It's crazy that this is currently rated only 3.7/5 -- it's one of the absolutely top maps of all time, with a sensational blend of gorgeous architecture, grotesque monsters, clever set pieces and delicious horde combat. 5/5 is underselling it if anything. A map that I have come back to again and again.

Over at http://quakeone.com/forums/quake-talk/single-player/588-sp-once-upon-atrocity.html a commenter going by the name "Baker" says:

"This is one of the few maps I've seen that requires a grenade jump in a strategic location to proceed (I could be wrong on this). About midpoint thru the game, there is an area you can see but there doesn't seem to be any way to reach it except with a grenade jump as you don't have a rocket launcher at that point."

I don't remember that at all. Does anyone know where in the map he's referring to?

Lots of people whose opinion I respect really like this map, but I just don't get it. It goes without saying that it's not bad and was obviously made by a talented mapper. Some of the ambient sounds were really nice and I appreciate the effort that went into not just the surroundings, but also the small (and sometimes more significant) modifications to the monsters, weapons, etc.

That being said, there were too many things I did not like: level progression was unclear and visually the map lacked polish. There also seems to be an unrealistically big jump in difficulty from skill 0 to skill 1. Plus, monster spawning/placement felt ... forced, for want of a better word.

I had read many good things about it, but it's not a map I particularly enjoyed or would easily play again.

For me it was a visual feast. One of the first maps I played when I got back into Quake last year and I just loved the blatantly evil hellish atmosphere. It seemed so new to me. I liked the custom monsters, as I usually do in necros's maps. The gameplay doesn't really stand out in my memory though.

i thoroughly enjoyed this map. i play on skill 1. i found and used quads just when i needed them, without excessive secret hunting. gameplay was mostly expected. the only thing that disappointed me was that the small rooftop in the screenshot is accessible, with nothing on it. but i discovered later it's only an exit teleport on top.

also, i did forget where keyed doors were, but i wasn't lost for long.

Not bad. Got lost as some switches are not lit or indicated.

Played this again. There are actually better necros maps in terms of gameplay, but the interconnectivity is great and twice as nonlinear if you use rocket jumping.

Those fullbrights, though.

Very reasonable and nice boss :-) I got kind of lost at times but following enemies worked. I remember not liking it very much the first time I played it, but for some reason I enjoyed it a lot on my second try today. There are some insane moments which are very fun.

Jugador: I agree, I think it's the only time I saw them in Quake (maybe I got lucky). Good news: someone released patches for fullbrights in old maps, and they fix this one. Have a look there: http://celephais.net/board/view_thread.php?id=61775

I always thought the fullbrights were intentional. I've had this map on my radar for awhile, and I've finally played it, and I know why I never finished it. Progression is obtuse and the encounters are more brutal than enjoyable. Don't like the new monsters; I don't know how to deal with them when they're just reskins of existing monsters. Do I approah the way I do usually, or should I treat it like something I never saw before? I killed the dragon at the end and then I couldn't figure out where to go, which is something I was struggling with the whole map. Kind of a bummer. It looks so beautiful.

Thanks for the link, Gioyo3aa. Good to know that resource exists.

This map was recommended in the comment section under Moonlight Assault as another great castle map, but the two could not be any more different. I played both on hard and it was night and day:

MA is easygoing, casual, but Atrocity grabs you by the throat and jerks you around, throwing you into a pit of lava. I'd play MA again without thinking twice, but this one requires a few deep breaths and careful consideration -- because you're in for 30 minutes of nonstop action.

There's no comparison in terms of atmosphere: Atrocity knocks MA outta the water, but MA has its old-school charm. Play both, if you haven't already.

I liked the new shamblers, but progression was sometimes unclear and there were some ambushes that frustrated me - maybe I mismanaged my resources.