2006 review by me of In Hell mod on GameSpy's PlanetDoom

The writing contained here is years old and GameSpy no longer exists but they are a reflection of the work I used to do then. Some of the links found in these posts will no longer work however they will remain as part of the original work. These posts are under the label: Outdated articles and works.

Feeling a little nostalgic, I came across this beautifully put together mod called “In Hell”. The makers claim to bring back the “Ultimate Doom” from the classic Doom series experience. Wait till you get a load of this. Download that is, all 348 MB of it.

The mod has some new textures, it appears, but the bulk of it is using Doom3. However the level design is definitely one of the best I have seen. Very early you will come across an outdoor area. You just want to stop and absorb the hellish atmosphere here. The gun sounds have changed and sound very sharp but with no jaggedness.

The game plays like the Doom 3 game but because this is set in hell, you have unlimited stamina. Initially you will be introduced to how different this is to Doom 3 by means of what appears to be a very small training level. The first thing you will notice is the puzzle solving type level design we have all become accustomed to from the classic Doom series. The best way to describe the game play experience would be to imagine classic Doom with Doom 3 graphics and monsters, complete with no flashlight. On that point, while the authors have eliminated the flashlight, the level design doesn’t require it. The levels are lit up enough that you can manage without it.

There is a considerable amount of things to like about it, from the new sounds, to the level design to the placement of monsters and even the ammo which you have to look for. The plain sight ammo is not enough, a lot of ammo is present, but, like the classic Doom, you have to look for it in each room. There are secrets present as well and when you finish the level, it tells you how many secrets you have found. In fact the level exit is very nicely integrated as a sub room.

There is just one thing with this mod, it is very hard. On “ultra violence” difficulty setting, this thing will really keep your fingers grinding on the keyboard. However, it’s so well put together that the difficulty setting becomes more of a challenge than a hindrance.

Although this mod is heavy on the download, it’s well worth its weight. This is definitely a recommended download. Especially if you loved the hell level of Doom 3.

The mod can be found at http://wwwstud.fh-zwickau.de/~stki/DOOM_html/index.htm

--Reviewed by Shadow Master