Double Impact

I really wanted to love this WAD. The map design is good without a doubt, but the way the keycard hunts are presented led to a lot of backtracking. The first level of this map sets the tone right off the bat. If you don't like these types of layouts, it won't get better. I also cannot abide by secrets being required to progress, and secrets being impossible to access unless you looked them up beforehand. 

There is a lot of fun to be had here. I found myself having a blast with the encounters and I found the use of DOOM 1 monsters very tasteful. I found the final level thrilling, challenging, and fair. That level was wonderfully designed in my opinion, and made me fear being hunted by cyber demons again. It left such a great final impression that I'm keeping this WAD in my collection, despite the fact I don't feel like giving it another play through anytime soon. Maybe if I watch dwars guide beforehand I'll enjoy it a bit more. 

Officially recognized but boring wad of 9 levels with large-scale maps. Nothing similar with original E1. The number of enemies grows as you progress - combinations of 200+ / 400+ / 500+ opponents vary.

Settings and other:

* GzDoom.

* Mod Complex Doom.

* 9 levels, 1 of them secret.

* Difficulty - "Ultra-Violence".

* The exit to the secret level is on M3. You will need to find the blue key to open the door, which leads later to the secret exit. Before walk to another location, which opens with a secret red small switch.

Pros:

+ M8.

+ Soundtrack.

Contras:

- Quite a standard set of mediocre maps. Nothing remarkable against the huge background of the mass of other wads.

- Perhaps I missed something, but on the M8 one of the switches may not work and it will not be possible to enter the location in the south. So. Noclip. On the same map there is a strange separate square area with 2 mastermaydans in the west of the map.

A surprisingly different E1 replacement.  Very fun.  Great challenge.

I went into this expecting to blow through it in a night like the majority of E1 replacements I've played.  I certainly wasn't expecting maps with 400-600 enemies.  I spent the majority of my time well below 50% health and loved every second.  Fast paced, pulse pounding action that doesn't let up until the final exit switch is thrown.  Definitely play this if you haven't already.

Double Impact is a replacement for Knee Deep In The Dead that is as fun as it is challenging. The challenge comes from the hordes of demons you will face and unlike some other Doom 1 wads, Double Impact avoids creating difficulty by spamming Barons and Cacodemons. What is holding this set of levels back from being perfect are several minor issues that add up. The levels are not that great looking due to the reliance of stock textures. Combat is hampered by an overabundance of Door combat; that is standing inside a door way and blasting away anything before it can touch you. Finally the most glaring issue is how lackluster that last map is. Simply press the switches while avoiding Cyberdemon rockets and ride the elevator to the exit switch. Overall Double Impact is quite a good set of levels, unfortunately it is held back by a several small problems.  

Although you've seen these textures a million times before, Double Impact's core focus is on old-school Ult Doom combat. Expect traps, shotgun duels, and a lot of pinkies. Fights are fast and intense without ever feeling frustrating or impossible.

While Double Impact's large, nonlinear levels may not dazzle players at every turn, they're never confusing and they keep fights interesting. There's a misaligned texture or two every once in a while, but it adds to that KDITD charm. The levels feel familiar without ever feeling like they were copy-pasted from the IWAD. That said, it's worth mentioning that Double doesn't carry over Ult Doom's atmosphere or occasional spookier tone. Combat is the centerpiece of this E1 replacement.

While some fights might rub certain players the wrong way, Double Impact does a lot to keep its combat interesting and intense. If you've grown tired of confusing switch hunts and the SSG's long reload time, Double Impact will remind you why you fell in love with Doom's run-and-gun gameplay.

Played in PrBoom+ (complevel 3), UV, pistol starts, with saves.

- UV Settings

A good, solid WAD. This game will keep you on your toes, that's for sure! My fave Maps were M03 - it took me forever to find that Blue Key LOL!! and M07. This WAD has LOTS of secrets, most of them very clever, and most are rewarding, which I like. Lots of combat, and a fair bit of exploration, not a bad balance. The architecture throughout is nothing fancy, but not entirely bland, either.

I liked the above average size of some of the levels. Ammo was a but tight in a couple of Maps, but nothing that couldn't be handled. But this WAD *is* fun!

The only reason I am taking away 1/2 star is because of M08. I was hoping for a more climatic final Map after all that shootin' throughout the rest of the previous Maps.

Did Double Impact deserve a Cacoward? Yes, I totally agree that it did, considering that it was built for Ultimate Doom, instead of its successor. Finding a great Ultimate Doom WAD is much rarer than it is finding one for Doom II. 

Great job! Thanks for making it! Definite replay value.

4.5 out of 5 stars for me.

EDIT: It appears Tag 666 doesn't execute properly in some source ports or if complevel is below 3.

Let me get E1M8 out of the way first because it's the most confusing thing I've witnessed in a Doom wad.

So, you got four switches that kill four barons outside of the map, to make two walls & four marble cubes lower. Basically, a special tag 666 situation.

I press all four switches & nothing happens after I wait for awhile. I tried with PrBoom 2.5.1.4., PrBoom 2.5.1.5., GzDoom 2.4.0 & on the latter, only worked once.

I looked up the walkthrough of it & there is nothing I did different from the people playing it but they got it to work somehow. It's very strange. If anyone knows what's up, I'd like to know.

The rest of the wad is alright. Maps are way too lengthy and forgettable & just cluttered with too many enemies.

Traps are fairly challenging & were the best part of the wad.

But all that wasn't worth it for the last map of the wad to crap on me.

generally good layouts throughout this set, as well as some decent combat for well-sized levels. these maps normally take longer than your average E1 replacement, but the combat remains good enough throughout. the secrets in this one are more than just "another soul sphere" secrets too, they are quite varied. worth playing, watch out on the last level though. I actually had some problems getting the 666 tag to work for some reason, but then again, you still have to tangle with multiple cyberdemons and it could be a hassle. regardless, Double Impact is still worth checking out, even if you're burned out on the numerous E1 replacements, this one feels fresh.

Playability notes: Designed as limit-removing, so Crispy Doom works as well as PrBoom+ -complevel 2. Pistol start and continuous both work pretty well.

Double Impact paints a simple setting with simple Doom 1 combat in mind, but the combat itself is fantastically well done and continues the challenge the player with variety and creativity over the entire episode. The goal was most likely to build architecture to fit the encounters rather than set a particular scene, much less one befitting of the famous shareware episode, so anyone looking for an experience reminiscent of E1 will not find it here. However, if you want to see what Doom 1 monsters are capable of, with a focus on the menagerie from Knee Deep in the Dead, this is about as good as it gets.

As previously implied this is an E1 replacement, and as always the limitations vary. This is what you can expect:

• Doom1 E1 IWAD stock textures only. (EDIT: there are some non-E1 textures in the secret level)
• Limited weaponry from the first episode (exception: rarely you will find plasma in secrets)
• No teleportation except when using pentagram-shaped floors
• Mostly sticks to Former Human, Sergeant, Imp, and Demon/Spectre; Lost Soul and Cacodemon make appearances on occasion; Barons and boss monsters are even rarer.

What Double Impact does so very well is how it keeps the player on their toes. Every single level has at least one memorable encounter, and there are virtually no repeats in the most significant threats. Whether it's running through the level to look and create cover, or circlestrafing around a mass of enemies, or critically examining an ambush to understand the optimal route, or even creating an area with light but handicapped combat, there is no dearth of variety here. This is especially impressive when only providing the player a modest supply of rockets and sometimes expecting the shotgun to shine by itself! If you ever find yourself weary while playing this, it is certainly not from repetition.

That said, there are several fights that will absolutely require you to think quickly or perish, and I would expect this to turn off more than a few players. When combined with relatively few resources for health and armor, the challenge is especially intense not just from fight-to-fight but over the course of the entire map. M5 is especially rough when it comes to attrition. As such, later maps can be akin to rolling dice when going in blind, and will ultimately require a few good tries unless you're among the most seasoned of players.

Some highlights:

• The first level is odd in that it seems to provide a mini-tutorial for dealing with the various basic enemy types before cranking the difficulty up. Normally I wouldn't make note of this but, because the mapset as a whole revolves around challenging encounters, it comes across as superfluous.
• There are some really impressive uses of dark rooms in M3 and M7 that, while slowing the pace, provide an incredible experience nonetheless. It's just another facet of variety that brings the entire set together.
• Many of the ambush fights make an excellent use of space: not too cramped, not too open. Major M6 and M7 fights do this so well that it's vital to get a sense of what enemies should be prioritized to ensure enough space as time passes.
• M3, M4, and M5 have a lot of fun with free-roaming enemies, and it takes a long time to establish a safe perimeter with as many monsters slowly working their way toward you.
• The final level is uniquely framed, as you're on the run at all times, but the overarching theme of critical thinking and planning remains the same. I prefer this kind of boss encounter to the basic "kill some stuff", especially in the context of Doom1 with its lack of supporting minions.

I recommend this entire set to anyone looking for a carefully-crafted challenge that does not hold to any particular stereotype (other than "Doom1 enemies" I suppose). UV is quite difficult; HMP keeps most of the key pieces intact and will still be an engaging experience to those less accustomed to all the flavors of difficulty in Doom.