🚀 go-pugleaf

I've been revisiting my old Quake I days lately (something to do while
waiting for Quake 4 and Doom 3..) and I downloaded the Zerstorer mod
partial conversion that people have recommended quite a bit.  First
off, props to the Zerstorer team-- that mod's amazing in the art,
gameplay, and story departments.  Darin McNeil, Brandon James, Scott
Dalton, and the rest of the team have some major talent.

With regard to the last level-- since it's been 5 years or so since
the mod came out there are probably no surprises as to the final level
anymore but to be on the safe side for anyone who hasn't played it...

SPOILER SPACE


SPOILER SPACE


SPOILER SPACE

The last level isn't really much of a map at all but a storyline
segment-- the dude who's been fighting thruout the mod has disconected
the reactor in the Bunker and is brought to the Destroyer's realm,
then goes into a teleporter to start the "movie" segment where the
Destroyer explains that he's been nourished by the dude's killing
spree, then puts the fighter out of his misery (or something like
that) by just fragging him right there.  Done.

Okay...  Now, granted, this is consistent with the mod's storyline,
since the Destroyer had adopted the fighter off the streets and
brainwashed him into becoming a psychopath to the point that he
committed murder.  Still, it's a lame way to conclude such an
otherwise fabulous mod.  Besides the Star Wars succumbing-to-hate
theme (Emperor:  "Now, Luke, give in to your hate, and lightsaber that
Shambler over there." Darth Vader:  "What???"), the problem with this
level is the same thing that afflicted Quake itself-- a big-time
letdown because you don't actually get to fight the boss.  It was such
a major disappointment when Shub-Niggurath was taken out with just a
telefrag-- a player wanted to actually have a fight there (it is a
first-person shooter after all).  Different details, but same
situation with the Destroyer.  It'd be nice to actually have a *fight*
against a boss, and when this so-so movie sequence is the only thing
there, it detracts an awful lot from the mod even though everything
else about it is so outstanding.  It's been a few years since
Zerstorer came out, which makes me wonder-- were there any further
mods, additional conversions or patches (a "conversion of a
conversion") that actually make the Destroyer into a boss, and the
last level into an actual fight?  Everything else about Zerstorer is
so top-notch-- this is the one shortcoming that's holding it back from
being something magnificent.

nomedeht