1 Monster Megawad

I really liked the gimmick with 1 monster of each kind in each level. Favourite maps = 05 (Pinkies), 08 (Sargeant), 09 (Lost Soul), 11 and 15 (Spectres), 16 (Mancubus) and 17 (Chaingunner). MAP 19 would be a favorite if it had more ammo, shotgunning 439 cacodemos is very boring and takes a lot of time, really should have more plasma or rocket ammo. This aside, it's a very enjoyable set of maps.

Absolutely love this wad. I like it's gimmick and I like the levels even more. They're very varied and fit the type of the monster used perfectly. I only didn't like two maps: Zumma and Cacophony, they're too long and get boring, tbh. But other than that, it's really good and I think it's underrated.

Also, this is a perfect wad to test custom monsters.

This is a one of wads that inspired me to map for Doom. 

I really can't say too many bad things about it as it is the first major project to grasp upon the idea of using only one monster type in the entire map, however the final product isn't one of the greater megaWADs, even though it was one of the first I ever downloaded (read: downloaded megaWADs from /idgames in alphabetical order).

The best maps for me were MAP12 and MAP15, especially the music. Both of those maps manage to utilize their chosen monster, Baron (yes!) and Spectre (which are really lackluster in normal combat, to be fair) to a great extent in creating tense, yet fair encounters. Both of those map also have nice visuals.

MAP19: Cacophony is pretty much the most infamous map in the set due to its monster length and difficulty, and I'm really torn on it, because a part of me really likes the map due to its glaring visuals and an incredible sense of place combined with the growing tension of the Cacos, but another part of me thinks it's just an incredibly boring map that just pulls out right at the end. If I was asked do I like it, I probably would say yes anyway.

Some maps were incredibly lacking as well, mainly the following:

• MAP05 utilizes the demon pretty nicely at the start, but the ending part is just hilariously bad and funny. There's really no fear going through you as you kill demons with barrels, crushers or weaponry and it's just so boring.
• All the imp levels (MAP02, 04, 06)
• MAP23 with the archviles was not really boring but more incredibly underwhelming. It's an archvile yet the level is just... there.

I do like the fact that MAP06: Claws of the Imp was made by Impclaw.

Overall, really a mixed bag (leaning more towards the good side for me), but it's got some sort of value due to its type and some of the levels are incredibly solid as well. Still, I wouldn't recommend it as a must-play.

Very good MEGAWAD. Keep up the good work guys!

Playability notes: PrBoom+ with -complevel 9 works: had an issue on MAP23 without it, possibly there are others.

1 Monster Megawad tries for a novel gameplay gimmick and, for the most part, fails to care about it. You'd think, with such a radical limitation, that more mappers would be willing to adopt a more innovative mindset, but a majority of the maps here coincidentally implement the given limitation rather than embrace it. There are enough maps to pick and choose a good few, but it's really not worth going through the entire set.

The limitation is fairly obvious if you don't expect a jokewad: the entire map must contain only a single monster type. (MAP10's Pain Elemental map produces Lost Souls, so I don't know whether to discredit it altogether or consider it a technical exception.) This is a very restricting limitation when it comes to gameplay. Thus, my normal criteria are eschewed: instead, I consider chiefly whether the map justifies its use of a single monster type, and then consider how well the gameplay stems from it. My expectation was that Archvile and Cyberdemon maps would be a shoe-in, with the others depending on their context. How wrong I was!

Unlike most reviews, where I do something of a highlight rundown, I'll go through each map I thought successfully used its single monster type and why (expect verbosity, though you can just read the underlined item for map recommendations):

• MAP05: Infested (Demon). The weakest example, though that's due only to execution: it tries hard to exercise the demons in interesting yet familiar ways (killing with barrels and crushers), but most cases simply fall short. However, if nothing else, it tried, which is far more than I can say for those that didn't make this list.
• MAP06: Claws of the Imp (Imp, duh). While this fodder enemy is hard to make an entire map out of, the provided gameplay makes up for its contextual dearth. Going through berserk fist, then shotgun or chaingun (depending on route) keeps the player interested in using an appropriate weapon on the imp; and the intimate use of space keeps the player pressured throughout. It's not the best example, as the imp really has no redeeming features to play off of, but the limitation doesn't feel forced, and that's good enough.
• MAP08: Buckshot Waltz (Sergeant). Similar to MAP06, though the shotgunner is can easily pressure and is also easier to kill: the pacing of the level reflects that. The highlight comes from the final major encounter in a medium arena filled (and continued to fill) with shotgunners, where the partial invisibility powerup becomes a boon but also a time limit in which killing everything quickly becomes vital to survival.
• MAP09: Chamber of Souls (Lost Soul). The constant movement from one section to the next simultaneous with the addition of more and more Lost Souls places the player in constant motion, desperate for infighting on generally low ammo and few (if any) positions of safety. The final fight is just nonsensical fun, though honestly half of these levels should have that just to show off what can be done with these enemies.
• MAP11: Mausolem (Spectre). Not a great level, but it uses the spectre in such an impressive manner that I couldn't help but be enamored. Specifically: the level is very large and begins with ice texture, making the spectre incredibly easy to spot; when you're moved into darker and more complex textures, however, the spectre assumes its gimmicky invisible state. The result is that you're psychologically compelled to forget about the possibility of a spectre in these darker areas, since you're used to seeing them easily, and it's very amusing to be surprised by what should be an obvious encounter.
• MAP12: Baron Citadel (Baron). Hard to believe this was a success, as this enemy tends to be even more boring than an imp, but it worked! A few cramped hallways aside, the baron's generous HP combined with ammo starvation makes for an interesting setup. I was likely making the map more interesting myself by ignoring enemies at times, though in hindsight it appeared somewhat required given the available supplies. The final encounter is especially neat, managing to make a baron that completely blocks the pathway (aka a "door with health") apply constant pressure indirectly via the nearby horde.
• MAP15: Spook House (Spectre). Most certainly the strongest map in the entire set, as its well-polished aesthetic greatly adds to the gameplay challenge. The use of spectres is never especially dense, but always frightening, as you basically have to wait until they're attempting to chomp you. Combined with ammo starvation, it's an exhilarating but tense map using what is normally a very simple enemy.
• MAP20: Bony Encounter (Revenant). Honestly, this should have been on my list of "enemies that naturally work by themselves", as revenants are an incredibly versatile enemy that fit in many places. This level uses them in all the expected ways and gives the player quite a few means to approach them. A solid, if safe, handling of the single-monster limitation.
• MAP22: Triad of the Minds (Spider Mastermind). Finally, a level with only a few enemies used in interesting ways! This is what I had ideally anticipated throughout the mapset, and to think it only came up once with this infamously difficult-to-place monster type. Ultimately, they're used primarily as turrets (with the exception of an amusing albeit easy Cat & Mouse section), but the level manages to stay interesting. A bit confusing on where to go, but I forgive that for actually following through on the gimmick.
• MAP24: The One God (John Romero head). If you know Scythe's MAP28, this is basically that map but replacing enemies with a frustrating endgame shootout. To do this map in one go would certainly be an achievement, as there are numerous lethal mistakes to be had. You could say this would be technically allowed for any monster type, but to consider this as an "Icon of Sin map" (as described by the text file) sets it apart from, say, a door with health ending.

Oddly enough, the Archvile and Cyberdemon maps were less interesting than their historical counterparts (Plutonia's Hunted and Cyberdreams, respectively). Aside from the above 9 maps, the remaining 16 failed to capitalize on actually using their monster type to make a good level. Instead you see numerous non-limited blueprints of maps that happen to contain only a single monster type, which thoroughly defeats the purpose of the limitation! Just about every one would be improved by ignoring the limitation and putting in whatever enemies actually make sense.

If you're curious what I think could be used for enemies that didn't make the cut:

• Former Humans and SS should just be a fun slaughtering (rockets and BFG ahoy), as you can't expect to get much fun out of them otherwise. I suppose you could try some barrel setups, but that seems forced.
• Chaingunners are an enemy that's great at suppressing the player's available movement. A map where you have to struggle to find a weapon that can kill the many turrets keeping you down would be satisfying.
• Hell Knights are a tough sell, similar to imps, but I imagine a level similar to MAP06 (albeit heavier weapon progression) could work in a pinch.
• Mancubi are also good as suppression, though I would personally go with close-up turrets and awkward weaponry (probably a chaingun or rocket launcher). The challenge should come from expertly avoiding the barrage of missiles while you focus your aim. Maybe throw in a forced partial invisibility to make it crazier!
• Pain Elementals... there are plenty of ways to go right here. Rocket-only weaponry is powerful but threatening; using them as untouchable spawners for infinite lost souls as you're forced into quick navigation; keeping them an arm's length away to prevent blocking the spawn while you're stuck in a small arena to fend off multiple points of attack.
• Archviles really should have been an easy success. Archvile jumps are a shoe-in, or the teleporting vile like in Plutonia's Caughtyard, or using shootable switches for cover, or berserk fist fights, or building a massive playground with the inevitable approach of a horde, heck anything besides what was done here.
• Cyberdemons should also be fairly easy, what with an entire megawad's worth of inspiration on weaponless challenges alone. I should not be expected to use a chaingun on a Cyberdemon, let's leave it at that. Forcing 2-3 BFG shots would be bold but fun for many (and possibly educational for the rest).

The most important part here wasn't so much the quality of the level as the quality of the idea. Had all of the levels in the mapset provided a clear and effective usage of their enemies that wouldn't have worked well using other enemies, I would've at least enjoyed what the levels were capable of. As it stands, I recommend playing the underlined levels above from pistol start and skip the rest.

the 1 Monster Megawad stands surprisingly distant from the other community projects that had limitations to them. it's widely played too, almost entirely because it is placed rather close to the top of the alphabetical list and its title clues you in on what to expect, fighting only one type of monster in each map. the maps definitely make this community project a mixed bag, but the concept of having to fight only one type of monster makes it memorable. because of this fact, you can play this wad with a monster randomizer to get different experiences each time, and that's actually the kind of thing that can actually make this more fun. should you choose not to, however, the maps provide a good backdrop on just how to strategize each individual monster you see.

the two shotgun guy and zombieman maps allow for some average gameplay and aren't as big. there's three imp maps, all of which are actually somewhat underwhelming, the two spectre maps are quite interesting design-wise, the lost soul and pain elemental wads are decent in their own ways, the pain elemental one in particular tests the player's mettle by dealing with the buggers in open spaces. the two arch-vile levels are actually not that keen on their usage overall but they have some moments. the arachnotron level and baron level are flat-out disappoints, the revenant level is quite harsh really and truly, the cyberdemon level is almost typical Pcorf style. the first chaingunner level is somewhat nasty, but the other one (MAP17) is fucked up and long enough to make me gurge. the cacodemon level is a true marathon and uses them in rather ordinary ways. the demon level (MAP05) has weird moments to it. the hell knight level fashions claustrophobic fights, while the mancubus level varies its combats to fit the deceptive fireball spewing nature of the monster. the SS level is just sort of there even if it's designed neat. then you have the puzzle levels, those being the spiderdemon one (sort of a Cyberdreams take on the spider mastermind) and the final Icon of Sin level, which takes after Run From It but is even more of a nasty gauntlet. there's certainly a lot of innovation with those.

some are underwhelming. some are just sort of there. some are straight-up gimmicks. but above all else, this wad tests your mettle in ways that correspond to whichever monster you'll be facing. that's probably the best thing that comes out of this megawad, the changing of the strategies for winning.