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Reviews: 26th November 2002; Review 1 (please scroll down for more reviews today)
SUMMARY
Game - CUBE
Map - sp_aard1: sp_aard1
by - Bascule/Aardappel
Download - sp_aard1.zip
Overall Verdict - A test map by Bascule, based on the "aard1" level orginally by Aardappel.
FULL REVIEW:
Well this is actually a Single-Player reworking of what was originally a DM/DMSP level. Its fun for a quick blast, which is obviously all its meant to be. The architecture is nice in its own unambitious way. Its the classic Egyptian temple style cube layout and textures, with a little maze thrown in halfway through.
Gameplay is pretty straightforward (only 15 monsters), but some fun and diversion is added by a series of triggers and messages (e.g. "meet your final destiny", lol). The triggers open up previously hidden sections and after a bit of hunting around the level is over. Fun for a quick 5 minute blast.
Overall Score: 13/20
Reviews: 26th November 2002; Review 2
SUMMARY
Game - CUBE
Maps - slime: Slime
both by - Piglet
Downloads - slime.zip
Overall Verdict - Medium sized map but more of a challenge would be better.
FULL REVIEW
This is a map made using custom textures, *slimy* green ones. Be warned, if you dont like the color green, you might not like this level! Everything is slimy green; in fact the actual textures are pretty cool, there are good floor, door, ceiling, wall variations of textures, and they create an interesting atmosphere and are definitly a welcome change from the typical cube textures, hopefully in the future we will see more people using unusual or custom textures in their Cube SP maps. Layout is pretty basic, a series of corridors and rooms, but there are some good door textures, and intresting floor designs.
Gameplay is likewise fairly straightforward and i felt increased challenge in the form of more monsters or better enemy placement would have helped gameplay here. Sometimes i was able to pick off monsters in rooms from standing in corridors without them even being activated which makes it a bit too easy, really. Still there are some nice moments with the bigger monsters which provide a decent challenge and its fun overall. Hopefully future Cube SP levels by the author will expand more on this promising early map.
Overall Score: 14/20
Reviews: 26th November 2002; Review 3
SUMMARY
Game - CUBE
Maps - arena: Arena Perpetual
both by - Piglet
Downloads - arena.zip
Overall Verdict - A Never-ending (?!) series of challenging, ever-larger battles in a big "arena".
FULL REVIEW
This is a cool idea, and its been executed pretty well. Basically the concept is a series of fights against monsters in a big room. Every time you clear the room of enemies (because cube does not support this scripting feature yet, you don't *have* too kill all the monsters, but this is how the map is meant to be played and its much more enjoyable this way), you walk through the teleporter and start the next battle in the same room, only this time with more monsters than the previous round. It kind of felt like a never-ending DMSP (Aardappel's cool Quake mod) type of gameplay.
Your health is replenished to 100 each time you start a new round, but your Armor and Ammo is not. There is a large supply of Ammo in the room (see the right Screenshot), but as it is not replaced each round, conservation of Ammo and choice of Ammo becomes an important strategic choice in determining how long you survive. One strategy, for example, might be to use the rifle and shotgun first in the easier levels, and save the rockets, chaingun and Armor for the later levels (believe me you need it!). Which skill level you chose to play on has a big effect as well, as it effects the number of extra monsters added per round.
The "arena" itself is simply a plain 4 walled room, considering its the only room in the map and the one you spend all your time in, it would have been better if the author had made it a bit more detailed and exciting, maybe by making the ceiling higher, and having arches or windows, stairways and other details on the walls, and more interesting lighting and textures.
How about it Piglet? :)
Still the main focus of this map is clearly gameplay and this works very well. As mentioned the Ammo and Armor choices add strategic element to the blasting fun, and once i started reaching level 9 and 10 (on skill level 3), the challenge certainly starts increasing! Monster in-fighting is another tactic to use to your advantage, and after level 10 gameplay gets pretty hard with hordes of monsters packed into the room. Good fun overall.
Overall Score: 17/20