SUBSPACE
by Christen David Klie
by Christen David Klie
Most of Christen David Klie's submissions to id's Master Levels for Doom II use a pretty simple naming scheme, "The XXXX". Subspace is one of the few maps that breaks this trend. I'd like to think I know what you're saying right now. "Wow, this guy must be stretching to come up with different ways to start informative reviews for six levels with the same backstories." You're right! I am! And Klie made six more maps for the Master Levels that didn't even make it into the project! Whatever, dude / dudette. Subspace is in a techbase/outdoors style, mashing the two together, which creates alternating themes that help break up the scenery into more digestible pieces.
You start out in a small room with a somewhat obtuse puzzle. In the process of solving it, you'll probably wake up the bevy of lost souls lurking just outside, so be quick about it. From here you can explore northern half of the techbase (the southern portion is a dead end without the blue key). There are some trick doors, making exploration a little strange. The blue key area's here, not that you can get to it at the beginning. You have to access the switch by walking on a twisting, narrow catwalk.
The other branch directs you to Klie's larger, outdoor areas. There are several isolated man-made outposts to encounter when you're chasing down the yellow key, found out here. There's an interesting floating switchbox and an underground tunnel leading to the southern side of the map. The yellow key puzzle is a little more obscure, and escaping the area can be a bit tricky, but I like that Klie entrusts the player to think outside of the box.
Once you get past the opening encounter, Subspace is a fair, easygoing map with few surprises. It's competently put together, short, and mentally challenging, all hallmarks of Chris Klie's mapping talents. It may not kick like a mule (especially if you know about the two secrets), but that's alright. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of maps already made (and which continue to be made) for the masochists and slaughter-lovers among us.
DOES THIS MAKE DOOMGUY THE
SUBSPACE EMISSARY?
SUBSPACE EMISSARY?
This post is part of a series on
id's Master Levels for Doom II
id's Master Levels for Doom II
| ATTACK | BLACKTWR | BLOODSEA | CANYON |
| CATWALK | COMBINE | FISTULA | GARRISON |
| GERYON | MANOR | MEPHISTO | MINOS |
| NESSUS | PARADOX | SUBSPACE | SUBTERRA |
| TEETH | TTRAP | VESPERAS | VIRGIL |
Who'd have thunk it. If this map could exist on the PSX, there was no reason why the Chasm, with its ridiculous inch-wide ledges, couldn't also. Except that Subspace is a good map and The Chasm is a boil on Doom's arse.
ReplyDeleteMy only worthwhile comments are that this is an enjoyable map, it looks miles better with the Playstation's night sky texture, and progress was deceptively tricky. Pretty sure there was some gimmick required to exit the map. I remember running round in teeth-grinding frustration.
- Major Rawne
If I recall correctly, the trick involves jumping through a window or some kind of aperture, but I may be mis-remembering things.
DeleteIt's weird, I loved this game so much and played it to destruction, but these days I can barely stand to play it any more. It gives me a weird, claustrophobic feeling. That feeling appealed as a teenager but these days I think my brain rejects it or something. If it wasn't for that, I'd boot it up now and have a go, see if I could find the part that always got me stuck. Maybe I'm mis-remembering it.
ReplyDelete- Major Rawne
The yellow key puzzle isn't really much of a puzzle - more like finding an ibscure switch, a la Hexen. The shootable door at the beginning was definitely strange.
ReplyDelete