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| Doom II The Master Levels Android Gameplay |
I finally figured I'm at a good point to try out these levels to see what all the fuss is about. Overall, I agree that while not terrible, they individually don't fit into the flow of Doom I and II. As a collection, they could have been their own mod because the text summaries in some of the maps were actually interesting arcs that expanded on the lore and world-building for Hell's forces and provided repercussions for their failures, rather than Hell just continuing to send more and more demons in different ways.
As far as level progression goes, I didn't mind most of it but Black Tower feels like it would be a better fit to a final set of levels, if not the final level, due to the length of the map. As a direct follow-up to The Garrison, I suppose it makes sense but as most levels were easy compared to this map, it felt out of place. Alternatively, it also feels more in place with Titan Mnor and Trapped on Titan.
To that point, if they had setup the levels with the following episodes, I think it would have been pretty cool! Yes, these are just the level descriptions but they could have been edited/summarized into the episode credits like Doom 1 & 2. for a very compelling story.
Episode 1: The Cabal
A strange and enigmatic building on a moon of Saturn contains the latest in alien weapon technology. If you can survive the guards and solve the puzzles, the Federation will leapfrog in technology. It's all up to you. Oh and watch those windows! Every step you take may be your last. If it looks too easy, it probably isn't. Good luck - you'll need it...
You once were the biggest and baddest Cyber-demon to rule hell and you spear-headed the council that governed the underworld; "the Cabal". Betrayed by the other members you find yourself not only dismantled, but also a victim of the utmost demonic humiliation: You've been morphed into a human! Of course you're out for revenge and have to kick the other members of the Cabal's butts one by one.
Virgil's Lead: The 3rd Canto in the Inferno series. In your search for Beatrice, you lost your guide Virgil (the beatnik space-poet) while crossing Acheron. But you've caught up with him again, and he's agreed to lead you through the current way-station (mostly because demons and undead sergeants are not much impressed with Virgil's way with words). "You can get a lot further with a kind word and a gun then you can a kind word." "You belong to the NRA, don't you?" Virgil asks. "No, I'm just a pessimistic pacifist."
Minos' Judgement: The 4th Canto in the Inferno series. In your search for Beatrice, your guide, Virgil (the beatnik space-poet) has just successfully lead you through the First Circle of Hades -- only to bring you to the court of Minos, the Judge of Hell. "Well," you say, "this is another fine mess you've gotten us into. Now what?" Virgil, with his usual loquacity, replies: "Heh heh."
Nessus: The 5th Canto in the Inferno series. Minos decided to grant leniency and not kill you until next week. In the meantime, having slipped past Cerberus, the top dog, you and Virgil come to a precipice overlooking the river Phlegethon. There, Virgil greets the Minotaur using phrases from an out-of-date "Passport to Demonese" by Charles Berlitz. Enraged at having been asked to remove his panties, the Minotaur falls upon the ground and throws a conniption fit. You grab Virgil and climb down some boulders to the foot of the cliff where Chiron, the chief Centaur, offers to have Nessus carry you across the river on his shoulders. "Why, that's mighty white of ya'," says Virgil. "No problem, sailor," says Nessus. "Hop on."
Episode 2: Canto
Black Tower: You're nearing the end of your journey. You and Chagrin, the ruler of the Black Tower, came off the same conveyor belt as newly assembled cyber-demons a few thousand years back. "Oil runs thicker than blood" the two of you used to say. Demons don't come much closer to friendship than what you and Chagrin shared. Well now your buddy rules the hordes of hell previously under your command and have left you for dead. Your task is simple: Enter the dreaded Black Tower, the nucleus of black magic and the occult in all of Hell, get to its highest floor and slay Chagrin. Then there is the getting back out as well...
Vesperas: An evening ceremony, this is the 7th Canto of Inferno. "Now it's dark."
Bloodsea Keep: Is the home of your past advisor; Veavitdpoh (Very Evil Arch-Vile In The Deepest Parts Of Hell). Veavitdpoh is an old-school demon that believes in the rip-out-heart-routine and so shuns all use of technology and mechanical weaponry. His cult following has grown the last century but still amounts to little. Unless you face them alone of course...After being dumped into the endless "Sea of Blood" following your humiliating transformation into a human you swim for an eternity before you finally bump your head against the pier of the keep. Digging your feet into the mud of human remains your hand brushes by an old blood-soaked shotgun, the previous owner's severed hand still attached to it. All who enter "Bloodsea Keep" with such items fallvictim to your former advisor's favourite past-time: Torture. Any "heretics" still alive inside the keep should be homicidal maniacs at best. "That's OK" you think, "maybe they brought some more ammo for the shotgun", before cocking the rusty pump-action, causing an eyeball to fly out of the cartridge...
Mephisto's Maosoleum: You have reached the grave of an old friend and mentor: "Mephisto". Yeah old Lucy was a tough bastard. But then there was that incident with the earthling marine which lost him a lot of credit in the hard-core parts of Hell. So you had to kick him off the throne of course. His immortal spirit was kept as a member of the Cabal though and so he was in on the betrayal against you. Time to enter his tomb and lay the old man down to rest for good...
Teeth: When the "Express Elevator to Hell" starts descending the renegade Cabal has begun to realize you might be a threat to them, human or not. Half way down the shaft that should have taken you to the deepest pits of Hell, the lift first slows down before it jerks to a halt. Ambush! Survive the initial onslaught and find a gateway out of the now sealed elevator. Tough, but that's the way you like it...