UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays / Hints

Discuss anything ZDoom-related that doesn't fall into one of the other categories.
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UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays / Hints

Post by UnknDoomer »

Hello there, stranger(s).

Decide to make a mirror of my long going topic from Doomworld, which also can be count as vice-versa one, I guess.
Statistics at 19.09.24:

Wads reviewed: 201 = 196 + Master Levels for Doom II (1) + 4 LBR specified, 2 of them in separate topic. See below.
Wads recorded: 130 = 126 + 4 LBR specified.
From them 3 TC's (doesn't have separate number): Mayhem Mansion (2013 / 2023), Nerves of Steel (2015 / 2017), IronTusk's Diablo 3D (2018 / 2022).
Maps recorded: 50 = 43 (Doom) + 6 (Heretic) + 1 (Hexen).
Gameplay mods reviewed / checked: 12.
Links tree:

Youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UnknDoomer/videos
Discord channel (EN/RU) - https://discord.gg/cq7H93jHFn Currently empty, but there are plans to gradually develop it.
Patreon for support - https://www.patreon.com/UnknDoomer/ (check first two tiers if you are interested in new videos only).
Doomworld topic (EN, mirror) - viewtopic.php?p=1233811
Original topic (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... ods.93420/
IDDQD topic (RU, mirror) - http://i.iddqd.ru/viewtopic.php?p=131622
Longplays By Requests (LBR) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... uests-lbr/
Additional links:

Doomworld Community Console (Doom 64 / PSX / ...) WADs List (EN) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... wads-list/
Doomworld Community Heretic / Hexen Top WADs of All Time (EN) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... -all-time/
Doomworld Community Top Hardest WADs of All Time (EN) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... -all-time/

List of the best and exotic TC based on DOOM I/II (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... -ii.93415/
Doom (1993) and other early shooters (up to and including 1996). Interesting facts. (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... kty.93421/

Other old shooters:

Duke Nukem 3D + add-ons + EDuke32 (source-port) (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... rt.108796/
Hexen II + Portal of Praevus + FTEQW (source-port) / Heretic II (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... ii.107160/
Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold + Planet Strike + BStone (source-port) (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... rt.108712/
Mortal Coil: Adrenalin Intelligence (RU) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/ ... ce.110826/

Articles and interviews:

Doom. Part 1. Top 25 wads that didn't get a Cacowards award - (RU) https://habr.com/ru/articles/660443/
Doom. Part 2. In search of unknown Kadath or magical realism, surrealism and strange dreams. 8 unusual wads (RU) - https://habr.com/ru/articles/808659/
Doom. Part 3. The living nightmare. 64 and PSX. 12 completely different wads (RU) - https://habr.com/ru/articles/812467/
Doom. Part 4. Technical limitations as a stimulus for creative potential on the example of 12 wads (RU) - https://habr.com/ru/articles/819065/
Doom. Part 5. Not only Doom. Gothic, gloomy cities, dark fantasy. 2 modifications and 12 wads for Heretic / Hexen (RU) - https://habr.com/ru/articles/821003/

Going through the backlog. Part 4. 5+1 forgotten B-shooters. 1993-1996 (RU) - https://habr.com/ru/articles/805965/

Back to the past. Part 3. Interview with Ken Silverman, creator of Build. From technical details and Duke Nukem 3D to Ion Fury. (EN) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... -ion-fury/
Back to the past. Part 4.1. id Software. Interview with Sandy Petersen. From Doom to Age of Empires. (EN) - https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... f-empires/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original intro.

It's about ~ 2 years passed since I've started to writing some short notes / reviews about different wads, not only sticked to Doom I / II, but also Heretic, Hexen and 64. Initially it was just an a sort of part activity of other activities them I'm doing for about past ~ 10 years on well known placement in CIS that stick to old titles in overall.

The topic is gradually growing in length, around 66+ different wads been covered (as well as many other notes been made) by current moment and, after watching for a while some of the decino's, pagb's and few others videos, as well noticing topics from Endless (1, 2), Not Jabba's Not the Cacowards, ONEMANDOOM, I came to idea that, perhaps, I might add a bit of content on the top of it as well in a longplay format. Some of the reviewed one often had no analogues on my native language and, sometimes, if talk about mostly Heretic & Hexen niche, might be not much covered on english as well.

Q. Where to find your reviews on english?

A. Not all of my reviews were translated on english, but few of them are available in the wad topics. Usual format is short and contain short description, pros and contras, as well some useful hints, especially in case how to find secret levels. From the current point I will try to continue to put all of them in this topic.

Q. When video recording been started specifically?

A. At wad review #66.

Q. Walkthrough conditions.
 
A. Usually I'm using latest version of the GzDoom, always, no matter how hard wad is, UV difficulty, and, sometimes, some additional mods (at first used regularly, recently not so often) - Complex Doom, Heretical Doom, Walpurgis, Corruption Cards. I'm not stick to pistol start, save / load as many as required to not make things tough with no reason, don't care much about 100% everything nowadays, but usually trying to find all secret levels. Basically I'm playing for fun & challenge, not challenge only, so this act as basic aspect for conditions I've set. I'm also going through all the recorded wads for the first time, so basically in most cases there are no "polished" gameplay will be - things are how they might be for the any random, but well experienced player.

Here the current translated list:

1. Quest for Crystal Skulls {2020} {Heretic}
2. TNT: Revilution {2017} {Doom II} {Complex Doom}
3. Plutonia 2 {2008} {The Plutonia Experiment} {Complex Doom}
4. Going Down {2014} {Doom II} {Complex Doom}
6. Doom Zero {2019} {Doom II}
7. Valiant: Vaccinated Edition {2015} {Doom II} {Complex Doom}
8. Call of the Apostate {2011} {Heretic} {Heretical Doom}
9.1. Faithless {2019} {Heretic} {Heretical Doom}. Heretic Doom was a bad pick in this specific case due a fact of a low compatibility. Later wad became a part of trilogy that currently remain in the beta stage. So. Planning to back to it later for another try.
11. The Unmaking + The Lost Levels {2021} {64; EX version}
12. Unbeliever {2019} {Heretic} {Heretical Doom}
13. Eviternity {2018} {Doom II}
15. NaNoHexen 2019 {2019} {Hexen} {Walpurgis}
16. No End in Sight {2016 / 2019} {The Ultimate Doom} {Complex Doom}
17. Deathless {2018} {The Ultimate Doom} {Complex Doom}
19. Double Impact {2011} {The Ultimate Doom} {Complex Doom}
20. BTSX EP1 (2012) {Doom II} {Complex Doom}
21. BTSX EP2 (2014) {Doom II} {Complex Doom}
22. Rainy Days In Casablanca {2021} {Doom II}
23. The Wayfarer {2019 / 2020} {Heretic}
24. UAC Ultra {2010} {Doom II}
25. DBP25: Dead, But Dreaming {2020} {Doom II}
26. Fear and Loathing {2020} {Doom II}

Q. Why the theme called "corner of ultra silence"?

A. "Ultra" because of difficulty level. "Silence" because there is enough noise around there nowadays. So in order to somewhat go abstract from it for a bit, not in case of Doom related content as well, my videos contain mostly only pure gameplay without any commentaries, external music, pop-ups and the like type of things.
Last edited by UnknDoomer on Sat Oct 05, 2024 11:53 am, edited 34 times in total.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

94. 20 Monsters Challenge (2016).

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=54247

A wad of 42 levels (2 secret), presented by Accensus. The main idea of which was to limit the number of monsters - no more than 20 per level. The difficulty is floating and, despite the small number of monsters, can be quite high - a prime example in this regard is M12 - "The Warehouse", where the location of the machine gunners can remind to many the first experience of playing "The Plutonia Experiment".

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276104/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276105/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276108/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276127/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276170/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276173/

Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.9.0, UV difficulty.
* It will take ~ 3 hours to complete the passage.
* At all levels there is a forced start with a pistol.
* There are unique ghostly opponents take a place on some levels.
* The plot of the wad is divided into several episodes.
* Wad uses a lot of features specific only to ZDoom-like ports.
* Fragment with cacodemons on M19 without jumping enabled is apparently impossible to pass. The same goes for the lava on M20 in particular and the M22 map in general.


Secret levels.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276118/ - switches locations.

M15 -> M41. You need to shoot at 4 inconspicuous panels, in the case of the first one after removing the cover. As a result of their destruction the portal will become unstable and the same exit from the level will lead to another place.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276128/ - secret exit.

M41 -> M42. There is a portrait in the hall behind the throne. If you make a certain number of shots at it the image will change to another one and a secret exit will appear at the very beginning of the level.

Pros:

+ Soundtrack.
+ The levels vary greatly stylistically and each one is unique in its own way.
+ Successfully implemented atmosphere of creepy surrealism on the latest maps.
+ M3 - "To Hell and Back".
+ M4 - "Underglow".
+ M10 - "Abandoned Depot".
+ M12 - "The Warehouse".
+ M14 - "Treacherous Library".
+ M42 - "Two Minutes To Midnight".
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

95. The 20 Heretics Challenge (2017).

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=58679

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276225/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276226/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276227/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276228/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276229/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276230/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276231/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276232/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276233/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276234/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276239/

Wad of 16 maps for Heretic, which is the ideological successor of "20 Monsters Challenge" for Doom II.
Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.7.1, difficulty 4/5. Wad is not compatible with more recent versions of GzDoom. Rendering, taking into account the specifics, it is better be software.
* It takes ~ 2 hours to complete.
* At all levels there is a forced start with the first weapon.
* Transferring items between levels is disabled. However, those who wish can download an alternative version, which has not been particularly tested. It is also worth bearing in mind that the balance of levels is not designed for such an approach.
* Jump and crouch capabilities must be enabled.
* On the M15, after falling into the sewers, you need to pick up a flying helmet from one of the enemies and then head into the ventilation, destroying the red switches along the way. Go further in the same way, i.e. where the hero fell earlier is impossible.
It's a semi-official prop pack for the project and I went way the hell overboard on its contents. Pretty much everything backported from Hexen, as well as most things from Shadowcaster, some applicable props from Blood, Necrodome, MARS 3D and Quarantine 2, and some add-on props from Mor'ladim. Good lord. Everyone download this goddamned thing.

Uses the following texture packs from Realm667:

Heretic II
Hexen II
Medieval Textures
Shadowcaster Textures
Baker's Legacy
* Custom decorations and textures come in separate files.

Pros:

+ Soundtrack.
+ General concept.
+ Detailed levels, significant variability due to including many well-fitted custom textures.
+ M2 - "The Best Weapon".
+ M4 - "Preserved Catacombs".
+ M5 - "Trial of the Malotaur".
+ M6 - "Desecrated Shrines".
++ M14 - "The Wizard's Techbase". Perhaps this is what Heretic could have looked like if it had been based on an early version of the Quake I engine.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276238/ - M15 mission briefing.

++ M15 - "Thievery at the Forsaken Manor". A three-story fortress, in the darkness of which you have to find 20 enemies, 3 keys and the heart of D'Sparil. Only in the presence of all three components it will be allowed to leave the level.
+ If in the previous wad at the last levels the emphasis was on the atmosphere of eerie surrealism, then here the emphasis was shifted to the horror component. M15 in this regard is the most prominent representative.

Contras:

- Credits map is not loaded in either GzDoom 4.7.1 or 3.7.0.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

96. A War On Christmas (2022).

https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/1 ... nture-cl2/

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276282/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276283/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276284/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276285/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276286/

Usually I bypass various purely thematic, i.e. not having an emphasis on something else / other interesting components, wads, the release of which most often turns out to be timed either to a certain time of the year, or the next Halloween, or Christmas. The reasons for this are prosaic - the bias is often unsuccessfully comic in nature + wads are made in haste so that the release is ripe for a certain date (which everyone will forget about tomorrow), which is why the overall quality sags noticeably. However, of course, such an approach, as a rule, does not imply that the wad may have some historical value and will be returned to in the future.

AWOC consisting of 14 levels (1 secret, 2 occupied by credits) and released last Saturday, at first glance may seem like a typical release of this approach - made just a week and about a couple of weeks before the next Christmas. But the first impression can be misleading - in this particular case, the overall stylization, combined with the level structure, turned out to be quite successful.
Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.
* It will take ~ 1-1.5 hours to complete.
* In order not to get lost in search of keys on the M13 you can use the well-known algorithm for passing labyrinths - all the time move in one direction, i.e. for example along the left wall.

Secret level.

M12 -> M13. There is a switch behind one of the snow walls.

Pros:

+ Sound effects.
+ Successfully implemented snow & Christmas style.
+ Cacodemons, which are broken glass balls and imps throwing snowballs, are especially succeed here.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

97. Heretic Upstart Mapping Project (2017).

https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/9 ... -released/

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276330/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276331/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276333/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276334/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276392/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276393/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276394/

The main goal of this wad was to raise interest in creating maps for Heretic, including participants who had never made maps under it before. The result of this initiative was a wad of 17 maps, created within a time limit of 1 month. There are no custom textures or new enemies, only the standard set is used. Levels, for the most part, are either compact or medium in scale. Difficulty varies greatly. Apart from the fact that the levels were combined into one assembly, there is nothing more in common between them.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 4.5 hours to complete.
* E2M2 came from the previously reviewed Realms of Dr. Chaos (was not translated on english).
* Several fights with malotaurs and D'Sparil take a place in this wad.
* There is no music on E3M1.

Pros:

+ E1M5 - "Aedin's Castle".
+ E1M6 - "Bird Cage".
+ E2M6 - "Trial of the Malotaur". 15 enemies and all of them are malotaurs. However, is greatly simplified due to the fact that you can get rid of 5 by a telefrag, another 3 by press, and another 5 with a combination of tome of power and gloves. As a result only two will remain for a "direct" confrontation.

Contras:

- E2M3. The switch system at the end of the level looks broken. It is impossible to leave the level without noclip.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

98. heXen Upstart Mapping Project (2018).

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=61668

Wad of 1 hub and 11 levels for Hexen, created according to the same concept as the previously reviewed HUMP. For the most parts of the wad the structure of the overall passage, puzzles and switches is generally linear and intuitive, go to one level, destroy enemies, find the key, portal, next level, and the complexity, both in general and in comparison with HUMP, is quite low.

The picture changes dramatically when reaching the tenth and eleventh maps. In the case of the first a rather complicated system of switches is based on the principle that if the door in the east is closed, then the door in the west opens, sometimes requiring a combination of two / three such switches in the correct sequence, otherwise it will simply not possible to pass through the next passage. As result it will require to think enough before you will grab the next key. A couple of traps with a large number of enemies will allow you to use numerous accumulated items, as well as the next map in the form of an arena.
Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* Walpurgis 0.97.
* It takes ~ 4 hours to complete.
* On M9 to pick up the blue crystal you will need to scatter first. Just jumping is not enough.
* At the very end of M10, if you attack wyverns that are in towers, crash might happen at the moment when they leave such one. Apparently the bug occurs when using the Walpurgis modification, but there is no reliable information on this. Another bug is also possible, due to which the script for raising platforms to the teleporter will not work, including if there are no enemies left around. In both cases the problem is solved by entering the cheat code "kill monsters" in the console.

Pros:

+ M9 - "Abandoned Observatory". The most remarkable level in terms of architecture and work with mechanisms.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

99. Despair (2013 / 2014).

viewtopic.php?t=37575

Short wad of 5 levels for Heretic, presented @ShadesMaster. In addition to many custom textures it contains several new types of enemies and items. Each level is made in its own style, which to a certain extent makes it similar to the wads for Hexen. Apparently it seems that the author planned to carry out a number of improvements, in particular to introduce a small plot, but over the past years these plans were never destined to take place.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 1 hour to complete.
* Jump and crouch capabilities must be enabled.
* Items can be transferred between levels.

Pros:

+ Level detail.
+ Successfully selected new varieties of opponents.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

100. Shades of Darkness (2018).

viewtopic.php?p=1048019#p1048019

Wad for Hexen, which is the sequel to Despair. Consists of five levels. According to the general specifics it follows the previously given formula. Like the previous wad it is formally completed, i.e. it cannot be called abandoned or paused in the context of development, although from the modest description and also due to the presence of an unfinished sixth level, it can be concluded that the original plan included a number of other components.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* Time to complete is about ~ 45 minutes.
* Items can be transferred between levels.
* The unfinished sixth map, if desired, can be accessed by typing "map map06" in the console.

Pros:

+ As it was before - good level architecture with high detail.
+ Original intermediate bosses.
+ Final.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

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101. Heretic Treasure Chest (2010).

https://www.doomworld.com/files/file/16 ... ure-chest/

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276512/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276513/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276522/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276531/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276576/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276624/

Wad for Heretic. Consists of 27 levels (3 secret), divided into 3 episodes. In the context of the structure it is a typical project of several authors, some of them which are quite well-known in community. They gathered together to create another creation under Heretic. The levels are different in complexity and design and generally do not have any common features - there are tombs, fortresses, compact and branched locations, as well as a couple of arena-type levels. The number of enemies varies from an average of 100+ to, on several levels, 400+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW4w1UjTo7s (longplay, E1; two other videos can be found here).

Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/7.
* Heretical Doom 1,5 + Monsters 0.4a.
* It takes ~ 8 hours to complete.

Secret levels.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276514/

E1M6 -> E1M9. Upon reaching the main exit you need to turn around and go back to the place where the yellow key was originally placed. Bypass the point of its placement with the side of the assembly, so that teleportation will not cause problems. There will be an alternative exit nearby.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276529/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276530/

E2M4 -> E2M9. Right behind the main exit. The path is blocked by bars. In order for them to open, as far as I can tell, two conditions must be met. The first is to complete the level and apply all three keys. The second is to pick up the item in the secret marked on the screenshot, return to the starting point, click on the fresco with the skull - the path to the teleport will open. Until the level is completed, finding the secret in the mentioned place will not act as a trigger for the opening of the bars. The combination is rather strange, but whatever.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276623/

M3M4 -> E3M9. You need to go to the teleporter at the end of the level on the other side, where the blue mark is located.

Pros:

+ E1M2 - "Random Tomb Map". Tomb, lost in the sands.
+ E1M6 - "Last Aquaduct".
+ E1M9 - "Omgekeerd". Level is well furnished in the style of surrealism.
+ E1M7 - "Necrosis".
+ E2M8 - "Hell's Maw".
+ E3M5 - "Mountain of Fire".
+ E3M7 - "Shrine of the Serpent".

Contras:

- E2M7 - "Sky Gateway". Quite irrationally a large concentration of enemies at the beginning of the level, timing for opening the grate towards the end is about 3 minutes, as well as the exit from the level, at the end of which, in my case, it seems like a bug happened - many gargoyles simply did not appear. See fragment for comparison.
Last edited by UnknDoomer on Tue Dec 27, 2022 2:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

102. The Northern Dwarven Mines (1996).

The original reviewed here is attached to the post - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ar.276663/ Updated compilation, including this wad can be found here, latest version - here. Made by the author of the previously reviewed Master Levels for Heretic, which ranks the new compilation as "best of the worst".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Old wad for Heretic. It was part of the compilation known as H!ZONE, which, in turn, can be called a typical phenomenon of the early and mid-nineties - a lot of randomly put together levels and wads, the quality of which, in most cases, turned out to be significantly below average, although sometimes there were some exceptions. It was saved for a wide range of players thanks to the efforts of the participants of the http://hexen-game.ru portal.

Consists of 12 levels - 9 occupy the slot of the third episode and three more are available when loading through the console, by entering the command "map e6m1". There are some custom textures available, sprites of knights and iron liches have been replaced with new ones. The levels are compact, there are few ebemies, averaging less than 100 per level. The structure is simple with some emphasis on simple puzzles.

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276728/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276735/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276735/

Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 1,5 hours to complete.
* On E3M3 and E3M9 scripts, that are exist for opening doors that require a green key, are broken. If in the first case the section can be simply ignored, then in the second case you need to enter noclip twice to leave the level.
* There is no exists on E3M8 and E6M3.
Secret level.

E3M3 -> E3M9. There is a fire in the center of the location. You will need to perform a rocket jump, then press the activation button while standing on fire. At the same time, when leaving E3M9, the level E3M4 will be skipped - when leaving E3M3 it is possible to get either to one level or to another. Specifically E3M4 is just a branched, unremarkable cave.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

103. The Resurrection (2000).

One of the original pages is https://web.archive.org/web/20010424220 ... rect.shtml. The file is currently not available for download. A copy in particular has been preserved by http://hexen-game.ru. Download here.

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276798/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276799/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276800/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276801/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276803/

Wad for Heretic. It occupies the slot of the third episode, consists of 9 levels. The transition to the ninth level is carried out automatically upon completion of the fourth.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 2-2.5 hours to complete the passage.
* At the levels there are a large number of iron liches and small taurs. * Significant emphasis was placed on interaction with teleports.

Pros:

+ Good design of the most levels.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

104. Gulag (1997).

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/level ... /g-i/gulag

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276846/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276847/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276848/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276849/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276850/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276851/

Today completely forgotten, but rather unusual old wad for Heretic, once again proving that the original concept is often stay higher and can be more interesting than the scale, detail or a large number of enemies as typical elements of mapping combined, which average modern wads can boast of. Consists of 5 levels, occupies the slot of the first episode. There are some custom textures took a place.

The compilation lives up to its name - during the first three levels hero travels across small harsh, rocky islands with a minimum of grass and trees, where he will have to explore a network of branched and intricate caves, solving not simple puzzles, then action of the fourth level will take place on a ship and the fifth in a vast fortress, something in its surroundings reminiscent of a mixture of an ancient coliseum and a fortress in the spirit of the famous "Fort Boyard". Boats will act as travel thing between the islands. Minimalism and brown tones in the textures are dominate here.
Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 2,5-3 hours to complete (including wandering back and forth).
* Secrets counter is disabled.
* On the M5 the end-of-level battle with 4 malotaurs can be avoided by combining the boost with a time bomb. It is enough to correctly place it behind the hero and then a kind of rocket jump will lead directly to the switch that lead to end of the level.

Pros:

+ Original concept.
+ M4 - "The Guard Tower". The action of the entire small level takes place in the holds and on the deck of the ship, which hero will able to capture at the end of M3.
++ M5 - "The Citadel".

Contras:

* The extreme intricacy of passing and pressing the switches on the M3, located on 5 floors, may not be to everyone's taste. However, the same can be said to a certain extent about the wad as a whole - if you don’t like complex puzzles and you are a supporter of pure action, then it’s better to pass by. Otherwise, this is one of the unique wads, especially given the year it was released.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

105. The Master's Domain (1997).

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/level ... o/mdomain1

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276856/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276889/

Wad for Heretic. Consists of 9 levels (1 secret), featuring quite good design, frescoes and overall balance. The maps are compact, the number of enemies and the difficulty can be count as moderate one. Wad occupies the slot of the first episode.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 2,5 hours to complete.

Secret level.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276887/

M6 -> M9. At the end of the level there is a hidden passage on the left.
Last edited by UnknDoomer on Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

106. The History of Fruit (2008).

https://www.doomworld.com/files/file/15 ... -of-fruit/

Wad for Heretic with a simple plot. It consists of 9 levels (1 secret), among other things, it has a fairly large number of well placed custom textures. Occupies the slot of the first episode.

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276893/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276894/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276895/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276896/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276899/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276900/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276901/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276902/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276904/
Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/7.
* Heretical Doom 1.5 + Monsters 0.4a.
* It takes ~ 2 hours to complete.

Secret level.

M6 -> M9. Having reached the end of the level you need to use an item to move to the beginning of it and go to the teleport, which you could notice at the very start behind the grate, blocked at that time.

Pros:

+ M4 - Grape Plas.
+ M9 - "Mega Melon". It is notable for two things - the action of most of the level will require movement on the ice, with all the ensuing consequences, and at the end there will be a battle with a large number of cult magicians, led by a malotaur.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

107. Heretic Amplified (2011).

https://www.doomworld.com/files/file/16 ... amplified/

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276954/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276955/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276958/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276965/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276971/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276972/

Wad for Heretic. Consists of 9 levels (1 secret). The entire arsenal of weapons has been completely revised and replaced with a new one, which, outside of gameplay modifications in the context of Heretic, can be called an extremely rare occurrence. In addition several new types of items and enemies have been added. So, for example a time bomb no longer explodes after a while, but stops time. In the context of weapons the most unusual varieties include a kind of sting that shoots bones, as well as a dagger, the eighth weapon, that kills any enemy, such as a malotaur, just in one use. The selection in some places turned out to be somewhat ambiguous, which, however, does not at all beg both the concept as a whole and the outstandingly built levels individually. The soundtrack also came out quite tolerable.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.
* It takes ~ 3,5 hours to complete.
* The ability to jump must be enabled.
* The blue key on M2 cannot be picked up and, apparently, it does not carry any functional load.
* Attempting to use the sixth weapon may cause crashes and, apparently, it generally cannot be used when combined with the latest version of GzDoom.
* In order to reduce the fight with D'Sparil at the end of M8 to a few seconds, it makes sense to keep about 10 charges of the dagger in reserve.

Secret level.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.276956/

M3 -> M9. First you need to get a red key hidden in an inconspicuous section, then use it to open the door hidden behind an imaginary wall.
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Re: UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays

Post by UnknDoomer »

108. HYMN: A Heretic Community Project (2013).

https://www.doomworld.com/files/file/17 ... y-project/

Screenshots:

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277032/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277040/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277041/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277065/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277071/

Wad for Heretic, consists of 9 levels (1 secret). Was compiled by several authors. Occupies the slot of the first episode. There are some custom textures took a place, mostly taken from Hexen.


Settings and features:

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/7.
* Heretical Doom 1.5 + Monsters 0.4a.
* It takes ~ 3 hours to complete.
* The melody on M8 was taken from the credits of Warcraft III.

Secret level.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277038/
https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachme ... ng.277039/

M6 -> M9. You need to get the blue key. Rocket jump will help solve this issue.

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