DJVCardMaster

Gruntruck.

This one made by @Drywtler for the Constriction: 1024 project.

Abscission - Snaxolotl: An eeire mapset with a particular setting. Most of it is just Standard Doom II gameplay with increased difficulty, but with added spookyness. The idea Snaxolotl had in mind was to create a more suspenseful atmosphere, combining Doom II gameplay with some aesthetic/gameplay cameos from the original maps in Doom II that occupied the same slot in the main game, for example, catwalking in MAP24, tricky rooms in MAP08, or overall aesthetic similarities in some levels that straight out made a tribute to original maps, like the first five maps or MAP14. The main thing about Abscission is both its atmosphere, full of dark corridors and rooms, and its combination with the music choice, rather than using classic heavy metal stuff for the soundtrack, Snaxolotl uses a more atmospheric soundtrack, in a Quake way. Full of string instruments, unnerving percussion and noisy ambient sounds in the background. This is what makes Abscission worthwhile. The atmosphere is possibly the best ever created with vanilla Doom II, no added textures, no additional stuff, just pure Doom II creativity. And that's where most of its praise comes from. Not gonna lie, I did not feel as frightened by playing Doom since I was playing the 32x port of the first game. Atmosphere here is so good you will enjoy playing this at night, with the lights turned off. Talking about lights turned off. One complain about its atmosphere, is the use and abuse of dim lights in rooms, most of the time, specially closer to the end of the experience, you will see nothing, you will roam around trying to search for limited ammo to mow down enemies in pure darkness. Most of your deaths will come this way. This does hurt gameplay a bit, specially when Snaxolotl forgets to contrast illuminated walls with the rest of the room/corridor, like she did in MAP28, for example. Another thing to talk about are the maps themselves. Not going to lie here, it was really difficult do rate maps as most of them where at the same level, making the experience a little bit monotonous for me. None of them were bad, but none of them were great or memorable. You will probably forget how the first 10 maps looked like by the end of the experience. There are not so many ups and downs in quality, but I think this is in a bad way. Sometimes, bad maps are needed for the really good maps to stand out a bit more. Luckly, my choices for the best/worst maps are easy, still. Best maps: MAP27 - The best map in terms of layout and looks, without resigning the atmospheric touches of the megawad, it was a really difficult, but fun to play map, with several ways to tackle it. MAP10 - In a similar vein to MAP27, this one was big, and full of stuff or places to go, just like the original Refueling Base. MAP24 - The Chasm was really improved here, by not making it as annoying as it was, and also improving finding stuff a lot. Maybe the excesive use of backtracking hurted it a bit, but still a really enjoyable piece. Worst maps: MAP22 - Short, cramped, overly gimmicky and annoying to navigate, it didn't interest me that much, felt like a placeholder map. MAP07 - Bad Dead Simple clone, annoying to play as every enemy is placed in a way you don't have that much cover other than just running and gunning. It feels kind off awkward to provoke infighting aswell, as spaces are not as wide as you would expect. MAP31 - Bad secret map, a filler one if you ask me. Ghost monsters are present in other maps in Abscission (intended or not), but there are not any more fun to fight here. You can finish the map by running in circles for some time as it has a time limit, but if you hurry you can get to MAP32, nothing too interesting here. Score: 76/100 (Good)

MAP30 - Abscission: Kinda like a continuation to yesterday's map, which already gave me "endgame" vibes. The Icon of Sin got destroyed, and now we are putting an end to everything, trying to escape hell itself. The homonymous map of the mapst is another one of those "cave exploration" levels of Abscission, this is not an Icon of Sin as you would expect. Interestingly, Snaxolotl decided to place it at MAP29 instead. This one feels like when you beat the final boss in a Metroid game, and then you have an escape sequence. Fun level full of everything we've seen throughout the entire mapset. Darkness, irregular shaped places, techbase-like environments stitched to hellish landscapes giving you the idea of corruption, and overall an eeire feeling thanks to the music choice. The mapset ends in a somewhat high note, making you feel this is actually the last level, and not another one of those failed IOS fight. I insist on the IOS at MAP29, clearly it was refreshing for the mapset to end this way with the last two maps. We enter the corrupted heart of the level, and everything finishes. Leaving you a better aftertaste than most other wads. Order of preference:

MAP29 - Epiclesis (100%K/I/S): Epiclesis feels more like the actual final map this time. Usually, MAP29 is a giant playground that gives the impression of "this is the end" to the player. In this case, Snaxolotl even implies that by adding an Icon of Sin before MAP30. Gameplay-wise I was expecting more of that "long, irregular corridors with low light levels here for one last time, as it seems like the easier thing to do a quick layout, specially in "hellish" landscapes. It is what it is, a Living End clone with a hellish facade, and an additional IOS. It feels there is a bit of wasted potential to its layout, but it's designed to be a quick end to the journey before MAP30. The gameplay switches a lot at the end as you can quite rush to the exit when the IOS awakens. An awarded BFG will help you with your troubles while running to the exit, so it becomes more of an escape than anything else. Order of preference:

New Alpha 2.1 with updates to maps! Download ALPHA 2.1 Also, I've decided to set a Hard deadline for September 7th. Most maps are on a finished state, however, you can still submit some changes if you feel like it. Shout-out to mappers whose map is still in a "need fixes" state or need to address some issues for them to be on a "green" state: @Drywtler @MortisCausaDonatio @RED77 @Silhouette 03 @DRON12261 @Weird Sandwich @ThatWeNGuy @dmh094 You can check what those issues are at the project's spreadsheet. You can also check at the Discord's #feedback section. Happy mapping!

MAP28 - Thresholds Beyond (99%K/71%I/0%S): Snaxolotl really likes to make this kind of maps where there are long stretches of irregular corridors in an open area, simulating some hellish landscape, we had seem some similar ones in MAP20 and MAP26, for example, so it is starting to be a cliché. Still, it was a really fun map, the layout at start scrambled my brain, as you have several ways to tackle the goal of grabbing the yellow key. After grabbing it, the map kinda ends, as you will have a straight-forward path towards the red skull, and then the exit. The fun of this map is more about exploring and trying to clean up everything, but for this, you will need to first get the SSG, and then quickly go for the plasma gun that is being guarded by an archvile. You will have two easy to spot BFGs for your troubles, so combat won't be a problem after you rush for guns. The stretch where you have to run for your guns may be the most difficult part if you don't know the layout, and this is where my brain was scrambled. I've felt like the layout changed every time I replayed the first part. Darkness does not help. Luckly Snaxolotl plays with it in an interesting way, as walls will be lit, but not the rest of the corridor, creating an interesting "hit the shadows on the wall" game. This was clearly done in previous maps, but I noticed it was like that this far. It is a clever map, but it kinda finishes after the keygrab. One more big fight and you are done, and specially if you previously cleared the area with the spiderdemons, which is suggested, as this area will get really crowded in the end. Another solid map. Order of preference:

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:

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:

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:

MAP24 - Abyssal Refuge (99%K/100%I/40%S): This time references to The Chasm are obvious, there is no intention to hide the clear inspirations of this map. This feels similar to the Chasm, but longer, and spookier. So far, what I've noticed about Abscission in general is that Snaxolotl really succeeds at making you feel lost in a spooky labyrinth, just like the first time you played Ultimate Doom. When Snaxolotl does not abuse the monster usage in a map, she manages to create a good suspense atmosphere in combination with the music. This map had a lot of moments when I felt pressured by time, because of the expiration of radsuits over nukage floor, and the constant approach of flying enemies from all over the abyss. This time, parkouring through catwalks wasn't as annoying as in the original MAP24, even though the part with the silos was quite hard, but still, I've felt pressured because of the fact that I had a radsuit and no time to waste. What was a bad deal about this map for me was the low ammo you may have at this map, where I've benefited myself from playing continuously through the mapset (If I die quickly into the map, if not, I just pistol-start, which was not the case here). Most of the time you will be punching enemies with a radsuit, so even more hurry and pressure to myself. Really good map, possibly one of the stand-outs of Abscission so far, making it a really hard level without overwhelming you with enemies. Classic Ultimate Doom experience right here. Order of preference:

MAP23 - Hazard Pay (100%K/90%I/0%S): This map has barrels and some fun. Strange layout involving some kind of hellish office building in the middle of hell. Seems like the deepest circle of hell makes you work in an office cubicle for the rest of your life. Thanks god I killed the archvile at the office quickly, as he was about to revive some of the, already seen in Abscission, ghost monsters. Again, nothing too interesting happened here, but was way better than both of the previous map of this last episode. Also, we finally see that really nice red-planet skybox from the title screen, beautiful. Order of preference:

At last, congrats on the release!

MAP22 - Mausoleum (100%K/I/S): A short map that takes a lot of non-subtle references from the original Catacombs. As I said, very short and claustrophobic. I was not a fan of trying to search for secrets exploiting the automap in this map, but then I realized you can hit a light switch that shows you the path to get both the rockets and the plasma gun. Nothing much more to say about this map, is just there, just as the OG MAP22 was in Doom II. Filler map, for sure. Order of preference:

MAP21 - Of Flesh & Fission (95%K/100%I/100%S): A pretty twisted world based on some of the shenanigans found in Nirvana. Ugly, with sharp angles. Overall it feels like it was made by Romero as a Sigil 2 outtake because of its unorthodox layout and looks. I found myself a bit interested in this map at first, but other than building up something, nothing actually ever happens here. At the end, there is some platforming to be done. Possibly the most interesting bit, but not what I've expected. Order of preference: