Ramp2025 Reviews Part II
What, they did another RAMP thing in 2025?! Golly!!!
Index of my Ramp2025 reviews on Google Docs.
Antiquing by AG87
Just too hard for an oldhead like me. But it is highly polished and extremely tuned in its difficulty. The pressure of space and the necessity of using the rocket launcher means that player skill is necessary and highly tested here. You have to respect it. 3.5 stars.
The Forgotten Catacombs by Charcharo
I wasn't sure if I was making progress...but then suddenly I was at the end! Turns out I had been making progress. I got there not sure if I'd seen everything the level had to offer, and feeling a replay would help. That's a great feeling at the end of a disorienting level like this one. I think if I had gotten more lost I wouldn't have liked it as much as I did. 4 stars.
Lost Congregation by Nhyam
A nice easy little map with a winding underground area. But I was hoping to fight some guys in town! Some thoughts about the town as arena might be a good idea. 3 stars.
The Unhallowed Hallowed Halls by Nathonius
A highly polished map, gorgeous, terrific lighting and a banger soundtrack. After battling my way through and doubling back for some supplies, I was rather put out to discover I had been soft-locked out of completion. I had to no-clip through the vault door to get back to the rest of the level. Still, bug aside, a fantastic experience. 4 stars.
RuinD by Mehzeb Chowdhury
A little awkward with the future-focused puzzles. I do not think the logic of some of these puzzles hold up completely, and at least one or two were guesswork. Perhaps that's to be expected in a jam game of this ambition. Nevertheless, it looks great and is highly polished. The combat is solid as well. 3.5/5.
Tiny huge speedmap by culka
The first two areas are more fun than the last (and also look better). Perhaps this is a normal experience of a speedmap? In any event the concept (bigger and smaller monsters) is just real fun. 3.5/5.
damonensturm (My first slaughter map!) by sidestepper
It's dirty pool to put me in front of TWO cyberdemons immediately after a teleport. I did laugh though... Also I hit some kind of bug and the inner ring never dropped. 2/5
Cave Ascent by crnavoda
Good map; interesting how this theme recurs again and again. Shades of Doom (2016) as the Doomguy is presented as a monster arising from underground. Anyway, although a simplistic map, the tactical understanding of where and how to deploy monster closets is excellent. More than once I found myself backing into a pinky. Nice job. Some lighting polish could make it a real classic. 3/5
Pass of Kavik by ShortRedBlade
What a beauty! Such a sense of place and detail without sacrificing any of the delights of exploring a Doom map. It's rare to see a map that's both so polished yet so engaging from start to finish. 5/5, a new classic.
Heaven is Forever II by Obake
I love the monster variety, and love how consistent infighting is as a strategy in the level, but that opening room is REALLY hard. Like, RNG level "can't do this" hard. 3.5/5.
Infernospital by Hyacsho
A triumph of atmosphere, with some fun little puzzles and great challenge throughout. I love that some of the challenges you can get through with just wits and speed rather than brute force. Fantastic feeling level, great to play through. 5/5
CBM's (Zany) Space Mission by CBM
I don't know, if you're going to send me on a zany space mission, don't make the ammo situation so tight. The monsters are funny but are actually kind of a lesson in how hard it is to make legible monsters in the Doom mold. Figuring out where they're facing, what they're doing, how they're moving, and (critically), when they're stunned is just about impossible. It's pretty all right but these flaws make it drag on. It certainly isn't low-effort. 2/5
Galactic Showdown - Aerial Arena by wrsw aka Untitled
A really excellent sense of escalation combines with a hectic final showdown to make a map that isn't a traditional slaughter map, but which imports some of the fun of those maps into a more standard - though still overwhelming - challenge. It's gotta be almost flawless for me to rate a map this hard this high! 4.5/5
My Worst Nightmare!! by BrettTheSlayer
It didn't quite work right - there were things that I think were supposed to happen that didn't; but the infighting was fun. A great start, keep at it. 2/5
Christian's Inferno by StopSigncs
Nice little map with some excellent graphical and layout detail. A highly polished appearance, great starting point and escalation. Could be expanded on to something a bit more meaty but a terrific start. 3.5/5
Reflection of Evil by SleepyheadLBP
I actually got very short on ammo a couple of times, and entered the final showdown with only my fists. However, that showdown was so well-organized and well-laid-out that I was able to get through with wits and speed, and really felt like I'd gotten away with something. That's excellent mapping, to discover a fight like that. 5/5
Doctor Catastrophe and the Cydonia Ziggurat by MDJ
I laughed, I cried, I couldn't get into some of the rooms. Incredible use of new monsters, weapons and gating off certain areas behind equipment or buttons. Just a blast all the way through. This is what action comedy should be. 5/5.
Baroness Rescue 2 by Uncreative Output
I don't know why my stupid sense of humor got tickled by this but it did. I laughed all the way through and then absolutely guffawed at the perfectly timed and presented ending. Hell yea. 5/5
Doom 2 Demons Worked In IT And Mass Layoff Happened by Timilyo80
While I was charmed and even a bit excited by the souped-up versions of the Doom 2 monsters I was facing off, especially in a well presented, but simple map like this one, the bigger showdowns - especially gathering the skull keys - were just absolute slogs. The unfamiliar patterns and attacks made it almost impossible to get through, and as often happens with custom monsters, infighting is hard to predict or control. I did love that the rabbit cyberdemon would pursue you into the side corridors though. 3/5