This fantastic mod may look a little dated by now, but it's right up there with the best of them ! The secrets are all very good too, and I think this is the first pack where you get a rune if you find them all. The second map is fantastic and the end battle is one of the best I've seen in Quake. I've played this quite a few times but I'm always amazed by it's quality. And that for a 1997 release. Really, you must get this !

Yeah I agree, perhaps not quite as good as Insomnia (but it's older), but nonetheless it's another example of why a smaller mini-episode can become just as appealing as a large, quality mission pack.

Oh and I forgot to mention that if it wasn't for Zerstorer, this would EASILY be the best free release of 1997 (tie this with mexx10 though).

This was a blast! Awesome episode! 5/5

First custom maps that I've seen that really make excellent use of Mispack 1's entities. Very reminescent of Ancient Realms and reminds me a little of my all time Quake favorite, the Black Cathedral. Awesome! The end boss fight room could have looked better though.

Excellent work. Final boss fight was awesome!

Want a laugh? Look at this screenshot and then check the screenshot for Marcher Fortress. Same idea with a few things done differently. ;)

Evidently the odd one out here, but I found this episode decidedly underwhelming.

Not that it's bad, but I just found it very plain and forgettable -- especially compared to such impressive episodes/map packs from the same year as Beyond Belief, Prodigy SE and Zerstörer. I found the author's next mini-episode, The Cassandra Calamity (mexx10), to be streets ahead of this.

Really nice levels (considering its early release in 1997), presented with a surprisingly good storyline which really adds to the dark atmosphere. Even standard monsters like an Ogre or Shamblers can turn into special (mini) bosses occasionally, so watch out!

Well, it is one of the simplest access to Nightmare difficulty level I've ever find :D

I'd forgotten how good this one is -- several memorable set-pieces (especially getting the silver key on the last map!) and lots of enjoyably over-the-top horde battles. Last of all, Probably my favourite boss-fight in any level I can recall. (I played on Hard, and thought it was judged just about perfectly.)

One of the greatest custom Quake episodes of all time, and some of the best examples of Quake maps from the 90s. Marcus has created a unique and memorable Quake experience that stands the test of time. This was one of the first custom mods I ever played and it immediately drew me in to the world it created. More than just a handful of maps, the author tells an amazing story that continues as the player advances through the maps.

Custom sounds, monsters, and some great use of cutscenes make this a unique experience. Marcus tells a dark fantasy story which is also flushed out in the readme and is a great read on its own. There is really a sense of place created with the maps and the story being told here. Gameplay is exciting with some great traps and monster ambushes, and boss battles against modified Quake monsters. Plenty of secrets and even some super secrets will keep enthusiasts that want to explore very busy with this episode.

Some of the geometry is simple by today's standards, but these maps were created 20 years ago using archaic tools. There really is a lot to enjoy here, and these maps are a vital part of Quake history. Highly recommended!

This was very fun to play. Very enjoyable.

Can't believe this was made in 1997, it's so amazing and fun to play.

I completely agree with Icantthink... after playing the first two maps, I was too bored to finish this. The first map has a very Doom-like layout, totally linear progression, and repetitive combat involving an endless series of hordes and monsters teleporting right behind or right in front of the player whenever he presses a button or gets a key. The second map has a more typical Quake atmosphere but once again progression is linear and the combat is a repetitive grind. After 20th or 30th time, teleport ambushes lost any thrill or novelty they might have had and just became an exercise in frustration.

I can see why people like this: for 1997 the maps are impressively large, the architecture and texturing are well done, and there are some interesting gameplay tweaks. But despite all that, I found it really monotonous.

I really enjoyed this, except for the last fight. I suppose I had it coming playing it on Nightmare but the fight with the Bishop and no ammo was way too much. I was glad I had finally found a way to kill it but nothing was triggered afterwards so I was stuck on the ground floor of the room with four angry ogres and no way out.

I nocliped and switched to god mode to see what was coming next and apparently things were even worse, so I don't think I'll finish this. Too bad, the rest of the pack was great.

Maps have an okay layout, but the monsters aren't great. The author has no restraint. Fiends, fiends, fiends right out of the gate. Monsters will spawn literally on top of you or right next to/behind you, so close that you have no chance at all to get away before they've done serious damage (or boxed you in entirely, getting you killed).

Three reasons why I liked this:

(1) The spaces are large but not empty. A nice change from the tight corridor shooting I normally associate with and expect from Quake.

(2) The battles are tough as nails, generally due to the number of monsters. Playing this on Hard without quicksaving will be a tense experience, but not impossible.

(3) The boss battles! If only the original Quake had done it this way (i.e. the right way).