"Grove"

grove.wad

Author(s):

B.P.R.D.

Year of release:

2004

Map(s):

01

Engine:

ZDoom

Date of review:

08/16/2005

Overall rating:

-unrated-

Oh, man, this is again a map where looks and gameplay differ blatantly.
This is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric maps, I've ever seen. Optically, everything is perfect: the automap, the thousands of trees, the additional sprites, the lovely sky, the music, even the story is so cute. It's all breathtaking. Some things let you take a break and just enjoy the look of it and the atmosphere. Like the hands in the dark.
On the other hand, it's nearly unplayable. It's so dark, you can't see anything. The whole map is playing in a dark forest and even with cheating (idbeholdl) it's sometimes hard to find a way between all the blocking trees. Finding a way, let alone ammo, health, keys or switches is nearly impossible, and this is a real turn-off. I was angry to almost be forced to cheat and then even more angry cause after 45 minutes without getting anything I had to give up. :-(
The author could have made the paths a bit brighter, so that at least you could find a way, without giving up the concept or the atmosphere.
When I started to play this, I was almost sure I would give it the maximum rating. It would have been the second out of 42 wads with 5 impballs. 45 minutes later I'm helpless, how to rate this. 5 for look and feel, 1 for the frustrating gameplay... so, I leave it unrated.
There are two versions of this wad. The first, grove.wad, has a ton of things in it and the game slows down to unplayability. So, I suggest, you watch out for grovealt.wad, which has the things reduced a bit (though still slowing down my pc in some areas).

By the way, I owe this wad and its author some gratitude, because I took the tree sprites for my Zodiac Deathmatch. Another wad by B.P.R.D. has formed the background scenery of Nutty's map 32.
His mapping skills are out of the question. But pleeeease, make playable maps again! :-)