A mod for Doom II: Hell on Earth
A megawad for Doom 2, released in 2003 by Erik Alm and Kim "Torn" Bach, known for its short and sweet levels
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Abandoned at MAP30. I really, really wanted to finish this but MAP30 is just such a shift in tone, gameplay, spirit, and difficulty that I decided for the sake of my sanity to just say goodbye to Scythe forever. I'm proud of myself for beating maps1-29 single segment on HNTR, but MAP30 is where I drew the line.
This won a Cacoward on Doomworld (the main Doom website/has been for its entire timeline) and I can see why, even however many years later. It's fun, punchy action for most of the ordeal with some interesting concept maps, and unlike others I actually enjoy a majority of the Hell maps (maps21-30) and find them fun. If you want slaughter executed well in a wad like Scythe, look at MAP26. Plenty of invulnerabilities, plenty of mega spheres, plenty of BFG ammo, doesn't take that long, bam, there you go, DONE. Some of the maps in here are challenging without even needing that many monsters just because they're well designed for that matter. I just can't see why MAP30 had to be included other than "Oh, it's the final map, might as well go all-out!"
A 4-star mod that gets ruined down to a light 3 by virtue of its final map alone. This is one of the rare instances in which I cannot bring myself to finish a game/mod. It's not even that I hate slaughter, it's the context in which this is inserted into the game with little warning and in such full force that makes it a stinker.
Even all that aside, the good maps suffer from lack of detail (understandable, it's vanilla) and maps1-10 are really boring for the most part. Scythe, I respect the hell out of you but I cannot beat you and I'm sorry that I can't, you just aged rather poorly.
Abandoned on 7/6/23 AT THE VERY END.
ABANDONED
This won a Cacoward on Doomworld (the main Doom website/has been for its entire timeline) and I can see why, even however many years later. It's fun, punchy action for most of the ordeal with some interesting concept maps, and unlike others I actually enjoy a majority of the Hell maps (maps21-30) and find them fun. If you want slaughter executed well in a wad like Scythe, look at MAP26. Plenty of invulnerabilities, plenty of mega spheres, plenty of BFG ammo, doesn't take that long, bam, there you go, DONE. Some of the maps in here are challenging without even needing that many monsters just because they're well designed for that matter. I just can't see why MAP30 had to be included other than "Oh, it's the final map, might as well go all-out!"
A 4-star mod that gets ruined down to a light 3 by virtue of its final map alone. This is one of the rare instances in which I cannot bring myself to finish a game/mod. It's not even that I hate slaughter, it's the context in which this is inserted into the game with little warning and in such full force that makes it a stinker.
Even all that aside, the good maps suffer from lack of detail (understandable, it's vanilla) and maps1-10 are really boring for the most part. Scythe, I respect the hell out of you but I cannot beat you and I'm sorry that I can't, you just aged rather poorly.
Abandoned on 7/6/23 AT THE VERY END.
ABANDONED
Very fun first 20 maps until it goes total sicko mode with the later slaughter maps. Mainly MAP30 which is half of the fucking game.
Welp, I don't think this has aged very well...which is weird, because I remember loving this wad! Back in the day I found the early maps to be short and sweet, while the later, more "slaughter"-y maps to be a bit of a slog but still tolerable. Now I find the early maps to be just kind of dull, and the later slaughter maps absolutely insufferable.
The early maps are small, very small, and can be completed in just a couple of minutes, sometimes under a minute even (not even speed running. Just playing at normal speed). They're....fine. Kinda fun but also kinda uninteresting IMO.
The later maps are a real slog. Just endless spamming the BFG against 10 cyberdemons. Real mind-numbing stuff.
Maybe it's just because there have been so many awesome wads that are far more ambitious since 2003's Scythe. The novelty of it has worn off. Scythe was one of the first user wads I ever played, so maybe that also has something to do it with it... I don't know.
Final thoughts: oof
The early maps are small, very small, and can be completed in just a couple of minutes, sometimes under a minute even (not even speed running. Just playing at normal speed). They're....fine. Kinda fun but also kinda uninteresting IMO.
The later maps are a real slog. Just endless spamming the BFG against 10 cyberdemons. Real mind-numbing stuff.
Maybe it's just because there have been so many awesome wads that are far more ambitious since 2003's Scythe. The novelty of it has worn off. Scythe was one of the first user wads I ever played, so maybe that also has something to do it with it... I don't know.
Final thoughts: oof
I'm really not sure how to rate this one, as my feelings on it vary pretty wildly. The WAD is kinda segmented into chapters, and I feel pretty differently about each.
The first chunk of levels are decent. You can blow through them pretty quickly and they don't abuse the enemies, but there's also not a whole lot interesting about them.
The middle chunk is really good. There's a few fantastic levels in there that know just how many enemies to throw at you to create tough but fair, dynamic levels.
The last section was pretty horrendous in my opinion. The levels get really hard and, occasionally, experimental. There's a level where you have to basically speedrun through it in less than 30 seconds, or you die. There is absolutely nothing fun about it, and I eventually had to noclip because I was so sick of it. These levels also gave me my first taste of a slaughter map, and I must say that it is absolutely not for me. Standing there spamming the BFG for 20 minutes taking out 30 Cyberdemons isn't fun. It's not even really all that challenging, it's just mind numbing. The last level is also a slaughter map of sorts, and one that I had to god mode through. At that point I was sick of everything and just wanted it to end.
The first chunk of levels are decent. You can blow through them pretty quickly and they don't abuse the enemies, but there's also not a whole lot interesting about them.
The middle chunk is really good. There's a few fantastic levels in there that know just how many enemies to throw at you to create tough but fair, dynamic levels.
The last section was pretty horrendous in my opinion. The levels get really hard and, occasionally, experimental. There's a level where you have to basically speedrun through it in less than 30 seconds, or you die. There is absolutely nothing fun about it, and I eventually had to noclip because I was so sick of it. These levels also gave me my first taste of a slaughter map, and I must say that it is absolutely not for me. Standing there spamming the BFG for 20 minutes taking out 30 Cyberdemons isn't fun. It's not even really all that challenging, it's just mind numbing. The last level is also a slaughter map of sorts, and one that I had to god mode through. At that point I was sick of everything and just wanted it to end.
Small, straight-forward, and well done. A bit privative and easy, but very good for 2003. Well, except for the 2 or 3 places where Scythe gently reminds you that DOOM II is a Touhou game.
Scythe was a blast for me. I really loved the concept of very short maps with a fair amount of difficulty. Most of this maps can be finished in less than 5-6 minutes, but they are still challenging in a very Plutonia way. It really captures the idea of having fun playing Doom.
There are a few maps than differ from this concept of keeping things pretty short. You have two slaughter maps, a few whose length is probably the average of a Doom 2 map (Notably, MAP29 was basically Downtown but well designed, plus snow), and of course the infamous MAP28, a map that basically forces you to speedrun and finish the map within 30 seconds before you automatically die.
It’s also very interesting how this wad covers up for the whole difficulty spectrum. It ranges to a very easy difficulty in the beginning, to full pro at the very end.
Fav Maps: 19. 3000 AD / 23. Anger / 29. Hell on Earth
Worst Maps: 07. Deadly / 27. Terror / 30. Fire and Ice
Honorable mentions: Map26: Fear (I dislike slaughter maps but this one was a surprisingly fun one to play with) / Map28: Run from It (althought it’s pretty hated, i actually enjoyed the “speedrun for your life” idea)
There are a few maps than differ from this concept of keeping things pretty short. You have two slaughter maps, a few whose length is probably the average of a Doom 2 map (Notably, MAP29 was basically Downtown but well designed, plus snow), and of course the infamous MAP28, a map that basically forces you to speedrun and finish the map within 30 seconds before you automatically die.
It’s also very interesting how this wad covers up for the whole difficulty spectrum. It ranges to a very easy difficulty in the beginning, to full pro at the very end.
Fav Maps: 19. 3000 AD / 23. Anger / 29. Hell on Earth
Worst Maps: 07. Deadly / 27. Terror / 30. Fire and Ice
Honorable mentions: Map26: Fear (I dislike slaughter maps but this one was a surprisingly fun one to play with) / Map28: Run from It (althought it’s pretty hated, i actually enjoyed the “speedrun for your life” idea)