When playing 'Trust', one can't
help but to think of 'Half-Life'. Not so much because of the various sound
effects and sprites scattered throughout the levels, but more because of the
originality which resides in this level pack and the general feel of this
being a genuine thorough piece of work! 'Trust' is and will always be one of
the best add-ons released for 'zDoom'!
The one thing that really strikes
me as being the single most dominant feature of 'Trust' is the story. Just
like in 'H-L' the story starts with the main-character (you) getting caught
in the middle of some horrible and difficult to get out of situation. The
story really takes off when you encounter a fellow marine trying to help you
get out this mess you've landed right in the middle off. I won't reveal too
much, however the name 'Trust' isn't a coincidence. You start out being a little
scarce on information, but as you play through the levels, you gradually
begin to understand the situation. This is really great and fits in
perfectly with the environments you're progressing and fighting your way
through. The keyword for 'Trust' is generally 'perfect symbiosis'.
The levels range right from
train-stations
to deep canyons, from sewers to hallways. And the best thing is that it is
never at any point repetitive in its design! There's a huge variety in these
levels and the big bunch of new textures and flats, taken from other games,
are used wisely and with great consideration to build up all these buildings
etc. to perfection. The amazing thing is, however, much to my surprise
actually, that the walls and ceilings/floors are relatively poor on detail.
The author hasn't spent hours and hours concentrating on making grand and
spectacular amounts of eye-candy. It is kept at a minimum. The efforts spent
lie within the architecture and the gameplay. And damn it, it works! But
then suddenly you look up and spot a great looking (if one can say so...)
vent with a ventilator in it in the ceiling. Something that most have taken
quite the time to build. And the trains most have taken forever to make with
all those chairs, which btw. use a great looking set of textures to really
make them look superb!
Gameplay? Well, as I've already
pointed out, the gameplay rocks! There's a point where you have to climb
alongside a small ledge on the side of a canyon, which btw. is really deep.
This is not the hardest thing, though. Because when combined with Revenants,
Imps and Cacodemons firing at you from below, side and top, there really
isn't much else to do than to fight the best you've learned! My heart also
went up my throat, when I was carefully entering a room with a small hole in
the ceiling. I new something had to happen, but I wasn't prepared to the
fact that suddenly a Revenant came flying down that hole immediately
attacking me! When he was defeated along with some creepy Imp friends of
his, I could lean back and enjoy the victory..... and get my pulse back to
normal again. Another 'H-L' inspired scene in 'Trust' is a fight with some
black soldiers. And they're fast, in case you didn't know! You spot a Demon,
and BLAM! he's dead. What!? And then suddenly you know that you're not alone!
Someone might like to see you dead perhaps... All I can say is this:
Excellent! I loved 'Trust', and I feel
confident giving it The DooMer's RecesS 'What a Wad Award'!
