Shaun Ross's latest level is actually quite
different from his other levels. The two major
differences are monsters, and the way it was
built. [Kona] has used scraps from other, unfinished
levels, to produce a small two-level unit.
The style here is not perfectly clear, being
more of a mix. It's definitely an industrial
level, but has some more medieval touches thrown
in. Also, at times it seems like a base level.
The two levels mainly consist of solid metal
butresses, lots of brick walls, posters as details,
and some outdoor areas, caves and pools of water.
Of these, I found the caves to be the least
visually appealing, while the rest of the areas
looked from average to very good. Texturing
was top notch, and helped create a good atmosphere
for the levels, though it was mostly brown.
[Kona] has managed to breathe some freshness
into his style, and as a result the level does
not suffer from looking like all his other levels.
However, his style is still very visible, and
so it is not difficult to recognize his work.
Lighting wasn't particularly catching to the
eye, but at the same time I didn't notice anything
really wrong with it. There are two secrets,
one in each level, and I managed to find the
second one.
Gameplay is really unlike [Kona]'s previous
levels. Firstly, there are lots of Grunts, Enforcers
and Rottweilers. Secondly, those are the only
enemies you'll meet, aside from a few Scrags.
The levels are quite large when together, but
fortunately the monsters have been modified
a bit. They have new skins, which vary in quality,
and some pack new weapons. Especially the Grunts
with rocket launchers can be troublesome. New
AI is mentioned in the text file, but I didn't
notice it; even with explosive weapons the Grunts
don't really care how close the player is. Progress
is very linear, with practically no exploration.
I played on Normal, and the first level was
fairly easy. It was sparsely populated, and
you won't meet too many enemies at a time. The
second level was more satisfying, with more
enemies, and an exciting finale. The ending
wasn't too hard, but it was very satisfying
with lots of enemies to gun down.
One odd thing I noticed was how some of the
Grunts couldn't be damaged until I had ventured
fully into their line of sight, instead of just
dodging around the corner as soon as spotting
them. And even then they stayed put for a split
second, before reacting to me. I also had some
navigation problems with some of the slanted
surfaces.
All in all, I enjoyed this small pack. Though
it is quick to complete, it's fun to play through,
with a good theme, that isn't really all that
usual.
