31/05/2004 @16:22:41 ^17:27:13

wow just wow

Shock and awe. You'd think I'd be laughing but no. Good grief.

The Base of Evil more like the The Base of Ripped Off E2/3/4

Earlier on this month I mentioned an episode named Phobos Outpost. In the same week a sequel was released named The Base of Evil. It's pretty much the same idea as the original only instead of taking heavy inspiration from mostly E1 and a bit of E2 it takes from E2 E3 and even E4.

It's an improvement on the first. The architecture is less messy, in particular the texturing is a lot better. The maps are mostly of a similar size and the package feels a lot more balanced. There are complicated chains of secrets, which as always is a pleasant change from the usual "tiny room hiding a couple of bonuses" variety. Finally you get the fun of working out which IWAD map the author was thinking of when he made the section ahead of you.

In short, recommended. But then I think you should play the first one as well, so hey.

Every so often somebody comes along with an enormous map full of high ceilings, moody lighting, and dripping with atmosphere. In newstuff 183 this week there is Deus Vult, a map inspired by the huge maps at the end of Alien Vendetta. It has the same kind of "Woah, holy shit!" effect as Equinox or Phobos: Anomaly Reborn. I mean even ignoring the fact that it's a OpenGL-port-enhanced 1600x1200 screenshot look at this big cathedral thing or whatever it's supposed to be. Or this hellish canyon or even The Throneroom of The Damned, fuck it it's melodramatic language but look at it.