There are over 20 games in the id Anthology and, although the collection claims to include everything ever released by id, there is the obvious omission of the joint venture with Raven Software: Heretic. Too bad - Heretic was outstanding. However, fans of 3-D games won't be disappointed with this cornucopia of primal carnage. The four-CD pack includes such classics as Commander Keen, Rescue Rover, and Wolfenstein 3D, as well as more contemporary hits such as Doom II, Final Doom, and the ground-breaking Quake. Yes, that's right - the software company that holds the record for the most broken Ctrl keys in this decade has packaged all of its games together in one neat little bundle.
When reading this review, it is important to remember that the scores reflect a combination of the whole id library, from 1990 to the present. Sure, Commander Keen may not look as good as Quake, but give the little guy a break... he's six years old and still mildly entertaining (at least a lot more than most six-year-olds I know). And Wolfenstein 3D may not seem like much nowadays, but a few years back it was the only action game in town.
With a $110 price tag, the id Anthology may be a bit expensive for those who already own the Doom series and Quake. But for those of you who still haven't jumped on the bandwagon and indulged yourselves in a bit of violent mayhem, this is the compilation for you. And even if you've finished Doom II and its siblings, this one might be worth taking a look at. Quake alone is going for nearly $70, so why not take the plunge and sink an extra $40 into countless hours of furious fun with the id Anthology? Just think, your grandkids may thank you one day for giving them the chance to play this collection of games by id - the software company that defined 3-D action gaming.
