should i play thy flesh consumed?

[Green561]

I've heard some mixed opinions on it. I tried the first map and it's very, very difficult...

[Sonikkumania]

Yes, it's more challenging than the previous episodes. Give it a try.

[vanilla_d00m]

It’s worth it.  John Romero made the E4M6 level really good.  I played it over and over untill I memorized it.

 

The first level is definitely hard, hardly any pickups.  What helps is to make every action count and get the secret rocket launcher around the pit area.  I play on HMP and that level still gives me trouble.

Edited May 21, 2024 by vanilla_d00m

[Murdoch]

More to the point... why would you not try it? It's 9 maps. Not a lot of your time and you can always stop if you don't like it.

[Nate42]

Assuming you don't pistol start it actually gets easier in later levels since you have more weapons and ammo.  It's tough but well designed worth your time imho.

[fruity lerlups]

e4m8 is a banger and the journey there, though frustrating, is worth it. e4m1 though is incredibly.. frustrating to 100%

[DNSKILL5]

Once you beat level 1 and 2 it becomes much easier and is definitely worth playing through at least once. 

[xScavengerWolfx]

I enjoy E4 of Ultimate doom, it is worth a play through. But if you're really brave enough play it on UV.

[Lucius Wooding]

Maps 1, 2, and 6 are pretty tough compared to the rest of them. Overall it's definitely worth playing, you just need to deal with the hitscan and lack of health in map 1. And I'd recommend using saves in the later maps if you're having trouble, due to possibly getting lost or rocketed to pieces. The difficulty curve and map placement are totally off though. Map 1 is probably the second or third hardest, especially to max; it only got put first probably because it's very short. Map 2 is probably one of the best Doom 1 maps but the start is brutal on continuous. Apart from 1, 2, and 6 the others are mostly tepid and forgettable by comparison. 

 

Sometimes if you get bad damage rolls and unlucky rng you can lose a bunch of health from those damn shotgunners. Then you're basically one mistake from death. It has some ammo and health issues for sure. But the rest of the episode is very generous by comparison, especially if you find secrets. Map 6 is a bit sadistic though if you don't understand how the progression works. Some of the combat in Romero's E4 maps is pretty well ahead of its time, even including Doom 2 stuff. And E4 is also great to prepare you for eventually playing Final Doom.

[Christopher Brown]

Yes, but I'd recommend giving Doom II a go first as it was clearly designed for players who had already beaten the sequel game. Ironically, the toughest maps in the episode are by far the best, though I'm quite fond of M3, M5, and M8 as well.

[ALilGrayBoi]

Only play it if you’re itching for more ultimate doom and you want a challenge. If not, you can ignore that episode 

[Toxisploder]

You can give it a try, but keep in mind that the difficulty is much higher than the rest of Doom, and inconsistent. The most butthurt-inducing level is right at the start, while the easiest and most forgettable one is placed in the middle. Expect to end up in open areas with enemies on all sides often. If you find the way to E4M9, it'll make your run a lot easier, since it's brimming with ammo.

[Doom-X-Machina]

I dig it. E4M2 is brilliant!!

[EvilSqueegee]

The first level is so fucking rough I haven't seen the rest yet.

[InfinitePossiblities]

Yes. Just play it. No context just finish the game

:)

[RataUnderground]

E4 is the best Ultimate Doom episode. I know its not a popular opinion, but.

[june gloom]

E4 is a quirky little episode and I'm not completely sold on its theme (then again I've always been more a fan of techbases) but it's worth a play. If you can get through the first map relatively unscathed you'll be set for the second -- and it's worth looking up the secrets for the latter as it'll help a lot.

[RHhe82]

You shouldn’t feel obliged to play it. That said, I personally like TFC, and consider it essential classic Doom. E4M1 is difficult, as are M2 and M6, but they’re worth it. Even the worst maps are passable, especially for 1995/96 map.

[june gloom]

Honestly, if absolutely nothing else, I think they have some historical value on top of being decent maps, being not only John Romero's last Doom maps for a good couple decades but also featuring one of John Anderson's Dante's Inferno series.

[Eurisko]

Absolutely, the first two levels are the hardest

[Wahrnehmungskrieg]

With the constraints of Doom 1, and under the influence of Doom 2 and an influx of community blood: they are the tightest and most brilliantly charged maps under the id aegis (discounting Final Doom here). You feel the mind who made them perpetually; they burn as phryctoriae.

 

Also, don't know how intentional this was (given SKY4 is obviously a reference to the sky seen in Doom's ending); but the juxtaposition of that infernal cloud-layer with the wood etc. base you traipse through gives the impression that you're literally inside a funeral pyre as it's incinerated. It's like id are saying farewell to their own creation and are definitively handing over the baton of creation to the community

[Redneckerz]

Instead of making a thread, you could have just played the mapset.

 

Should i play Ancient Aliens? I like the palette, but i am not too sure about how it looks...

[JoJo_BadDoom]

It's a really good episode, and a logical conclusion to the standard Doom 1 gameplay. Absolutely play it!

[LegendaryEevee]

@Green561 Episode 4 of Thy Flesh Consumed really ramps up the difficulty but none really more than E4M1.  You are basically given little to no health and a ton of Barron's in cramped places.  It gets easier as it goes.  I WOULD NOT recommend Pistol Starting until you're used to these maps because they are a beating some of them.  However if you've Played Episodes 5 and 6 (Sigil 1 & 2) it is easier than those by quite a bit.

 

I have not gotten this far on the Walkthrough on my channel yet it's still a way's off since we're still in the Shores of Hell but I would offer this advise.

 

1. Be suspicious of everything for potential secrets.  The Secrets in this episode especially are life savors.

2.  If you see a Cyberdemon you usually don't have to fight it but have other ways to deal with it.

3.  Take each map slow and in sections.  For instance clear out a room than focus on the next.  This episode is notorious for overwhelming you with high tier monsters and numbers if you try and sprint through.

4.  Don't be afraid to use the big guns.  I rarely find myself having an Ammo issue in any of the maps other than E4M1.  The other's are pretty forgiving so you can let your hair down and go crazy.

 

Most of all have fun.  It honestly does get you better at the game.  And improve your skills in dealing with stronger enemies / tight spaces / and secret hunting.

[LadyMistDragon]

There are probably anywhere between 3-4 duffers, depending on how soured mediocre maps make you feel but honestly, yes! John Romero and even Shawn Green bring their "A" game, Hell Beneath has to be experienced at least once....and I guess that's kind of it.

[Maximum Matt]

YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED IT YET!?!!?!?!??!!?!!!!!n!?!!!!?

Sit yo ass down and don't get up 'till you've finished it, son

[TheHambourgeois]

There's some good maps and some bad maps in it. I am an e4m1 apologist. Love my little condensed maps

[Cutman 999]

Do it if you want, I'd like to say is not worth it.

[Gifty]

Pretty much all the maps in it are good, the main actual problem with it is the level sequencing (IE the actual order and resulting difficulty curve) is all out of whack and doesn't make any sense. So it starts out crazy hard and then goes into a really easy lull in the middle, then gets hard again. But for the design itself it's definitely worth experiencing.

[vanilla_d00m]

If you did the first three episodes why not the fourth one?  Many years ago, I would only finish the first one and turn the game off.  I found out on YouTube that other people where like that too.

Edited May 23, 2024 by vanilla_d00m