Quake Map Hotel - Welcome, Your Review Is Ready...

Bold Design, pleasing lines.
Light and shadow from the open roof top.
Light and shadow add depth.
Again, dramatic use of light and yep...shadow.

Brendon Chung's 'efficient and economical hit-man' Citizen Abel is back for more action in 'Bargin-Bin Savior', a made for Quake 2 action set piece.
'Bargin Bin Savior' is a different experience than your usual map pak shootem' up affair. Brendon has crafted an ambitious almost movie like experience with cut scenes, in game 'text narration' and a liberal sense of good humor. While the final product may not quite live up to Brendon's grand plan, the honest effort is so original and refreshing that you can't help but get sucked into the fast paced fun.
Of particular note is the excellent play of light and shadow that Brendon has created. Citing the shadowy game 'THIEF' as inspiration, Brendon has gone on to create a wondrous and at times beautiful interplay of shadow and light, perhaps the best I have yet seen in Quake 2. How is it that other Quake 2 maps have not taken advantage of this technique? This use of light and shadow really adds drama, depth and a sense of a world and atmosphere beyond the confines of the players limited view.

Cutscenes are a nice idea but are a bit disorienting since your weapon and hand are still included on the screen. Brendon mentions this shortcoming in his included read-me file. Gameplay is good, with health running on the short supply side if you are not careful with the amount of damage you take. The onboard shoot-the-beams out-to-release-your-get-away-ship sequence was difficult with a seemingly never ending supply of spawning Strogg opponents to hamper your task. Overwhelming? For some it may be.

Kudos to Brendon for his ambitious undertaking. 'Bargin-Bin Savior' is big on character and a whole lot of action hero fun.

TITLE: Bargin-Bin Savior [Citizen Abel 2]
AUTHOR: Brendon Chung
DATE: November 1999
FILE SIZE: 1.76 MB
DOWNLOAD: Fileplanet

H I G H S: Spectacular lighting effects, great text narration, wonderful humor.
L O W S: Cutscene weapon and hand inclusion, spawning strogg.
N U T S H E L L: Ambitious original level production highlighted by beautiful lighting and movie like narration.