Sins of the Flesh (A_SOTF.PK3)

SINS OF THE FLESH
by "zrrion the insect"

When I committed myself to reviewing zrrion's back catalog in preparation to the curiously strong Mouldy Old Void, I did not know that he had another release languishing somewhere in a half-assed (but well-intentioned) community project. Thankfully, he was kind enough to pull this level back out for a solo publication and gently notified me of its availability. Sins of the Flesh is a MAP01 replacement for Doom II to be played in GZDoom. Made sometime in 2014 but released to the archives in 2016, it's also sort of an aesthetic sequel to his previous The Blood of Virgins.

Mouldy Old Void (MOLDYOLDVOID.PK3)

MOULDY OLD VOID
by "zrrion the insect"

zrrion doesn't have the biggest back catalog, but he's still got a pretty good reputation as a GZDoom map author. As far as I know, he was pretty quiet after the release of ZDCMP2, showing some work on a Hexen level, but that all changed in 2015. Tormentor kicked off a contest where authors would take a deconstructed layout based on Doom's E1M7 and build a map off it. The end result was six interestingly varied GZDoom levels, with zrrion ultimately winning the vote with Mouldy Old Void. As with the rest of its peers, it's a MAP01 replacement. And, like the others, zrrion has brought his own incalculable character, contributing to Doomja Vu's rich patchwork of experiences.

The Core (A_CORE.WAD)

THE CORE
by "zrrion the insect"

zrrion built up a nice little portfolio in 2012, paving the way toward his eventual inclusion as one of the guiding forces behind the ZDoom Community Map Project Take Two. After exploding with a big ol' Realm 667 showcase in The Void of Hell, he followed up with a more muted showing in The Blood of Virgins, which used GZDoom to enhance what would otherwise be - I think - a traditional experience. The Core is, then, a more substantial experience, a larger level with about three times as many monsters to chew through. Like its predecessors, it was released in 2012 and targeted GZDoom. The pacing and layout leave it with a feeling more akin to adventure maps, though, than anything that has come before.

The Blood of Virgins (V_BLOOD.WAD)

THE BLOOD OF VIRGINS
by "zrrion the insect"

zrrion's first major release was a sort of minisode adventure in the black void between worlds - The Void of Hell. It wasn't the only thing he did in 2012, though. The Blood of Virgins is in many respects a more traditional experience when compared to the mini-TC feel of HVOID. It's also a single level, apparently inspired by a song by Swedish Doom Metal band, Candlemass - "A Sorcerer's Pledge". As with pretty much anything else the dude has done, you'll need to play it back in GZDoom, though most of this level's geometry wouldn't be out of place in ZDoom.

The Void of Hell (HVOID.WAD)

zrrion has built up something of a reputation as a minor GZDoom sensation. Here he is, just starting out, with this little minisode for Doom II titled The Void of Hell, released in 2012. Apparently, this set owes its existence to ZPack; or, rather, ZPack's failure to embody the sort of black Hell of zrrion's own imagination. Embracing the principles of DIY, he decided to render his nightmare in his own image. The Void of Hell is actually pretty short as far as map packs go, consisting of two normal levels, a boss map, and a silly secret that involves, among other things, a Dalek. It also has its own story.

ZDoom Community Map Project: Take 2 (ZDCMP2.PK3)

ZDOOM COMMUNITY
MAP PROJECT: TAKE 2
by assorted authors

ZDoom (and GZDoom) have been firmly cemented as the modder's port of choice when it comes to changing the way Doom looks and plays. In 2004, its proponents showed off just what the engine was capable of with the ZDoom Community Map Project "Take 1", a single map with more than a dozen pairs of hands on it. Times have changed, though, and so has ZDoom, so it only stands to reason that it needs a brand new community map to show just what the port is now capable of - ZDCMP: Take 2. Essentially released in 2013 after cooking in the Realm667 crock pot for a year or so, you can play it in either ZDoom or GZDoom. You'll want to track down the most recent rev of either, though.