"k" reviews

author: Curtis Smith. this level doesn't have an F1 anywhere, at the start or anywhere else, so it's back to the same old "kill everything and escape" action. the architecture in this level has been well done -- play areas vary widely in size, and the detailing and texturing add to the theme. colored lighting has been implemented adequately in most areas, though there are some where it seems arbitrary and doesn't blend well. the flow is semi-linear -- there aren't many unnecessary side areas to explore, but there are multiple ways to reach your goal. pacing is good, with the monster population being on the heavy side, especially at the beginning. not to worry, though; you've got the hardware to do the job, and more than enough ammo... the trick is surviving the firestorm until you can get to an advantageous spot. the architecture, oddly, is both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, with individual areas being recognizable for what they are and the overall layout being decidedly alien; a fun and interesting method of building, to be sure. F1s would have gone a long way to making this more clear, but i'm not sure if that would have been a good thing, considering how fun it was trying to figure out what everything was. some nitpicks: this level didn't feel like a sewage plant, but more of a "processing facility" (don't ask, because i don't know either); the elevators are automatic but don't pause very long at the top or bottom, and they damage the player; the exit door sill has the "texture edge" pattern; and no monsters appear in the level after you get the blue key, making it a bit unexciting. nevertheless, this one was fun, and unless you're a Quake2 God, you'll definitely have to play it more than once to get through it.

"m" reviews