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Although I can grumble all I want about Quake's shortcomings (most notably the lack of a mapping function, weak solo play, and unimaginative weaponry), one thing is for certain: it is the most advanced, 3D first-person action game on the market today. It might not be flawless, but Quake still manages to keep the guys at id easily on top of the 3D-action heap. There's even a Macintosh version of Quake in the works, a project recently awarded to Lion Entertainment (the shop that handled the conversion duties for the Macintosh version of Doom). For the latest on MacQuake, check out Jason Carter's excellent MacQuake home page.

That said, Marathon 2 isn't exactly chopped liver. With a robust story line, challenging gameplay, and a number of unique twists on the 3D-action cliché, Marathon 2 could be subtitled "the thinking person's Doom." It's a welcome entry into the crowded, PC action-gaming market, and it signals that Bungie--once a Mac-specific software shop--can run with the big dogs in the PC gaming world. I'd like to welcome Bungie into the PC market, and I think I speak for many gamers when I say that I can't wait to see what they do next.

downloadable files
If you'd like to take a gander at each of these games directly, be our guest. Check out these game demos and see if you agree with the verdict.

Marathon 2: Durandal for Windows 95 Demo
Download now! (m2prev.zip, 11.5MB)

Marathon 2: Durandal for the Macintosh Demo
Download now! (m216, 15.6MB)

Quake Shareware v1.06 (MS-DOS)
Download now! (quake106.zip, 8.8MB)

so what do you think?
Which game rocks your world? Send your comments to GamerX and check out Gamecenter's special report to find out what readers are saying about Quake and Marathon 2.