Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
  • NOTE: There is a known issue with the most recent entries having screwed-up information and links. Some databases are out of sync and we haven't been able to fix it yet.

Songs of the Damned

   (39 reviews)
Sign in to follow this  

Guest

7 Screenshots

About This File

You materialize. A shotgun sits in front of you, beckoning you into the gloom. The air is crisp and cool. What is this place? Do not fall here, your soul will be forever trapped in this mournful land...


User Feedback

Create an account or sign in to leave a review

You need to be a member in order to leave a review

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

finnaboing

  

Okay, so like, I get why this one was on the Most Memorable Maps list. I understand. It's a distinct map for sure. But, like... I dunno, it doesn't feel that memorable to me. Is it really the 85th most memorable Doom map ever? I know I've bitched about this before, but in what world is this map more memorable than 96% of Going Down?

 

The map itself is pretty alright. It's quite a long one, so iori absolutely deserves props for keeping my attention for its entire runtime. The visuals are astonishing for 2006 and have aged surprisingly well. My main gripe is that the actual gameplay of "Songs of the Damned" just sorta... exists? It's not bad (mostly), but the level's so nonlinear that none of the fights even really feel like "fights," it's more "inconvenient happenstances that tend to bleed together." That usually isn't an issue for me (the fights in "Warp of Time" also just kinda exist), but this isn't the kind of map where aesthetics can completely carry it. All of the fights feel like such afterthoughts that I'm constantly wondering whether I'm actually doing something right, if I skipped a key, or if there was a secret earlier in the level that makes this one section way faster.

 

The encounter in the graveyard feels especially sloppy. iori just kinda slapped a bunch of monsters in there at random in this map where ammo isn't exactly plentiful WELL before you can get a Super Shotgun (making the whole encounter really tedious if you're trying to save ammo (which you should be)) and then had the GALL to make me solve a really confusing puzzle that instantly kills you if you get it wrong. Seriously? Why?

 

Like always, no shade to the actual writers of the Memorable Maps list, but I struggle to think of reasons that "Songs of the Damned" earns its spot on the list outside of historical significance. I do still think it's worth playing to some extent, but with the caveat that (at least in my opinion) it's better as a history lesson.

 

OVERALL RATING: 6/10

Share this review


Link to review
Doom_Dude

  

Here we have a large fortress type of place with snazzy architecture that's a nice mix of outside and interior areas populated with lots of enemies. While you're in those outside places you really have to be aware of any possible flak that's incoming and a few times arachnotron fire hit me from the side or back from a distance while I was dodging attacks from other angles. It's possible to also get some fun infighting going in some places and overall this is a fun map to play as it mixes areas that are easy to fight through with challenging places that will keep you on your toes. A couple times I got slightly lost but it didn't take much roaming to figure out where to go next. In the end I only found 2 out of 7 secrets. iori delivered with a large map that has good atmosphere and fun fights.

Share this review


Link to review
Havoc Crow

  

A very nice and pretty relaxing level. One flaw is that the progression can be quite obscure sometimes, you simply aren't sure where to go.

Share this review


Link to review
NuMetalManiak

  

was this a wad that deserved a cacoward? probably back in the day, but it certainly isn't the kind I would consider. it's an interesting but still confusing map, with Eternal Doom style gameplay plus the familiar castle assets. to top it off, it completely lacks hitscanners, something that's uncommon in quite a lot of Doom maps. it's got a few nasty bits, and it's pretty easy to get lost. the yellow key puzzle, honestly i'm not even sure what the clue is at all, you just hit one switch but for me it's trial and error. the rest of the map that follows is alright, apparently winding back around to previous areas, something that was done in Eternal Doom MAP25. don't miss the stray cacodemons, they can be somewhat sneaky. but then again, try your best not to get lost, because if you do, you'll probably like this wad less.

Share this review


Link to review
Denim Destroyer

  

Songs of the Damned is a nonlinear temple styled level with great (in a few spots annoying) detailing that has challenging early combat. The only complaints I have towards this level are some of the floor trim that can make tight hallways annoying to traverse and the lava pit that comes out for the yellow key. Otherwise I don't have too much to say about this level except that it looks pretty and has nice use of verticality.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
It looked good enough at first, but any map that gets me running around lost for minutes with no monsters to fight before I even get to any key can't get more than 3/5 from me. Play if you like switchhunts - I don't.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
A rather large level with a cool visual atmosphere. There were some neat uses of Boom effects, including an almost Hexen-ish puzzle sequence with the yellow key, which I do have to dock points from the wad rating for because there are several things that could be the clue and getting the puzzle wrong means death. I was also sometimes confused about where to go, but did eventually find my way to the exit.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
for the less i seen, i found this map a masterpiece - Daimon

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
i thought that it was pretty good, and the lava puzzle really didnt bother me, what really got me was the ammo placement. i would usually not be able to have enough ammo for the big fights. other than that, a beautiful map. my favorite atmosphere-type, and great detail. 4/5

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
This is a large detailed, complex, confusing map. It must have 50 switches so it takes some time to play. Could of been more ammo but lots of health. This is a cool level so if you have some time play it. 9/3/07

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Isn`t the main song called Feuer und Wasser by Rammstein? Good map,thats all.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Lovely

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Excellent 4.5/5

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Holy shit. This was a massive map. The level design is excellent and the music matched the overall atmosphere of the map. There plenty of intense firefights in the map. Fortunately, the monstercount isn't overwhelmingly massive like the hordes of monsters you'd see in Hell Revealed. That puzzle with the yellow key with the lava was a bit confusing. Also, earlier in the map, you don't get a lot of ammo. I had to run away from most of the earlier fights when I was down to 5 shots for my pistol. 4.5/5.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
It's a nice map but I do not like being able to get the yellow skull and then be trapped inside. This map just isn't fair in parts and there's nothing less forgivable than that in a map, which is a shame as it loses a lot of points for me here for what is otherwise an excellent theme. - pritch

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Simply, plainly, fantastic. One of the few maps that actually manage to convey the feeling of being trapped in a gloomy limbo made of stone, wood, and sorrow, with unprecedented immersion. I played the "old" version which included Doom 64 sounds, I don't know if that's any different. A definite, categorical 5/5 from me -Maes

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
nice looking high quality castle like map, though confusing sometimes 4.5/5

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
A pretty good nonlinear map is offered here, you can easily bumble around for a while and be kept plenty busy with the fights offered. Ammo and health were nicely placed for the most part -- a little looking here and there, but well supplied usually. Overall a nicely enjoyable experience, 4 stars.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
very well done and challenging. I like the puzzles, even though they are really difficult. The design looks like your smack in the middle of hell. Very nicely done. 5/5 -r_rr

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
Good workout for about an hour or so.No problems with health or ammo.Switch-hunting wasn't to big of a deal.Somehow missed the blue skull,but finished the map with less than 100% kills.Kinda reminds of a "Kaiser"-type map.[Not a bad thing]-4.5/5

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
A large map in typical Iori fashion - that is to say, excellent. It's constructed beautifully, with all of the areas combining to feel like an actual sort canyon fortress. Ammo could be a little tight without the secrets, but the gameplay generally remained fun. It only dragged around the red key where finding out what a switch triggered became a bit of a chore, and the YSK is a bit of a bother. Otherwise, excellent stuff. 4/5 -Snakes

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
In this map we see Iori building his mapping skills, which he would later perfect with Drip Feed. This map is not as good as Drip Feed, with a bit more "where do I go now?" moments and slightly inferior gameplay. Also, I did not like the sky texture. Despite those nitpicks, the map is excellent and deserves to be played. 4/5 stars.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
A very good oldstyle huge map. Maybe could have a better gameplay, but 4.5/5

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
You can get the puzzle wrong and still survive if you have enough health.

Share this review


Link to review
Guest

Unknown date

  
the blue skull key effect was neat 3 stars for the late 90's styled architecture -z34chris

Share this review


Link to review
  • File Reviews

    • By Devalaous · Posted
      One of the classic megawads, and the successor to TNT Evilution. I've played this several times over the years, and its grown on me more with each play as my tastes mature.   Still has a bunch of maps that got me killed in 2024, after ive finished stuff like HR and AV, and plenty of maps are memorable. Only real downsides is some of the levels have little content, showing its age.
    • By Walter confetti · Posted
      One of the earliest Doom user maps and It shows. Despite the raw and empty design, the author take a good use of 3D space creating a small fortress surrounded by mountains, the level Is fun to play and not hard. A fancy escapade and a piece of modding history.
    • By Walter confetti · Posted
      Third and final released map of a WIP episode by David Rager, it's more long, complex and hard than the previous entries in the series. A well made map with pretty challenging parts with a mix of monster usage, envoirnmental hazards and some puzzle gameplay. Fun but pretty harsh.
    • By Walter confetti · Posted
      Two more misplaced DM maps without a exit like QUDOOM (that at least had a exit room, while not functional) that caught me by their file name and leave me for the bad experience in SP. Chicken is just a long bridge between a thundering abyss where cyberdemons wants to destroy you, meh. Gangstar is a more fun map sets in a big, abstract warehouse where a cyberdemon roam free trying to kill you, shotgunners and lost souls are here in this Hell corner adding more pain to the thing, enforced by semi-hidden mazes, my favorite.
    • By Walter confetti · Posted
      This is like the physical version of the "we have X at home" meme in DM map format for Quake E1M1. Very poorly made, broken exit and missing textures here and there but at least the level KINDA resembles the original source somehow.
×