Ambush 2 - Dunkelschwamm

  

    Ambush 2 is a fun little map based on a GI Joe toy set. There isn't really anything ambush related here, clear the map of enemies, there is no end level trigger.

SCMapDB page

Author: Lymphoid

Date of final release: 2003

Maps in package: 1

Map review of Ambush 2

(originally posted on SCMapDB)

by dunkelschwamm | March 26, 2022 | 2846 characters

    Despite being an unfinished map with grating combat and unclear objectives, Ambush 2 is a marked improvement on Ambush 1. First of all: kudos to the massive upgrade in mapping skill. The brushwork evoked a very interesting architecture which I would instantly recognize as this map's if I were to see it again. There is also working lighting, which does wonders for a map's aesthetic (the first Ambush was fullbright).

    The first thing to understand going into Ambush 2 is that there are no rules and the map ends when it ends. Progression is less about where the right place to go is, and more about where you CAN go. Break down fences, crawl all over the rocks and architecture, find a longjump so you can climb. Right now the objective seems to be to climb the highest tower. Doing so isn't even terribly difficult.

    In your way, along this path, are enemies respawning in using the squad spawner entities. I've explained in the past why these are terrible, but I will do so again here: they only serve to make progression unclear, as it is unclear how many enemies it will take to stop the spawning, IF there is any end to the spawning. Of particular note are some gonomes which spawn in a frustrating location atop a longjump diving board. Enemies kinda spawn in at will, and there's no pacing to the combat. At one point a gargantua popped in and we dealt with it no problem and it was fine. Conversely, at the beginning of the map we were being swamped by HECU grunts who kept respawning, necessitating us using our most powerful weaponry just to keep our heads above water.

    To keep things moving fluidly, the map gives players a metric fuckton of underbarrel grenades. Really, if it weren't for that, I don't think I would have given this map the time of day. Regardless, these become mostly impractical for every situation moving forward. Aside from a crossbow with no ammo, there's very few weapons of much function for what the map supplies as combat. It's like there was almost no thought put into which weapons would mix well with the combat scenarios.

    Overall, Ambush 2 seems to be an unfinished thing so far. The exit of the map is currently sealed behind an undetonatable wall of explosives. As such, I won't be recommending the map to anybody for server use or to play with friends. Regardless, there's some style on display and I think Lymphoid really came a long way between Ambush and Ambush 2.

Pros:

• Really neat looking towers
• Underbarrel grenades
• Longjump module

Cons:

• Annoying enemies
• Annoying level progression
• Weapons not balanced for the combat scenarios
• Map is definitely unfinished.

Score: 4.8 / 10