cortyr_b.zip

This is definitely a very 1994 wad. Good for its time, I guess. Not on par with IWADS though.

Gameplay

Difficulty is easy(UV), but there are some cheap moments like Spectres in the dark and an elevator lowering while you get shot at. Most common enemies are Shotgunners and Pinkies(going by feeling here) with loads of imps there too of course. Cacodemons and a few Barons are the less frequent ones here.

Layout is mostly original, except the maze part from E1M4. Map length is moderate with key hunting/backtracking.

Secrets are not hard to find, but not easy to notice since they are behind normal looking wall textures. In fact even the normal passages are hard to find because of that. Keys are also located in not very intuitive places for my liking.

Visual side

Textures are mostly techbase with cobblestone flats(weird)with the starting area being made of Hell marble. Quality is pretty all over the place or very 1994 as anyone would agree - mostly just shaped rooms with enemies inside. The most complex room has a bridge with lowering/raising platforms with imps on either side.

Verdict

3/5. The year this was made in says it all. Definitely worth it to play for historic value, but hugely dated by today's standards.

Pretty impressive '94 map by the author of Return to Phobos. The theme is a mix. Progression is a bit clunky with unmarked doors and a pair of less fun mazey, though brief, parts. Ammo is tight at the start; I had to pistol 2 cacos. What really sets this apart is the quality of the structures, with a step-arch, the street lamp and a fun part with moving platforms with monsters attacking from 3 sides. This isn't quite legendary, but for just 4 months after Dooms release, it’s excellent. 4.5/5 – Sui Generis

Michael Kelsey was perhaps the first great level designer in the community. Released in April of 1994, cortyr_b.wad features some impressive details like a very convincing streetlight. It's aged poorly both gameplay and appearance-wise with some HOMs and unmarked doors. But whether you love it or hate it, it's undeniably a piece of Doom history. 3.5/5

Not bad but a bit back and forth. The unmarked doors are annoying but they show up on the map so it's not too much trouble.

An interesting map. I remember playing this years ago when it first came out... and never being able to finish it as I wasn't that great of a player back then. I remember that courtyard though... still a piece of doom history. I don't see how anyone could really hate it... there are some interesting features of this map. 4/5

A pretty good 1994 level. Not a masterpiece, as it's plagued by problems such as blatant texture misalignments and some HOMs on vanilla (these mostly go away on limit-removing source ports). It's most distinctive feature is having an arena with an eerie streetlight, and some very good use of ambient lighting in general (e.g. the courtyard is fully lit by recessed wall lights at some point). Some battles may be a bit hard, especially in ammo-tight phases. Overall, worth a look. 4/5 -Maes

Ah, this oldie is already two decades in my 'good' directory. Replaying it I remembered pressing every wall searching for more secrets and hidden passages :lol:. At that time the streetlight was spectacular. Overall it's indeed one of the better '94 maps, but it's for sure not legendary. Rated in 1994: 4/5, worth a play for fans of nostalgia.

This is reaaaally good for May 1994. The map is competently built, a bit sparse on detail but never flat-out dull. I found all 3 keys, killed about 80% of the monsters, but could not for the life of me find an exit, or a way behind those silver bars. For it's age this thing is damn good.