Insidious - "Step into the underworld of the inquisition, where the ghosts of the innocent are your only companions."
This level has atmosphere! From the hanging chains, and the vent overhead, slowly blowing in steam, to the living... er.. thing in the biotank that desperately wants your attention. It's a small level, however, and it's a familiar layout to DeathMatch fans.
A single corridor, with staircases at the ends wraps around a central room. Two walkways over a rather sharp fan cross over one another in the center. A Rocket Launcher and health lure you to the top, while a Keg-O-Health and Shield lead you to the two sides. The Minigun, however, isn't a very good incentive to drop to the bottom under the Rocket Launcher.
RaptoR: DM-Insidious is another small, simple DM map, containing one outer corridor, a pit and two walkways. Great with a small number of players, but becomes spammy with more than 8.
larrystorch: The openings to the rocket launcher are gonna be filled with corpses on this one. Fast and furious action is promised on this map.
hal: Now this is a fun small map. I think the lower crosswalk doesn't offer enough reason to get on it. Perhaps having the health down there instead of on top with the RL would do the trick. The atmosphere is A+, and it just proves that a map doesn't have to be endlessly complicated to be fun. 7/10
Leviathan - "They say, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'. You won't find any friends here, so reach out and touch someone."
Think of a rectangular Gael with a hallway and twin staricases at each end and you have Leviathan. You can, however double jump from side to side on the second level. The lighting is exemplary, though the theme isn't as strong as most of the other maps.
A Rocket Launcher and a Flak Cannon draw you to the corners of the map, though the Shield Pack and a single health is the sole reason to visit the bottom floor, especially when you become a sitting duck and only two ways out.. both passing spawn areas. You'd be better off collecting Adrenaline and kills to replenish your health here. Oddly enough, one corner has only a lone Rocket ammo and a handfull of Adrenaline pills.
Again, four seems to be the maximum for a good, fair fight. This map is both better than and worse than Gael. The weaponry is more diverse, and there is a little more room to frag in, but the entire bottom area is a bottleneck to be avoided.
RaptoR: DM-Leviathan is another simple, fun DM map in the same style as Gael. Leviathan, however, is less open, and less suited to duel play.
larrystorch: This map will become a fav for those that can dominate on it. Once you find your strongpoint and guard (ie: camp) it, you'll be unstoppable.
hal: Two arena maps? I don't like how the only way up from the bottom floor is through two small doorways. Anyone down there is easy pickings for people smart enough to stay primarily on the top floor (where the RL - the most powerful weapon of the game - resides). This map would have benefitted greatly from either A) having a jump pad to reach the second floor, B) Having the RL on the bottom floor, or C) Having wider doorways and stairs to the upper level. 4/10
Oceanic - "Beneath the ice packs of the Thracian Sea, Oceanic Power Station works ceaselessly to provide the nearby coastline with a virtually endless supply of fusion energy. But for those who do battle in the corridors beneath the ice, only victory staves off the chill touch of defeat."
A beautiful theme realized with large windows (overhead and in the wall) looking out into the ocean, complete with alien shark-like fish swimming about. Great lighting, texturing, and layout all compliment each other.
This is a smallish map that would be comfortable with 2 to 4 players. Most spawn points are near a weapon, save the one poor soul who spawns in the square health room. He/She get a few rounds of ammo, and that's about it!
The map is essentially a square, divided in to three parts: A lower pit with a Rocket Launcher, around which much of the fighting is sure to take place; a narrow catwalk over a curved hallway, the health, BioRifle, and LinkGun being the draw here; and finally a winding corridor in which you'll find a FlakCannon and ShockRifle.
Interestingly enough, there are no Health Vials to be found here. This is sure to be a highly played 1-on-1 map, and a few vials would serve as great sound cues.
RaptoR: DM-Oceanic has fish in it. Woot. Its twisting corridors, well-placed jump pads and lifts will easily accommodate 2-10 players for a quick blast.
hal: A really, really nice small DM map. This is classic DM all the way. It's great fun and it has great visual hooks. Too bad there aren't any health vials here. 8/10
Phobos Moon 2 - "After the first of the Phobos Moon orbital arenas was decommissioned and scrapped, its successor was launched to considerable fanfare and quickly became a staple Deathmatch arena of the Tournament."
Phobos Moon 2 is a complete remake of Phobos Moon from Unreal Tournament. The only things the two have in common are the general theme, the open center, and the overall outer shape of the arena. The rest is brand new.
No weapon or item was spared in this map. They're all here, including the ION Painter Gun making a rare DM appearance high on top of the roof. Of course the only victims you'll likely nab from this weapon here are the ones foolish enough to linger in the courtyard or rooftop. A random Powerup Station ensures that there will be a good mix of reasons to go to the bottom couryard.
There's enough room for a football team in here, so don't be shy about the player count. It's hard to find fault in such an ambitious effort. Suffice it to say that there is somewhere in Phobos Moon 2 that you will enjoy fighting in.
Because of it's size, it is not as tightly focused as the original was, which you may or may not like. But every inch of this map, from lighting to the skybox (and what a skybox!) has been lovingly crafted.
RaptoR: DM-Phobos2 is a map that’s grown on me since I played it for the first time. This map is definitely an evolution of its predecessor, rather than a straight conversion. That’s not a bad thing... far from it, in fact. Although the new Phobos is more open than the old one, the Lightning Gun’s trail helps you to spot snipers camping in the courtyard near the top of the map.
larrystorch: What I say about Plunge, goes with this one too. The interior sections affords a place to relax a bit to collect ammo, health and adren.
hal: This is a work of art. Every corner holds a visual treat. It's a huge map, almost too big. There are just a couple of areas that feel forced: The atrium room with the lower "canal" leading from the main courtyard, and the sniper hallway that dead-ends except for the two window exits. I think it's one people will remember and play for a long time. 9/10
Plunge - "The bad moon... has risen. Now it's time to take the Plunge."
Plunge is the successor, of sorts, to UT's DM-Morpheus. That map was modeled after the scene in The Matrix where Neo was fighting atop the skyscrapers, jumping from building to building. This map seems a little more "festive" with it's bright purple, yellow, and green lighting, thus losing some of the appeal of the original.
While the colored lighting may not be to everyone's tastes, it comes through in gameplay. This type of low-grav platform DeathMatching isn't for everyone, mind you. So if it's not your thing, you may want to skip this one.
There are three buildings and fighting takes place along the top floors which appear to still be under construction. The sub areas are little more than spawning points. While it's nice to spawn under cover, in busier matches, these rooms turn into little more than spawn killing boxes. Luckily there is a room in each building, giving you plenty of chance to spawn away from the crowd.
The items and weapons are spread out nicely, with the Redeemer, Keg-O-Health, and Super Shield Pack sitting atop a building each. Choosing the jump pads wisely, along with a double jump will win you one of these super items. Luckily the Jump pads are color coded to the building they will send you to. The LightningGun sits high atop one of the buildings in perfect position to get a few Head Shots. Watch your step, or you may take the plunge...
RaptoR: DM-Plunge, then… I have mixed opinions of this map. Like most low-grav maps, it plays well in InstaGib mode, however for a map that’s supposedly a followup to Morpheus, is just lacks the style of its predecessor. Neon lights? I thought we left those behind with Quake 2.
larrystorch: If I got better framerates on this map, this would be my second favorite behind Tokara. flying between sections of this map, blasting away at people all while spinning around looking for your next victim. Disorienting to some, a big plus to me. Low-grav Instab-gib heaven.
hal: A nice sequel to Morpheus. It's great for the genre. It's size doesn't bother me a bit. This isn't my favorite type of map, and I wish the colored lights weren't so pastel, but it's lots of fun, especially shooting your way to the "Target". 6/10
Serpentine - "The crypt maze of the Serpentine Temple, home of the Scaled god Rec. Once considered a sacred crypt, now the corporeal vessels of past heroes have been excavated. It's time to replace them with new sacrifice."
This map was modeled almost directly from a custom Quake2 map by the same author (Lee Perry). It's a square room with a partially covered maze at the bottom. Much of the fighting takes place on top of that maze. Those unlucky enough to fall down will have to find their way out, while the remaining players unleash firepower on them from above. There are two ramps leading up from the top of the maze to parially covered walkway the surrounds the room. At opposite ends of the maze are lifts that carry the player to a walkway high overhead.
There is a random item spawner in the center of the top of the maze, and two lone Miniguns in the corners. Down in the maze are the power weapons (Rocket Launcher and Flak Cannon), so you have to risk something to get them.
If the intent was to create tension for the poor soul who has fallen in the maze, the author nailed it. The top of maze is just above your head, and most of it is uncovered. There is a certain trepidation in wandering around in the maze not knowing if you're going to get Flak in your face or a trio of Rockets from above. Well done.
The map is the final Single Player level in which you fight Malcom one on one. And for that situation, it's perfect. Some may be disappointed because it isn't a "WOW" map, and is rather plain by the standards of other maps. Oh, it has the serpentine walkway high overhead, the Egyptian hieroglyphs, paintings, and statues, but when you get down to it, it's a box with a maze at the bottom. That's not to say it's bad, because it suits it's purpose perfectly.
RaptoR: You’ll come to hate DM-Serpentine after playing Malcolm on it in the single player ladder. You’ll be even on nine frags each when old Mal decides to headshot you while you’re jumping over the hole in the top of the walkway and he’s moving up a lift. That said, play DM-Serpentine with another human opponent and you’ll be surprised at how well it plays.
hal: I appreciate this map for what it is. It's perfect for the ending of the singleplayer ladder, and creates incredible tension. I think it has it's own unique strategy. Having a weapon like the ShockRifle down on the ground to knock off people camping on the walkway would be a big help. Simple, but fun for one on one. 6/10
Tokara - "Tokara Forest, where the emerald blood of ancient trees flows as freely as the scarlet blood of young warriors."
This enormous level is one of the maps that most evokes the Unreal atmosphere. A quiet, treetop dwelling, almost like the famous Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Endor scenes.. only much cooler. Bone walkways twist through the trees, winding their way from the forest floor to a giant crystal in a temple high overhead. Shimmering blue accents, almost heiroglyphic in nature, trim every surface. Giant cauldrons of glowing blue liquid propel you skyward if you leap into them.
This map contains every weapon (except the superweapons), many more than once. It's that big. Some are scattered along the floor of the forest, but most are along the walkways.
This is a map some traditional maze-loving DeathMatch lovers may not appreciate, but it's beautifully conceived, and one of the truly standout maps of the game.
larrystorch: Tokara Forest is absolutely beautiful. The designer must be a closet RPG fanatic, cause it looks like something out of a D&D module and the frame rates aren't too bad for me.
RaptoR: DM-TokaraForest is one of the game’s most visually impressive maps, however in my opinion it’s a little too big. Play a 1-on-1 match on Tokara, and you’ll be hard pushed to find your opponent, let alone frag them. Pack it with 10-16 players, however, and it’s great fun. Tokara is also very fun in InstaGib mode, and is a favourite on IG servers online.
hal: Wow, now this is my LG map of choice. It's beautiful, it's fun, it's big. Not having the frame rate issues of my fellow reviewers allows me to whole-heartedly give this map two thumbs up. This.. is definitely a map worthy of the Unreal name. 8.5/10
Training Day - "Simple, flat, and chock full of weapons and ammunition. Perfect for your first humiliation in the Tournament."
The description is spot-on once again. This is the first map you encounter in the Single Player qualification. It's a figure eight shaped map with a Flak Cannon, Link Gun, Minigun, and Shock Rifle. It's meant for nothing more than orientation. With so many other straightforward maps in the game, I'm not sure this one was needed.
RaptoR: DM-TrainingDay is a simple map. One corridor, two loops, and too many weapons. If you’re a newbie wanting to hone your skills, try out this map with a bot or two. More experienced duellers will crave the variety of Gael of Leviathan. This map certainly isn't suited to online play.
hal: Simple. Too simple. This is here why? There a several better "simple" maps to teach someone DM-Insidious would be ideal. You won't see this one online except for the exceptionally sick, twisted, carnage loving crowd. A riot with 16 people... once. 2/10