Review: Spear of Destiny Reloaded

Details
Title: Spear of Destiny Reloaded
Creator: KFH Games (Codetech & Megabyte)
Released: 31/01/2010
Length: 21 Levels
Level Format: Continuous
New Story: Yes
Graphics: All new
Sound: All new
Special Features: Mine Carts, Additional weapons, Switch controlled doors & Walls, New Enemies and Body dragging.
Dos/SDL: SDL

Initial impressions: A total reworking of the original Spear of Destiny game with many improvements and additional features. There's little here that resembles the original game, except for the bosses and a couple of level titles, but this updated interpretation has really taken things in a fantastic, and creative, new direction.

Gameplay: Much like KFH's Wolfenstein 3d Reloaded, the Exe is extremely smooth and a lot of thought has been put into how to improve the game playing experience. There are plenty of challenges and the weapons seem a little more balanced that in W3d Reloaded, especially the heating/cooling time of the chaingun. The introduction of different guards periodically through the mod keeps the player guessing as to what might be coming in each new level.

Mapping: The levels are very challenging and have had a lot work put into their design. The levels have really been designed well to follow the ongoing storyline and helps to keep the player involved by mixing the level types up. There are ample secret areas containing plenty of health and ammo if the player is willing to search. The use of the keys and their placements are especially well done, in particular, the use of the hidden key in some levels. The switch doors also add another good dimension to the gameplay.

Likes: The pace of the mod, the atmosphere and the story that makes you want to keep playing through the mod as much as you can. The range of guards and when they come into the game, especially the grenade mutants and the gas mask guys, help keep things fresh and stop the gameplay from becoming predictable. The switch controlled walls and doors are used better here than I've seen in any mod.

Dislikes: The mine cart speed, or the inability to control the carts speed, can be a little annoying at times. The Warm up time of the chaingun, although it seemed better than in W3d reloaded, still takes some getting use to and limits the amount the player uses it. The Angel of Death Boss seemed to be way to easy to kill for a final boss. The lack of a big finish after completing the game was something that really seemed missing.


Ratings
Dean's Score: 9/10
Difficulty: Some levels are quite difficult, especially those with gas mask guards and/or grenade mutants. I strongly suggest saving as often as possible!
Best Level: 16, but there are many.
Worst Level: None

Wrap-up: One of the best remakes of SoD ever made but also an outstanding mod in it's own right. The introduction of so many new features helps set this aside from other Wolf mods and has helped show how big the opportunities for mods made in SDL can be. In my opinion this is definitely in the top 10 Wolfenstein mods ever made and something that can be played multiple times.

Where Can I get it?: You can download the mod HERE or by clicking on the screenshot at the top of this post.

A full YouTube walkthrough has been made of this mod. Each level, done to 100%, can be viewed at Balames87's YouTube channel HERE.

Disclaimer: All reviews are only my opinion when playing the mod and are not intended to discredit anyone or the hard work they have put into creating their mod.