Maps 25 to 30 are the best part of Doom 2.

I've just beaten the game. The maps before those most of them I just found more forgettable or frustrating. But the last 5 are so memorable and atmospheric and the level design was oh so perfect. Maybe it's just me but this part was the highlight of the game.

Do you agree?

I’m someone who thoroughly enjoys most of Doom II, including the much maligned second episode, but. . . I do really enjoy that section. Bloodfalls is a lot of fun and one of the more obviously Hellish levels, and Monster Condo, Spirit World, and The Living End are just incredible.

I do hate Icon of Sin, though. That level can piss right off.

Map 25 I can see. 

30 though?  Really?  What's the appeal? 

I agree, most of Doom 2's middle section is pretty bad. Those last few levels feel like the themes and level design concepts Doom 2 was shooting for were finally realized. Not actually a big fan of map25, map26, or map30, but map27-29 seem like peak Doom 2 to me (in a good way).

MAP28 is really cool, the rest are rather meh in my opinion. MAP30 might be my least preferred Doom II level, I enjoy the Icon of Sin mechanic but making a level just out of it is lazy. MAP25 isn't much better, too easy for the slot it's in.

My mate would definitely agree with you. He's pretty new to Doom and he's been slogging his way through Doom 2. I got a text from him which read:

"Level 24 man, no need for that" Ha! I thought, 'The Chasm'.

I agree with this post. I used to like Catacombs most out of the Hell segment for the setting but not so much anymore. I agree levels 25-30 are all fun though. 25 is a fun hellish setting with plenty of dark atmosphere, 26 is a really fun vertical labyrinth (though I don't really get why there's abandoned mines in Hell, I'm sure an explanation could be made but without one it's kinda weird), 27 feels very much like Hell itself is an entity playing with you and mimicking human architecture with interesting and clever traps (stepping into the light in a dark area lowers monster lifts, the marble courtyard that teleports you to an identical copy but suddenly with six Mancubi), 28 really feels like you're deep into an organic natural hell and with the music track it really feels like an evil place deep deep under anything else that you're descending down into, and while it's relatively tough for Doom 2 it still feels like a calm before the storm, and then 29 is such an awesome banger to send the game off on, with an epic trek around and up the giant staircase to the final level. It just does presentation so well, that initial small room with an elevator leading down, revealing the gargantuan size of the level is actual class.

I think Icon Of Sin is absolutely fine. Big screen-filling demonic entity, the gameplay keeps you on the move and if you think of the elevator less as "turning the lack of vertical aim into a feature" and more something along the lines of "rising to meet the entity face to face" then it's cooler. And I think the concept is pretty cool. Only thing I don't like is the mismatch of the liquid textures and the fact they didn't even try to make the IOS itself curve or use midtexture trickery. And to a lesser extent the misaligned left horn.

Bloodfalls - Chaingunners turn me into swiss cheese as I constantly ogle the fountain in the middle.

The Abandonded Mines - Pretty fun level with some good challenges but doesn't feel overly cheap. Good map. :)

Map 27: "Woops, I dropped my Monster Condo(m), that I use for my magnum dong".

The Living End - John Romero's dickery strikes again!

Spirit World - A level made mostly out of rock and rock accessories.

The Icon of Sin - Blowing up John Romero's head on a pike since 1994.

If Perfect Hatred were a pokemon, The Living End would be its evolution. In other words it's the same map but much much better.

And I found the Icon of Sin infinitely better than the weak ass Spider Mastermind boss from the first game.

I can't believe I'm about to say this but, I actually prefer Perfect Hatred over The Living End.

I'm currently doing another run through Doom 2, so we'll see if they actually are.  Can't wait to see my old friend The Living End again

6 hours ago, DynamiteKaitorn said:

I can't believe I'm about to say this but, I actually prefer Perfect Hatred over The Living End.

I do too!

I actually don't get the hate (no pun intended) for Perfect Hatred. It's very puzzley and Romero troll-y.

I like MAP28 and MAP29 indeed.

Abandoned Mines and Map29 are Doom2's best IMO.

16 hours ago, noisebloom said:

I actually don't get the hate (no pun intended) for Perfect Hatred.

It's too top-heavy with like a dozen barons in tight spaces/catwalks above lava. I love it, too, but it's a goddamn tough love

I have found episode 3 of Doom 2 to be the best one, and it‘s thanks to the later half of its levels, except Icon of Sin. A final level should be the ultimate test for the skills the game has been teaching you along the way. Waiting for an elevator while hoping no Archvile spawns is not exactly the skill you need to master most of the game‘s levels.

The first couple of hell levels are a bit meh, actually.  The later city levels are epic and fun, but then in hell they throw some small scale brawls at you, followed by Barrels and Chasm. Not that I think those levels are super bad, but they definitely interrupt my flow a bit. 
 

Regarding Perfect Hatred, I really like that map. It‘s a terrible second map for an episode, but as a standalone it‘s one of the best in Ultimate Doom.