This is "Darkmatch 2:
Retribution", the 'sequel' to "Darkmatch 1: Hardcore", which
has already been reviewed here on The DooMer's RecesS. While "D1" was extremely small and
intense, "D2" differs a little by being more open and more
interesting to play... without ever impressing you endlessly.
The biggest improvement in this
level compared to "D1" is the fact that there's a little more
room to move about in. This appeals to a much larger number of players as
there's plenty of action with a bigger gameplay value than that found in
"D1". And while
not supporting great tactic manoeuvres, it does succeed somewhat by
having three switches activating a pillar in the center of the level, which
on skill level 2 holds a megasphere; the only health/armour you'll find. The interesting thing lies in the fact
that when you press a given switch and the pillar lowers for a couple of
seconds, the chance of some other player snatching the megasphere right in
front of your bloody nose, is very big. This is because the building in which
it is situated has four doors leading out to four sets of stairs again
leading to a walkway with great visibility to the rest of the big area, which
the level more or less consists of. And at the end of those sets of stairs
is those switches. So when someone presses a switch to
lower the pillar, you can actually hear it wherever you are and just turn around and head for
the centre of the small building and maybe play thief for a couple of seconds and piss someone
totally off. It's fun! And when first you've gotten your health and armor
boosted to max, it is pretty hard to finish you off. That despite of the
fact that there's a big arsenal consisting of a Shotgun, Supershotgun, Rocket Launcher and
Chaingun available on all skill levels for you to choose from. And there's a
good amount of ammo available too, even when you're playing against three
others. But this is outweighed by the size of the level; there's not much
room to move about in and the chances of you getting a ton of lead in your
back from a Supershotgun is high indeed. So getting that megasphere might
not just save your day... On the other skill levels it is just another
weapon like the BFG. I strongly suggest playing the level on skill level 2
with the megasphere.
The level is as I've already
pointed out, very simple in design because of its symmetric architecture.
Basically you have one high walkway, one low and one small building with a
pillar in it. I'm not sure if this level would have worked with all plain
old Doom textures. The Darkening II textures really makes this level look
good and one can only wonder why more people don't make more wads for this
popular and highly widespread megawad. There's endless possibilities in the
textures and flats, and they make a level look great! And Kristian Käll has used them
cautiously and rather OK. There was more detail in "D1", and a
little more in this level might have given it that last important finish.
"Darkmatch 2:
Retribution" is closer to Three Marines than "Darkmatch 1:
Hardcore", and brings the last few important points in by being more
entertaining in terms of gameplay value.
