Looking for Megawads specializing in Hell Maps.

[CRTFTW]

So I'm still a bit new to this site, and the specific wad thread rules state that this question shouldn't be asked there, since it's a general question, so I hope I'm in the right place.

I use GZDoom, if that matters.

I like hell levels, especially eyecandy hell levels, or ones that are disturbing. I'm hoping some experienced users here can help me locate some wads and megewads that specialize in hell levels, or really creepy normal levels, things like that. I like the hell landscapes, and I like levels that freak me out, and I like hell levels that just look plain cool. The Eye was a good one. Unloved was especially close to what I like.

Any kind users have any suggestions?

[Terminus]

I recall Whispers of Satan being one of the only megawads which has an Episode 3 (maps 21-30) which doesn't break the Hell theme. I might be wrong because it's been a while since I played it, but it has some incredible Hell styled maps (and some great non-hell maps in the earlier levels too), so you should at least check that one out.
Might expand this list if anything else comes up in my mind.

[Zed]

Maybe Alien Vendetta? You might also want the DeHackEd patch.

[dobu gabu maru]

Whispers of Satan has some fantstic looking Hell maps

[pcorf]

WOS MAP25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 = super hellish.

[kmxexii]

CRTFTW said:

hell levels

eyecandy

disturbing

creepy normal levels

hell landscapes

Try out Hellbound

[Guest]

Hellbound. First mapset I thought of. Awesome.

[NuMetalManiak]

NOVA MAP28 "The Seventh Circle" is right up your alley.

[joe-ilya]

MAP22 of doom core.

[CRTFTW]

Hey, this is awesome everyone! Thanks so much! Keep 'em coming!

[pcorf]

Deus Vult 2 has this level with a huge lava cave in it which is what inspired me to make my Vulcana maps.

[Salt-Man Z]

Deus Vult is pretty much the Hell level, in my mind. (The WAD is structured so that you can either play the full level via MAP05—like I did—or you can play it broken up into pieces: MAP01 is a techbase, MAP02 starts getting hellish, and MAP03 and 04 are full-on Hell.)

[mouldy]

The unholy cathedral from deus vult 2 is worth a mention as well (map21), and the hell maps in scythe 2 are quite awesome (map26-30).

[ella guro]

speaking of this, i wish there were a lot more wads which broke the typical techbase-city-hell megawad progression. i kinda don't understand why so many people follow it. i like how Memento Mori 2 intentionally reverses the typical sequence because i like the idea of shorter, trickier hell maps and more weird and complex city maps.

i'm definitely checking out Hellbound though.

[Memfis]

I think people go for the techbase-city-hell progression because it's an easy way to make a wad that feels consistent. I mean, we're all so used to this progression it seems logical no matter how coherent the maps are. But if you for example go for jungle-medieval-water city, then it might feel not that consistent even if you put a lot of thought into the whole thing simply because it's something new and people will have to judge it (while techbase-city-hell is seen as OK by default, nobody questions it). If that makes any sense.

[Superluigieth1]

Memento Mori 2?

[purist]

I think Hell usually goes last in megawads as they usually incline in difficulty and it makes sense that Hell is the least forgiving place. I suppose there's no requirement for Hell to feature at all but the game assets influence it's inclusion.

[Snakes]

No, I won't do it. I won't pimp my- oh okay:

Doom II Unleashed (AKA Pcorf Community Project or pc_cp) Map27 seems to be a well-liked map of mine and is certainly the most interesting map I made in terms of scope and ambition. Unholy Realms' 3rd episode is probably the best section of that megawad and has a couple of winners in there (namely 27-29, which are all winners IMO).

Now for stuff that's actually really good and not made by me:

Drip Feed
Alien Vendetta - 3rd episode
WOS - 3rd episode
Speed of Doom - 3rd episode
Scythe 2 - Map26-Map28
Hell Revealed - Map26 (NOTE: not necessarily 'hell' but if you want something interesting and atmospheric, look no further)
Community Chest 4 - Map26-Map30

[Demon of the Well]

You might try Lutz's Inferno, if you're not averse to playing an episode for the original game. Also, I imagine that you might be interested in Asylum of the Wretched and the two Happy Time Circus WADs, though the three of these are all just single maps (albeit quite large ones in the latter cases).

In all my years of Dooming I don't believe I've ever actually seen an entire 27/36/32+ map megaWAD set entirely in Hell. Doesn't mean there isn't one somewhere, of course, but suffice to say it's a rare thing, perhaps because it can be difficult to skillfully maintain one theme throughout an entire megaWAD (this at least has been done, sometimes successfully, though). That's the thing with the Hell theme, though. I don't think there's a damned thing wrong with Hell usually being the last episode; to the extent that there is a problem with this, I'd say it's arguably that the essentially endless scope for variety in settings that Hell as a concept offers is often left unexplored in favor of the traditional lava/gothic/flesh tableau. I reckon the theme as a whole would probably have a wider appeal if it were more often treated in the way that second episodes of many megaWADs are--that is, as a sort of collection of thematically unusual maps that don't really fit squarely in the often more rigidly defined settings that WAD authors tend to lay out for their first and final episodes. Incidentally, Hellbound, mentioned above, is pretty good about that--its Hell episode is fairly thematically varied, although some of the traditional stuff is in there (which is fine and dandy as far as I'm concerned).

[purist]

Demon of the Well said:

In all my years of Dooming I don't believe I've ever actually seen an entire 27/36/32+ map megaWAD set entirely in Hell.

OK, if Snakes can do it...

I've been posting pics of my WIP megawad Visions of Hell in the 'post your Doom picture', which will be set entirely in Hell - albiet not likely to be 32 maps and quite abstract takes on Hell (hence visions).

I've made 6 levels so far, which will make up the first episode and I'll probably post a first draft beta sometime this week.

[Not Jabba]

I don't like Hell as much as a lot of other themes, but it would be pretty cool to see a megawad that did for Hell what EvilTech did for techbases (or a megawad that did the same with cities or wilderness or ruins or crazy space maps or whatever).

[joe-ilya]

E3 and E4M3-E4M7 of 2002:ado

[CRTFTW]

This is really great. You guys are suggesting stuff faster than I can try them out, and I'm loving it.


Those circus maps creeped me the hell out, and I loved it. Just the kind of thing I like to see.

Gonna take a look at Hellbound now.

[CRTFTW]

Well, I've gone through most of these suggestions now, and I loved most of 'em. Kinda sad to see the suggestions dwindling though, so I'll ask for another suggestion! The circus maps were weird and freaky, and I love wads like that too, so if anyone knows of any that are freaky or disturbing, or fits any of the prior suggestions, go ahead and post them!

[scifista42]

You can try Zones Of Fear for a hell theme. Its maps are a bit slaughterish and get repetitive, but many people liked the megawad, myself included. Themes change more or less randomly during the megawad, but already MAP01 is a hell-infested castle. Enkeli33's and Jaeden's maps between MAP19 and MAP30 are mostly hellish.

[Memfis]

Doom 2 Reloaded has a very stylish hell episode with strong desolate atmosphere in some levels.

[joe-ilya]

Zone300 E3 exept MAP25.