This map, along with its companion Abhorrent
Bone, is Kona's first Q3A map according
to the read-me file attached to the download.
I'll be the first to admit that this map
is not without its problems, but damn it
there is such a unique 'voice' to it that
I can't help but like it. The more I play
it the more this feeling grows. It's fun,
and in my book that's worth more than innovation
and technique.
The map is like some sort of futuristic
holding pen in a zoo on a distant planet.
A central arena dominated by giant stone
'bullets' similar to Moorish minarets is
surrounded by mossy stone and walls. A couple
of outlying 'corridors' circle the perimeter
and there is one second-level platform with
stairs leading up to it. But, fully 90%
of the action happens in and around the
map's center.
Weapons and ammo are plentiful, with the
3 primary guns being the shotgun, the plasma
gun and the rocket launcher. The rocket
launcher spawns in the map center encouraging
everyone to fight over it since it's probably
the most useful weapon on a level of this
size (small) and constrictiveness (you're
almost guarenteed to frag someone just by
randomly firing the rocket off in different
directions.) Connectivity is decent but
not great with some strange game flow occuring
around the stairs. This isn't anything major
but it can certainly be offputting. Generally,
just stick to the first level and you can't
go wrong. Bot utilize both levels but focus
mostly on the central floor near the rocket
launcher.
Textures are used very well in conjunction
with the strange style of architecture Kona
brings to the table. As I mentioned above,
you feel like you're in some big predator's
holding pen in a futuristic zoo. I kept
expecting to see tigers lounging on the
rocks. The lighting is probably the weak
link in the map's theme, as is the smog-colored
sky, but it isn't so bad that it detracts.
Frame rates are high with virtually no lag
or stutter, even with 7 bots and full gore
on.
The map is fun to play despite the inappropriate
lighting and slightly un-intuitive connectivity.
Playing against 3 bots was fun and fast-paced.
It became even wilder with 7 bots as you'd
expect on such a small map. The longer you
play the map the harder it becomes to dislike
it entirely. It grows on you. (In all fairness,
this was the first of the two maps built,
and the second one, Abhorrent Bone, plays
much better.)
I'm torn between giving the map a 2 and
a 3 - I would prefer 2.5 but that's not
an option. So, I'm going with 2 - the map
is good, don't get me wrong, but its good
in the amateurish way that Star Trek fan
fiction can be good. Don't let the 'low
score' dissuade you, however, from downloading
this map because it's certainly worth it.
Score: 2/5 |