Episode 2 Was the Best Doom Episode

[hypoactive]

I think that Episode 2 was the best Doom episode. For me, anyways.

I don't know why but I fucking love how it looks, the near-disaster vibes that it gives off are just fuckin chef's kiss-worthy. The levels are interesting, sprawling, and varied. And unlike Duke It Out in DC - which had similar sprawling levels - they're filled to the brim with the whole cast of enemies. I love the music, too. From "I Sawed the Demons" to "Demon Waltz" or whatever the hell, the music can go from "YEAH BOYYYYY" to "oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no" and just absolute panic. I also think that the Cyberdemon is the best boss enemy in Doom. Not to mention it gives me the slightest amount of nostalgia, for whatever reason. 

[⇛Marnetmar⇛]

E2M6 is the best Doom 1 level, fight me.

[Chip]

@Marn fight you if we have different opinions, or just fight you because you said so, either way, 👊

[Marcinski]

Yeah I agree. E2 is really chill but at the same time it can have its moments where its quite the ride.

[Can't play on Nightmare]

  On 6/26/2020 at 6:41 PM, Marn said:

E2M6 is the best Doom 1 level, fight me.

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On Nightmare, the hardest one.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Can't play on Nightmare

[cambreaKer]

  On 6/26/2020 at 6:41 PM, Marn said:

E2M6 is the best Doom 1 level, fight me.

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i don't want to fight anyone but e3m6 is better imo

[Biodegradable]

E2's just a blur to me. I don't remember any of its maps really standing out to me. I think I'll need to replay through it again. E1's just so much more memorable.

[Dark Pulse]

I'd say E2's pretty good. I don't know if it's the BEST episode as it's also the point where Sandy Petersen steps in and some of his maps can just be way too sprawling.

 

However, much of the episode was kept pretty grounded by the bulk of them being Tom Hall maps that Sandy tweaked (E2M5/E2M6/E2M8/E2M9 being the only exceptions), and E2M6 is still a classic for me just because of how much it messed with you, even if I'm not the biggest fan of Sandy's work. His maps aren't BAD, mind you, just different. The experimentation helps him more.

 

I liked it a lot more than E3, anyway, which is pretty much Sandy unleashed besides E3M3 and E3M7.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Dark Pulse

[P41R47]

E4, please.
No Perfect Hatred no perfect Eps.

Jokes asides, i love ''I Saw the Demons'', other than that... don't know why, but from the four episodes of the Ultimate Doom, E2 is the one that i always find hard to recall. Strange! :/

[Pechudin]

E2M2 is the best map in DooM, bar none. Tom Hall & Sandy combo really were the ultimate mapping duo.

[Endless]

Man, I dont remember when was the last time I played the original episodes. After playing so many great wads the main ep's kinda feel stale. E2 was def a big jump for me when I played the first time. Tho, out of the 3 original episodes, Inferno is my favorite. E3M1 is such an icon.

[ZeMystic]

I'm terribly basic and always preferred Episode 1 or Episode 4. Episodes 2 and 3 and really high highs, and really low lows. Also I really really dislike the aesthetic of Episodes 2 and 3. Episode 1 and Episode 4 had a define color scheme, and idea. Episode 2 always felt all over the place with the colors. And episode 3 had some not so great levels and I always felt weird when I saw startan, tech-doors, or anyform of technology in the hell levels.

[Doom-X-Machina]

  On 6/27/2020 at 6:31 PM, Pechudin said:

E2M2 is the best map in DooM, bar none.

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Containment Area? Really...

*Puts on gloves*

[SchwTrdLeenW]

I get why people like it, but it never really stood out as particularly good to me. Most of the maps are way too empty and corridor-heavy to be fun gameplay-wise, and the atmosphere doesn't really work for me either due to its hideous visuals. Dunno, i guess i just prefer a unified, clean design and more open, freewheeling gameplay. But if you like it, then god speed you.

[seed]

E2 is solid overall, but then each episode of Doom is consistent in terms of quality IMO, even TFC, its only issue is that the difficulty is all over the place, but nothing more.

 

E2 shines with maps such as Deimos Lab and Refinery, however, I wouldn't say that it's my favorite episode, personally. Mine would be E3 since it has the most atmospheric maps, with the likes of Unholy Cathedral.

[ReaperAA]

  On 6/28/2020 at 11:56 AM, seed said:

Mine would be E3 since it has the most atmospheric maps, with the likes of Unholy Cathedral.

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One of the rare occasions where you and I have polar opposite opinion. E3 is actually my least favorite episode and E3M5 + E3M7 are two of my least liked maps in entire UDoom. For me, the only thing really going for E3 is the atmosphere and hellish aesthetic. Gameplay wise, most maps of E3 feel weak. Ironically the least aesthetically pleasing map, E3M6, is actually the only one in E3 that I enjoy.

 

E2 is definitely better than E3. E2 and E4 are a tie for me with E1 being on the top.

Edited June 28, 2020 by ReaperAA

[seed]

  On 6/28/2020 at 2:07 PM, ReaperAA said:

One of the rare occasions where you and I have polar opposite opinion. E3 is actually my least favorite episode and E3M5 + E3M7 are two of my least liked maps in entire UDoom. For me, the only thing really going for E3 is the atmosphere and hellish aesthetic. Gameplay wise, most maps of E3 feel weak. Ironically the least aesthetically pleasing map, E3M6, is actually the only one in E3 that I enjoy.

 

E2 is definitely better than E3. E2 and E4 are a tie for me with E1 being on the top.

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Good, that creates contrast and a dynamic between us, avoiding to become each other's yes-man ;) .

 

I agree that the aesthetic and atmosphere is what really boosts E3, the gameplay is so-and-so at many times and the levels can be very flat in many parts, but I am slightly biased here since I am a sucker for UDoom's red hell, and the atmosphere alone makes me much more forgiving to its shortcomings. E2 has its not-so-great moments too, after all, but generally better gameplay.

[DynamiteKaitorn]

As much as I don't really care for episode 2, if it wasn't for the Shores of Hell, the best DooM weapon, my baby, my joy and pride and love forever will not exist... (Well until episode 3 anyways XD) the PLASMA RIFLE!

 

Speaking of which I still need to know if it's possible to beat all of episode 2 using ONLY the plasma rifle to kill.

 

When it comes to maps, E2 kinda felt bland. Don't get me wrong, none of the levels are an absolute eyesore or a train-wreck (*ahem* episode 4 and E3M7 *ahem*) but none of them said "YO! I'M AWESOME! B^)".

To be fair to episode 2, it's fairly inoffensive overall and I do like some of the later level (E2M5 is pretty awesome and E2M7, spawning vats, is a great map).

 

Final note:

E2M2 has a song that seems to be loved by like 75% of DooM fans and yet is one of the worst and most ANNOYING DooM songs I've ever listened to. ˢᵗᶦˡˡ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ ᵗʰᵃⁿ ᵇᶠᵍ ᵈᶦᵛᶦˢᶦᵒⁿ.

[Doom-X-Machina]

  On 6/28/2020 at 11:56 AM, seed said:

 

E2 shines with maps such as Deimos Lab and Refinery, however, I wouldn't say that it's my favorite episode, personally. Mine would be E3 since it has the most atmospheric maps, with the likes of Unholy Cathedral.

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+1 for Inferno.

Except for Limbo. Fuck that map.

[Maximum Matt]

Deimos Anomaly is a shitty opener and Refinery can kiss my ass.  There I said it.

[ENEMY!!!]

I too regard E2 as my favourite episode - I thought I was in a small minority as the fan favourite tends to be E1 (although that said, E1 is a close second favourite for me).  I'm not that big a fan of Refinery either but I think that might be more to do with the out-of-place intermission music than the map itself.  But I have always been an especially big fan of E2M2, E2M4 and E2M6, and the iconic Cyberdemon battle in Tower of Babel (it may look ordinary now but back in '95 it was a big challenge).

 

Inferno for me has comparably high points but is more uneven in quality - E3M6 in particular is one of my favourites but I don't think that much of E3M2 or E3M8. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by ENEMY!!!

[Pechudin]

  On 6/28/2020 at 4:35 PM, DynamiteKaitorn said:

Final note:

E2M2 has a song that seems to be loved by like 75% of DooM fans and yet is one of the worst and most ANNOYING DooM songs I've ever listened to. ˢᵗᶦˡˡ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ ᵗʰᵃⁿ ᵇᶠᵍ ᵈᶦᵛᶦˢᶦᵒⁿ.

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'Demons from the Adrian's pen' is a bad song? Why? I really like the feeling of 'something's wrong and unsual' it has, especially in the tight box corridors.

  On 6/28/2020 at 8:51 AM, Doom-X-Machina said:

Containment Area? Really...

*Puts on gloves*

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And I'd have to admit it is mostly due to the song that I like it heh.

[HombreSal]

E2 would be the best but there's no Mt. Erebus.

[Faceman2000]

I cannot overstate how much I hate Refinery and Deimos Labs. Just awful levels. Containment Area on the other hand is one of, if not the, best level in the game. The rest fall in between for me, with E2M7, E2M5, and E2M1 being more good, E2M6 being pretty middle, and E2M9 more bad. E2M8 is the best boss fight in the game. So it’s a bit all over the place for me, and despite its strengths, it’s probably my least favorite episode of the four.

[magicsofa]

I love E2M2. The song helps a lot though. Overall a pretty good episode, with the coolest boss in doom I'd say.

[magicsofa]

  On 6/29/2020 at 5:13 PM, Faceman2000 said:

I cannot overstate how much I hate Refinery and Deimos Labs.

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Deimos labs had so much potential to be a great level. The open area with the nukage is cool at first glance. Then you end up on some goofy catwalks with the demon head on bricks texture and the mood is ruined

[hypoactive]

  On 6/29/2020 at 5:47 PM, magicsofa said:

 

Deimos labs had so much potential to be a great level. The open area with the nukage is cool at first glance. Then you end up on some goofy catwalks with the demon head on bricks texture and the mood is ruined

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Idk, I loved Deimos Labs. There's just an air of... disaster. It looks okay, it's like "this wasn't much affected by demon shit." But then you start exploring the map, and it's covered with dead vines, there's flesh textures and pools of blood. That's why I like the art design of E2 so much. It feels ruined, it feels like this is what's at stake here. It really sets the tone that shit has gone to fuck. The music helps with it, it's like in Episode 1 you're in Denial and Anger, you're just thinking this is another enemy, and then you start fucking destroying shit. But Episode 2 is Bargaining and Depression where you can't believe this is happening. Your mind is stuck in a downward spiral, panicking. Then Episode 3 and 4 is just Acceptance with it and then back to A N G E R

[magicsofa]

I do like that level, it's mainly that one texture that I find so silly. I like how expansive the main room feels, with eerily sparse monsters. The crusher room is cool too.