The DWmegawad Club plays: Abscission

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 24: Abyssal Refuge

Crispy Doom, UV, pistol-start

 

The five billionth Chasm remix. I do think it's faults may have been exaggerated to degree but if there's one thing I've never liked, it's pinkies getting thrown into narrow corridors to get punched out for like 90 seconds....and in the meantime, more could've been done. More generally, navigation is just oddly confusing. A certain amount of backtracking is required. I almost expected another Cyberdemon at the end. Pleasantly, there was nothing waiting so all the attention could be drawn to the oddly 90s ceiling scenery. The most frustrating section was easily the yellow key maze. Perhaps more ammo would not be such a bad idea here but then, it is hard to know what switch does what. 

[Cutman 999]

MAP22 - “Mausoleum” (Pistol started, 5 attemps saveless, 98% Kills, 100% Items, 50% Secrets)

 

Catacombs if it was designed like perfect hatred, and somehow, I end up liking it.

 

Progression is almost the exact same as the original map, heavy chaingunner usage and all. The start is possibly the hardest aspect, after that it gets significantly easier to find footing here. I heavily recommend you search that soulsphere secret, since health is incredibly limited and there's many surprises that can annihilate your health.

 

The final ambush caught me for surprise, that's the reason that soulsphere is that important. Probably I'm starting to understand what people like about maps of these scope, where survival feels tense and just passing through the many ways there is to kill you, the real satisfaction.

 

I can say it works here, very solid map.

 

7/10

 

MAP23 - “Hazard Pay” (Pistol started, used saves, 100% Kills, 99% Items, 100% Secrets)

 

Compared to its gimmicky, underdeveloped inspiration, hazard pay actually takes advantage of the barrels to make enconters even more suffocating for space, and the actual hazzards to set up many ambushes.

 

As an ambush heavy map, I like how the enemy compositions are here, with a layout like this, you can actually feel tension from many of those, the yellow key room is very hectic since you only have much cover for the archvile in that free longway, much space to get chipped heavily by the chaingunners, and many lost souls to be pressed, distracted from them.

 

I advise you to save the megasphere for the exit fight, you need a lot of health if you want to survive such pincer attack from all the pinkies, revs and that archvile. You can mess up the fight if you go to the left path, wich can actually teleport the mastermind to your location, which is my only nitpick I have for this map, but other than that, if you play your cards intelegently and if you didn't noticed that after 6 attempts of smooth brainess, you can survive that.

 

8/10

[DavitW]

MAP24: Abyssal Refuge
We're back in "Doom II but if it was made by me" Territory here. More linear than it might first appear, though you do get the choice of going through the red or blue key door first before the other locks. My suggestion is go for the blue door first. It'll also cut down on some backtracking by the end. It's certainly a unique map. So much mandatory platforming will probably seem like a bold choice to some.

 

MAP25: Exsanguination
We're starting to get into the dictionary map titles now. It's compact, relatively short, and very deadly. Never tried going through the right door first, but it seems like it would make the map a fair bit harder. The final ambush with the archvile would likely have been a lot easier if I remember I had the BFG the first two times I tried it. Not a bad map, but I get the feeling it's going to be one of those forgotten ones by the end.

 

ab24-25.zip

[Celestin]

MAP25: Exsanguination

 

I don't know if it's just me, but Exsanguination feels a lot like Oasis. The overall design is closer to the IWAD original, the pressure is much lower and the immortal revenant returns.

 

Even as a breather after the previous map, Exsanguination does have a bite. The plasma rifle room assaults you with mobs of hitscanners and the trap in a tight room with pain elementals, shotgunners and a hell knight to tank damage, while you are trying to avoid hurtfloors is nasty. But the crown of the map is the ending. The columns restrict your movement, chaingunners attack from sides, pain elemental makes the place even harder to traverse and there's also an archvile to worry about. Luckily, I managed to locate a secret BFG and hoarded cells just for a fight like this, so the vile died quickly before he could cause trouble.

 

MAP25 is a level I enjoyed greatly, it's a good throwback to early Abscission maps in both design and gameplay style.

 

As for the next month, I'm voting for two community projects with unique ideas behind them, though I have a feeling they might have a rather niche appeal. I'll add the third one after seeing what people are voting for.

+++ DIY

+++ Literalism (26 maps, so I'm open to adding an additional 4-6 map wad)

+++ Good Morning Phobos

Edited July 26 by Celestin

[Horus]

+++ Community Chest 3

+++ Good Morning Phobos
+++ Perditions Gate

[RHhe82]

Posting my review later, but as for next month’s picks… I’ll be on vacation, and especially on the first half of August quite busy with other stuff, but I hope I’ll have time for Doom as well.

 

+++Simulacrum (already started this, but only on MAP08 by now).

+++Good Morning Phobos (from Horus’ post - why not).

 

(might come up with a third option later)

[SirPootis]

MAP19 - Phosphene

100% K | 3/3 S | 14:45 completion time

Spoiler

Phosphene takes a map I don't usually enjoy and turns it into something I do enjoy, so that's pretty big points there. Ammo is pretty tight in the beginning third to half of the map, so leaning on the berserk as much as possible helps greatly. I do enjoy the aesthetic of the slime drop-down room with the pinkies a lot. The fights aren't very meat-grindy, with a vast majority of the enemies being low-tier enemies. Other than the cyberdemon in the climatic final fight in the courtyard, the next strongest opponent you'll find is an arachnotron, and there's only two used throughout the map. The overall aesthetic is gorgeous. Seeing the light gradient in the background space when fighting in the outskirts makes for a very pretty scene. I did enjoy the slight curveball of having to fight this cyberdemon without the plasma gun or BFG, which is a first in the wad, I think. Makes the courtyard fight a tiny bit more hectic, but still very manageable. The soulsphere secret is a bit silly, in my opinion, and I still don't know what opens the megaarmor secret. Other than that, a very fine level.

 

MAP20 - To Hieron

100% K | 1/1 S | 4:10 completion time

Spoiler

Another boss arena, this time you're in a hell cave surrounded by imps, shotgunners, chaingunners, revenants, hell knights, barons, cacodemons, and pain elementals, with two archviles, two cyberdemons, and a spider mastermind providing ample pressure and/or infighting assistance (mostly the latter). I remember the first time playing this, I did not know what I was in for, so this map gave me a good shock when I realized I was just in a massive fight dodging flames and rockets. As such, having foreknowledge does dull the bite quite a bit. The damaging floor does add a bit of caution, but the overall space is open enough that you can freely run around and let the cybers kill everything. Get the BFG, one-shot the spider, rocket the archies, use whatever BFG ammo you have left on the cybers and pain elementals still left, and then finish off the cybers with the RL or super shotgun. Going through the teleporter takes you back to a familiar sight: those gargantuan pillars. Time to rest.

 

MAP21 - Of Flesh & Fission

96% K | 1/1 S | 8:48 completion time

Spoiler

The Sarcophagus can't hold you forever. Waking up in the middle of the ocean of concrete pillars, you set out to claw your way out, again. This time you're fighting through a cave containing bits and pieces of buildings, remnants from human civilization. The scattered shotgunners really gave me a hard time the first time through, and still surprised me occasionally this time around. Going into the yellow key complex, there's a surprise mancubus and revenant combo waiting for you, followed by a mancubus/imp ambush later on. The hardest part of the level is probably the chaingunner / hellknight teleport fight in the tech room. Having to go back and forth in such a relatively narrow space, fighting a mob of chaingunners that can teleport between the two ends of the room consistently gave me a tough time in every one of my playthroughs. The last section with the thin platforming against small groups of imps and hellknights with a final mancubus guarding the exit is decently fun. The highlight of this level is the music, which is among the best in the whole wad. I remember playing this in co-op with my brother, and this song was the first to actually unnerve him a bit. Good level.

 

MAP22 - Mausoleum

100% K | 2/2 S | 5:19 completion time

Spoiler

I remember not liking this level the first time. The opening room, while very pretty, just destroys you with a hitsquad of chaingunners in a very tight space, plus with damaging slime everywhere, I just didn't enjoy it. Thankfully, I've warmed up to it over time, although it still isn't my favorite level. I appreciate the aesthetic a lot more than the gameplay. It's hard to forget the idle hellknight floating over the draining pool of slime in the center hub room. I do like the secrets, although it took me reading the others' posts about this map to realize what the switches actually did: they light up the way to the secrets! I just remember in past runs hitting the switches, seeing nothing happen, thinking 'hmm', and eventually stumble into the slime corridor that was now lit, and followed them to the secret plasma and soulsphere, respectively. Also, while the music in this level is reused from Demon Core, it fits just as well in this level. Very short, very pretty.

 

 

[RHhe82]

MAP25: Exsanguination. Played on UV, pistol start. DSDA v0.27.5. K: 104/104, S: 1/1, I: 1/1. Comp. time 13:44

 

Okay, good, while I do see the Bloodfalls influence, this one becomes more its own thing rather than pastiche. While I have a soft spot for Bloodfalls, this one improves upon it: at least there are actual bloodfalls now while the original felt more abstract in that sense.

 

Already the start makes me a bit happy: it's well-lit! And we get the SSG right away! Although once we enter deeper it gets darker... but not so much as to get on my nerves the wrong way.

 

The hardest part was the cramped fight with a hell knight and pain elementals and a couple of zombiemen, that's where I died legit (another time I died was getting surprised at the end, when the revenant and the pesky archvile resurrecting earlier in the map get thrown into the fight).

 

Solid map, I say.

[DJVCardMaster]

MAP25 - Exsanguination (100%K/I/S):

Bloodfalls is probably the most unremarkable map of Doom II. Certainly not the worst, but the one that has the least to offer. A good thing about it, is the ammount of unexploited ideas for a map it has, it felt like a liminal space with several unfinished areas, so Snaxolotl exploited this and tried to add a lot more to the original idea. Really interesting layout, it feels like it's a bigger complex than it actually is. Good thing there is a SSG right from the start, and I don't have to search for it roaming around the level, this time I can start pumping up some action. Again, as usual with Abscission, there aren't big fights to take place here, except for the end, where you will have a tight encounter with several chaingunners and an archvile that appears behind you. Feels a bit cramped, but luckly I've found the BFG and spammed it. Same with the encounter with the hell knights and pain elementals down in that lift area.

Order of preference:
 

Spoiler

 

MAP10
MAP24
MAP12
MAP19
MAP16
MAP17
MAP14

MAP03
MAP06
MAP11
MAP25
MAP15
MAP08
MAP04
MAP05
MAP23
MAP20
MAP09

MAP02
MAP21
MAP18
MAP13
MAP01
MAP22
MAP07
MAP31

MAP32 (Unrated)

 

 

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 25: Exsanguination

Crispy Doom, UV, pistol-start

 

So much frickin brown. This is a decent enough looking map with only one area clearly referencing Bloodfalls (the outdoor courtyard with the Revenant in the middle on the pillar). The rest is something I feel to be too lacking in memorability to comment in but in either case is wrapped in a curtain of rather severe health starvation. Don't try killing the Revenant btw. An arch-vile below will revive them. Giant blood pipes at the end are quite nasty. Although things get less complicated when the AV gets BFG'd with a hidden one. One should probably be rocketing the chaingunners since the Pain Elementals are not too hard to dodge when there's no one on our asses. I suppose it looks nice but I'm cooking right now. I should probably note the midi at least. I can't remember if it repeats, but the feeling of grave and gathering Doom that it exudes is perfectly suited to a map where the odds are against us. Though maybe ammo is a little too plentiful for that. But not too plentiful....

 

 

 

 

one more thing

 

+++Community Chest 3

+++Garrulismo

+++Autophagy

Edited July 26 by LadyMistDragon

[Cutman 999]

MAP24 - “Abyssal Refuge” (Pistol started, used saves, 90% Kills, 75% Items, 40% Secrets)

 

I'll try to leave things shorts, the reason I saved this map for today was because somehow, I knew this was going to be exhausting to play.

 

The map nailed the chasm aesthetic perfectly, the gameplay on the other hand, was like playing the chasm, if it was retooled for thy flesh consumed. Awkward spaces to move around, enemies suppressing such limited space like mid tiers, hitscanners everywhere, no health, zero armor, no ammo, not even an ssg present outside of secrets. The blue room reimagining even requires a secret invulm to beat reliably, or your puddle of resources is just going to dry out, and you'll probably just die from the chaingunners placed there alongside the stampede of pinkies.

 

I'm conflicted if my dislike of the map is just subjective, because I enjoyed similar attempts of reimagining present in this wad, like the catacombs one.

 

2/10

 

MAP25 - “Exsanguination” (Pistol started, used saves, 100% K/I/S)

 

The exact opposite from the last map, great we have a "megawad pacing moment" where we can have at least break maps like this one.

 

Very similar to the original bloodfalls but with a bit more spice in the opening, and thank god there's at least an ssg from the very beginning. None of the fights are really that difficult, outside of the final one and that PA/Hell noble pit, which from my skill issue I actually decided to start using saves after like, I died on those 3 or 4 times.

 

There's nothing wrong or that remarkable on this map, is bloodfalls if it wasn't bland and forgettable, although it doesn't make much to stand up from what we've seen in abscission before.

 

6/10

 

+++ Good Morning phobos

+++ Perdition's Gate

Edited July 26 by Cutman 999

[Snaxalotl]

Map22: "Mausoleum"

Abscission doesn't have many challenge levels thus far so I decided E3 was a good point to create a short brutal level. Pretty much everything here is meant to be difficult other than the hell knight that just likes to chill (pls don't crush him he's nice). Not really much else to say here, its pretty one dimensional from a theme perspective but the combat situations have some variety for the short runtime it gets.

Map23: "Hazard Pay"

Not one of my favorite levels in the wad but it gets close. This map shows my intent when making a megawad, as I make each map I look back and try to find patterns to break. As a result this one has an emphasis on barrel hazards, raising/lowering floors that create both walls and bridges, optional ghost monster mechanics that can spice up the office fight but don't break the encounter, and a door with nothing behind it!

Part of the issue many megawads have is there is a set pattern the player picks up on and gets used to. It's certainly unavoidable when maps are all created by the same author as I have my own style of mapping, but it can be alleviated. It turns out so well when you look back on the ways previous maps could get viewed as repetitive so you can go against the grain and try something new, and I think this map really shows how well that mindset can work.

The only thing I would change here is finding a way to make the spider mastermind more reliable, sometimes she ends up near the exit nearly at full health and the player can just duck in cover and slowly kill her without any challenge. Also side note I absolutely love this midi, it touches on the more synth oriented feel of the early levels with a much larger sense of scale attached.

Map24: "Abyssal Refuge"

This is basically the Episode 3 equivalent of Map09: "Hadal Facility". It has the same massive layout with a nonlinear approach and a focus on low tier enemies, but without the restrictions of an Episode 1 map in regards to difficulty.

This level is quite oppressive and the ammo scarcity is brutal at first. I can see why this map is so divisive but I wouldn't have it any other way as it captures the suffocating feeling of being trapped deep in an underground complex. That's all I really have to say about it since it's basically a harder more advanced version of map09.

Map25: "Exsanguination"

The first and only full burnout level in the megawad, after making this I realized I was exhausted from making 25 maps over the span of about 2 months, and shortly after starting map26 I decided to take a long break before returning to finish what I started. Too many megawads have a disappointing final act due to burnout and I couldn't let that happen to Abscission. As a result this is my least favorite map in the wad, overall its just meh but lacks the drive and inspiration I had when making the others.

[RHhe82]

MAP26: Igneus. Played on UV, pistol start. DSDA v0.27.5. K: 74/76, S: 1/1, I: 50/50. Comp. time 11:55

 

Abandoned Mines is one of my favourite Doom 2 levels -- and Igneus might be my favourite level of Abscission so far. It's a bittersweet romance, because I failed to do away with final two enemies. I guess I should have used the cybie more, instead of wasting my final round of ammo against it, leaving me with only an unberserked fist against an imp and a cacodemon, both of which resided in a ledge where I couldn't reach them anymore.

 

So, ammo starvation is a minor issue. But somehow I didn't mind that much this time; Igneus is a nicely lit and nicely crafted place that's probably the hardest Abscission has offered so far: the point where you first dropdown by the ARROW IN A DOOM MAP is one hectic gauntlet I had to try again and again. It's followed by the cyberdemon cavern, which also made me run for my money. I hate lost souls.

 

The place looks great, and I believe it's the best usage of the IoS Brain Lava texture I've seen: usually there's something weird about it, but in Igneus there's a wall where it looks nice, because it's combined with a light level decoration.

 

Great map, which I'll try and max later, because it's also slightly stressful.

 

***

 

15 minutes later: Indeed, replayed it: K: 76/76, S: 1/1, I: 50/50. Comp. time 10:42

 

This time I was left with decent surplus ammo. So, my first playthrough was less than optimal, and now I like the map even more. Although I'm still pissed at the lost souls, especially in the cyber cavern. On my 2nd playthrough also the inescapable (I assumed) pits pissed me a little, but not nearly enough not to love this map.

 

One additional note: On my first time I was puzzled at some of the out-of-reach areas. It's kind of cool, makes the place look more, umm, rooted in its world, possibly we're given glimpses of maps to come. I love it when that's done, yet at the same time I spent quite some time looking for ways to reach a medikit that's presumably unreachable. Also, the yellow is nowhere to be found, I guess: it'd let me access the mysterious teleporter in the cyber cavern. For long I wondered what the teleporter was doing there.
 

***

 

Added upon posting:

 

3 hours ago, Snaxalotl said:

The first and only full burnout level in the megawad, after making this I realized I was exhausted from making 25 maps over the span of about 2 months, and shortly after starting map26 I decided to take a long break before returning to finish what I started.

 

Twenty-five maps in two months is awfully lot, no wonder there's burnout... But unless I'm alone with my opinion, a break was worth it. I mean it's obviously worth it in order to heal from burnout, but I think the break can be seen in the resulting map.

[Celestin]

MAP26: Igneus

 

After clearing the starting area, you soon find a drop marked by an arrow on the floor. This is the hardest part of the map, as the courtyard lacks room to move and has numerous chaingunners that can tear you to shreads. What worked for me was running for the room at the opposite end of the place and camping there, eliminating lost souls and bigger demons. When the coast was clear, I ran for the rocket launcher and continued with the map.

 

The next part allowed me to recover resources and find the only 50 pieces of armor in the entire map. I needed it for the finale, where you battle a cyberdemon and a variety of other monsters on narrow pathways, criss-crossing a lake of lava. It was tense and challenging, easily a highlight of the map.

 

Once again, Igneus is a brisk map that provides a challenge for its short runtime.

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 26: Igneus

Crispy Doom, UV, pistol-start

 

The beginning is fairly hostile. I just love how the path marked with the arrow will deposit us into the most dangerous gauntlet of the map with hardly any hope of relief. Try to stay out of the lava btw, it will deal 20 points of damage to any unarmored player. The final giant cavern with the red key was confusing in the sense that's it's not immediately obvious how to approach this situation with limited ammo. Occasional Barons on the sides, than some Cacos and Imps in the middle, along with a Cyberdemon there's not enough ammo for, unless one adds some infighting. It's a fairly claistrophobic space for how expansive it is to, which is some brillant execution. And that's really the map. Maybe the yellow key door is supposed to be a red herring? And that midi, while unsettling, might be a little ambient and repetitive for me to have taken notice (I'm not sure how true the latter is, admittedly but subtle variations are like, won't notice so many of them).

 

 

 

[Blast_Brothers]

MAP24: Abyssal Refuge

 

Quote

 

I've been looking forward to the Chasm remake for a while now. It just feels like a map that fits very nicely into the aesthetics and sensibilities of Abscission.

 

MAP25: Exsanguination

 

Quote

 

Succeeds at being a twisted version of the original - although this one might be fairer than its inspiration.

Took me embarrassingly long to find the last switch in the exit room.

 

MAP26: Igneus

 

Quote

 

Beguiling, disquieting, and very strange. There are more spaces you can't get to than spaces you can. It feels like the map is very pointedly rejecting the player's wish to explore, to discover, to master this space. But Hell remains beyond mortal comprehension.

[Roofi]

I've recently had a short burnout from Doom and have accumulated a lot of backlog. I was on the point of giving up for this month but I've decided to get back on track! I've decided to play with a handful of saves this time to make things a little simpler. All my videos are in spoiler.

 

Map 19 "Phosphene"

 

 

Map 20 ‘Phosphene’ gives me a very similar experience to map 10 ‘Industrial Crypt’.

Human civilisation materials such as concrete and metal have been repurposed to build an unassailable citadel. However, the ‘castle’ aspect is more pronounced as the darkness replaces all human traces as you progress...

 

The atmosphere is also much quieter, reinforcing the idea of exploring a world that has nowfallen into ruin. Like Map 10, the imposing architecture surrounding the citadel makes us feel tiny and and confines us to this immense edifice.

 

Despite its vanilla compatibility, Abscission offers a great deal of detail, even a little too much, as map 20 was the first opportunity to have a VPO,, when you release the Cyberdemon. I do appreciate, though, how Snax put efforts at making evolutive layouts, as the Cyberdemon trap doesn't appear on the first visit to the central courtyard.

 

 Beyond that, there's a Sunder-esque feel to the place, which of course helps to give it a certain immensity and contribute to the feel to be lost in a vast universe.

However, I think that ‘Industrial Crypt’ is a step above, as the lack of ammunition was a little irritating at times, but still;  ‘Phosphene’ was one of Abscission's little masterpieces.

 

Grade : A (17/20)

 

Map 20 : To Hieron

 

 

In my opinion, ‘To Hieron’ ticks all the boxes of a filler, but on the other hand I never really appreciated map 20 of Doom 2 and I'm currently very late with my reviews.

So the briefness of this map is very welcome!

 

Apart from its short duration, the filler aspect is best illustrated by the layout, which consists of rocky passages drawn at random.

 

It's as if Snax wanted to take a break and not push the bar too high, to avoid potential burn-out when designing the megawad.

 

Battles turn out to be anarchic, quickly resulting in an indigestible salad of monsters.

 

I'm also stunned by how straightforward it is to finish this map. I was expecting more resistance, but most of the enemies can be ignored. They more figure as an extra challenge for completionists.

 

Grade : C+ (11/20)

 

Map 21 : Of Flesh & Fission

 

 

This representation of ‘Nirvana’ is really creepy, as if I hadn't landed in the right dream. The pillars of map 11 were particularly haunting haunting and now it's strange to find myself among them, at the very bottom.

Am I supposed to ‘ supply’ them with my corpse?

After all, that pile of flesh you see at the end of the level must surely serve some purpose...

 

‘Of Flesh and Fission’ had me on edge because of the lack of armour. This choice of level design, coupled with the name of the map, gives me the idea that I'm exposed and that I've therefore become vulnerable.

However, the worst enemy was the VPO in the fleshy section at the end of the map. The latter is very easy to get and I'm criticising a certain lack of testing in this specific map, as any player using the original exe or chocolate doom may spot the VPO...

 

Technical bugs aside, ‘Of Flesh and Fission’, with maps 10, 11, 32 and 19, is one of my favourite levels in this wad. The fact that all the medkits are now to be found exclusively in the central hub provides a survival-horror feel that makes the map really oppressive. The medkits are also satisfying to collects as they become now a reward every time you survive a section. Teleporters are indeed scattered around the map, allowing you to return to the spawn point for supplies.

 

While the VPOs at the end of the map annoyed the hell out of me, ‘Of Flesh & Fission’ is richly detailed with lighting effects and cavernous passages, making for a nice ‘feast’ for the eyes, no pun intended.

 

If I could compare map 21 with 11, notably because of the presence of those mysterious pillars we've already seen earlier, ‘Sarcophagus’ made a slightly bigger impression on me, but ‘Of Flesh and Fission’ was a far more disturbing and terrifying experience, which is why I love this map so much.

 

Grade : A (18/20)

 

Map 22 : Mausoleum

 

 

I don't know what the point of the mysterious Hell Knight floating in the void of the slime-filled room is, but it's really cool to see this type of thing. It's the kind of unrealistic, even slightly comical landmark that makes the map memorable, a bit like the SM under a crusher in map 06 of Doom 2. Maybe it's supposed to be some kind of turret, but the enemy doesn't wake up in DOOM2.EXE.

 

In any case, this map is still particularly arduous and hearing the music from map 08 again is no coincidence, as this mausoleum is full of little traps, involving chaingunners and revenants in particular.

 

I've always hated ‘the catacombs’ for its suffocating layout, but I liked Mausoleum for its more airy spaces, which may seem paradoxical given the heavy presence of toxic liquid. The map is also short and linear, which is fine by me.

 

Aside from this strange visual element involving a floating monster, I found the aesthetics of this map to be well thought out, with its greenish textures such as the slime I mentioned earlier and the marbled textures.

 

Grade : B (14/20)

 

Map 23 : Hazard Pay

 

 

 

A few deaths were necessary before I could hope to enjoy myself on this map. To be honest, it's hard to do worse than the original map 23 in terms of pistol start, but I'd strongly advise you to find the RL before starting the battle for the yellow key, which takes place in a sort of open-space area that's turns to be a little too noisy. The presence of a crusher and an arch-vile quickly turns this room into a ghost factory and the level quickly becomes unplayable.

 

At the same time, the sense of urgency is even more pressing than in Barrels of Fun, with monsters and barrels scattered everywhere and a fairly limited number of ammunition and medkits forcing the player to stay constantly on the move. The megasphereis virtually indispensable, but fortunately easy to find.

 

Like map 09, map 23 of Abscission struck me as less gimmicky than the original because the barrels are no longer placed to produce a comic effect with chain explosions killing enemies, but as a real source of danger for the player. It's like taking a standard map and filling it to the brim with barrels.

 

I'm not particularly fond of this map, but it seems more fun if you've played it before.

 

Grade : C+ (11/20)

 

Map 24 : Abyssal Refuge

 

 

Map 24 is probably my favourite level in Doom 2. Abyssal Refuge retains the main ingredients of its charisma: strong verticality, perilous platforming and exploration. Add to that the gloomy atmosphere of Abscission. I'm supposed to love this level, aren't I? However, there's one major problem: it's unfun.

 

Snax has had the fantastic idea of adding Tyson gameplay to Abyssal Refuge, coupled with a severe ammo famine. I feel like I'm playing a crossover between Super Mario and Resident Evil. It may be original, but it quickly becomes irksome, having to dodge around imps or hell knights. It's also not very satisfying to have to struggle just to get a few shells or rockets. Fortunately, berserk is very useful for saving ammo and resisting the hordes of pinkies that outnumber you. But still, I thinkthat constraining resources to such an extent was unnecessary and unfortunately makes exploration more of a chore than anything else.

 

Honestly, Abyssal Refuge could have been the best, but the questionable gameplay choices make it a flop in my book.

 

Grade : C (9/20)

 

Map 25 : Exsanguination

 

 

A very welcome breather map after the chaotic paths of the previous three maps. It's so much like a breather map that it's almost relaxing, if I don't count the final battle in the midst of the bloodfalls, which can quickly become difficultu without the BFG.

 

The nocturnal atmosphere, with its low luminosity and soft lighting combined with shimmering colours such as brown, green and red, gives the game a sense of well-being. At the same time, we're returning to more standard, less overwhelming combat. Shotgunners in the dark can quickly drain your life if you're not careful, but that's about it. The ‘infinite’ revenant poses no difficulty whatsoever.

 

Grade : B (14/20)

 

Map 26 : Igneus

 

 

The midi on this map made me laugh a little because the percussion sounds a bit like the vibrations you might get when moving a heavy piece of furniture like a sofa, fridge or table. In any case, the music, or rather the rhythm, really suits this forge and its burning lava. It also sounds like some kind of occult incantation and gives me the impression of exploring some kind of temple dedicated to fire. I don't have the impression that this factory is producing anything, but the metal pillars and the lava falls seem to exude a kind of magic,  reinforcing the idea of being in a sanctuary.

 

As with previous maps, combat becomes tense with a strict balance of ammunition, but I didn't struggle as much as I'd imagined. The flesh zone with its wandering cyberdemon reminded me a bit of map 20, but in the end it's quite easy to take refuge near the switch
because the cyberdemon can't reach you.

 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the yellow key, but who cares? There's a real esoteric feel to this map, not least because of its strange midi and all the details adorning the forge. I'd go so far as to say that it's probably one of my favourite midis among this megawad. Although repetitive, it hypnotises me in a way.

 

This map doesn't seem particularly scary to me, but it puts me in a real state of trance.

 

Grade : A- (16/20)

 

ALL MY VIDEOS IN SPOILERS :

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cannonball]

MAP24 - “Abyssal Refuge”

 

My negative experience of this map was very much exacerbated by going down the blue key path first, because the other two at least hand you the berserk. Ironically the only use the blue key has is to escape the blue key area (And a smattering of goodies in the hub). Because of this you face some horrible moments (Like the pinkie/chaingunner ambush with no ammo and as such you need the invulnerability to simply survive and then non-berserk punch over half a dozen remaining demons.

I really think having a third berserk that was placed on the blue key route would have removed a lot of the negativity in my opinion.

The rest of the map surprisingly is pretty good, the remix of the original slimefall maze works well thanks to the use of fake walls, the BFG secret feels great to find and the feel of the chasm is captured really well.

This map is really hostile (On a level not seen before this map), but it would be one that would be far better on future playthroughs because getting the berserk early is really key to beating this one without much hassle, the blue key path should be avoided at all costs until the yellow/red are obtained. Despite some complaints, I guess Snax should consider this mission accomplished because like the chasm I suspect this is a map you could grow to like or even love and has aggravations that distance themselves from the Chasm enough.

[Celestin]

MAP27: Maligned Annex

 

The deeper into the final chapter the player ventures, the more fractured and broken the world around them becomes. The cramped and cluttered nature of Maligned Annex feels like this whole place wasn't intended to be traversible by anyone, be it human or demon. Tech, wood and flesh exist side by side and the floor is filled with gaps into the void. It's a deliberate mess that feels wrong on some level, it's not even a corrupted place by this point, more like a random assembly of objects and places.

 

As for the combat, it's Abscission standard. The fights here rely on limited space, which is something the wad has used a lot before. It's a hectic kind of combat, especially in places like the platform with teleporting mancubi and revenants, as it's hard to find somewhere to camp and you have to be on the move the whole time. The final fight, a checkerboard of columns, has an absurd monster density thanks to several pain elementals, but it also gives you a BFG for this. Overall, I like the unnerving atmosphere of this map, I feel like it's the main star here.

[DJVCardMaster]

MAP26 - Igneus (100%K/I/S):

Igneus is Abandoned Mines on steroids. It has a really fun layout, but it surprised me that it wasn't as long as I was expecting, in terms of duration. It was a somewhat shorter map than MAP25.
Oh it was a pain to deal with low resources yet again. This map doesn't want you to waste a single bullet. The environment does not help at letting you infight enemies to save ammo, as most of the areas are stretch and not good overall for maneuvering. On top of that, there is a lot of irregular terrain that will make you bump. Definitely the bad thing here was scarce resources. The layout, the setup and the rest overall, were really enjoyable. Specially the last area with the cyberdemon, reminiscent to MAP20.

I forgot the yellow key, but I got everything in the map, maybe a non-secret BFG? I was roaming around the map to search for it but it feels like it is missing on purpose or something. I don't know.

Good map.

Order of preference:
 

Spoiler

 

MAP10
MAP24
MAP26
MAP12
MAP19
MAP16
MAP17
MAP14

MAP03
MAP06
MAP11
MAP25
MAP15
MAP08
MAP04
MAP05
MAP23
MAP20
MAP09

MAP02
MAP21
MAP18
MAP13
MAP01
MAP22
MAP07
MAP31

MAP32 (Unrated)

 

 

[RHhe82]

MAP27: Maligned Annex. Played on UV, pistol start. DSDA v0.27.5. K: 162/162, S: 2/2, I: 5/5. Comp. time 25:21

 

Another great one - Monster Condo isn't my favourite of the originals, and I was afraid there was going to be some obnoxious designs from there, including the door that closes after some time after level start, never to be accessed afterwards. Luckily I see only minimal traces of the original, and what we have here is an enjoyable map. One gripe, though: I think you can softlock yourself here by jumping thru a window from the "hub" area at the start. I jumped into the place where you also access the long corridor leading to secret soulsphere. At least I couldn't figure a way out - the one door is closed until you open it from the other side, where you trigger a small ambush near the plasma rifle.

 

But other that, I have no complaints. Darkness didn't bother me, and some of the encounters were on the tough side. The exciting one was the revenant/mancubus platform fight beyond the yellow door, and the tougher one (essentially the final fight) which I only barely survived after a couple of attempts was the cramped quarters mayhem with revenants, an archvile and lots of pain elementals. The one where you get the BFG, and still.

[DavitW]

MAP26: Igneus
There's a lot of red herring paths in this one. Red herring items, red herring doors, even red (yellow) herring keys? I couldn't figure it out at least. Surprisingly enough probably the most difficult time I had so far. The Cyberdemon encounter was obviously very dangerous. One time I killed him and found myself in what was apparently the only inescapable death pit in the level. That's nice. By the end I was completely out of ammo, so if you watch the demo you might want to stop once I open the red door. Unless you want to see me backtrack through the level several times over looking for a few measly bullets to kill the last few Cacodemons. I won't judge.

 

MAP27: Maligned Annex

Resources are more than adequate throughout, but you'll still want to save your plasma for the tougher fights. Like the fights behind the yellow and blue key doors. Other parts can also catch you out if you don't know they're coming. The first archvile trap and the drop down to the super shotgun can be particularly lethal first time through. Not too difficult when you know they're coming, though. The most surprising part of this map? Some 400 points of armor are handed out by the end! Not bad considering a lot of this wads difficulty derives from a lack of armor. It felt like the last ten maps had that much combined. Great visuals, varied gameplay and clever ideas executed well. One of the better maps we've seen.

 

ab26-27.zip

[Roofi]

Map 27 : Maligned Annex

 

 

Maligned Annex seems to be the level where Snax has gathered her remaining energy to deliver one of the most beautiful maps Abscission has to offer. The level of detail was stounding and there were several times when I was afraid I was going to crash due to VPOs.

I had the feeling to play a vanilla-compatible version of Sunder or 10x10, as the map is so rich in ornamentation,borders and pillars that are also decorated. However, I'm not sure that this library has given me a taste for reading but the exploration is sublime. The room containing the megasphere is dotted with staircases and it corresponds to the typical kind of room you may find in Sunder. I'm impressed how Snax manage to fit all this in under the vanilla boundaries. And seriously, I get the impression that quite a few vanilla mappers don't dare go into as much detail, perhaps because they're psychologically afraid of breaking the limits. Chasing red dots on the VPO explorer can also be a form of torture, encouraging mappers to spare more detail than is necessary.

 

The tone of the map is strongly tinged with mysticism, which predominates over fright. I'd even go so far as to say that a certainoptimistic tone emanates from the music, as if the hero were nearing the end of his terrible journey. The music is not happy but it brings a little hope in this increasingly disordered universe.

 

Gameplay remains a secondary aspect of this map, nonetheless. Battles quickly turn into a salad of monsters, which is neither a positive nor a negative observation. The latter just reinforces the idea that Snax seems to have spent more time polishing the visuals rather than carving out a specific layout for combat. The monsters present a considerable danger, but they tend to wander around and the map doesn't feature any specific gimmicks related to combats.

 

In conclusion, Maligned Annex is a prime example of how vanilla compatibility and richs details are not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts.  There are maps in this wad that I like better than this one, but the advanced detailing really commands respect.

 

Grade : A (17/20)

 

 

 

Edited July 27 by Roofi

[Wolfgun Shootner]

Back from the holidays, trying to catch up. Let's see how far I get...

 

Map 14: Oasis

 

UV, pistol start, done in just under 9 minutes. It's not really difficult, but I get lost and frustrated when the chaingunner shoots me from afar and I can't find my way there. Also this troll teleporter.... it takes so little to throw me off. Short map that lands a spot in the lower parts of my Abscission tier list.

[DJVCardMaster]

MAP27 -  Maligned Annex (99%K/100%I/100%S):

Overall we can say Maligned Annex is the most ambitious level yet. Aesthetically the best, probably, as it is really well detailed in comparison to the rest of the mapset. It's also tricky and difficult, each fight right from the start is hard, as Snaxolotl places fat enemies in small places. The grindiest map yet aswell, as encounters seemed to be more packed than in past entries of Abscission. Every encounter also forces you to stay in that area, without any backtrack in said room. Resources were a bit scarce aswell as in MAP26, but only at start, then, when you keep advancing, you will notice the map becomes more generous, and thanks god it became it.

Every single big fight in this map was the hardest of the mapset, or almost the hardest, the last fight was painful as having to dodge projectiles in 64mu-wide corridors is not something I'm good at. 

Really enjoyable, possibly the best map.

Order of preference:
 

Spoiler

 

MAP27
MAP10
MAP24
MAP26
MAP12
MAP19
MAP16
MAP17
MAP14

MAP03
MAP06
MAP11
MAP25
MAP15
MAP08
MAP04
MAP05
MAP23
MAP20
MAP09

MAP02
MAP21
MAP18
MAP13
MAP01
MAP22
MAP07
MAP31

MAP32 (Unrated)

 

 

[Wolfgun Shootner]

Map 15: Collapse

 

Pistol start, UV, done in about 23 min. Roaming Cyberdemon, spicy! I did not single segment this as I am still too bad at two-shotting cyberdemons, although now I've found the additional stashes behind the blue doors so it should be quite doable. I did not get the plasma but was able to find the other secrets, and the secret exit, which I'm very proud of haha. Also I'm missing one kill, I cannot get into this one building. How do I get there I wonder... Anyway, this was great, but on to the secret levels. I'll revisit this later to find the missing enemy..

[Wolfgun Shootner]

Map 31: Reanimator

 

Pistol start, UV... Blind first try, lol!

Well not exactly. How many times did you die there? I guess once you find the rhythm of hiding and get all the archies to target the cybers it's somewhat consistent.. finally I made it through, then I noticed I did not find the super secret exit. OMG. Should I go again? I'm not sure, I'm not super fond of getting zapped in pitch black darkness... On the other hand it is only 3 minutes...

[Wolfgun Shootner]

Map 32: Bed of Creation

 

What is this? I just got zapped enough in Map 31, I'm not gonna glitch AND get zapped. Moving on (but kudos for designing a map around a glitch, I appreciate the creativity!) 

[Wolfgun Shootner]

Map 16: Cold Ascent

 

Pistol start, UV. Finally I can see again! This is a fun map, I managed the final fight by hiding in the BFG room and letting them come to me. With some infighting I had just enough ammo. Felt a bit like cheesing or was it just a good strategy? I don't know, but finished this, all kills, moving on...

[cannonball]

MAP25 - “Exsanguination”

 

Well has a lot more going for it than Bloodfalls, the layout is solid and ammo isn't a problem. That said you need to make sure that you are ready for the end part of the map in terms of health and supplies because there is squat in the final fight. Good thing you can sit on the archvile spawn point and wait for the exit wall to lower. 

Despite this gripe, this is a solid and well presented map that is far less aggravating than the previous map. A solid effort.

 

MAP26 - “Igneus”

The monster count is somewhat deceiving thanks to the large number of lost souls. This map has a little too much unnecessary back tracking in it (Especially between getting the red key and getting to the door as you teleport back to the start). The red key area itself is very dangerous but you can skip a large amount of this if you are light footed, returning is dangerous because the cyber and cacos will congregate around the hold you drop in through, however for me I got away with it.

This is another one I would call solid, not the best map but it definitely is a step up from the original Map26 again. That said the secrets seem to be getting very stingy (Okay 50 armour bonuses isn't nothing, but it is hardly laying out the red carpet either).

Edited July 27 by cannonball