FIREBALL.WAD

Cool map with an old-school, cramped and chaotic design, sweet :)

Definitively don't deserve 2 stars !   Ok the map is short and easy, but what's the problem with that ? The only real thing that may lower the note is because the author could had put a little bit more monsters here and here since actually some rooms feels empty, but efforts have been done you can't deny that, giving this 2 stars is like forgetting all of the rest because you considere a map is only "better" when it's difficult, but hey we (me at least) play video games for fun !   3/5, but honestly it is rather a 3,5/5 that could had been a full 4/5 if only the gameplay was more consistant with its design.

I found it to be very ambitious for a first try at Doom mapping since the map is relatively big (around 300 monsters, 50 items, 9 secrets !). Definitively deserve applause, even though we can honestly say there is no real innovation in there. In the other hand, the gameplay feels rather correct, it is absolutely playable, and no wonder that the guy behind it is able to do much better.   Basic monster placement and efficient traps. A little bit of backtracking but not much. Level design is intuitive and has a normal pathing, nothing crazy here, rather linear but I personally like that way, still better than an absolute maze, or a boring and empty world as how feel a lot of open world games nowadays. The mapper tried well to use brightness and light effects are sometimes here to play with this contrast, even though I felt there is a misplacement, this is only my own opinion though. Maybe it is a bit empty also, lack of decoration, too blend, we need a personal touch in here ! Texture misalignment and door tracks would be the real thing to work on aesthetic wise, a little bit of a shame ! The difficulty have a good scaling : the strongest weapons you have, the strongest enemies you fight. Sounds obvious, but apparently not for everyone… Ironically (or not) this is THE most important thing to do before having an interesting fight.   In conclusion : this is an objective success for the creator, and as a player I actually had quite fun !   4/5, a bonus point considering this is a first map, for the encouragement. A most objective note would be around 3,5 but that's an impossible note.

A very good and unknown small arena for DM, pretty fun with bots

Haven't even downloaded this wad. But hot hell did this earn my 4 stars