Area 51

Don't want to spoil the secrets they are working in here. Alien technology? Spaceships?

The truth is out there, but so are lies.

A really good and intricate level sets in the infamous Area 51 from one of the Squadron 247 mappers, with a very interesting techbase classic theme in the style of levels like the invade series or galaxia, with brand new textures and sprites that i really enjoyed (awesome flying brain and the alien guy, even if the aliens with that yellow suit make me think that aliens are going to cook meth with Walter White lol)

Again, a really, really enjoyable map, worth the download! Too bad it is incomplete and misses the final map...

Out of 500,000 people who showed up to storm Area 51, you were the person smart enough to travel back to 1997, a whole 20+ years before the US Air Force expected your arrival. Even back then, the military installation was armed to the teeth with custom high fences, guard posts and a complex interior structure of underground rooms. Armed with only your pistol, with the Mission Impossible playing in midi form you are able to Doomguy run your way inside make it inside to find 'dem aliens and rescue green plasma technology.

Area 51 is a grand two level excursion that flows nicely, has a lot of content to its levels, good fights, diverse locales and some custom artwork. There is a new reskinned hover beast, barrels and rivers full of yellow glowing ooze, yellow hazmat suited foes, and plenty of text to guide you as if you were in the real facility. You'll trudge through sewers, explore pristine clean rooms, trek through some unique architecture with deep lifts, sprawling staircases, big rooms and tight corridors.

This .wad is dare I say 95% good to great and a real gem from the era, but the worst parts are the early lack of ammunition that gets balanced out over time and the use of pitch black corridors. There are monster closets and a few chaingun snipers, but nothing that truly hinders the experience for more than a few moments. Everything else is an enjoyable challenge that gets punctuated every so often with a revenant or a baron here or there. These are the beasts contained, but you'll mostly be slugging it out with humans, imps, specters and pinkies..

It has withstood the test of 20 years and was still an enjoyable 40 minutes to get through today. Your results may vary. Make sure to quick save!

Everybody, storm this WAD. They can't stop us all. #thatjokewillremainrelevant

Honestly, this is stellar work for a 1997 WAD. By today's standards the custom sprites may be a little ropey, the new sounds clashing, and the cute little edits to the IWAD assets probably less-cute. But in the context of an era in which WinTEX was the best tool around (shudder) this is actually a gem. Two maps with questionable midi choices (Mission Impossible's theme tune I can both understand and forgive; White Wedding? I have no idea what the author was thinking on that one) but they're filled to the brim with neat little immersive touches that make it worth playing today, even if only out of curiosity.

So go clap some alien cheeks! ;)