Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
Operation: Ruined Earth is the third of six operations in the Call of the Machine expansion that comes with the 2023 remastered version of Quake II.
It puts you in the role of Brickslayer, one of the marines in charge of finding the Strogg Discs that contain the necessary data about the location of the Strogg Maker. He lands in an old Earth village filled with Strogg who are mining the planet and extracting its resources.
The levels that comprise the unit are "Echoes of the Past", "Ruined Earth", "Strogg Mining Intake", "Way of the Marine", "Pumping Station III".
The unit shows examples of:
- Boss Rush: "Way of the Warrior" ends with two consecutive boss battles against a Carrier and a Beta Class Super Tank.
- Call-Back: The Secret Level "Pumping Station III" refers to the two previous pumping stations in the main game.
- Chainsaw Good: The Chainfist is obtainable as a secret at the beginning of "Ruined Earth".
- Easter Egg: One of the secret rooms in "Echoes of the Past" (the one which contains a Megahealth) leads to a hidden room with the Dopefish.
- 11th-Hour Superpower: The Power Shield is obtainable halfway through "Way of the Warrior", the last level of the unit.
- Mythology Gag: The "Classic Head" that the player must obtain in the Secret Level is Ranger's Head.
- New Weapon Target Range: Right after obtaining the Chaingun in "Echoes of the Past", "Pressure Point" begins to play, and you're greeted by hordes of Mutants.
- Secret Boss: "Ancient Carrier" in the Secret Level "Pumping Station III", a Carrier who launches regular and Kamikaze Flyers.
- Secret Level: "Pumping Station III", accessed at the end of "Strogg Mining Intake" by destroying a wall and following the path.
- Suspicious Video-Game Generosity:
- Once the top level of "Pumping Station III" is reached, the player will notice tons of armor, ammo and health pickups. It's a warning that a boss fight will ensue once the second lever is pulled.
- Halfway through "Way of the Warrior", you get the Strogg Disc and a Power Shield next to it. After picking it up, cue the Strogg Carrier.
