FATAL
June 18th, 2007, 01:17 PM
MAINANTANCE COMPLEX by Simo Malinen
2complex.wad 555kb
ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/games/idgames/levels/doom2/0-9/2complex.zip
Port: Doom2.exe.
Single Player.
1 map.
Reviewer: Danimetal using Legacy v1.42 in Software mode.
Score: 7.5
If you were impressed with Simo Malinen´s "Hi-Tech Hell 2, Alien Tech" maybe you wondered who this author is or what levels has he done before... Well, I did and this is the result of an author search in the Idgames database. I just grabbed the first level and began playing it some weeks ago but, unfortunately, after getting killed like ten times in my first tries I forgot this map in some corner of my hard disk drive. To tell you about how this wad came back to me is a fun story completely out of place but well, I got to play this wad again and this time I managed to conquer it in a single try so I thought I could review it. If you want a first impression I will be brief: don´t play this wad unless you have a couple of spare hours you want to spend playing Doom... In fact, after I finished the level, Legacy refused to tell me how much time did I spend playing this by displaying the message "Time: Sucks". Serious!.
Anyway, what has this wad to offer?. A massive complex full of monsters (like 1000 in UV), secrets (25... I only got to find 9), puzzles and a lot of cool stuff definitely worth going through. To begin with, you start in a small passage and are given your shotgun. After little wandering you´re welcomed by the first couple of monsters in a big passage where a blue key (that you won´t get until the end) is needed... Move a little, be a victim of some ambushes and soon you´ll experience some terrible moments in wich you´re completely surrounded by enemies and surviving becomes harder and harder each time. As you go on, this sensation increases but at some moment things start to calm down and all battles seem to be softer. From that moment, it´s puzzle time. Look for switches in the tight passages, find secrets, connect hallways and find your way back once and again while blasting any monster you can find. Sounds cool, doesn´t it?. In fact, it is cool and gets better the more you get into the complex: the level manages to keep your interest with a variety of themes, puzzles and battles and while sometimes you may be lost, you can easily find your lead and get into new situations again.
Visually, the map is appealing... I can´t exactly tell what´s the release date for this wad (since all Simo´s wads are dated on the same day with the exception of "Hi-Tech Hell 2, Alien Tech") but surely it has some years on it´s back. You could tell it too considering it´s look and style since it looks exactly like a Doom level should. I´ll explain myself: this wads goes into some nice details here and there, some surprises, lots and lots of weird angles and strange passages but, in the end, everything looks a lot like Doom. There are little lifelike structures but on their place you´ll find plenty of functional architecture and gameplay enhancement. Sometimes you can run into some nicely designed switches, a splendid crate maze, 3d effects here and there and a nice usage of the stock Doom2 textures but, at the same time, you will be running into places that you may not like or some that even look unfinished. For example, I´m not a lot into the weird angles used in this map as I´m not into some themes but well, these places helped created both contrast and a surprising sense of chaos and abandon... It´s hard to explain but the whole complex looks both functional, ugly and Doomish. Best you can do is try it yourself and decide if you like it´s look or not.
Gameplay wise this wad is very nice but let´s start with the problems. First of it all, there´s the beginning in wich you´ll wonder if you can really go through the whole map this way... It´s not like ammo is tight or something, but you´ll run into some unfair battles and chaingunner ambushes that are really nerve-consuming. Second big problem: the map´s design. Don´t get me wrong, the planning for this map, it´s connectivity and design are excellent but being a massive map it can happen that you´ll get lost easily, specially in a couple of places. You´d do good in keeping an eye on everyting but after half an hour of playing it´s not easy to keep your attention on strange structures anymore and you can miss a door or lift you just activated. Third and last problem, it´s size itself. This map has an enormous replay value due to the multiple approaches to fights and places we´ll mention later, the number of secrets and things like that but being a colossus as it is, it´s hard to think about playing through it again... Other than that, there is plenty of good stuff but I´d like to specially mention three of them. First, the pace of the map: you send your enemies to the grave continously at a nice pace as you move through the map. After some battles you get a puzzle, a bigger battle or a trap and, this way, the map unfolds it´s multiple areas and keeps you interested all the way. Second, the different gameplay styles that are mixed in here are of a high playability value. You can find close range fights in narrow corridors, crazy ambushes and even the infamous fight with a lot of demons in a sewer and that´s only about battles. You get plenty of switch hunting, running, guessing, exploring, backtracking... Third, the map offers a nice mix of linearity and open-ending reflected on path forks, optional areas and different approaches to different battles (depending on your choice you´ll have easier or harder times!) that gives great depth to the gameplay... Really, this wad is worth the gameplay factor... O.k, it could have been tighter on terms of ammo and health (I used my shotgun almost exclusively through the whole map) and, thus, harder, but I found it balanced and fun.
So, what can I say about this map that I haven´t and that can sum up my opinion about it?. I guess I could label it as "Must try" and let you decide if it´s a "Must play" or not. I personally don´t regret a single minute I played on it. There are plenty of things I would fix or change in this map (too much to be listed here!!!) but Simo Malinen managed to put plenty of things to keep you playing and make you forget about fixes... I came up with the " 7.5" score after thinking long about it and well, I thought this score reflects that this wad is worth and entertaining as it also reflects it´s problems. As said in the summary, if you´re not afraid of big maps and have a couple of spare hours go and try this map yourself.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex016px.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6922/2complex016px.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Sunk crates and a shotgun fest.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex025ex.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8462/2complex025ex.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
A nice theme shift in the middle of the complex.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex036es.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4065/2complex036es.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
As expected, the map features creative detail and texture using.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex045ev.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6414/2complex045ev.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Interesting shelving with supplies.
2complex.wad 555kb
ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/games/idgames/levels/doom2/0-9/2complex.zip
Port: Doom2.exe.
Single Player.
1 map.
Reviewer: Danimetal using Legacy v1.42 in Software mode.
Score: 7.5
If you were impressed with Simo Malinen´s "Hi-Tech Hell 2, Alien Tech" maybe you wondered who this author is or what levels has he done before... Well, I did and this is the result of an author search in the Idgames database. I just grabbed the first level and began playing it some weeks ago but, unfortunately, after getting killed like ten times in my first tries I forgot this map in some corner of my hard disk drive. To tell you about how this wad came back to me is a fun story completely out of place but well, I got to play this wad again and this time I managed to conquer it in a single try so I thought I could review it. If you want a first impression I will be brief: don´t play this wad unless you have a couple of spare hours you want to spend playing Doom... In fact, after I finished the level, Legacy refused to tell me how much time did I spend playing this by displaying the message "Time: Sucks". Serious!.
Anyway, what has this wad to offer?. A massive complex full of monsters (like 1000 in UV), secrets (25... I only got to find 9), puzzles and a lot of cool stuff definitely worth going through. To begin with, you start in a small passage and are given your shotgun. After little wandering you´re welcomed by the first couple of monsters in a big passage where a blue key (that you won´t get until the end) is needed... Move a little, be a victim of some ambushes and soon you´ll experience some terrible moments in wich you´re completely surrounded by enemies and surviving becomes harder and harder each time. As you go on, this sensation increases but at some moment things start to calm down and all battles seem to be softer. From that moment, it´s puzzle time. Look for switches in the tight passages, find secrets, connect hallways and find your way back once and again while blasting any monster you can find. Sounds cool, doesn´t it?. In fact, it is cool and gets better the more you get into the complex: the level manages to keep your interest with a variety of themes, puzzles and battles and while sometimes you may be lost, you can easily find your lead and get into new situations again.
Visually, the map is appealing... I can´t exactly tell what´s the release date for this wad (since all Simo´s wads are dated on the same day with the exception of "Hi-Tech Hell 2, Alien Tech") but surely it has some years on it´s back. You could tell it too considering it´s look and style since it looks exactly like a Doom level should. I´ll explain myself: this wads goes into some nice details here and there, some surprises, lots and lots of weird angles and strange passages but, in the end, everything looks a lot like Doom. There are little lifelike structures but on their place you´ll find plenty of functional architecture and gameplay enhancement. Sometimes you can run into some nicely designed switches, a splendid crate maze, 3d effects here and there and a nice usage of the stock Doom2 textures but, at the same time, you will be running into places that you may not like or some that even look unfinished. For example, I´m not a lot into the weird angles used in this map as I´m not into some themes but well, these places helped created both contrast and a surprising sense of chaos and abandon... It´s hard to explain but the whole complex looks both functional, ugly and Doomish. Best you can do is try it yourself and decide if you like it´s look or not.
Gameplay wise this wad is very nice but let´s start with the problems. First of it all, there´s the beginning in wich you´ll wonder if you can really go through the whole map this way... It´s not like ammo is tight or something, but you´ll run into some unfair battles and chaingunner ambushes that are really nerve-consuming. Second big problem: the map´s design. Don´t get me wrong, the planning for this map, it´s connectivity and design are excellent but being a massive map it can happen that you´ll get lost easily, specially in a couple of places. You´d do good in keeping an eye on everyting but after half an hour of playing it´s not easy to keep your attention on strange structures anymore and you can miss a door or lift you just activated. Third and last problem, it´s size itself. This map has an enormous replay value due to the multiple approaches to fights and places we´ll mention later, the number of secrets and things like that but being a colossus as it is, it´s hard to think about playing through it again... Other than that, there is plenty of good stuff but I´d like to specially mention three of them. First, the pace of the map: you send your enemies to the grave continously at a nice pace as you move through the map. After some battles you get a puzzle, a bigger battle or a trap and, this way, the map unfolds it´s multiple areas and keeps you interested all the way. Second, the different gameplay styles that are mixed in here are of a high playability value. You can find close range fights in narrow corridors, crazy ambushes and even the infamous fight with a lot of demons in a sewer and that´s only about battles. You get plenty of switch hunting, running, guessing, exploring, backtracking... Third, the map offers a nice mix of linearity and open-ending reflected on path forks, optional areas and different approaches to different battles (depending on your choice you´ll have easier or harder times!) that gives great depth to the gameplay... Really, this wad is worth the gameplay factor... O.k, it could have been tighter on terms of ammo and health (I used my shotgun almost exclusively through the whole map) and, thus, harder, but I found it balanced and fun.
So, what can I say about this map that I haven´t and that can sum up my opinion about it?. I guess I could label it as "Must try" and let you decide if it´s a "Must play" or not. I personally don´t regret a single minute I played on it. There are plenty of things I would fix or change in this map (too much to be listed here!!!) but Simo Malinen managed to put plenty of things to keep you playing and make you forget about fixes... I came up with the " 7.5" score after thinking long about it and well, I thought this score reflects that this wad is worth and entertaining as it also reflects it´s problems. As said in the summary, if you´re not afraid of big maps and have a couple of spare hours go and try this map yourself.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex016px.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6922/2complex016px.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Sunk crates and a shotgun fest.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex025ex.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8462/2complex025ex.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
A nice theme shift in the middle of the complex.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex036es.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4065/2complex036es.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
As expected, the map features creative detail and texture using.
<a href="http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2complex045ev.gif" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6414/2complex045ev.th.gif" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Interesting shelving with supplies.