Quake II Reborn… In AI Vomit?

Microsoft has unleashed its AI beast upon the unsuspecting world of gaming. The victim? Quake II. The weapon? An AI model named ‘Muse’. The result? Well, let’s just say it’s an ‘experience’.

Muse: Not a Goddess, Just an Algorithm

Unveiled back in February 2025, Muse is Microsoft’s attempt at a World and Human Action Model (WHAM), apparently. It’s supposed to generate gameplay visuals and actions on the fly. Think endless, procedurally generated Quake II, fuelled by the silicon dreams of a Transformer-based model.

Microsoft claims that after a million training updates, Muse mastered basic movements, geometry, and even flying mechanics. We’re skeptical. However, as part of their Copilot Gaming Experiences program, Microsoft has bravely (or foolishly) released a playable demo of AI-generated Quake II.

Quake II: The AI Remix

The premise is simple: you play Quake II, but the game world is being dynamically generated by the AI. Each user input triggers a fresh burst of AI-generated madness. The good news? It’s free and accessible in your browser. The bad news? Read on.

One brave soul (that’s me) ventured into this AI-generated Quake II abyss. The controls are WASD, which is… something. Mouse support is MIA, a glaring omission that makes navigating the chaotic landscapes feel like steering a barge through treacle. Graphically, it’s not winning any awards. Think Quake II after a severe visual downgrade and a heavy dose of hallucinogens.

The 2-Minute Limit of Terror

The fun, or rather, the mildly amusing bewilderment, is cut short by a strict two-minute time limit. Just when you start to question your sanity, the experiment ends. Objectives? Non-existent. Consistency? Laughable. Enemies and objects blink in and out of existence like bad code in a student project. It’s less a game and more a fever dream.

Google’s AI Enters the Arena

Microsoft isn’t alone in this AI gaming experiment. Google DeepMind showcased its own AI gaming tech back in 2024. Their offering? GameNGen, an AI-powered game engine simulating DOOM at 20 FPS on a single TPU. Impressive, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Then there’s Genie 2, Google’s large foundation world model. Genie 2 can generate diverse gaming environments and respond to keyboard controls, even simulating physics like gravity and lighting. All sounds promising, but, like Microsoft’s offering, it remains to be seen if this will translate into a genuinely enjoyable and playable experience.

The Future of AI Gaming: Hype or Hope?

Is this the future of gaming? AI-generated worlds tailored to your every whim? Or is it just a tech demo with limited appeal? Only time will tell. For now, Microsoft’s AI Quake II is a curiosity, a glimpse into a potentially exciting, or utterly terrifying, future. But for now, you’ll get far more consistent enjoyment playing the original Quake II. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some therapy to attend.