Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Naked Snake

Personal review of CH Retro Episode

Recommended Posts

Chris Hansen's CH Retro Episode tantilized my E1 pallete unlike other E1 style wads I have played. Chris certainly paid attention to detail, not only in the architecture, but as well as in the attention of ammuntion and monster placement. CH Retro Episode lets you appriciate the time and effort Romero put into the original Episode 1 by emulating it's style. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but in this case, it is also the sincerest form of honor to the predecessor. I am certainly happy with this episode and the way it is styled. I think that if this wad were the original Episode 1 that DooM would still be, if not more, popular today. Some portions of CH Retro Episode look like parts of Episode 1, which I found to be a true example of how to make an E1 style wad look good. The action is intense, and you also have to use your head, and the things attached to it, like your ears to hear doors and elevators open that you can't see open. The great use of textures also caught my attention. Most E1 wads I play use the gray and tan walls WAY to much. This wad uses a great mix of E1 and some E2 textures. If you haven't downloaded this wad, you really should, it is sure as Hell worth it. My rating? 9.5 out of 10, because some parts were a little confusing at first and may frustrate some people, but overlooking that, this was certainly worth the time.

Share this post


Link to post
bigbadgangsta said:

Most E1 wads I play use the gray and tan walls WAY to much.

But it's okay if you supplement those gray and tan walls with excessive amounts of detail...right?

*looks around*

...right...? =)

My rating? 9.5 out of 10, because some parts were a little confusing at first and may frustrate some people, but overlooking that, this was certainly worth the time.

That's one of the things that made this better than the real E1, IMO -- it was more complex and non-linear.

Share this post


Link to post

That's one of the things that made this better than the real E1, IMO -- it was more complex and non-linear.


I dunno if you could say it is better than E1, but it is certainly on par with it.

Share this post


Link to post

People don't seem to understand that the original E1 wasn't better than some of these newer wads. The only reason people THINK it's better is because it's the first one they played and their opinions are modelled around it. If I were to let a small kid play CH Retro as the first doom game ever, then he plays the REAL E1 in later years, I'm sure CH Retro would have had more effect on him. So meh

Share this post


Link to post

And the fact that, well, some of today's maps are better than E1.

Share this post


Link to post

Thanks for the VERY nice words there! From all of you that is. I'm glad you liked playing it, and that it's spawned such an interesting discussion. Personally I think that nothing can be compared to Romero's masterpiece; it simply is unique.

Share this post


Link to post
c-cooper said:

Thanks for the VERY nice words there! From all of you that is. I'm glad you liked playing it, and that it's spawned such an interesting discussion. Personally I think that nothing can be compared to Romero's masterpiece; it simply is unique.


At least someone else sees it my way ^_^

Share this post


Link to post

E1 is definitely unique, and a classic, but with the advancements that have been made in level designing, CH Retro is overall simply a better WAD. I'm sure if Romero came back and designed an E1 remake today, it would kick some major ass.

Share this post


Link to post

Yeah I think CH Retro takes into account the generally better standard of FPS skills that are around nowadays and is suitably more of a challenge than the original E1.
It would be great to see a new Romero map.Wow that would be something else!Actually it was great to watch the Legacy lmps he did.
I wonder how much Doom3 will miss his influence? :(

Share this post


Link to post
magikal said:

I wonder how much Doom3 will miss his influence? :(

Don't have Daikatana in mind? :P

Share this post


Link to post

I loved the whole Goddamn episode. Kickass design and architecture, the original music works perfectly, none of those irritating Doom 2 enemies14][1k shit see, even my cat wants to play it.

My only complaint is I was really built up for E1M8 and it kinda disappointed me. I was expecting a really cool pentegram with plenty of spectres complicating the Baron battle but it turned out to be a medium sized red battle that was painfully easy.

As far as I can see, in my opinion, that is the only flaw to this absofuckinglutely SUPERB episode. Without doubt this is going into my top 10 of favorite Doom levels, right up there with Shock 'em Down and Darkening E2.

So many levels work on design or prettiness (Momento Mori 2, Vrack) but disappoint in the gameplay department... playing your episode was like getting a handjob from six Angels.

Share this post


Link to post

CH Retro Episode is most probably in my top 5 favourite wads of all time. IT ROCKS! (Chris, PLEASE make an episode 2, come on, you know you want to!) :P

Share this post


Link to post

Yeah, a new episode 2 would rock! Especially from e2m4 to e2m7 it's awesome, m4 being my favorite of all id levels.

Share this post


Link to post

Vrack... ...disappoint in the gameplay department

you are just being a sorry faggot

Share this post


Link to post
deadnail said:

none of those irritating Doom 2 enemies14][1k shit see, even my cat wants to play it......

So many levels work on design or prettiness (Momento Mori 2, Vrack) but disappoint in the gameplay department... playing your episode was like getting a handjob from six Angels.

Those Doom2 enemies are meant to be irritating.Thing is,you can have the gameplay Doom gives you,i.e. don't use Doom2 elements.That's fine for a while,but when you introduce the ssg and extra enemies 'Doom' becomes more exciting,challenging,interesting and varied (imo) as in 'Doom2'!
Vrack disappointing in the gameplay department?????

Share this post


Link to post

Mmmm, an episode 2, huh? Well, might just consider that. Can't promise you anything, though. Heck, I might just do the last two episodes too ;)

Again, big thanks for the positive feedback!!

Share this post


Link to post
c-cooper said:

Mmmm, an episode 2, huh? Well, might just consider that. Can't promise you anything, though. Heck, I might just do the last two episodes too ;)


/me drools and cums

Share this post


Link to post

Well I am only on level 4 (been involved in a cricket match all frigging week), I just exited 3 too quickly, damnit, so i might go back.

It's damn fun, is this. I like the old fashioned secrets, yeah! Ones that you don't have to break your balls to find.

Quit with the eye candy people and return to '94 purism like this. Old skool Phobos whores unite! (this is meant as tongue in cheek, for any potential morons out there)

Share this post


Link to post

I just went back to Level 3 and found all 6 secrets... in sequence, yeah baby!

Delicious. Very Toxin Refinery.

/goes off for map 9 fun

Share this post


Link to post
pritch said:

It's damn fun, is this. I like the old fashioned secrets, yeah! Ones that you don't have to break your balls to find.

Hah, well I'm doing my best to change that :P

Share this post


Link to post
magikal said:

Those Doom2 enemies are meant to be irritating.Thing is,you can have the gameplay Doom gives you,i.e. don't use Doom2 elements.That's fine for a while,but when you introduce the ssg and extra enemies 'Doom' becomes more exciting,challenging,interesting and varied (imo) as in 'Doom2'!
Vrack disappointing in the gameplay department?????

Most of Doom 2's enemies are simply annoying because they just add to the pile of enemies that just sit there, move very slowly, and fire a barrage of projectiles at you when in sight.

Revenants are a tossed bag. Being caught close quarters with one or two of them I don't mind, it's the dealing with the chasing missiles in large areas with an additional 40 enemies that irritate me, it takes away the freedom of movement I really fell in love with in Episode 2.

Vrack does disappoint me in the gameplay department, especially Vrack 2. The maps are huge, the architecture is almost impossibly well designed, the enemy placement and ammo balance is superb... but if you took all that away it wouldn't really be anything more than running back and forth switch hunting. There is very little variety or exploring in the Vrack maps, it's just path roving.

Now if I could play a version of Shock 'em Down that took a week to compile the BSP for then I might be singing a different tune, but as it stands, the main reason that I still play Doom is because I find the levels irresistably entertaining and fun, not to see boom.exe get a worse framerate than sof.exe.

Share this post


Link to post

Most of Doom 2's enemies are simply annoying because they just add to the pile of enemies that just sit there, move very slowly, and fire a barrage of projectiles at you when in sight.

Revenants are a tossed bag. Being caught close quarters with one or two of them I don't mind, it's the dealing with the chasing missiles in large areas with an additional 40 enemies that irritate me, it takes away the freedom of movement I really fell in love with in Episode 2


I didn't like the Doom 2 monsters either. WOW! A fat guy, a skinny guy, a fat zombie with a chaingun, a brown caco that shoots lost souls, a skeleton and a smaller spider...HOW TERRIFYING! At least the Imps give you a scare in the dark...

Share this post


Link to post

I didn't mind some of the D2 monsters, like the chaingunners and the Archviles. The Hell Knights were okay level-designing wise, they gave you some medium-hard monsters to throw in there whenever you wanted, instead of using barons sparingly.

Other than that though, I'm not really a huge fan of the other new monsters. And I HATE pain elementals.

Share this post


Link to post
Archvile64 said:

And I HATE pain elementals.


Wow I must be the only guy in the world who actually likes pain elementals. I enjoy the archviles also. The revenants and especailly the chaingunners, however, are a giant pain and make life difficult in an un-fun way.

Share this post


Link to post

I think the Pain Elementals and Cacodemons are...*ahem*...cute, not in a sexual way, more like the way a little baby is cute, because it looks so damn non-threatning

Share this post


Link to post

The issue I have with Vrack 2 is not with the gameplay per se. It's very good in fact. IMO it has the wrong kind of gameplay for the kind of map is and the wonderful atmosphere it has. Think of it, Fredrick spends all that time creating this amazing, immersive, spectacularly detailed level and what does he do? He loads it up with 800+ monsters, ammo everyfuckingwhere, and enough ball busting traps to freak out a Hell Revealed veteran :/

I think more creepy, tense and slower paced gameplay, punctuated by very nasty surprise battles would have served the level better. The player would be exploring the level, admiring the architecture, and just when he starts to wonder where all the badguys are....BAM!

Share this post


Link to post
Assmaster said:

Wow I must be the only guy in the world who actually likes pain elementals.

Depends why. I love placing them in my maps, I just hate running into them in other people's maps :P

Share this post


Link to post
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×