May/22/99

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"I've been stuck in this back water
prison for over 2 years now. We named this place THE ROCK after the 
famous Alcatraz prison back on Earth, simply because no one has ever managed
to escape from it. Those friends of mine that have tried (even after heavily 
arming themselves) are all impaled on display in main courtyard. A reminder
to the rest of us there is no hope to escape." ~Roger Staines

Roger Staines returns to Quake2 mapping with what appears to be his swan song entitled The Rock. As one of my all time favorite Quake mappers I have come to expect high quality work from Roger, but does The Rock live up to his other work? Let's find out.

Escape is a theme that is used often in Quake maps. But it's a theme that when done well is as exciting as any reason to play through a Quake map. And Roger's prison complex is a tough nut to crack. You will be using all of your skills to get through this one alive.

Gameplay is good, and while this is not a large installation it does boast some very large areas. The multi level prison cell block is a good example. Perhaps this is the reason that Roger includes this warning in his readme file "A MINIMUM P200 WITH A 3D CARD REQUIRED, P2 OR HIGHER RECOMMENDED."

A real standout is enemy selection and placement. This is perhaps one of the best uses of the Medic in any map I have seen. At one point I thought I was facing a multitude of Gunners, until it dawned on my bullet ridden brain that they were being revived! This technique is one that is often overlooked but when used well adds so much to combat.

So what do we have here, does it live up to the quality that Roger is known for? Yes, it is a fine piece of work. While it may not push the envelope in theme it is a fine bit of execution. 
 

	Great enemy placement and usage of specialized Strogg abilities especially the Medic.
	The escape theme. I know any excuse for a good shootem' up will do, but...
	Roger Staines delivers a rock solid prison escape caper.