System: 3DO
Release date: April 1994

Screech through a dystopian hellscape with Quarantine on the 3DO, the April 1994 vehicular action-shooter from GameTek that traps you in a taxi navigating a crumbling city overrun by mutants and maniacs. As cabbie Drake Edgewater, you’ll drive, shoot, and survive—but does it still roar in 2025? Let’s slam the accelerator and see if this cyberpunk cruise is a turbo-charged thrill or a stalled wreck.

Gameplay: Drive, Shoot, and Survive

Quarantine puts you behind the wheel of a souped-up taxi, ferrying passengers through KEMO City’s chaotic streets while blasting enemies with machine guns, flamethrowers, and mines. The controls deliver tight handling—steer, speed, and fire with precision as you dodge traffic, mutants, and rival cabs. Missions mix taxi fares with side tasks like destroying targets, while upgrades like armor or nitro boost your ride. The first-person view and open-ended routes keep the pace frantic.

The wipeout? The clunky map and vague objectives can leave you lost, and the relentless enemy swarms drain your health faster than a fare dodger. The steep difficulty punishes sloppy driving. Still, the raw thrill of mowing down foes while racking up cash hooks you like a bumper to a mutant’s face.

Graphics: Gritty Cyberpunk Chaos

Quarantine’s visuals scream with detail—crumbling skyscrapers, neon signs, and blood-splattered sidewalks. Your taxi’s dashboard bobs realistically, while enemies like chainsaw punks and exploding drones burst with grim flair. FMV cutscenes, dripping with ’90s cheese, add a B-movie vibe. It’s not as polished as later 3D shooters, but the dark, immersive world screeches with cyberpunk style.

Sound: Riffs and Roars That Rumble

A grungy rock soundtrack, with distorted guitars and industrial beats, screams dystopian mayhem. Sound effects—engine growls, gunfire cracks, and mutant screams—are meaty and chaotic, amplifying every crash and kill. The cheesy FMV voice acting, from Drake’s quips to passenger barks, adds campy charm. Music loops can grate during long drives, but the audio’s raw energy keeps you flooring it.

Replayability: A City Worth Recruising

With branching missions, multiple weapons, and upgrade paths, Quarantine begs for replays to max out your cab or chase high scores. Exploring KEMO’s districts for hidden routes and secrets adds depth, though the repetitive objectives and brutal difficulty might stall casual players. No multiplayer, but the open-ended chaos suits quick joyrides or obsessive fare-grinding sessions, keeping every run a wild ride.

The Retro Looney Verdict

Quarantine on the 3DO is a gloriously grimy thrill ride that blends vehicular carnage with cyberpunk swagger into a chaotic gem. Its tight driving, vivid visuals, and pounding audio make it a blast, even if the wonky navigation and punishing foes skid like a blown tire.