010 Hotel of Tragedy (alt)

[FATAL]

Wad Title: htragedy.wad
Author: Jacek "Illdo" Dobrzyniecki
Filename: htragedy.zip
Size: 130 Kb
Download Link: ftp://ftp.fu-berlin.de/pc/games/idga...i/htragedy.zip
Requirements: Doom2.exe
Play types: Single Player, DM/Co-op player starts.
# of maps: 1
Created on: Jan 2006
Reviewer: Crash OverRide
Port Used: Z-Doom GL 2.0.63
Score: 6

Overall Review Score: 6
To begin, if you've ever played Shivers from Sierra, you know the feeling/theme of all this. You are locked in a place, full of evil, hellbent on scaring you to death....or worse. Can you find a way out, is what the game asks. Well, can you? Or will you end up staying at the largest Roach Motel on history.....permanently?

Graphics/Lighting: Score: 6/10 - Slightly better than average
This wad/map uses alot of original doom2 textures, and does quite well for the most part. Yes, there are a scant few slight texture misalignments, but nothing to detract much from the gameplay......which is in mostly clearing out the Hotel's former staff/guests and getting out in one piece.

Lighting is also a bit above average....whereas the rooms don't all have colored lighting or such, but the tone of the lighting is appropriate in most areas. Some areas are dim, to denote a somber feeling to the room.....while some are brightly lit, giving you the impression that staying in the light is a good thing.
Also, the desk where you "check in" is lit up exactly where you start, sort of like an ominous warning or enticement of sorts.

Weapon/Health Placement: Score: 6/10 - Above average Joe
First off, lemme be blunt here.....health/armor is scarce, maybe to support the Hotel theme? I personally don't know, but it makes you keep on your toes on the harder difficulties. Also, most ammo/weapons are dropped by monsters, like in the starting level of Doom/Doom2.......so ammo counting becomes a necessity as you raise the challenge level as well. Save first, save often, is all I can say. I died once after 3 minutes because I didn't save, and on a lower difficulty no less.
This isn't to say it isn't fun to play because of all this, just a bit tougher if you're new to all this doom stuff.

Monsters & placement: Score: 5.5/10 - Average jim
There could have been more. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, that'd be it. Doom veterans will have a slight challenge on the highest difficulties, but the only ones to be challenged by the amount of demons/etc on lower diff. settings will be the newcomers and casual gamers. One good thing I can say about it is that they are placed in some pretty good/appropriate spots, and no one area is lacking something to shoot for the most part.

Praises - Nice Hotel feel, level/room layout. Good original texture usage, especially in rooms like the guest room bathrooms.

Cons - Slightly misaligned textures in a small few areas. Not enough enemies, or variations of such, although it could fit a haunted Hotel theme quite nicely....having mainly just human baddies and all.

Bugs - None that I could see.

Comments: Nice semi-homage to Shivers, for anyone that's played the Sierra Classic.