Mano Laikas: A road to Gamzatti

Really confusing maps, the geometry is very strange using lots of strange angles that H.P Lovecraft would feel honored (very closed wall angles under 30° not very aesthetic IMO and very strange names for the maps).  The gameplay becomes kinda repetitive with lots of nukages with toxic slime and timing the duration of the radsuits. Traps got really tiring with always having the monsters in front of you but they have monster-only teleport lines that place them right behind you where you don't expect them.  And archviles are the other pain in the butt, having 1 or even 3 archviles in every map.  Also, having an excess of rocket ammo instead of cells turns into tiring rocket to rocket fights against the cyberdemons.  Stopped at map 26 playing with Zion v7 mod.

Had high hopes for this early on. Very old-fashioned layout, with plenty of E1-type Startan textures, but the levels seemed well laid out and it was challenging enough on UV continuous. I liked the way the mapper gives the player a proper chance to assess the situation at the start of each map, with no stupid, headless-chicken 'action starts'. He also thoughtfully places a couple of 25 percent health packs at the end of each level, for the benefit of continuous players. Even the ubiquitous presence of damaging floors, usually a pet hate of mine, is well executed and is quite atmospheric, with plenty of radsuits provided to offset the usual obnoxious aspects of this element.

Unfortunately though this is a Doom II 32-level megawad, and like nearly all such projects it outstays its welcome. The main gameplay mechanic is the utterly interminable and repetitive use of ambushes and traps, and by the time you're past 20 levels, you are likely to be heartily sick of this. The mapper also overuses Archviles - there are usually at least a couple of them in well over half the ambushes, and it just becomes an absolute pain well before the end. More is less!

This is actually a bit better than the bare 3/5 stars might suggest. 7/10 is closer to the mark.

NB: think carefully before playing MAP20 in ZDoom with standard lighting settings, certainly on UV - those Spectres are completely invisible, and I had to revert to a pistol start in GL Boom-plus.

Edit: maybe a little mention of MAP29 might be in order as well. This features probably the worst Spider Mastermind with Cyberdemon setup you're ever likely to encounter near the end. Forget all about trying to get them to infight - you'll see why! Also forget about being able to finish the map if you're low on ammo at this point, as the Cyber blocks access to the lift that leads to the exit.

[The author mentioned they'd change the issue I'm referring to.]

Very disapointed on this megawad. I thought it would be good because the author is the same of Eviltech, one of best megawad i've ever played.

This one on the other hand is very ugly, extremely confusing maps, a total waste of time. It seems the author didn't even test the levels properly before upload to IDGAMES, a shame really.

Nobody does verticality like Monti; every map is a swooping, organic, multi-tiered nonlinear puzzle that unfolds and transforms as you progress. Absolutely amazing.

The texturing is balls ugly (which I kinda like), most of the maps are fun, while others are duds. Doesn't really throw you anything new or exciting the whole way through, but is engaging enough to at least play once. From a cacoward winner I expected higher quality, but it's still worth giving it a shot.