What is the most anti-climactic level in all of Doom?

[Elio AF]

We all had those "this map doesn't belong here, right?" moment.

I mean, it's hard to think about E4M3 as an E4M3 when they hit you hardcore with that E4M2. Or even E4M4.

E3M8? E3M7? Not very hard maps, for sure.

Bloodfalls surely wasn't a hard map either. Not after the weight loss "the chasm" was. But that's just my opinion.

I want to hear everyone's opinions on the most anti-climactic, that doesn't belong in that map slot map in all of released doom.

[Mr. Freeze]

E3M8 and any other answer is wrong. Spider should have been the boss of E2 and Cyberdemon should have been E3's boss. 

[Toilet_Wine_Connoisseur]

DIS

 

easily. 

 

wat a pushover half-baked level to end vanilla doom

[Job]

Yep, DIS is the answer I expected. That is the only correct response. 

[Doomkid]

All of E4 after the first two maps are of acceptable quality, even that lame Tim Willits American McGee map (E4M4) is passable in a vacuum, but coming off the back of the first two maps which are blood-pumping and fun, the rest of the episode is a serious letdown.

 

Dis takes the cake though. Snoresville. Cool MIDI though and the SMM is a really cool enemy, the map and battle itself is ass though.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Doomkid

[xdarkmasterx]

  On 7/19/2020 at 11:13 PM, Mr. Freeze said:

E3M8 and any other answer is wrong. Spider should have been the boss of E2 and Cyberdemon should have been E3's boss. 

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BFG is the problem, Cyberdemon would have been just as easy. They should have given the boss a lot more health so you can't just blow it away in 2 seconds

Edited July 20, 2020 by xdarkmasterx

[Doom-X-Machina]

DIS

[Lila Feuer]

  On 7/20/2020 at 12:07 AM, xdarkmasterx said:

 

BFG is the problem, Cyberdemon would have been just as easy. They should have given the boss a lot more health so you can't just blow it away in 2 seconds

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It's not like they would've predicted years from now that players would become proficient in maximizing BFG damage.

[nostalgia]

Excluding the obvious answer (E3M8), E2M9 is pretty dull... Some barons, grab the weapons in an incredible boring battleground, face some cacos, grab the soulsphere, grab the keys and finish the level. I ended up with a sour taste in my mouth that I have never been able to clean. Ah E3M9, that's a secret level you can look at.

[Lila Feuer]

@nostalgia Worse yet, this is how many Doom console ports ended!

[nostalgia]

  On 7/20/2020 at 1:15 AM, Lila Feuer said:

@nostalgia Worse yet, this is how many Doom console ports ended!

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Now I feel better about ending with E3M8.

[unerxai]

Another vote for DIS. Even though E3M8 is more challenging than E2M8 from a pistol start, the Spiderdemon isn't nearly as imposing as the Cyberdemon. The map also lacks the epic factor that a final level should have (E1M8 is the best in this regard).

[slayermbm]

Agree with E3M8. They should have made the SMM a more fearsome enemy, faster, with at least double its current HP, alternate fire, or some other gimmicks. The fight is way too easy.

[leodoom85]

Definitely DIS ^sucks

[galileo31dos01]

E4M4 sucked ass since day 1 for me, so, that one.

[Devalaous]

Unruly Evil has always been my 'go-to' for shit official maps. Even Switcheroom couldnt save it.

[axdoomer]

E4M4 "Unruly Evil" is too short, I have the feeling that not much effort was put into the map. There are important bugs, like the compartments with the demons not opening near the exit on lower difficulties and the Cacodemons being glued together on higher difficulties. The design is not memorable either. 

[TriTT]

Idk if this is cheating or not, but I’d say any of the “boss” levels found in ports of Doom like on the GBA or Jaguar. Those levels were very underwhelming as a finale. 

[Graf Zahl]

  On 7/20/2020 at 1:07 AM, Lila Feuer said:

It's not like they would've predicted years from now that players would become proficient in maximizing BFG damage.

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I don't think that this will affect this level in any way. When I first played it in 1994 I went in, saw the spider, unloaded the BFG and the whole thing was over in 15 seconds or so. WTF?!?

 

[kwc]

Poor Sandy :(

[Dark Pulse]

E3M8. I think my stab in it for the GEC Master Edition project would've been a LOT more interesting in terms of being a proper take on it.

 

 

(It's admittedly a lot more interesting when you don't have a BFG to fall back on.)

Edited July 20, 2020 by Dark Pulse

[Final Verdict]

I have to vote for E4M4 (Unruly Evil). E4 was my favourite episode but it also contains my most hated map. After the first 3 maps I was expecting another fun map, what I got instead what a shit smeared sewer like level. The simplistic design wasn't the issue, it was the same texture being pasted on every wall.

 

This map was actually the cause of some minor trauma as a kid, whenever I mess around with mapping I look at the BROWNHUG texture and cringe at the thought of using it. Flashbacks soon follow as my brain tries to engage safe mode. I swear one day it'll progress to seizures without treatment, but enough sarcasm.

 

Oddly enough it didn't bother me too much as a teenager, probably because my brain didn't bother to register such an atrocity. It wasn't until much later when I was an adult that I developed a loathing for it. Its only saving grace was that it was a very short map. 

 

Edited July 20, 2020 by Final Verdict

[Maximum Matt]

  On 7/20/2020 at 12:01 AM, Doomkid said:

that lame Tim Willits map (E4M4)

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That one's actually American made.  And yeah that's my damn choice too

[Phobus]

On a pistol start, Dis makes sense. Continuous, when you've got a BFG, it's over very quickly. Without the BFG, you're at least in for a bit of a fight, and would probably die the first time thanks to Limbo sucking at your health all the way up to the exit.

 

Dis is still the right answer. The awesome SoD MIDI alone gets you ready for a showdown with Godzilla.

[frag enabler]

MAP23. Barrels of fuck you, more like. Just replace it with a single room featuring a trigger that drains 90% of your ammo, hp and armor.

[seed]

E3M8, always will be.

 

With just a SMM and a few random Barons + Cacos... just no, that's a bad follow-up to E2M8. It should've had more enemies, and greatly increased overall difficulty, it's anti-climatic to the bone even from a pistol start, and continuous play completely destroys it.

 

E4M8 does a much better job here than E3M8 did.

Edited July 20, 2020 by seed

[Impie]

Not a fan of the boss maps in general. I think Wonderful Doom made better boss maps than the original doom with good buildups to each end battle. Certainly did a better E3M8.

[pcorf]

E3M8, run up to that Mastermind and BFG it in one shot, so easy!

[Master O]

  On 7/20/2020 at 10:21 AM, seed said:

E3M8, always will be.

 

With just a SMM and a few random Barons + Cacos... just no, that's a bad follow-up to E2M8. It should've had more enemies, and greatly increased overall difficulty, it's anti-climatic to the bone even from a pistol start, and continuous play completely destroys it.

 

E4M8 does a much better job here than E3M8 did.

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You know that level has a secret Plasma Rifle hidden behind the walls in the center of the map, right?  Once you get that, all you need to do is make the Baron, Cacodemon, and Spider Mastermind in-fight.  Then you pelt the Mastermind with Plasma and Rockets.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Master O

[SchwTrdLeenW]

Does Final Doom count? Because when i think of an anti-climactic map, i think of Hunted.

 

You all know the reputation this map has, even if it's undeserved. A few years ago while playing Plutonia the first time, i was so scared of this map that i paused the game for a day or two after i finished Map10. When i finally got myself together and started the map, my heart was RACING. After i finished, all i could think of was "Well, that was... strangely easy." And with my second playthrough, i realized that the AVs are basically harmless and i got scared over abslolutely nothing.

 

Edited July 20, 2020 by SchwTrdLeenW