Favillesco - Episode 2: Tragedy over Europa V1.1

Conceptually this differs little if at all from Favillesco Episode 1: Genuflected on Io, basically consisting of expanded Romeroesque techbases, but the maps are longer, with more verticality, and even more intricate, while the enemy count is higher, including a larger amount of high-tiers, resulting in what i felt to be a more immersive experience.

This is classic dooming at its finest and purest, and for that reason alone some will dislike it from the start, as the set does not adhere to trends or what are considered to be modern standards.  But for people who appreciate such a thing, this is among the finest Episode-replacements that i have seen.  The levels are long, routinely it took me over 35 minutes to max them on blind run with all the secrets (and a few eluded me), and highly non-linear.  There will be lots of backtracking, and using the automap is often the key in finding a route to where you need to go next, as it's not as simple as going to the general direxion.

Despite this, i had no problems with progression, and only time i was at all irritated by this was the level E2M5, as i had to run through nukage without a suit a few times to solve the last secrets and find the secret exit, before which i had had to run around the level a couple of times trying to figure things out.  But generally it won't take more than a minute to get where you want to go, despite the length of the maps.

Also, the layouts are ingenious, what little inconvenience they engender, is a small price to pay for the experience.

My first death (of two) came in E2M4, in a darkened room as Cacodemons rose from below while i was platforming on top of pillars, with nukage below - an effective moment of exceptionally gloomy ambience.  The same map had another similar room, where Barons and Cacodemons attacked me in darkness while i was platforming on a narrow walkaway across nukage.  Thus, E2M4 is my favourite map of this WAD.

i disagree with those who say the secrets are 'easy' - in a sense they are, but that's only because  of experience, as they are wholly traditional in style.  And there are a few more cryptic ones, also. 

The last level, as in Fav Ep 1, was annoying (though perhaps a bit less so this time), and i admit i did not finish it.  It would've taken a few more tries and some luck, as far as i could ascertain, and to me it wasn't worth it.  Nothing classical about it, as far as i can tell.

Very sophisticated Episode 2 replacement, and i would highly recommended this apparently under-appreciated WAD to anyone who likes original Doom.  (Played through on HMP.)