Sector 666

So... this is skillsaw's first official work. Apparently, it's the only pre-2000 WAD of his that is still around.

I must say that, for a 1998 WAD, this is pretty good. It's a short and sweet WAD, and is an ideal choice if you just want to play Doom for a good thirty minutes (it takes about that time to beat the WAD to 100%). With the exception of Map08 (and, to an extent, Map03), the maps aren't that long, and all have a sort of uniqueness to them.

The first two maps are fast-paced bullet-mayhem style maps. I find these two levels to be well lit and have nice enemy placement (though the secret placement in Map02 is shoddy). Map03 is a longer affair, with a lot of backtracking that reminds me a lot of these earlier WADs. You can skip a lot of monsters in this map, too, which makes it a bit too easy. Map04 is the most confusing (if you're speedrunning, anyway), since it requires you to go from one end of the map to the other, and since you teleport back to the middle constantly, it can be a bit annoying.

Map05 is the worst level; it's a series of gauntlets, really, most of which are just a bit agitating and / or boring. Map07 isn't your typical seventh level (Mancubi and Arachnotrons do appear, just not in an arena-like setting). It's a good level, with decent action, good music and good enemy placement. Then comes Mansion (Map08), the longest level. It involves "resource-starvation," which is something I'm not a fan of in Doom WADs generally. With that said, the music fits perfectly and the design (for the time, anyway) is really good. I like the little pool at the start and the observatory parts to the west end of the map (there's a sort of aquarium area, which is really neat).

Map09 is like Map05, only better (better traps and feels harder for good reasons... well, except for that first Arch-Vile). After that, Map10 and Map11 are essentially slaughtermaps - both has a shit-ton of energy cells (especially the last level) and are super easy to complete (even easier if you're playing casually).

So, all-in-all, Sector 666 is a short, yet fun affair - it's never truly annoying, the chosen music tracks (by Mark Klem and David Shaw) fit quite well and looks very good for the time of its release.

Points are taken away, however, for the overall easiness of the WAD, and also Map06 - the laziest excuse for mapmaking I think I've seen in a non-joke WAD. Good thing skillsaw isn't like that now.

Final Rating: 3 / 4 (rounded up to 4 / 5).