Jake2 – Playtest
Yesterday we brought you news of Jake2, the Java conversion of id’s classic first person shooter, Quake 2. Well today we bring you screenies from our very own playtest of the Java version.. and it’s rockingly good!
Click for larger imageInstallation and set-up is a doddle. The Bytonic website pretty much covers it all and if you pick the Jake2 webstart version, you can even let it download the necessary files from id’s FTP server for you. You do need to have a recent version of Java running though, so if you haven’t updated recently, head over to the Java website to grab it.
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Click for larger imageConsidering this is running in Java, first impressions are of a near perfect recreation of id’s Quake 2. The menu screen, the demo video… it all looks like it’s here. Certianly the graphics take me right back to the heady days of yore… erm… well, 1997 anyway…
Click for larger imageAs a free bit of a nostalgia trip, Jake2 certainly gives you that in spades. Us old gits will love going back over ground we’ve covered before and just having a laugh re-discovering an old classic like this… and the beauty of it being in Java is that we can play it wherever we fancy!
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Click for larger imageThe Bytonic website covers some issues with mouse and keyboard config problems but I was up and running straight off with no trouble whatsoever. Similarly, sound was fine too with the 3D sound working just fine. Of course, the background noise of the war going on around you is there as well as the radio chatter and that annoying bloody woman and her ‘Computer Updated’ whinge she has at the beginning of each level.
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Click for larger imageSo, if you can be bothered, which you damn well should be, get yerself over to the Bytonic site and get yerself some Jake2 luvin’!
