Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
The destruction of the Strogg Reactor opened up a path leading to the Big Gun, a massive weapon with an interplanetary reach and the cornerstone of Stroggos' orbital defence.
There's only one level in this unit, "Big Gun", and the players are tasked with, well, taking it down.
Followed by the Hangar unit.
This level shows examples of:
- Adaptation Expansion: The level has been reworked entirely in the 2023 remaster version. The Hornet Mid-Boss is now a Flunky Boss surrounded by four Flyers, the room with the lasers has been extended into an entire corridor, and a Tank is guarding the lockdown objective. Also, instead of showing an empty box, the unit's cutscene now displays the Big Gun itself being destroyed.
- Boss-Only Level: Downplayed. Your first battle takes place against a Hornet flunkied by some Flyers, however, following that you have a small handful of weapon guards. The 2023 remastered edition ends with another Boss Fight (against a regular Tank). In both cases, the last level ends with an Escape Sequence.
- Broken Bridge: Access to the next unit is located in a door closed until the laser guard is locked down.
- Compressed Adaptation: In the PSX version, this unit becomes the "Gravity Booster" level of another unit.
- Cosmetic Award: Completing the unit in the 2023 remastered edition nets the "Destroy the Big Gun" achievement.
- Death from Above:
- At the very beginning of the level, two big pieces of debris from the destroyed reactor will fall. It's NOT advised to enter this area before they fall.
- After locking down the laser guard, you'll notice some debris falling onto enemy soldiers. Since you will be in a hurry to reach the escape ship, you won't notice it.
- Destroy the Villain's Weapon: This level contains the most important mission of the entire game, barring the destruction of the Makron: destroying the Big Gun not only significantly weakens the defences of Stroggos, but once all is said and done, it allows the entirety of Quake IV to happen. The 2023 remastered version of the level even includes a pseudo-cutscene with the gun itself being destroyed.
- Disc-One Final Dungeon: "Big Gun" is the only map of this unit, halfway through the game. Here, the player disables the titular planetary defence gun, giving human forces a much easier time. The level takes place halfway through the campaign, so there's still a lot of work to do.
- Escape Sequence: After locking down the laser guard, you have around 30 seconds to make your way out of the level, lest you get blown with the whole area.
- Flunky Boss: In the 2023 remastered version, the Hornet guarding the Laser Guard entrance is surrounded by four Flyers who must be taken down as well.
- Grimy Water: Right in the first room of the area after the entrance, there's a water pool from where a crystal emerges. Swimming in this water is NOT recommended.
- Kill Enemies to Open: You need to destroy the Hornet guarding the Laser Guard in the early stages of the level before being able to disable the gun.
- Mid-Boss:
- The first fight against a Hornet takes place early in this level.
- The 2023 remastered version of the map has an additional lesser boss fight in a Tank guarding the objective itself.
- Timed Mission: After locking down the laser guard, you have to get to a means of transport in less than 10 seconds as you see the place collapsing. Failure to achieve this has both you and the Strogg blowing up, and not even the "God" cheat code can save you from this fate in some ports.
