Sanctum
Sanctum by ShadoW
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A medium sized release from ShadoW, suitable for 5 to 8 player DM or Team DM matches. Visually interesting architecture, theme and atmosphere - all of which suit the map's title. While the connectivity and lighting are both good, they are not as solid as other aspects of the map.

This is all in comparison to ShadoW's other recent maps, such as Battlegrounds, Rotten soul and The Dreadful Place.

Do not get me wrong, this is a very solid release that will lead to many hours of great DM and Team DM action! It just felt like ShadoW, the Master Craftsman of maps was distracted for a moment when putting this one together.

The inclusion of billboard ads, all of which look visually terrible, clash completely with the otherwise gorgeous theme and textures. This juxtaposition of commercialism and a holy site (Sanctum) really destroys the immersion level of the game. The ads were a requirement for the Maverick Mapping Competition #3, however there is no reason why this release needed to include them. The ads are also not well integrated to into the environment, they are simply boldly placed on the walls. And the icing on the cake, most, if not all of the ads look like they where put together by a first-year design student, something ShadoW had no control over. If the map requires ads (and you are not going to remove them), then the theme needs to incorporate the ads. Do not just stick them in the map.

Gameplay wise, the release is very strong but occasionally feels a little disconnected. Ideally, a second, non-competition plastered release would have looked better and been more immersive.

Ranked: 4.2 out of 5 (12 votes)

Download: Sanctum by ShadoW

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