Just tagged this as “hard” and I'm surprised no-one had done so before. It is of course a highly subjective label (I don't entirely agree with all the other “hard” tags on this sites), but even on skill 0, this is arguably hard in every way: tough monsters, cramped space, narrow walkways where it is easy to misstep, non-obvious progression and a middle section which, depending on which choice you make, is either really hard or really really hard.

I wholeheartedly agree with the editor's rating: objectively speaking, this is an astoundingly good, intelligent map (I don't just mean intelligently made; I suspect this map has developed at least a rudimentary consciousness and now it is deriving sadistic pleasure from torturing players like me). It sticks rigidly to its self-imposed limitations AND provides two alternate paths midway through. The only criticism I have is that monster selection seems to be haphazard: the different monsters you face have different, clashing visual styles and do not all match the environment. I wonder if the Quoth baddies were really necessary here.

Playing through this, however, was like reading Burroughs at his most experimental: I can't help but be in deep awe of the work and author, but the experience itself is exhausting and not much fun (with the exception of two of the puzzles that were actually about problem-solving rather than hunting for hidden buttons, and laughing out loud at the unabashed sadism of some of the traps – which were actually for the most part better puzzles than the puzzles).

So inasmuch as the user ratings take subjective enjoyment into account, I have to give this work of diabolical genius a 3. Sorry, negke.

Can't blame you. I myself cringe at the gameplay in most of my older maps and would design many things differently now...

Thanks for the map!

Some puzzles were mean, otherwise perfect, intense gameplay and vertical quake atmosphere

There were a few buttons I was pressing that I had no idea what they did, and a couple others I wasn't able to press!

The puzzle section was super hard. A couple times I solved it without knowing how I did it, and the Trap section broke I think? I wasn't able to progress so I had to no-clip through the last section of it, and a few secrets I couldn't find the trigger to.

Other then that, this level had great design elements to it and some fantastic scripting. Good job!

Well, this is the first Quake map I've seen compared to an experimental novel....

I am in 100% agreement with Icantthinkofanickname. This is brilliant, but not a great deal of fun. I just went god-mode for the big battle at the end of the Traps section.

Wow, this is dense! Negke crammed A LOT in those 768 units. Usually, I don't much like cramped spaces like that in Quake. I don't know why exactly but in this particular map, I feel like it brings a sense of oppression that I very much enjoy in my Quake (too bad I couldn't get it to run in Darkplaces, as its superior lighting capabilities would have enhanced this sense of oppression greatly). The first half of the map is very good in this regard.

However, as soon as I reach "the choice", things get worse. The traps route is quite good and relatively easy but for the life of me, I can't manage to get past the upper floor of that damned first puzzle room! Way too hard and I don't have any patience for hard puzzles. The final arena fight is tough, maybe too much as I only barely survived it by the skin of my teeth with the help of multiple quickloads (played on skill 2 as usual).

Visually, the architecture looks very nice and the textures mostly complement it nicely, with the notable exception of these prominent wmet23/wizmet13 textures that I've always found ugly.

The secrets are too hard to find. I only got one completely inadvertently and I can't even tell what it was! Oh well, I guess the walkthrough demo will come in handy but still, I like the gratification of finding them on my own.

A very interesting idea with an original feel. Problem is (as others have said) it's not an awful lot of fun to play. I kind of felt like I was stuck in a lab experiment for mice with only cramped walkways and tunnels in which to move around. Very claustrophobic.

Original map, interesting concept but not a lot of fun. Traps were brutal to the player. Ending was intense.

3/5 stars

Original map, interesting concept but not a lot of fun. Traps were brutal to the player. Ending was intense.

3/5 stars

I'm unable to replay the featured walkthrough demo on QuakeSpasm. I get this message:

HOST_ERROR: SERVER RETURNED VERSION 10002, NOT 15 OR 666 OR 999

Then I tried on DarkPlaces and it starts fine but gets aborted after a couple of minutes. Any idea why this happens and how to fix it?

Use another engine. Protocol 10002 is this:

https://www.quaddicted.com/engines/requiem

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for the future. Fortunately, I was able to find those demos on YouTube, posted by negke himself.

Not one of Negke's best. 3 stars (he knows I'm a fan).

I loved it. Felt like I was fighting the map instead of the enemies, which is a nice change.

Began with a melee weapon only. This is a cardinal sin of playing a first person shooter. I had to fight two ogres at once on a narrow stairwell before I could get any gun. You might think that's ok, but I strongly disagree.

The vertical theme does not appeal to me, but of course it is fine to have flights/stories in any map.

Visually, the map looks fine.

The map gives you the Hammer, which is why you automatically switched to it. You still had the shotgun and 25 shells.

Avoid Hexen.

I try to. Hexen is very unfun.

Extrememly cool and even scary map. As Quake experience it's quite unusual; it's more puzzling and slow paced. There are jump scares and they do scare. Recommended to everyone. For mappers for sure, must-play, extremely inspiring. 10 out of 5, one of my personal favs all time

Dense and brilliant. I took the puzzle route and enjoyed it thoroughly. I was never stuck for more than a minute or two and that felt just about right. That final gauntlet of monsters was also one hell of a doozy. Great stuff. 5/5