If Hell revealed and Alien Vendetta had a baby, and by some chance, that baby met Nuts.wad, this is their offspring. This epic wad of epic proportions does not deserve a Cacoward, this wad deserves a golden Cyberdemon, signed by John Romero and blessed by the Pope.

I consider this to be the best wad ever made. The planning of this project rivals that of the Manhattan project. Converted Doomer carefully planned each fight and designed the levels that are choreographed, if you will, to make the fights as interesting and varied as the environment itself.

DVII's brilliant design takes the player from location to location, slowly building a story told in the maps. You are begin in a secret research lab and journey to Japan, Egypt, Outer Space, Hell, and even Minas Morgul in your quest to defeat the Demonic invasion of earth.

Words cannot do justice to the beauty of this wad, but to put it in simple terms: If you do not play this wad, the alleged baby Jesus will kill a kitten. This wad is 100% Chuck Norris approved.

-Patrick Pineda

Gravity - Eternal

I have always been a fan of Eternal's work, and this is by far my favorite. Initially, three of Eternal's wads were considered for the Cacowards this year, and while each of them was certainly worthy, the final decision came down to Gravity. Before I continue, the other 2 contenders were Remain 3 and Cybersky, which are equally worth a look and should not go without mention in this year's Cacowards ceremony.

Gravity is a rather short map set, consisting of only two maps that play in about 12 minutes, but the 12 minute ride is more defined by sightseeing along the way instead of the actual gameplay itself. While the gameplay remains solid, the biggest attraction is the architecture. The design would not look out of place in a Dr. Seuss book or an Escher drawing. Castles in the sky, domes, courtyards, invisible staircases and pyramids can be found in these two maps. At one point, you even go into the sky to retrieve ammo. Even more impressive than the architecture is the use of lighting: shadows that slant and match the walls, designed with convincing accuracy. I can only say positive things about Gravity, and you should too. Or else.

-Patrick Pineda

Urban Brawl: Action Doom 2 - Action Team

Every so often the Doom Community is graced with a completely unexpected release. This year's unexpected release was Action Doom 2, the much anticipated sequel to Scuba Steve's: Action Doom. Its predecessor was hyped in a way that rivals only a presidential election year, while AD2 was discreetly released on a lesser known sub-forum, without the shameless promotion that defined the predecessor. It was developed in a secret lab beneath the ocean, and developers were only allowed to return to the surface once a year for a period of 3 days. As a result, we were given the greatest wad of the year, without the hype or leaked betas or Tormentor667's ego or ...

When I initially started playing Urban Brawl, I was greeted with a much needed change in atmosphere manifesting itself in the form of a comic book. Vibrant colors, cel-shaded maps, Sin City-esque cutscenes and impressive voice acting welcomed me into the world of Urban Brawl. I was further welcomed with a new spin on old gameplay. Most of the items in the environment can be used as weapons, and the guns make the Doom weapons look like BB guns. Urban Brawl is not a mod as much as it is an entirely new game. The gameplay and visual style are far departed from the Doom gameplay we know and love, but it finally introduces something new and innovative to the Doom community. The Doom community has been starved of something original for a long time, and this satisfies that hunger in every respect.

-Patrick Pineda

2008 Cacowards

Page 1

Deus Vult II
Gravity
Urban Brawl: Action Doom 2

Page 2

Eternal Doom IV
Thunderpeak
Back to Basics

Page 3

BGPA Missions: Liberation
Chex Quest 3
Escape from Castle Chezcrea
Cold as Hell

Other Awards

Best Multiplayer
Worst Wad
Mordeth Award
Mockaward
Mapper of the Year

This is my Boomstick

I am not creating a special category (as some have wanted); this is just a one time, noteworthy project. For the first time that I can remember, a mod that is, essentially, just a weapons replacement, was very good. Wild Weasel's Diaz is one of the most complete weapon modifications I have seen. It is fun, the weapons have been designed well, and they all fit without a mishmash of styles and art. Now, it is certainly not one of the ten best wads, hence no Cacoward, but it is noteworthy.