The DWmegawad Club plays: Operation: BIOWAR & Equinox

[General Roasterock]

I'm very happy to see this continue onwards thanks to the extra defibrillation, and doubly so for the possibility presented by having classics come to light once again. 

 

Map 01: The End

 

  Being such an outsider to the technology of the late 90s and early 2000s, there’s just something so adorable about the construction of so many of the boisterous releases of that time. Obviously every sound needs an update to the much more rich and recognizable libraries created after Doom, and there needs to be a story that is presented as far more involved than Doom’s while somehow also being less involved than what was written on the games’ booklets. Hell, apparently Doomguy is canonically dead in Operation: Biowar and whoever you’re playing as is an entirely new actor, how uplifting. The illusory stuff was fun too, like seeing tiny ships in the sky to attempt perspective and giant midtex holes blown out of the sides of walls. It’s creative, but everything else in the map ends up looking so comparatively dull. The horizon line outside feels like it’s at arm’s length, and areas that should be bustling hubs of shipping/receiving are basically flat rooms with gritty crate textures. Another storage bay with scattered crates to throw onto the pile I guess.

  The secrets were cool for 90s, actually having me stumped for a while due to my inability to simply turn around and observe the armor bonus pillars lowering opposite of one another. This map can be churned out in just under a minute if you play with mania for the shotguns, and frankly that’s all it needs. 

 

Map 02: Terror Core

 

  On paper, this should be one of the most boring maps presented to mankind, but somehow, due to its confidence, brevity, and simplistic action, I love it. Putting a shell into an Imp with full health and watching it crumble under the pressure never gets dull, and that’s essentially what the entire map is. Three different arenas to chew through with the shotgun, each supplying just enough ammo and adversity to keep you on your toes, are so much fun to speed through with reckless abandon. I can give or take the aesthetics, including the single attempt secret surrounding the outside of the hub, but the chaos of emerging from a teleport landing and immediately diving into another one with a fresh array of foes has never failed in being a rush. It’s not complicated, it’s not even good by a lot of standards now, but it’s a singular shot of adrenaline that is meant to be taken as fast as possible, and I can’t find it in me to detract it. 

 

Map 03: Onslaught

 

  Thank the heavens, I thought there wouldn’t be any mountain-dug slop in this set. Chipping at Cacodemons with a single barrel, incredibly dark Chaingunner alcoves, the singular Imp stuck inside of a cage that was somehow rigged into the side of the ravine, yeah we’re back to Earth after the gameplay success of Terror Core. This feels like one of those levels that are arbitrarily dark so they can make the Light Amp goggles useful, but they do not appear anywhere in the very small path through this level, so I can only assume the extreme darkness is a feature meant to be absorbed as atmosphere, and not abrasion against the enemies that are selected for the map. Oh well.

 

Map 04: The Arrival

 

  Sometimes I have to put aside all of my appreciation for the abstraction that sets provide when it comes to the worlds they create and simply take in the facts around me. I watched five Cacodemons rise out of a vat of acid, and then escaped on a promising “teleport pad”, once again mimicking the design The Plutonia Experiment popularized. I do like charging through The Arrival, breaking my neck to reach the Super Shotgun, and then turning the slow marches into paste as fast as I can. I can definitely compliment the set on allowing that to remain in my grasp. Its simplicity and lack of grandiosity plays into its strengths as something played outside of its release year, and I truly do respect that. Still, I’m scared to even view what the Cacodemon closet looks like, and the tight corridors of the immortal techbase are starting to wear on me.

 

Map 05: Skybase

 

  Well played Biowar, you almost convinced me that you wouldn’t be crusty enough to have a ton of incidentally spiced backtracking, train of thought computer laboratories, lifts that are so stupidly long that Chris just said “fuck it, I’ll teleport the player back up”, and anything else  sub-Evilution. I got softlocked from simply trying to close the door to the Red Key behind myself, because that was a line that got left it despite the door being operated on an S1 switch. Truly ingenious. I have no way to truly classify this as a base in the sky, outside of seeing a couple of skyboxes out the windows, and even then it puts even less effort at establishing a setting than The End did. God bless the merciful shortness that these maps continue to display, because I will bring no blessings of the sort.

[veevil]

Operation: Biowar
MAP05: Skybase
(UV, pistol start, K: 100% / S: 100%, DSDA-Doom, complevel 2)

 

Now we're getting somewhere! Biowar finally starts picking up steam in terms of difficulty and map complexity in level 5, though also starts veering closer to the oft-despised kind of 90s map design. Progression is fairly opaque, since sections of the map are often opened by triggers that are not obvious. This means that you need to frequently backtrack to look for things that might've changed. I didn't find this a big problem, though, considering the base is not large or complex enough to become a pain to navigate. Visually speaking, the map is decent enough, but not particularly impressive.

 

Less than careful players (like myself) will soon be hurting for health, since recovery items are scarce and the map contains a respectable amount of hitscanners. Everybody's favorite skeleton boy and size XL imp also finally make appearances. Nevertheless, my deathless streak continues, although I did almost get scammed by the baron guarding the rocket launcher.

 

Memorable detail: the long elevator ride down to the... boiler room? Cold storage? Sewer entrance? While it's not a "good" design element in isolation (it's just a longer-than-usual wait, after all), a little twist occasionally helps to anchor the map in memory.

Edited June 5, 2024 by veevil

[Pseudonaut]

Map05: Skybase
Significantly larger and more complicated than previous maps. There's a lot of backtracking, recycling of rooms, and waiting for elevators, but it's still action most of the time. The problem is that even the action is nothing special. The earlier maps were definitely more enjoyable, but this one is at least painless.

 

 

[NiGHTS108]

Oopsie Daisies it's been a while

 

MAP03: Onslaught

By Chris Harbin

Kills: 100%

Items: 23%
Secrets: 0%
Time: 3:28

 

More similarly to MAP01, we have a pretty linear map here with only one detour off the beaten path to get the red key. The map name does create some associations with Plutonia, which is reflected through this map's more natural aesthetic, between all the beautifully 90's waterfalls and vines. Even the last fight feels kinda Plutonia-ish I suppose. This map caused me my first two deaths of the run, with a Cacodemon projectile while entering the valley with the tech base, and the Chaingunner ambush in the tech base itself, but both of those could've been avoided if I was slightly less clumsy, other than that it's still the standard affair. Again not a thrilling map but hey, bonus points for looking vaguely Plutonia-ish I suppose.

 

Grade: B-

Difficulty: D+

 

-

 

MAP04: The Arrival

By Chris Harbin

Kills: 100%

Items: 24%
Secrets: 33%
Time: 3:30

 

The Arrival might be my favourite map in Operation Biowar so far, mainly because of its detail. I mean, there's certainly not a lot of continuity here, we just got out of a light, more natural setting and start this map on a spaceship out of nowhere, but Chris Harbin seems to have an eye for little creative details that make the maps feel a bit more lived in. I enjoy the map of the whole facility at the start, the fight with the Cacodemons emerging from the reactor core (Even if it doesn't amount to anything beyond holding the fire key down.) and the bio-labs room studying Imps and Shotgunners, complete with custom textures showing diagrams of the monsters and everything. None of this is really mind-blowing per se, but I appreciate expressions like this with the limited capabilities of a 90's wad. Gameplay wise, this map definitely doesn't put up much of a fight, but I think Chris Harbin has more of a knack for detail than combat, so I don't mind.

 

Grade: B

Difficulty: E

 

-

 

MAP05: Skybase

By Chris Harbin

Kills: 96%

Items: 12%

Secrets: 0%

Time: 9:57

 

Easily this wad's first big adventure, Skybase is a much longer map than anything we've seen before it. It's a rather elaborate journey, going from a storage room to the bridge of the base to all kinds of strange areas. It's funny how disparate all these areas are. It's like, a stone hallway? A sewer? A snowy area with a furnace that has a long elevator ride to hype it up for some reason? Alien Vendetta MAP31? Despite this level's eccentricities, it's paced surprisingly well. I mean it's not the most complicated thing in the world, when you boil it down it's effectively two paths and every time you get a key you have to backtrack to the point you got up to with the other path, but what's neat is it doesn't really feel tedious. The map only makes you go through the long elevator once, as a teleporter opens up in the snowy area that'll instantly take you between the top and bottom of the lift, and more enemies and fights tend to pop up on your second or third time through an area. It ain't bad! The combat itself unfortunately still isn't really thrilling enough to make this map as fun as it could be. The best fight was the one for (I think?) the yellow key, where about 12 Imps ambush you in a computer room. I saved this maps Four (?) whole rockets for that fight, and had a decent time watching Imps explode. Skybase is alright, though I think I prefer this wad's more brisk and thoughtful affairs like MAP04. Also, I wouldn't mind a map that looked like the whole dungeon area where you get the red key and has the blue key door. Much like in MAP02, I think it looks very nice.

 

Grade: C+

Difficulty: C-

[Insaneprophet]

Map 05: Skybase

 

I really enjoyed this level. This feels exactly like something I would have drawn up on a sketchpad back in the 90s when I was a teenager. My brain has always liked the idea of re-using areas and doesnt think of backtracking as a bad word. With the proper ammount of monster closets opening up in the right spots it not only makes previously visited areas not just empty but capable of catching you by surprise when you are off guard. I also tend to remember maps better and get a much better feel for the area and scope of the play space when made to traverse back and forth while constantly seeing areas I cant get to yet and opening up new routes. It most likely stems from my preference for dungeon crawlers, exploration, secret hunting and environmental story telling but Im rarely going to have a bad time when Im forced to memorize areas and return later. Levels like this feel more like a metroidvania and less like an arena shooter all while still being able to retain the run and gun playstyle that Doom is known and loved for. 😀

[Spectre01]

MAP05 - “Skybase” by Chris Harbin

 

After some very quick maps with small monster counts, we arrive at something more sizeable. The main issue here is the backtracking. It's like the author intentionally placed the keys as far as possible from their corresponding doors. And the layout isn't very interconnected, so you can't really cut across or take shortcuts to get back quicker.

 

Combat continues to be low-energy. It's still mostly fodder, despite the early SSG, and there's no real pressure unless you play sloppy and take hitscanner damage. It's really lacking when it comes to traps or interesting setups. At least Revenants make their appearance, who are more engaging to dodge than the basic projectile monsters.

 

The visuals are generally good for the time, and I like the use of that animated flat pictured above.

[SuyaSSS]

MAP03 - “Onslaught” by Chris Harbin

Played With Nugget Doom, Smooth Doom 21, UV, Pistol start

 

A much more fun map when compared to the previous map. Although, I think that a night sky would've fit better with the amount of darkness in this map. This maps despite still being pretty short actually feels much more substantial and my death due to a chaingunner actually felt a bit more fairer than the previous map's bs. Also, the last part with the surprise enemy fight was really fun. Overall, seems like this set is improving as we are progressing. But, I still think that this map is just ok. My main issue is mostly that it isn't that visually appealing (still visually better than MAP02) .

 

GRADE: C+

 

MAP04 - “The Arrival” by Chris Harbin

Played With Nugget Doom, Smooth Doom 21, UV, Pistol start

 

Hell yeah! This map is much more my style. Quick but still substantial and most importantly fun. This map now takes place inside a base and here we see a much better usage of the new custom textures than any of the previous maps. This map has some fun fights and by the end of it I was really happy without any frustration. Visually, as I have stated, it is the best looking map and it also has the best fights when compared to the others. Again, this level is pretty short but thankfully, just like the previous map, it felt much more substantial. But, I would have loved more of this.

 

Also, I'm more and more believing my theory that MAP02 was just a throwaway map made at the last minute because these maps shows that there are good maps in this set.

 

GRADE: B+

 

(sorry for a bit of choppiness)

 

CURRENT RANKINGS

Spoiler

1. MAP04 - B+

2. MAP03 - C+

3. MAP01 - C-

4. MAP02 - D-

 

Update: Changed MAP02 from D+ to D-

 

Edited June 5, 2024 by SuyaSSS

[apichatpong]

Biowar Map 05 : Skybase

UVmax, pistol start, single segment

 

The big thing here was already evoked by almost everyone : backtracking.

But, it didn't bother me that much since, except for the bunch of imps freed on your return to the blue door room, all the traps put on the map to make the player feel an evolution when he revisits some rooms or corridors are significant (and I must say I was close to die to the second revenant appearance after finishing the yellow door's adventure).

Of course, the interconnection is not very elaborate but, the map being not that big, I never felt I was wasting my time (though, to be honest, I'm biased because I usually like backtracking).

Once again on a low-key note (because, with all due respect, the artistic vision of this mapset is less delirious and powerful than BPRD's one), the attention to details here, some rooms with big tech structures, some brutal and frank changes of textures, some going-deep elevators... gave me some flavours of my distant first (cheated) playthrough of equinox and, from there, I tried to found links between Biowar and Equinox (yeah, sometimes I like Law and Order, even if it implies to force things a little bit).

 

Well, this map has a good rhythm and all the encounters were very pleasant (with a special mention for the wing going from red key area to the end). Like in map 03, you really get a strong depth-variation feeling and, with a bit of exaggeration and the next map as target, it's like a "goodbye sober days" moment..

 

Edited June 5, 2024 by apichatpong

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 05: Skybase

by Chris Harbin

Crispy Doom, UV, pistol start

 

A map that's....probably not a whole lot better than the previous ones, but more expansive, although this also comes with lots and lots of backtracking. And other than the windows, there's few clues as to the map's name. Starting in a darkened warehouse and transitioning between the different wings through hallways of SHAWN, there's also some darkened experimental labs with a series of consoles arranged in a semi-circle near the yellow key, an underground tunnel that's ice for no discernable reason, one particular power room leading to yet another underground section with green storage, then finally, a room with large red power collectors close to the exit.

 

Combat-wise, despite the presence of a Requiem-era Mark Klem track, there isn't too much happening here and the stuff encountered whilst backtracking is hardly more substantive than the ambushes in typical custom wads which also featured backtracking. Although at the same time, this is just small enough that it doesn't really take lots of time. Still, despite an undoubtedly cool and more abstract presentation, not to mention a fairly respectable if modest Cacodemon ambush in the computer bank blue key roo, to say nothing of a Baron ambush at the rocket launcher's location, it's just fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Somniac]

MAP05 - Skybase

 

 

 

I had a bit of a rough time with this one, suffering from low health and several obnoxiously cheap deaths due to low health and low visibility before the above playthrough. If you don't get the green armour at the start and the secret berserk, this map could be pretty mean. A lot of the time I either forget to save or just don't want to, admittedly I could have saved myself some frustration that way. While there are more cool machinery setpieces (and a nice "switching the lights on" moment that I always really like seeing) I found the layout kind of a drag to be honest, and although it wasn't exactly cramped, the only time I felt really able to let loose was the blue key room.

[Votterbin]

Biowar -- MAP05: Skybase

 

Oh boy, I have some thoughts.

 

This one's completely forgettable as it is, but a softlock I got hit with just made all the flaws that much more glaring. There's a door that only opens with a switch near the yellow key. That's also where the exit is, and you can operate the door like normal from the other side.
Somehow, and I don't know if it was me on accident or a monster, activated that particular linedef on the door and made it close. The switch to open it only seems to work once, so I had to restart to complete this. For brevity's sake I've cut out the entire first run from the video, and the run where I test the door.
The map has a lot of backtracking and going back and forth. And there's a lot of plain busywork to pad out the runtime, like switches to open doors that shouldn't really need switches (not even including the aforementioned door to the red key). There's a cave where you get the red key, which has interesting implications. There's a mishmash of hallways at a certain point that, somehow, even on repeat playthroughs I find difficult to navigate without the automap until I have a chaingunner shooting at me from the top of the stairs.
Damn shame because this reminds me a lot of E2M2: Containment Area, which is probably my favorite map of the original Doom.

Tea review:
On the bright side, I actually loved the tea! I did finish it on the third attempt, and the orange flavor was very strong at the end. Orange-y and sweet. Love it.

Map - 1/5: Love some of the new textures and a couple sec, but for the most part please god never make me do this again. Especially if that fucking door closes on me again.
Tea - 5/5: A really nice, strong flavor to finish it off

On a side note, if anyone can tell me if the door isn't supposed to have that linedef on the other side, if this is a GZDoom fault, whatever, please tell me because I never want to play this map again after all that

[Votterbin]

17 hours ago, General Roasterock said:

I got softlocked from simply trying to close the door to the Red Key behind myself, because that was a line that got left it despite the door being operated on an S1 switch.

 

I'M NOT CRAZY THEN

[Horus]

Indeed you aren't, it's the map's fault not the source port!

 

MAP06 - “Last Call” by John Bishop

 

This map very much reminded me of Map 5 of TNT, Hanger, especially the starting area where you are in a narrow corridor, from which little offshoots open up bit-by-bit.

I think the use of ambushes, teleporting monsters and this mapset’s custom sound effects are really to this map’s credit here, increasing the sense of creepiness, and even making me feel a little nervous whilst playing parts of the map! It also increased the challenge too, and whilst I didn’t die, I was very close and probably would have done were it not for the secret soulsphere.

 

Another thing I appreciate about this map, and in fact I appreciate when any map that does this, is that one of the secrets wasn’t simply a secret closet with extra power-ups/ammo/health etc, but actual extra content, hiding a fair amount of the map’s enemies – even if the secret wasn’t exactly obscure.

 

Somehow I managed to get stuck in this tiny map, the blue key eluding me despite it very clearly showing itself in one of the monster closets! It always take a little bit of the immersion of the map away for me when this happens, even when in this case it was 100% my fault, as opposed to poor telegraphing. However, I wasn’t stuck long enough to get truly frustrated and this is still my favourite map so far by some distance. Which is interesting because it’s also the map I remember the least so far from my previous playthrough!

[Crusader No Regret]

I've played both these before.  While Equinox ended up in my "once is enough" pile, maybe I'll put out an ironman run for Biowar as my attempt in IronEagle came to a lead-filled end in map 13.  Though I do have a few thoughts to put out now.  Which will be specifically in the context of recording a movie as there are plenty of standard level reviews already.

 

Biowar map 1

 

  In the context of a "one recording attempt" movie, this is actually a somewhat scary map.  Not much health or armor, numerous hitscanners, and spending a long time with the pistol before obtaining a weapon upgrade.  Get unlucky with hitscan RNG, and the run can come to an early end either here or in the next map.

 

map 2

 

  A very standard map of clearing small side areas with the shotgun, grabbing the keys, and bringing them to the exit.  Maybe not very noteworthy standalone but it's scarier when recording an ironman because health is still limited and likely coming in beat up from the previous map.  I was holding my breath in the exit chamber hoping to not take too many hits in the cramped confines.

[E.M.]

MAP06: Last Call

DSDA-Doom, UV, Pistol Start

 

The aesthetics are pretty cool, but my biggest problem with this map is that it's way too claustrophobic. As a result, the combat feels very corridor shooty. There's also not a lot of health, so you can't afford to make too many mistakes. That's really hard to do considering the large number of hitscanners. Luckily, things got a lot more fun after I got the plasma gun. I saved a few rockets for the final fight at the end which pits you against a revenant, two imps, and about a dozen shotgunners. I blasted them away with ease. I felt it was a bit of a dick move to put a backpack at the end of the level. That thing would have been really useful at the beginning.

[Plerb]

Biowar MAP06 (UV, continuous, saves):

I played it, and I'm too tired to write any thoughts on it, but here is the daily post anyways.

[RHhe82]

MAP06: Last Call. Played on UV, pistol start. DSDA v0.27.4. K: 112/112, S: 3/3, I: 12/12. Comp. time 10:55

 

An improvement over the last one (although it had me backtracking for secrets quite a long way, but that's on me for being unobservant enough). The slightly cramped "open one monster closet at a time" structure feels like something out of 1994, but I'm fine with that. Overall it's a solid map, and as you get SSG early on, never gets too tedious. Early on there are some piston engine rooms, which look cool for such an old wad.

Edited June 6, 2024 by RHhe82
Typo

[Pseudonaut]

Map06: Last Call
I wish I'd recorded my first playthrough. This map is full of surprises, such as unexpected elevators lowering when you walk onto them, or enemies quietly trickling in behind you; I was convinced early on that I was never safe, and would probably be attacked from angles I didn't expect. The map also stays fresh on repeat playthroughs, as monsters wander into places they didn't before. The first revenant is an example of this, as he might stay in his room where you can easily kill him from the doorway, but he also might wander out into the narrow hallways where he is most threatening. Best map so far, I'd say.

 

 

[Spectre01]

MAP06 - “Last Call” by John Bishop

 

The narrow hallways are lame, but aside from that this map is pretty good. The combat, when it's not happening in a 64 unit wide staircase, is more engaging than in the previous maps. There are more mid-tier monsters and plenty of cell ammo in the secrets. The roaming enemies that get teleported in also make the incidental encounters more dynamic. Visuals are good as well. It's very brown, but there is moody lighting and some nice bits of decorative detailing.

[Insaneprophet]

Map 06: Last Call

 

There are alot of moving parts in this one, monster closets, doors, lifts, teleporting demons, even cell bars as well as pistons. Pistons, the historic Doom sector decorations that denote that this place does something! Kind of the most puzzle oriented map so far, I like that no 2 lvls yet feel the same as any others but will readily admit that this one wasnt the most fun to actually play. Was also hampered by the stupid blue key, in the compendium it sits atop a pedestal that makes it a real bitch to bump and grab. Unless Im missing something and I dont think I am, the damn key needs to be lower, could only get it with an akward strafe run through the door at the perfectly worst angle and even then only suceeded twice out of the five times I played this map. I call "bad game design" 😝

[Li'l devil]

Level 5: Skybase

 

I didn't see a lot of sky, tbh. Finally got the super shotgun. Super shotgun is good against enemies. The level itself isn't bad, but intellectually disappointing. The music is cool, but I think it's far more fitting on the MM2 level it originates from. My favorite thing about this map were the blue tile wall textures.

 

Level 6: Last Call

 

Might be my favorite level so far, because I like the large amount of moving machinery and stuff. This level is also much more intense and I nearly died at one point. I was constantly getting hit by hitsanners everywhere I went. I liked some other things like the grassy exit to the outside. It's pretty cool.

[apichatpong]

Biowar Map 06 : Last call
UVmax (from now on, I’ll stop to precise pistol start/single segment since it’s included in the notion of UVmax)

 

This map, especially played in this club, is an experiment on relativity.
And this relativity is somewhat explicit in my review of Map 05. I was speaking of some « goodbye sober day » feeling with, in mind, my far away discovery of the map (far away = 5 days ago).
I died there. Much more than on the first five maps combined (something like 5 times). Especially on the puzzly first half (it took me some time to understand where and when some monsters were spawned in so : thank you chaingunners, thank you revenant etc etc).
I ended it with a great sentiment of relief and the pleasure of facing a tougher map when compared to preceeding ones. I even got some kind of ammo starvation problem.

(Edit : oh, and also, the ambiance sounds added to establish fear and threat work very well on blind run !)

But… since I’m playing Equinox now, replaying Last call today was easy peasy (not even speaking of the pseudo ammo starvation drama).
Don’t get me wrong : I dig maps where you start near the exit and have to find (and fight) your way to open it, and this one is pretty sneaky, well thought and a real pleasure to play.

I felt there like inside a small tech pyramid (for the decadent ones : like a tiny and friendly version of the pyramid trap in « Asterix et Cléopâtre » and the French/Roman administration adventure in « Les douze travaux d’Astérix ») and it was genuine fun ! Baddies were more densely present, the double secrets area was neat and overall decorum was cool (after all these location twists from the first five maps, it’s interesting to get here another kind of change : it’s a new mapper and you quickly get the style differences !).
But, is it difficult ? Not really. Once you know how the map works, it all go without issue.

 

That being said, I won’t play a character that is not me :

Is it a problem that this map wasn’t difficult ? NO
Did I liked it ? (Hell) YEAH.

Edited June 6, 2024 by apichatpong

[Somniac]

MAP06 - Last Call

 

 

 

First UV max of this wad for me and the first map by a different author. Once you get past the lousy start and those 64-wide corridors that killed me twice previously, the map becomes a bit more engaging and I liked it more than MAP05. Lots of moving machinery parts again, and you can go down to a spooky crypt at the bottom. There's more of an attempt at lighting in this map which increases the visual appeal. I recognise the MIDI from STRAIN, but it seems to be a different arrangement and it sounds a little weird at points. Not much else to add, really.

[General Roasterock]

Map 06: Last Call

 

  Everything about this map should be miserable to hack through, but I don’t hate it. The darkness is definitely much more digestible here than it was in Onslaught, and it doesn’t seek to be at all confusing. I was actually taken aback at the visceral nature of the Baron splattered on the wall, and so much of the map carried that same weight of gritty survival in such a tight space. That is, until I found the cell supply nested in another secret room and tore everything challenging apart in seconds. Atmosphere is still very tight, due also in part to the ambient noises ringing out throughout the caves that I failed to mention. Noise in general in this map feels well done, as all the custom sounds are crawling around you from active monsters that have yet to reveal themselves, making these nonsense computer halls really feel infested. It’s a really good showing, one that has me excited for the rest of John Bishop’s contributions.

[veevil]

Operation: Biowar
MAP06: Last Call
(UV, pistol start, K: 100% / S: 100%, DSDA-Doom, complevel 2)

 

A cramped and stressful map from the word go, cramming over a hundred demons into narrow and twisty maintenance passages. Health allotment is again almost desperately thin - I don't think I was at max health at any point between the start and end of the map. Needless to say, very careful play is required here. Strangely, the map has four green armor pickups in it, despite only having enough health recovery to fully deplete one of them.

 

A good amount of enemies still remained when I first reached the exit. Turns out there's a fairly expansive secret area where they were all tucked away, but thankfully it wasn't too difficult to find when I went looking. Speaking of secrets: the one with a soulsphere and rocket launcher in it would've been very helpful if I'd found it at any point before I already killed everything. But hey, being topped up on health would've also killed the tension.

 

The various sector machines thumping and whirring away in the map's passages were pretty cool. Neat use of the wad's environmental sound gimmick, too.

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 06: Last Call

by John Bishop

Crispy Doom, UV, pistol-start

 

More thematically coherent than the last map, this one takes place in an underground power station, as evidenced by the many visible whirring machines in certain rooms and the brown tunnels linking everything. What's more, traps in this map feel exactly on point, even if combat is mostly corridor-crawling, as evidenced by the closing shotgunner ambush on the right. Or the little moment where Cacodemon and a Mancubus emerge from a tunnel opened when returning from that one room. Meaning the one with the Baron on the wall that I suppose describes the hideous experiments in which more soldiers are being bred for Hell's army. Though this facility is small enough, we can probably assume that work in that area is minimal. Surprisingly, we were able to access every single secret because doors, let alone secrets, aren't actually marked all that well. In some ways, this isn't too much different from some of John's later work. And it's certainly more enjoyable than some crap like Shrike 2 that was only released to /idgames in 2012.

 

PS - I forgot to comment of the theft of the name of TNT's last map which...seems a little weird for a number of reasons. 

Edited June 7, 2024 by LadyMistDragon

[NiGHTS108]

MAP06: Last Call

By John Bishop

Kills: 96%

Items: 100%

Secrets: 66%

Time: 4:53

 

The first guest map of the wad and what I suppose is the end of "Episode 1" of this wad, I can't really decide if Last Call, which has nothing to do with TNT: Evilution compared to what MAP03 had to do with Plutonia as far as I'm concerned, is either very different or very similar from what we've seen before. I mean there's certainly a different texture to it, literally and figuratively. This map blends its Quake textures better than you'd think with Doom and generally feels less disparate than MAP05 did, and most of the map takes place in cramped hallways while Chris Harbin seemingly has more of a knack for more open rooms and courtyards. I enjoy this map's progression in the same sense I enjoy specifically the start of Scythe II MAP03. Shoutouts to maps where most of the progression beats feel like secrets, but they're just obvious enough and just obscure enough to make you feel smart for finding them without causing frustration, even if they're not particularly super difficult to find. Makes you feel smart. The combat itself Sure Is There again. Just a lot of shooting through hallways without much resistance. Between MAP05 and this one I suppose I could take or leave the Shotgunner count, though I appreciated the partial invisibility right before a whole bunch of them. Another Doom II monster has been introduced, the Mancubus, but much like the Revenant last map, he's all by himself and no threat at all. Another half-decent map.

 

Grade: C+

Difficulty: D

(I really do not have much to say about the individual quality of every map, they've all been Fine.)

[Roofi]

Map 05 : Skybase

 

 

I prefer Skybase over the past maps for the simple fact it has more substance to offer. However, Skybase represents a perfect exemple of an adventure map with a procedural progression. As some people said, getting lost is hard because the layout has few interconnectivity, resulting to a lot of backtracks each time you obtain a key. This map is so easy on UV than killing enemies feel like following a procedure than actually trying to survive. They're just here to show you where to go.

 

About the visuals, Sky Base looks like a pot-pourri of different themes from the most influential wads from the 90's era. The blue corridor leading to the exit seems to be inspired by "Time Gate" from Eternal Doom, and the snowy era in the south-eastern area could be a small part of Requiem map 03.

 

Overall, it's a nice relaxing map and Mark Klem's midi enhance it.

 

Grade : B- (12/20)

 

 

 

Map 06 "Last Call"

 

 

A ridiculously cramped factory but you have no time to get bored here as you have to kill small armies of zombies among tiny corridors and "Last Call" turns out to be full of small traps than may become deadly if you get a bit too reckless. But like LadyMistDragon said, there is more effort put on the visual coherence as you can hear the machinery between each gunshot and the lighting is more elaborated here. The vanilla format still allows lot of details as long the areas remain tight afterall. I also has a soft spot for all the hidden doors. This deliberately obscure progression makes me feel like a mouse venturing into partitions.

 

In any case, “Last Call” is by far the most devious map to finish in pistol-start mode so far on this wad, but also the most aesthetically solid and the most exciting in terms of combat.

 

Grade : B (13/20)

 

 

 

[Zerofuchs]

Hmm, did a run through the first five maps, got a few off the cuff impressions. First general thought about Biowar's early maps is... nice aesthetics, if quite literally dark, and challenge level is fairly low. 

 

To speak of a particular map:

Map 05 : Skybase
The first "complicated" map in the pack, doesn't quite manage to maintain the pace thanks to a bit too much backtracking for keys and switches, but I do dig the visuals such as the reactor room and the blue catacombs. Combat wise, fairly trivial, didn't really struggle to blind run it on UV and so I expect most people would similarly breeze through.

[Celestin]

MAP06: Last Call by John Bishop

 

I see little resemblence to TNT's finale, but Last Call reminds me of other Evilution's map. With the narrow tunnels, combination of techbase and ancient ruins, this seem to be inspired by Hanger. I understand complaints regarding the progression, where you hit a dead end, turn around and see other wall have opened. I do however think the map is compact enough to not be an issue.

 

Regarding combat, this is a complete opposite to Skybase, a cramped and enemy-dense level where you are killing imps and zombies in bulk. Without looking for secrets, the health can get scarce and it's easy to accumulate chip damage or get blocked by an imp. Speaking of secrets, I like the hidden catacombs you can enter, it's a memorable place.

 

Exploring the deeper levels rewards you with a blue key that unlocks the exit. The plasma rifle handles the last batch of monsters and the map is over. Last Call is one of the maps I remembered well from my first playthrough, it offers a distinct style and engaging combat.

 

MAP07: Apparatus

 

Starting the MAP07 in an locked room might lead you to believe this will be a Dead Simple clone, but in reality, there are no arachnotrons or mancubi here. Instead, you'll fight several groups of a single-species monsters. The pain elementals were the deadliest, there's six of them in an open field, so you either camp in a doorway, or rush with a super shotgun. The mastermind is a joke, you get the BFG in the same courtyard, but remember to save some shots for the pair of archviles by the yellow key, they are awkward to take out otherwise. That's not the end, as there's a revenant ambush when you return to the starting courtyard.

 

The visuals aren't the best, to be honest, the map is very gray and doesn't do much in terms of the geometry. I'd rate this one as average.