Very good for its time, but maybe a bit short.

Hasn't aged well. I guess at the time, the village setting was novel, but it's subsequently been done much better many times, and through modern eyes this is just blocks, blocks everywhere. 2/5

This is very impressive for 1996, and pretty good even today.

Gameplay is interesting and varied, and there is also plenty of visual variety as you move through different sections of the map.

While I agree that it looks somewhat dated and that the town section is rather plain by current standards, there is so much more to this map than “just blocks, blocks everywhere”, to quote the comment above.

3 plus, and definitely recommended.

Village of Dread is a fun map! I did get confused at one part but there is plenty of action and it has a really good flow to it besides that one part. Great for a map from 1996! Watch me play it here: Village of Dread on The Quake Grave

Such a big and complicated map! And design of this level isn't trivial...

I've read that this map was the first of the countless medieval village maps that followed suit and I wouldn't be surprised if it was true, considering its release date. I'm usually not a fan of overly lifelike environments in Quake because a) they clash with the standard Quake aesthetics and b) the engine's limitations make it impossible to even approach a realistic enough result (and the very dated visuals certainly don't help in that matter) but it's still surprisingly fun to play.

Could be the circumstances in which I played but I found this map to be like the 1996 Zendar. Convincing environments, multiple paths that interconnect and fun ideas for gameplay make this a pleasure to dive into! Although I typically save 5 stars for the most notable maps, the release date does propel me to give the a solid rating (I'd say this is more 4.5)

One of the best maps of 1996, in my opinion. I'm actually kind of surprised how low this is rated. Sure, by today's standards it's horribly dated, but back then, it was pioneering.

One small nitpick I do have is that one can get stuck in geometry close to the beginning, if you like to scour every nook and cranny, like I do, but otherwise I don't have much to complain about the gameplay and balance. It's varied, as Icantthinkofanickname already stated, and there isn't too much ammo and health lying about and the encounters are well crafted. I found three secrets, and they were well designed.

And most of all, I had fun!

One of the best quake maps that i have played from the year 1996. It is a massive designed level for its time that has plenty of secrets to discover and a decently high enemy count. It is one of the very first custom maps to create its own theme of maps "medieval village" which would be later be followed by others mappers with their own interpretations on this type of mapping environment. Even though the visuals are a little bland and blocky as stated by others on the comments above, the map gets a four out of five rating from me and i would highly recommend others to play this map as it is very impressive built map from its time.

I remember playing this back in 1996-1997 and thought it was brilliant. As someone who grew up in the UK I could relate to the setting. I always found something about the blue window texture quite haunting.

Rescoe's maps end up being more than the sum of their parts. They are truly Lovecraftian in a sense that id1 only hinted at with The Nameless City. Inky black shadows and desolate towne squares.