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Reviews: 2nd Sept. 05
SUMMARY
Game - QUAKE
Map - heresp4: beyond the black sun
by - here
Download - heresp4.zip
Overall Verdict A good indian temple map.
FULL REVIEW:
The feature of this map that i was most impressed by was its originality. Only the old map, kjsp1: Avanipaala Praasaada from several years ago has a similar testuring style. The style is a medium-sized, white, Indian marble textured temple, with good Buddha/Indian type texturing, mixed in with some wooden doors, walkways, planks and in addition some metallic bars and trim.
It is certainly an original theme, and the imagination shown here should be noted. Architecture is also quite good, without ever being exceptional; still there are some good domed ceiling and curved areas, and some decently built larger areas, with a good interconnected layout which manages to feel quite atmospheric. There are still a number of technical limitations such such as 'speckling' on the textures and flat, high contrast lighting.
I would definitely recommend playing this map on hard, with 75 monsters this gives a good test.
Gameplay is of a certain type, and similar to other Here Q1SP maps: relatively tight, cramped spaces in which monsters tend to attack in groups and bunches, sometimes spawning in in waves. This results in frenetic patches of fighting multiple monsters, punctuated by quieter exploration between each new area. This style of gameplay i actually quite enjoy, as long as it does not go over the top in terms of numbers of monsters, which thankfully is avoided in this map.
There is also a decent mix between ammo, health and fighting, as well as a nice if basic balance of exploration and fighting. The blue key is easy to obtain, the gold key position more difficult to reach. Onscreen hints/messages may have helped, but experienced players should have no real problems.
Overall an average map, the original theme is definitely refreshing and its strongest feature.
Overall Score: 13/20
Reviews: 2nd Sept. 05 review 2
SUMMARY
Game - QUAKE
Map - heresp3: castle of pain
by - here
Download - heresp3.zip
Overall Verdict small, below average castle/snow map.
FULL REVIEW:
This is a smallish/medium sized medieval level. The texturing themes are mainly grey stonework, which on the whole looks pretty good, with lots of white snow everywhere as well. Its essentially a grey stone castle, not that big with a number of tight corridors, smallish rooms and some features such as a crypt, small courtyard and graveyard.
Architecture is for the most part decidedly basic, small cramped boxy corridors and rooms, there are a number of technical errors through the map, such as poor lighting and bad clipping, so that monsters get stuck on the corners of walls and so forth. Overall the sort of map build quality characteristic of q1sp maps from 1997, not 2005. Disappointing overall, the layout could have used more imagination and scale.
Gameplay is also somewhat basic and sometimes unfair, although at least its challenging on skill level 2 (hard, 95 monsters). The monsters are the standard medieval ones: Knights, Hellknights, ogres and fiends. Shamblers are also used quite often through out the progression of the map, and sometimes spawn in in unfair positions resulting in the dreaded instant/unavoidable death syndrome. The start of the map is hard with only the single shotgun supplied. Gameplay flow is at least fast, and also slightly better balanced once the nailgun & super nailgun are acquired but still far from fully satisfying.
Overall a small map with some basic flaws, but at least featuring some fast & cramped gameplay.
Overall Score: 8/20