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 (Size: 650k. No Alternative downloads) Speedrun demo: 0:54 
 A nice level - it reminds me of Episode 4, or more specifically, what Episode 4 could have been like with better architecture and themes. The E4 similarity comes from the use of pale grey stone in conjunction with some wooden, runic, and blood drenched details, which define this map's style. The grey stone works very well in this map, particularly since there are some great uses of angles - the stone texture is simple enough to allow the angled designs to stand out (a more detailed texture would draw the eye away from the actual designs). This is a good example of relying on the designs to do the work, with some nice results, such as in the screenies above. Some of the other styles work well, such as the metal textures and the occasional blood soaked detail, but some don't, such as the hi-tech lights which don't fit into the theme. This is perhaps another similarity to the E4 style, that some elements don't quite work with others, but here it's compensated for by the designs and overall style. The architecture is good and solid, with nice designs and angles as mentioned before - there is variety in the designs and room layouts, but the pale stone textures and style link it well together. Some areas can feel a bit cramped due to low ceilings, but there are some nice airy open sections to compensate, including a fine bastion with a graveyard in front of it. Aside from the disparate elements mentioned above, there are some aspects that let the architecture down: the use of stretched textures, which as usual look look blurrily ugly, the prominence of windows without window rims, which look a bit unfinished, and the deathmatch spawn spots have been left in, again this is careless. But in general, the look of the map is nice and quite distinctive - it just needs a bit of polishing up. There is a little bit of side area exploration to be had, and a nifty secret - again with an E4 flava. The gameplay is normal, solid Quake gameplay, with a few interesting combats to keep you attentive. You get supplied with good weapons (though you have to hunt for the essential grenade launcher), but there are some combats that warrant it - a Shambler/water combination, the tendency for Knights and Deathknights to attack in large numbers, an arena style end. You get good armour and health too, and perhaps this makes it a bit on the easy side, but it's still fun. Overall, the gameplay is well balanced, with pretty continuous combat, but no sections that are noticabley easier or harder - the end is pretty good too, but needed more monsters to make it a true climax. There are also some obvious traps, but they are used in a fun, rather than an annoying, way - for example, the Quad trap can be cunningly outwitted, and there is a portcullis that can trap or damage monsters - good examples of traps adding something to a map. There are inconsistencies though - a rune trap at the end does almost no damage, while a nearby lift and some doors can prove very fatal - these hidden dangers can be annoying. Overall, a good level with a nice style, worth checking out for sure. (Did a cool Easy speedrun in 0:54). - - - - - -  |
