Five Rooms of Doom

The difficult of some maps (mainly after MAP 20) is rather extreme in UV if you aren't an experienced/very good player. For others I recommend playing in HMP or even HTNR if you don't want many frustating moments. Best maps = 04, 06, 07, 08, 11, 15, 32, 18, 20, 22, 28, 29 and 30. Bad Maps = 05, 31, 23, 25 and 26. All other maps are OK. Now, some considerations: MAP 24 is very good until the archvile spam, after that it's almost impossible to beat if you don't get the secret invulnerability sphere. MAP 26 is a gimmick map with a lot of archviles, I didn't enjoy the gameplay because if you shoot in some parts you die right away due to the sheer numbers of viles. MAP 29 at first seem very hard and frustating but its doable if played with persistance. The only bad thing about it is the mandatory archvile jump which I didn't aprove (if you play it you'll see what I'm talking about). UV maxing this MAP would be a nightmare since the red key area is very hard; I've yet to see anyone at youtube or twitch UV maxing this map without saves. As I think only 5 MAPS out of 32 are bad it deserves at least 4 stars.

Playability notes: MAP03, MAP08, and MAP16 have doors that do not open for the player on one side, sometimes causing the levels to be unwinnable. MAP16's conveyor belt and MAP30's first elevator do not work properly in PrBoom+: ZDoom is therefore recommended (unlike the text file's suggestion of Boom compatibility).

 

Five Rooms of Doom is a mixed bag but leaning towards a poorly-constructed set. Most small maps are fun due to their simplicity, whereas most big maps are not for the very same reason. The focus on "rooms", though defined generally through visibility by the project leader, seem to have suggested boxy layouts to many mappers (as seen by the resulting mapset). Nothing comes across as particularly impressive, whereas there are definite standout problems (bugs aside):

• MAP06's sector-sound issue that breaks what would have been its most interesting encounter
• MAP11's combination of open-door archviles and inevitable cacodemon swarm are just a little too hectic given the resource scarcity
• MAP13 is suggestive of being standalone rather than part of a set
• MAP15's secret exit is wholly absurd, and its berserk-only challenge is interesting but unrelenting
• MAP23 really hates the concept of infinite-height monsters (reminder that this was meant Boom-compatible)
• MAP24 is a Hell Revealed E3-style rushdown, passable in its own right except for the archvile spam
• MAP26 is maniacally obfuscating: some neat ideas but very poorly executed
• MAP28's blue key room concept is tedious guesswork

There are additionally cases (MAP10-13, MAP17-20, MAP22-24) of difficulty whiplash.

 

Overall, I can recommend the first nine or so maps in a to play in a row, at which point your mileage will vary.

An uneven WAD. The gimmick isn't really visible here; everyone chose to ignore it, and that was a good thing. Up to MAP21 the WAD is fine, levels vary in quality but not a single one is particurarly bad. Then, slaughterfest maps begin and the WAD goes down the drain. Not only there are hordes of enemies, they are also placed in spots difficult to reach. So, 2* for later maps, 4* stars for earlier ones.

4 stars up to map16, rest is a stupid slauther joke.

This is just a reminder of why I'm so sick of megawads that are based around a specific set of rules for the map design. They always manage to be all over the place with quality, and people already run out of ideas within the one megawad.

it was interesting to see how this progressed from rather good maps to really hard slaughterfest-style maps, with my own MAP18 becoming the difficulty spike apparently. too bad I forgot to update it with a way out of the blood (oops). slaughter half of the MW was actually tedious and UV-max unfriendly so I hated it, especially Joseph Lord's maps were bad.

Weak mapset with complete absence of quality control (TWO maps from people like joe-ilya already speak volumes of project's quality), lack of proper testing in anything but (G)ZDoom and wast majority of authors being novices, obviously, so many unfamiliar names.

Nice steady climb in toughness throughout, from meandering minimaps to massive slaughter halls. Somewhat uneven aesthetic quality - but geberally good and a few gems REALLY shine.

good fun, enjoyable as far as gimmick wads go

great work, some really nice areas; though, I wasn't much aware about the 5-room-concept - maybe I was too busy.., I am not a fan of slaughter maps, at least they still were fun with iddqd

I was glad to participate. This mapset holds my mordeth ever contribution to any community projects. The others' levels range from fairly enjoyable to astrological decency. I give it to a 5, and I'm excluding the evaluation of my map, because if I'd include, that would only make it a 4,5.

I don't like the second half.

Mixture of good, average, and bad maps. Don't understand the point behind giving the baron Wings, but whatever.