A mod for Doom II: Hell on Earth
Jumpwad is a set of 7 monsterless platforming maps for mbf-compatible source ports (complevel 11). Explore strange worlds! Collect gems! Seek out the Eternal Golden Flame!
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This review contains spoilers
i don't like jumping. i don't like collecting. i don't like doing those two things in first person perspective. however, that doesn't mean i instantly dislike a game because of it!
jumpwad is really fun and it has everything going for it. once you get used to the controls you can skim through the levels as fast as a rabbit. the rocket mechanic that is introduced in map05 aka "It's Cold Up Here" is specially fun.
the music is a big highlight. my favorites are the main menu theme, the one from map01, map05 and specially map07 aka "Bread And Bear" (which is a great name for a stage). now,
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EVERY LEVEL IN JUMPWAD RANKED!
#7: Unlimited Ice Cream Factory.
boring song, a more closed interior, not particularly interesting visuals... i admit i skipped through this one.
#6: There's Been a Murder.
i don't understand what the name means. is it a reference to something in specific? i like a few of the ideas, such as using an Archville to jump twice, but the level design is really confusing and not very fun to play. the visuals are also a bit lacking.
#5: Jump City.
well, it is a city To jump alright. my favorite thing about it is that the buildings on the outside are actual buildings and not just a skybox, it looks so cool. other than that, not particularly fun except for a few trickier parts.
4#: Inside Job.
probably the most fun to just jump around? also amazing level design, really cool finding out every path and hidden stuff.
3#: Bread and Bear.
as i said before, amazing music and amazing title. the level slowly unveils itself, seemingly small at first but keeps getting bigger. i don't know what i want more from it but it certainly isn't the best.
2#: Temple of the Jump God.
amazing first impressions. number 4 best song in the game, my favorite visuals in the game alongside number 1 of this list, really gives you enough room to get used to the jumping.
1#: It's Cold Up Here.
i don't know exactly why i love this one so much... maybe because i love snowy levels? i really like the song and that one part where you have to meticulously parkour in these steep ass platforms which are also really high and give you juuuust enough distance to get there... i love it. i could live in that place.
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overall i just wish this wad was more surreal and experimental on the visual side, also maybe use mp3s instead of midis but at the same time i love the midi sounds of the menu theme and bread and bear. i will probably keep replaying this.
jumpwad is really fun and it has everything going for it. once you get used to the controls you can skim through the levels as fast as a rabbit. the rocket mechanic that is introduced in map05 aka "It's Cold Up Here" is specially fun.
the music is a big highlight. my favorites are the main menu theme, the one from map01, map05 and specially map07 aka "Bread And Bear" (which is a great name for a stage). now,
--------------------------------------------------------------
EVERY LEVEL IN JUMPWAD RANKED!
#7: Unlimited Ice Cream Factory.
boring song, a more closed interior, not particularly interesting visuals... i admit i skipped through this one.
#6: There's Been a Murder.
i don't understand what the name means. is it a reference to something in specific? i like a few of the ideas, such as using an Archville to jump twice, but the level design is really confusing and not very fun to play. the visuals are also a bit lacking.
#5: Jump City.
well, it is a city To jump alright. my favorite thing about it is that the buildings on the outside are actual buildings and not just a skybox, it looks so cool. other than that, not particularly fun except for a few trickier parts.
4#: Inside Job.
probably the most fun to just jump around? also amazing level design, really cool finding out every path and hidden stuff.
3#: Bread and Bear.
as i said before, amazing music and amazing title. the level slowly unveils itself, seemingly small at first but keeps getting bigger. i don't know what i want more from it but it certainly isn't the best.
2#: Temple of the Jump God.
amazing first impressions. number 4 best song in the game, my favorite visuals in the game alongside number 1 of this list, really gives you enough room to get used to the jumping.
1#: It's Cold Up Here.
i don't know exactly why i love this one so much... maybe because i love snowy levels? i really like the song and that one part where you have to meticulously parkour in these steep ass platforms which are also really high and give you juuuust enough distance to get there... i love it. i could live in that place.
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overall i just wish this wad was more surreal and experimental on the visual side, also maybe use mp3s instead of midis but at the same time i love the midi sounds of the menu theme and bread and bear. i will probably keep replaying this.
It's cold up here, but I know you'll keep me warm.
danbo's review is excellent, check it out too.
Partners-in-crime Ribbiks and Grain of Salt take a break from their usual challenge mapping antics to put out a platforming-only WAD that's, shockingly, one of the best platformers I've ever played.
I think the problem with most platformers that I've tried (though I don't play many) is that the movement has to be pretty damn engaging to warrant focusing the whole game around it. I found Celeste just okay (high heresy, I know) but I can attempt stupid pointless jumps in Super Metroid for hours because the movement feels so alien and interesting.
It turns out Doom's bizarro physics (Absolutely no air control + lots of momentum + straferunning) work pretty well for this too! On top of this, Ribbiks and GoS hack together a weird Archvile-jump-on-command whose explosive flinging properties heavily depend on your speed and direction. It's all very analog, and the whole thing takes a while to get used to, but that's the point: it's about the tactile feel of play, almost like Katamari Damacy.
Levels are very lenient with the difficulty and only require a fraction of the gems in each level to be collected before you can move on to the next one, so you can try different challenges if you get stuck, though I would have liked to see a few more freeform areas where you can just jump around. I would be remiss not to mention these two's fearsomely honed ability to create atmosphere in the Doom engine, especially the last 3 maps. It's clear that after a decade in the scene, they know how to use color, lighting, architecture, and MIDIs (Ribbiks composes here too!) in ways that work with the engine's strengths.
While I was writing this I loaded the WAD up to check some things, but got sucked in again without thinking. Honestly feels like SM64 more than any other platformer I've played. Recommended to basically everyone. An absolute joy!
Partners-in-crime Ribbiks and Grain of Salt take a break from their usual challenge mapping antics to put out a platforming-only WAD that's, shockingly, one of the best platformers I've ever played.
I think the problem with most platformers that I've tried (though I don't play many) is that the movement has to be pretty damn engaging to warrant focusing the whole game around it. I found Celeste just okay (high heresy, I know) but I can attempt stupid pointless jumps in Super Metroid for hours because the movement feels so alien and interesting.
It turns out Doom's bizarro physics (Absolutely no air control + lots of momentum + straferunning) work pretty well for this too! On top of this, Ribbiks and GoS hack together a weird Archvile-jump-on-command whose explosive flinging properties heavily depend on your speed and direction. It's all very analog, and the whole thing takes a while to get used to, but that's the point: it's about the tactile feel of play, almost like Katamari Damacy.
Levels are very lenient with the difficulty and only require a fraction of the gems in each level to be collected before you can move on to the next one, so you can try different challenges if you get stuck, though I would have liked to see a few more freeform areas where you can just jump around. I would be remiss not to mention these two's fearsomely honed ability to create atmosphere in the Doom engine, especially the last 3 maps. It's clear that after a decade in the scene, they know how to use color, lighting, architecture, and MIDIs (Ribbiks composes here too!) in ways that work with the engine's strengths.
While I was writing this I loaded the WAD up to check some things, but got sucked in again without thinking. Honestly feels like SM64 more than any other platformer I've played. Recommended to basically everyone. An absolute joy!