Information
This
package started as a "straight id"
metal installment, then became impregnated
with Abyss of Pandemonium textures, reskinned
and tweaked monsters, and a huge number
of sexy ambient sounds. The result can
only be described as terrifying.
Each map returns time and again to the
same areas at different levels, and each
has its own particular style. Escape Bastille
has cages suspended over insta-death lava
by heavy metal beams; Forsaken has impressive
outdoor areas and The Dismal Burning its
rather plump Quake symbol and monstrous
arenas.
The construction is a leap from the relatively
flat two-level style Kona has been known
for; the maps squirm up and down enough
to prevent this suspicion. This is helped
by the intricate stone and metal brushwork
- rivetted grey-brown metal beams acting
as a frame to bind everything together,
illuminated cruelly by yellowed lights,
demonic sky or lava.
Also helping is the way most areas are
made unique; rooflines and wall sections
lunge and meet at all sorts of angles
and heights, breaking up the overall ceiling
height. I was particularly delighted to
enter a single story room in the first
map only to find it was the top floor
of the chamber I started in. Brilliant.
Texturing, as noted, is a mixture of
straight and modified id, AOP and a few
other textures. This provides the unpleasant
world of the Necrobrood with a unique
ambience. And speaking of ambience...
There are a huge number of ambient sounds
in this mod, and all of them are just
great, veering from evil industrial borboryghmi
to several flavours of wind, including
a splendid "damned souls" one
and a truly splendid dripping. If the
original Quake had been more "heavy
metal", these should've been there.
The only thing is that sometimes they
seem to be somewhat sourceless.
But along with the ear candy come altered
beasts: The grunt, enforcer, ogre, knights
and shambler are all blessed with modified
AI - they jump, for one thing, and their
attacks are much deadlier (especially
the shambler's!) Nailgun ogres make a
welcome appearance too. The monsters are
mostly reskinned in armour that looks
much like a diabolic version of the player's.
There is a slight problem with the monsters
"pausing" a beat when they teleport
or spawn in, making them easier targets,
though.
Strangely enough, armours are reskinned
and renoised (with a sound from Hexen
II) as well. Actually, they look quite
nice... and tempting :)
There was, when I last played, a strange
event. A scrag's severed head kept floating
around the floor, orbiting me and making
attacking noises. Gave me the creeps until
I realised it was harmless. The Head That
Wouldn't Die, oooo!
The game starts off quietly enough until
you get the first key. That's when all
hell breaks loose.
As you stumble through the game, monsters
keep steadily teleporting or spawning
just ahead, behind or beside you, which
is actually a good way of keeping the
game moving fast, although you can get
tired of hearing teleport whooshies seemingly
every time you pick your nose. Also, some
doors only open from one side, and woe
betide thee if you stay in the middle
of 'em.
The endgame requires you to duck not
only Cthonian fireballs, but also a fair-sized
number of waves, which persist even beyond
Cthon's death. I certainly wasn't expecting
that. Great stuff.