| Genesis
of Descent - Hobomaster22  People usually bitch and moan to me that I have no taste in Doom
WADs, and that I believe that all ZDoom WADs suck. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit extreme with the last
one, but in case you had that thought in your head, you're completely wrong, and you should stop
trying to pretend that you can figure out my modus operandi! While I love my dose of classic Doom
as much as the next guy, I can't really get into some of the newfangled alternative styles of
playing that ZDoom WADs usually bring to the table, since I love shooting the crap out of monsters
and not really caring about scripted puzzles. That said, Genesis of Descent is one of the few
maps where I truly feel like I'm enjoying a modernized Doom experience, not to mention that
the atmosphere is as thick as that global warming threat that all of those guys on TV keep
talking about.
 One of the biggest departures from the standard "shoot the crap out of
monsters" style that I've grown to is that you don't have much ammo for reckless shooting; you need
to make sure you don't waste a single bullet, or else you'll regret it somewhere down the road when
you really need that single bullet to blow up a barrel that will set off some chain reaction. OK,
maybe I'm exaggerating a wee bit there, but the point still gets across; if you execute a brilliant
idea properly, you'll get something that results in Genesis of Descent, a single player WAD that gets
its own entry in the 2007 Cacowards. What more could you ask for?
Cheogsh -
Shadowman
The
last few years have seen a larger role for hardware accelerated ports and
true 3D environments like Legacy, Doomsday, and, most recently, GZDoom.
Forked from ZDoom, GZDoom offers modern architecture and video effects
while retaining ZDoom compatibility. Last year showcased a couple of
GZDoom exclusive maps, and this year continues that trend with Cheogsh.
 Cheogsh uses all of GZDoom's effects to create
a really atmospheric experience. As one would expect from a hardware
accelerated port, it looks nice, and lighting effects are used prominently
to create a very brooding environment. The map opens on
Hell's beachfront, and you fight your way into the demon castle
and teleport, once again, to fight an onslaught of Hell's bestiary.
At times, Cheogsh feels very Quakeish... which is largely attributed to its
use of Quake
textures, but the architecture looks similar too. The map drags
significantly in the middle with an atrocious dark maze
that does not appear on your automap, but, fortunately, it picks up again
afterwards. If you can slog through that segment, you are in for a
really fun experience and will enjoy playing this wad. There are
plenty of traps that will spring your favorite baddies, as well as numerous
new monsters added to the lineup. If you have a vendetta against
GZDoom, put it aside to play some of the projects that are available
for it, like Cheogsh.
Songs
of the Damned - Trevor "Iori" Primmett
3D
accelerated ports are not everyone's cup of tea, and it is a pleasure to see
really great vanilla releases that keep coming out every year. Boom
might not be "vanilla" in the purest sense, but for most community
members it is pretty close. If Cheogosh does not strike your fancy, be
sure to play Songs of the Damned. It is a purely Boom/PRBoom
compatible map, looks gorgeous, and plays well, too.
 One of the first things you notice
about Songs of the Damned is that it is huge. While the map starts
off contained and linear, it quickly explodes into a giant fortress with
multiple pathways and swaths of enemies. What begins as a few dozen
demons quickly becomes hordes as you save every last piece of
ammo to deal with them. In addition to the difficulty, you will also
have to face a number of really nasty and vicious traps. In
one particular instance, you will need to pick one of three switches to
lower a platform for a key. Pick the wrong switch and the area fills
with lava. Oh, you can survive, but it will cost you. I
remember playing Songs of the Damned for the first time and wondering when
it would end. At the end of each obstacle it would open to reveal
another large portion of the map with more hellspawn looking to tear me
apart. It will take some saving and reloading, but this map is
certainly possible. If you missed it last year when it was released,
make sure to play Songs of the Damned now.
|
2007 Cacowards
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Other Awards
THE SKY MAY BE
Last year I hoped I would never have to write this segment again.
Unfortunately, in 2007, the Doom community paid its final respects to Jason
"Amaster" Masihdas. Jason was a prominent figure in the
community who hosted a weekly radio segment on Unidoom
Radio and contributed to several projects. After a 10 day absence,
it was confirmed that he had committed suicide on June 14. Jason was a
valuable member of the community and will be greatly missed.
Jason Masihdas
Oct 12, 1981 - June 14, 2007 |
