History VideoGame / QuakeII

** The Power Screen is a Power Shield that only reduces damage from shots that hit you in front (the Brains enemies have these). It isn't found anywhere in the game, but it can be summoned by using the console and it's fully functional.

** TheCameo: The [[CommanderKeen DopeFish]] appear on a level.
** A.H.D.S.S.I.B.H. bjjc[[hottip:Spoiler explanation:Stands for "A Hall Displays Secret Snapshots In Boss' House". An explanation on how to get to this egg is [[http://www.eeggs.com/items/3476.html here]]. bjjc stands for Beandon James & John Carmack.]]

* ShootTheMedicFirst: You have to do this if you don't want to fight the defeated Stroggs again. (Or, in ''Ground Zero''[='s=] case, facing THOUSANDS of enemies at the time, in the Medic Commander's case)

** There's a Power Shield clone, the Power Screen, It can be summonable by using the console, and it's fully functional.

-->'''The Instruction Manual''': "What are you waiting for, [[{{Turok}} Dinosaurs in fog?]]"

The technical improvements here were impressive at the time, with colored lighting, higher resolution, smoother graphics and bigger levels that, alongside ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'', spurred the widespread adoption of early [[GraphicsProcessingUnit hardware 3D accelerators]]. However, in retrospect, ''Quake II'' is considered one of IdSoftware's weakest singleplayer games, being the first game created after John Romero's departure and lacking much of the creativity that made ''{{Doom}}'' and ''{{Quake}}'' household names, in stark contrast to Romero's own ''{{Daikatana}}'', a game that failed for the exact opposite reason. Nowadays, ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' is much more fondly remembered for its technical advancements and engaging multiplayer mode than its singleplayer mode.

Two mission packs, which followed the same storylines as the original VideoGame/QuakeII, were released as well: '''Quake II: Ground Zero''' by Rogue Entertainment and '''Quake II: The Reckoning''' by Xatrix Entertainment.

The game was a sequel InNameOnly, originally developed as an all-new original IP before having the ''Quake'' name attached to it, for better or worse. It was Id's first FPS with a real story, about Earth launching a counter-attack on the homeworld of the vicious Strogg, called "Operation Alien Overlord", who were kidnapping humans for meat and body parts.

The levels in the game and the expansions are divided into several chapters, called Units. Each unit has up to seven levels, interconnected among them, so players could go from one level to the other and viceversa, [[PointOfNoReturn until they hit the unit's exit]].

The technical improvements here were impressive at the time, with colored lighting, higher resolution, smoother graphics and bigger levels that, alongside ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'', spurred the widespread adoption of early [[GraphicsProcessingUnit hardware 3D accelerators]]. However, in retrospect, ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' is considered one of IdSoftware's weakest singleplayer games, being the first game created after John Romero's departure and lacking much of the creativity that made ''{{Doom}}'' and ''{{Quake}}'' household names, in stark contrast to Romero's own ''{{Daikatana}}'', a game that failed for the exact opposite reason. Nowadays, ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' is much more fondly remembered for its technical advancements and engaging multiplayer mode than its singleplayer mode.

Two mission packs, which followed the same storylines than the original VideoGame/QuakeII, were released as well: '''Quake II: Ground Zero''' by Rogue Entertainment and '''Quake II: The Reckoning''' by Xatrix Entertainment.

* CrateExpectations: The second chapter has the move of them.

* DecapitatedArmy: According to the manual, by killing [[spoiler:the Makron]], the Strogg Warlords start to battle each other for the supremacy, leaving the Stroggos in a very bad situation.

-> ''"Never before has there been a greater challenge to life, liberty, and civilization. This is a crusade in which we will accept nothing less than victory. No matter how long it may take us to overcome the Strogg’s barbaric assault, the people of Earth in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. Today we will make very certain that this form of barbaric treachery shall never endanger us again. With confidence in you, and with the unbending determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God. So go forth and kick ass, soldiers!"''

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Except in ''Ground Zero'', which renders both items (and the Double Damage powerup) useless when playing against him.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: At least in the original game, with the exception of the BFG (who only [[spoiler:the Makron]] can use) you'll normally find enemies using weapons which you later get. For example:
** Your first encounter with an Enforcer ("Outer Base", from the Base Unit) before getting access to the Chaingun in the fourth level, "Ammo Depot", from the Warehouse Unit.
** Your first encounter with a Gunner ("Comm Center", from the Base Unit) before getting access to the Grenade Launcher in "Detention Center", from the Jail Unit.
** Your first encounter with a Tank ("Warehouse", from the Warehouse Unit) before getting access to the Rocket Launcher in "Mine Entrance", from the Mine Unit.
** Your first encounter with a Gladiator ("Main Gate", from the Jail Unit) before getting access to the Railgun in "Receiving Center", from the Factory Unit.

* OnlyMostlyDead: Some Strogg sometimes keep shooting [[strike:at you]] in their general forward direction after you've knocked them down.

-> ''"I've waited long enough. Time to kick some Strogg ass..."''
-> --'''Backstory in [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]].'''

The game was a sequel InNameOnly, originally developed as an all-new original IP before having the ''Quake'' name attached to it, for better or worse. It was Id's first FPS with a real story, about Earth launching a counter-attack on the homeworld of the vicious Strogg, who were kidnapping humans for meat and body parts.

--> ''"I've waited long enough. Time to kick some Strogg ass..."''
--> --'''Backstory in [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]].'''

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Quake_2_pc_trucade_4813.jpg

The levels in the game are divided into several chapters, called Units. Each unit had up to seven levels, interconnected among them, so players could go from one level to the other [[PointOfNoReturn until they hit the unit's exit]].

Followed by ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena''. Canon-wise followed by '''VideoGame/QuakeIV'''.

* ArtifactTitle: Averted for ''Ground Zero'', which refers to the [[spoiler:Anti-Matter Bomb being used in an entire area]].

* AWinnerIsYou: The N64 version. After beating the final level (which is simply a fight with two Tanks and two flying Guardians - no Makron to be found here), your character go up in a elevator... and you get a small paragraph of text thanking you for playing the game.

* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: The SecretLevel ''Comm Satellite'' requires the player to deactivate some stuff... into a SpaceShip with open entrances/exits. The detail? None of the original models/skins which shipped with the game included any space suit.
** Although it's subverted by the fact, that if you dare to approach those exits when they are open, you will be immediately sucked out into space and... [[ExplosiveDecompression *splat*]].

** A.H.D.S.S.I.B.H. bjjc[[hottip:Spoiler explanation:Stands for "A Hall Displays Secret Snapshots In Boss' House". An explanation on how to get to this egg is here. bjjc stands for Beandon James & John Carmack]]

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Many of the living prisoners the player finds alongside of the game have items. The only way to get these items is to kill them. And in some cases, such as the level "Torture Chambers" (jail4) you're required to do this in order to progress.

* ShoutOut: The Railgun leaves a corkscrewing trail through the air exactly like those in the film ''{{Eraser}}''

* EnemyCivilWar: Played straight. The only mooks which don't fall into this are the bosses and the flying ones, such as Technicians, Icaruses (Icari?) and Flyers.
** Sort of: the flying types can be made to fight each other, but won't fight ground-based enemies or vice versa. Bosses will kill mooks who shoot them, but mooks never turn on bosses.

* EnemySummoner: ''Ground Zero'' has the Medic Commander, which can recall several {{Mook}}s into the battlefield.
** MookMaker: ''Ground Zero'' has [[spoiler:the Carrier, a mid-boss like Big Gun from the main ''Quake II'' game]] who can summon Flyers at will; and [[spoiler:both the Widow Guardian and the Black Widow, pre-boss and FinalBoss of the game,]] who can summon Stalkers at will.

* TechDemoGame: Alongside VideoGame/{{Unreal}}, this game was one of the first to spur widespread adoption of 3D graphics accelerators, thanks to its colored lighting effects.

* TooAwesomeToUse: The Quad Damage and Invulnerability items, except for the final boss.
** Except in ''Ground Zero'', which renders both items (and the Double Damage powerup) useless when playing against him.
* UseItem: The game has an inventory system, and the powerups could be saved for later use.
** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in the N64 port; items are instantly used when picked up.

The technical improvements here were impressive at the time, with colored lighting, higher resolution, smoother graphics and bigger levels that, alongside ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'', spurred the widespread adoption of early [[GraphicsProcessingUnit hardware 3D accelerators]]. However, in retrospect, ''QuakeII'' is considered one of IdSoftware's weakest singleplayer games, being the first game created after John Romero's departure and lacking much of the creativity that made ''{{Doom}}'' and ''{{Quake}}'' household names, in stark contrast to Romero's own ''{{Daikatana}}'', a game that failed for the exact opposite reason. Nowadays, ''QuakeII'' is much more fondly remembered for its technical advancements and engaging multiplayer mode than its singleplayer mode.

Two mission packs, which followed the same storylines than the original QuakeII, were released as well: '''Quake II: Ground Zero''' by Rogue Entertainment and '''Quake II: The Reckoning''' by Xatrix Entertainment.