3D Realms, best known as the last company able to do something good with Duke Nukem, currently has a Build engine-powered shooter called Ion Maiden on Steam Early Access. By all reports it's really good—user reviews on Steam are "overwhelmingly positive"—but what makes it interesting is the use of the Build engine, which is true retro-tech: It was used for Duke Nukem 3D and the original Shadow Warrior way back in the mid-90s, and Ion Maiden is the first game to make use of it in nearly two decades.
3D Realms is also working on a new game based on the Quake engine in partnership with 1C Company, and yes, that would be the original Quake from 1996—a Build engine contemporary. That little factoid was revealed last fall, along with absolutely no other information: No name, no release target, no platform information, no nothing. But that will soon change.
You will not survive... Reveal tomorrow! #unannouncedQuake1EngineShooter @3DRealms @1C_Company pic.twitter.com/iUzbIorQZNMarch 6, 2019
Is that logo ringing any bells? That's not a hint that I know what's up, by the way: I think it looks very vaguely Quake-like but I can't see Bethesda green-lighting a remake by anyone but id Software. But games like Ion Maiden and Dusk have proven that shooters don't need to be built on bleeding-edge tech to be great, and I'm excited to finally find out what 3DR has cooking. We'll let you know when we know.
