Waves, Minecraft Combat Survival Map (Download + Review)
Waves is an interesting combat based map. You proceed from room to room, fighting waves of mobs. It reminds me a little bit of a tower defense game, but entirely reversed. Instead of placing defenses, you are the invader that zombies, skeletons and spiders try to repel. Actually, that's pretty poetic when you think about it.
I reviewed this map in it's alpha format, so that should be kept in mind. What we have here is really more of a concept being tested than a full blown playable map as yet. Still, here's the basic outline of how this works. You get some equipment to start with and as you fight through the rooms you're given access to bonuses. There are also 'hidden' bonuses concealed behind snow and mossy cobblestone, both of which the creator generously allows you to break. There are a lot of listed rules for this map, quite literally a whole wall full, in fact.
So you venture forth, poking your head into various rooms and pulling levers to release the hostile mobs, which are kept away from you by doors of sand. That's even more clever than it sounds, because they're one time operation affairs only, so once you unleash the monsters, there is no going back.
I think it's sort of a design flaw in minecraft that spawners take longer to destroy than they do to actually spawn something. You can get away with punching one spawner into oblivion, but if there are two right next to one another, forget about it. Fortunately it is possible to 'neutralize' them merely by placing a torch next to them, but still.
So is there anything bad to say about the map ?Well, perhaps one thing. Unfortunately, the game does come with a bit of a strange difficulty curve. The first several challenges are so easy as to be laughable, but then the difficulty gets a bit out of hand. It's problematic trying to read the signs when they're being blown up by creepers. Still, this is the alpha, so that might be refined in future releases.
This map is well suited to anyone who enjoys minecraft combat, though the first few rooms will be easy, the last one is almost impossible. Indeed, I defy you to try to finish it on 'Hard' difficulty. In its current format the map can be finished in 5 - 10 minutes, so if you want a quick and brutal minecraft based game to play, this is worth the download.