Underworldfan's Single Player Map Reviews

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## Reviews: 3rd November 2007 review 2 [Reviewed by Tronyn]

SUMMARY
Game: QUAKE
Map - wbase: Wicked Base
by: Trinca
Download: wbase.zip
Overall Verdict: old-skool custom base map.

FULL REVIEW:
Trinca's latest is a custom base map with plenty of monsters and several distinct areas. The map centers around a main floor, above ground, contained within walls with fences on top (cool touch). These courtyards are strewn with crates and their vertical element is well used in terms of monster placement. Grunts sniping at you from very high up will certainly cause trouble.
You are given the double shotgun shortly after you begin, and will find it quite necessary. Clusters of base monsters are well used, and thick enough to keep the map from being easy. Vores are more common than average here, and they make the gameplay demanding, at least while you're also trying to fight off the base hordes. Ogres are also used often, and are usually given a good chance to do some damage. There are enough ambushes to keep things from being predictable, although you can see some of the ambushes coming. You are given more weapons, and the gameplay becomes tougher correspondingly.

The map's central core branches off into underground sections of sewer and tunnel, that go on for quite a ways, but are distinct and well-marked enough that it's not possible to get lost, and you always have a sense of where you're going. You get a bit of underwater combat in which is nice, but more would have been good. One of the cooler things about the layout is the centrality of the Gold and Silver Key doors. You are continually returning to the same hub. The secrets that I found were cool, so keep your eyes open.
Throughout, architecture is built tidily and on a good scale. Angles are used to create visual interest throughout, even in the simple hallways - there's nothing really blocky here. Details like inset lights and machinery also create visual appeal in the various sections. Lighting is good, always sourced. The texturing is particularly good, always clean and well aligned. Animated textures here and there give a good sense of functionality. With a good sense of progression, a little bit of exploration, and steadily escalating gameplay punctuated by challenging ambushes, Wicked Base is a solid base map.

overall score: 14/20