I sort of wish I had had another map to review
for my debut, lest my new readers think I am
too easy. This one was plain and simply fun.
It isn't terribly big, a single level that I
played in maybe 90 minutes, including note-taking
and stopping and going back to try alternative
approaches. On the other hand, the 120 enemies
in skill 1 gives for plenty of fragging. Health
was fairly scarce early on in the map, and enemy
placement was such that taking hits was unavoidable
for someone anywhere near my skill level, which
made things exciting.
What did I like?
Enemy placement - multiple enemies in many places,
enemies behind nearly every door. After a while,
I approached each door knowing there was something
on the other side that wanted to rip my face
off. Once or twice, they succeeded...
The ammo came mostly from enemy dead, which
I feel is more realistic than finding it just
lying around.
The scenery was quite varied, without going
overboard. Not being a graphics designer or
map author, I can't comment on the virtuosity
or skill behind the visuals, but they were pleasing
to the untrained eye, and I never got tired
of them.
I could never be sure an area was cleared. Enemies
would sneak out from hiding and nearly wax my
behind. What did I not like?
Nothing major. I did not get stuck or notice
any serious visual flaws. However, everybody
can find some few things to quibble about, and
I am no exception, so... The Flying Boss was
not much of a challenge. By the time it appeared,
I had A) A railgun and 100 slugs, B) a hyperblaster
and 300 cells, C) A rocket launcher and some
number of rockets, D) a grenade launcher and
bunches of grendades (and a partridge in a pear
tree...) The hyperblaster was more than adequate.
(Note: I'm REALLY reaching, here...) The map
was maybe a little more linear than it strictly
needed to be. In one interesting room with three
doors, only one would open. One of the others
was the other end of the path begun with the
openable one. That was quite proper, given the
design of the "loop", but an alternate
layout, coupled with one-way doors, could have
allowed either door to be used. (I did say I
was reaching...)
The secrets were not that difficult to find.
The items in the secrets were very helpful at
the time, but not necessary to successful completion
of the map.
There are those who feel that there is some
kind of inherent conflict of interest between
reviewers and testers. I do not happen to subscribe
to this view, but it certainly will not hurt
to say that I was a playtester for this map.
The final version was better than the beta version,
but in part that was because Kona ignored some
of my advice. Anyway, it's out in the open,
and this is likely not the last time I'll have
occasion to say this...
I'm not going to pretend this map is any challenge
to Castles of Stroggos 3 for SPQ2 Map of the
Year, but I thought it was more than worth the
time it takes to download. For those who like
lots and lots of fragging, including plenty
of scenarios with multiple enemies coming at
you from different directions, this one's for
you. It's going in my "Good" folder.
