Reviews - TEST_Entity_1.0

Tired of the classic and dated DOOM monster sprites? Want more shrooms to trip on? Just looking for something artistically appealing to add to your ever expanding DOOM mod list? Well this here has got you covered on at least two of those things! Introducing the greatest DOOM mod released within the past quinquennium: VOXEL DOOM!

This certainly isn't the greatest WAD of all time, but for what it is this is fairly decent! Sure, there's seemingly arbitrary enemy placements and occasionally questionable level design, but in terms of a fun gaming experience this definitely fills that role.

I can't say anything in terms of ZDOOM specific mapping mechanics such as three dimensional flooring, nor can I say much about scripted events as I typically map in DOOM format rather than UDMF or HEXEN.

The final level is certainly the best, however the most notable part of the wad that I found was the shotgunner trap in the map named: Claustrophobia (I think that's what it was called), where the player is given a rocket launcher in close quarters. Although I didn't die there, is was an interesting and surprising encounter none the less.

I beat the wad in about 40 minutes getting exactly 1 secret (as it really wasn't much of a secret), and died a total of 6 times. I saved only twice, both on the last map as I didn't want to go through the entire map again just to die to another cyberdemon. I never really tried searching for secrets if that wasn't apparent.

The maps are fairly linear however don't seem to have much off the beaten path, although perhaps they lead to secrets I never ended up finding anyway. Monster placements are generally not very strategic, and occasionally mini-slaughter map like. Archviles specifically are a bit overused, yet ironically underutilized. Weapon and item pickups are generally balanced; I was never dying over lack of ammo, or was overwhelmed by lack of health/armor. Lastly the texture usage is clever in some cases, and in others, downright disappointing... Oh and none of the doors are lower unpegged which just hurts me.

I did notice that each map is designed to allow the player to pistol start them, although the method of doing so generally just gives the player a bunch of weapons and ammo at the start of the maps, which is just kind of lazy.

Over all this is a decent, short, albeit flawed experience and I hope the individual who made this WAD learned a few things about mapping in the process of making this.

- T.E.S.T. Entity 1.0
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