the game’s runes. After all 4 zones are cleared, you get to fight Shub, only this time the arena is significantly different (and very cool, in a cathedral-type way).

The “knockoff” part referred to earlier is because you will immediately notice that a lot of the areas you are visiting are somehow familiar. In the first episode for instance, you will find yourself in Iikka’s great IKSPQ5 base level. It is minus the structural devastation found in the original incarnation, and the path to the exit is different; but you will recognize several elements that are unmistakably borrowed from this level. You will also see some very Quake II-like elements, involving starting some pumps to clear the toxic slime from a pipe that leads to the exit.

The level of challenge is not too daunting, although there is some close quarters fighting where you are bound to take some hits. There are some modified enemies from other mods as well, like the Enforcers that have the shields. In addition, you get to use the awesome Riot Gun and the chainsaw made famous in the Zerstörer conversion. The Riot Gun can clear just about anything out of your way though, so the challenge isn’t that steep.

In summary, you have an entertaining conversion that borrows a lot of things from other mods, but is just different enough to be considered an “homage” instead of a rip-off. It’s a nice, quick trip that presents some challenge, and it’s always interesting to see mods and even maps from other authors in a compilation like this; but if you’re expecting something different, you may want to look elsewhere. Still though, I am recommending it because it stands on its own despite the lack of originality.

- Zoopster