[ Reviewed by: Vigil ] - [ Date: Tuesday, 20th August, 2002 ]

 

Shaun Ross's latest level is actually quite different from his other levels. The two major differences are monsters, and the way it was built. [Kona] has used scraps from other, unfinished levels, to produce a small two-level unit.

 

The style here is not perfectly clear, being more of a mix. It's definitely an industrial level, but has some more medieval touches thrown in. Also, at times it seems like a base level. The two levels mainly consist of solid metal butresses, lots of brick walls, posters as details, and some outdoor areas, caves and pools of water. Of these, I found the caves to be the least visually appealing, while the rest of the areas looked from average to very good. Texturing was top notch, and helped create a good atmosphere for the levels, though it was mostly brown. [Kona] has managed to breathe some freshness into his style, and as a result the level does not suffer from looking like all his other levels. However, his style is still very visible, and so it is not difficult to recognize his work. Lighting wasn't particularly catching to the eye, but at the same time I didn't notice anything really wrong with it. There are two secrets, one in each level, and I managed to find the second one.

 

Gameplay is really unlike [Kona]'s previous levels. Firstly, there are lots of Grunts, Enforcers and Rottweilers. Secondly, those are the only enemies you'll meet, aside from a few Scrags. The levels are quite large when together, but fortunately the monsters have been modified a bit. They have new skins, which vary in quality, and some pack new weapons. Especially the Grunts with rocket launchers can be troublesome. New AI is mentioned in the text file, but I didn't notice it; even with explosive weapons the Grunts don't really care how close the player is. Progress is very linear, with practically no exploration. I played on Normal, and the first level was fairly easy. It was sparsely populated, and you won't meet too many enemies at a time. The second level was more satisfying, with more enemies, and an exciting finale. The ending wasn't too hard, but it was very satisfying with lots of enemies to gun down.

 

One odd thing I noticed was how some of the Grunts couldn't be damaged until I had ventured fully into their line of sight, instead of just dodging around the corner as soon as spotting them. And even then they stayed put for a split second, before reacting to me. I also had some navigation problems with some of the slanted surfaces.

 

All in all, I enjoyed this small pack. Though it is quick to complete, it's fun to play through, with a good theme, that isn't really all that usual.