[b]Happy hopooween![/b]
If you’ve grown to like levels with branching narratives and paths, then today’s your lucky day, because this week we’re highlighting the final level in SockPuppet’s [url=https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=1394052054]“Residue”[/url] collection – [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1446041635]“No Strings Attached”![/url] A teeth-clenching map that rewards those who go off the beaten path and look for secrets in more ways than one. You may think that reviewing the finale of a series out of nowhere is a bit odd, but we’ve actually covered a [url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/394970/announcements/detail/1821048502406435503]couple[/url] of [url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/394970/announcements/detail/1707310417639291283]maps[/url] from this series in the past, if you want to check those out.
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/3ab5da7d00fa825dbaf09ff00443ce2017e7018f.png[/img]
Maps in the Residue series are heavily connected to one another, and this one’s no exception. Right off the bat, you’re presented with two paths depending on your actions in One Trick Puppet. Of course, you’re also free to just try every possible outcome, like we did.
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/8fd460e56da7900c0ff38b80d685f543b2d8e264.png[/img]
Depending on the path, the difficulty will vary greatly – you’ll either get a series of relatively difficult stages or some completely unreasonable stuff, with the latter earning this map the reputation of being one of the [i]worst[/i] cases of enemy spam.
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/15d73df2d97768e907d3dfa728dd4de8c2144d96.png[/img]
With that said, the levels are never impossible – Sock leaves [i]plenty[/i] of ammunition and weaponry to be found, either lying on the ground or dropped from [b]specific enemies.[/b] There are often plenty of [b]vents[/b] that can get you almost anywhere, letting you flank or retreat as necessary.
Not only that, but the harder parts of the level also prove to be the most interesting or visually appealing areas – detailed [b]nightclubs,[/b] [b]invisible traps[/b] guarding a [b]Lich Arm[/b] (thankfully with graffiti to show their positions) or even a hideout of zombie looters which also has a nice window [i]that you can smash on your way through.[/i]
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/1365e6c348df6a86023ccf181975acce85cfe581.png[/img]
Being a SockPuppet map, [b]secrets and mysteries[/b] are a given, but in this one he goes above and beyond, ranging from small easter eggs to [i]fully fleshed-out endings[/i] full of oddities and interesting scenarios. The ways of getting them are rather unique too, as you aren’t just running off the sides of stages looking for hidden cutscenes. [i]Be sure to take some time to think about where or what these secrets could be.[/i]
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/a5b35ac48fd02b8f00292f3c69e597643738a35b.png[/img]
…alright, there’s, like, one joke-ish ending.
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/c8c1aedc5455138929e4435df13c92144505fed3.png[/img]
All in all, it’s a fine exhibit from the golden age of DEADBOLT mapping that’s well worth your time, even if the difficulty of these maps can get a little over the top occasionally.
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1446041635]Play it now![/url]
Oh, and if you’re ever feeling like flexing your level design muscles on a smaller scale…
A member of our community, [b]LittleHorn,[/b] is making a campaign of his own, and one of the cooler features is having a “room contest” thing, where you get to… well, design a room! Contest[b]s[/b], even. So, if you feel like you’re up for the task, join [url=https://discord.gg/dqtPy7h]here.[/url]
The contest shown here is over, we're just showing it as an example of what to expect:
[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/11430809/7fd51651d455c0720b94b54d913f0cf6377584d4.png[/img]
And while we’re at it, don’t forget that we (the DEADBOLT community) have our own official Discord! The invite URL can be found in the Discussions section, but [url=https://discord.gg/nw3Ad2c]we'll link it here as well.[/url]
