Given the general fast pace of the originalQuake, it’s hardly surprising the iconic gothic shooter is popular among the speedrunning community, and someone has managed to do the impossible by beating E2M1 in less than seven seconds. Hailing fromPC gaming’s MS-DOS era, id Software’s legendary post-Doom 2release left as much of an impact on the genre as its predecessor, to such an extent that fans are still willing to dive into this dark and action-packed world some 27 years later.
Quakeis also a great game to learn to speedrunwhereby participants can attempt to beat the game, or parts of it, in as quick a time as possible, perhaps even setting new world records. As can be imagined,Quakehas had more than its fair share of challengers over the decades, with some able to shave off precious milliseconds and perfecting their runs. Now it looks as though someone has done what many considered impossible until recently.
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In a video uploaded to the aptly named Quake Speedruns Explained YouTube channel, someone has managed to push the boundaries on one particular level in the originalQuake. The footage explains that the first map in the second episode, typically known as E2M1, has been the target of many speedrunners for almost as long as the game has been out. Utilizing a design flaw, players have been able to jump a relatively small gap, which enabled them to get to the end of the map incredibly fast. Since then, many have attempted to be the quickest, though the majority of attempts have only ever managed to get it around seven seconds. Then, along came user Chambers who, in April 2023, uploaded a clip of themselves finishing E2M1 in a staggering time of 6.998, representing the first time someone has managed to get below seven seconds in 24 years.
Quakemay be old, but its stance as not onlyone of the best FPS games of the 90s, but also one of the most influential shooters of all time, means it’s still able to pull fans in, giving speedrunners especially new heights to reach. It’s also interesting to note that Chambers was able to get this time playing on the Nightmare difficulty, using damage boosts to gain additional speed.
WithQuakegetting an official remaster in 2021, there’s now more reason than ever to play this classic retro title, with this modern iteration offering a tweak to the visuals, not to mention reinstated Nine Inch Nails' appropriately gloomy soundtrack. It’s going to be interesting to see whether anyone can knock Chambers off their top spot with an even quicker time.
Quakewas originally released in 1996 and is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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