Job

The first truly mature map of yakfak's. The puzzly, "inner logic" map mechanisms and scavenger, dungeon rat gameplay of their previous levels Meep Keep & Hexasketch returns, but whereas those can feel clunky and barebone at points despite the strong authorial voice, here it is fully fleshed out: the setting is evocative, the construction shows the strong command of shapes that defines yakfak's later works, the item placement and layout bends and loops in complicated and surprising ways, the level's moment-to-moment gameplay is filled with a sense of discovery and wonder.

Job has a strong hook in its text file, but what players might not realize is that they must really hang on to every word in its description to even be aware of the level's main concept. In Never_Again's in-depth review for /newsuff (which I highly recommend for details or if you are feeling stuck), he mentions being locked out if you took the "easy" route out, but I feel that's incomplete, as the real reason hinges on the player being conscious of what they are doing in a representationalist sense. In other words, to be able to reach your dream, you shouldn't just interact and go everywhere at random, but try to think about what you are doing in the context of the game's world. The solution will be clear if you square it with what yakfak hints at. There are complications: the in-game hint system of crosses and arrows are counter-intuitive, and exploration will eventually lead you to the combat zone, which itself is a puzzle unravel as supplies require routing and withholding combat through treacherous enemy placement, with only a berserked fist as defense (HMP or below is strongly recommended). In my own experience, it was fun but exhausting to make it through to the AV-guarded yellow key and slowly solve the piece, but I got massively demoralized when I read Never_Again's review that I had already locked myself out of the second half of the map. It was only when I was showcasing the Doomcute in this map to someone else that the level's inner logic finally clicked, and after some experimentation, which was much smoother thanks to me already being aware of the level's layout and lingering mysteries, I managed to solve it.

The feeling of "lore" behind the level's trials and tribulations is my favorite thing about Job, and I wish it didn't take a review for me to "get it". In terms of intriguing combat, intricate moments, or imaginative layout and visuals, I think zzzv tops themself in (woefully underrated) levels like Spidersilk, Nato, and Northern Powerhouse. Nevertheless, an essential stop for yakfak fans, and a memorable journey for those who look for Doom off the beaten path.