Faces of Death was a mean spirited level that stacked the odds against players using Battlelords from start to finish. I remember playing that gauntlet without much fondness, no thanks to its counterpart from the Playstation port of Duke3D, having been included as a secret level during its fourth episode. BATTLEDUKE is an episode inspired by this particular scenario, dedicating several maps to follow in its style, one which that hasn’t been explored much within the mapping scene.
After wrapping up business, an enormous explosion sends shock waves across the district as an alien spacecraft crashes down, destroying the very streets Duke had not long ventured. Now they’re violating local parking laws and it’s about time he delivers a ticket to them personally. Take one last lap around an urban landscape in this closing entry for the ROCH series, discover how to gain access onboard that vessel and bring the fight back to them.
After breaking free and taking a much needed dip in the local swimming pool, Duke finds open traversal while completing this leg of the journey, which appears to be the heart of ROCH’s metropolis adventure. Taking place within a densely packed shopping district, Pascal continues edging his aesthetic and style ever closer toward realism, creating another authentic looking urban playground that etches a special place in the mapping scene for those who have imitated, adapted and learned from in the years beyond its initial release.
With all this rushing around town working up a sweat, perhaps it’s time for a dip at the local swimming centre to cool off. Duke stumbles into an EDF laboratory under siege and test subjects released from incubation. Now every exit leading outside is under lockdown, escape is denied and the aliens definitely have something to do with it. The only option is to push forward until an opportunity reveals itself.
Beyond the back gate of an old castle, Duke leaves behind his fancy grand prize to continue a tour of France and now finds himself striding toward an older, more industrious district. Tasked with taking down local hostilities, he must once again seek out key cards in anticipation that one path might take him a step closer toward the heart of the city. Business as usual around these parts, but at least take some time to enjoy the sights.
Duke finds himself waltzing onto a TV Studio set and taking part in its live Game Show. The grand prize is a once in a life opportunity to stay inside a local castle and to win he must gather six keys scattered around town and bring them all back in one piece.
Intended as a branch off from ROCH3 if the episodic release ever came to fruition, ROCH’s secret level takes Duke to the sea side for an evening respite. Those alien maggots aren’t having any of it though, disrupting his ride on the bumper cars by playing a little too rough. Time to put them in their place.
In many ways ROCH3 could easily be considered a second half to its prequel as it wouldn’t feel out of place should the two levels be merged into one single experience, so much so that most of my thoughts regarding combat from ROCH2 still apply here.
The second level for the ROCH series resumes from where we were left previously, on route to a warehouse by elevator that provides access into another district of town. Here Pascal decides to considerably tone down level scale, instead creating a more focused playing field that continues ROCH1’s earlier attempts at experimenting with ideas that may or may not work out for future levels to come.
ROCH is a series spanning multiple individual releases best known for Pascal’s distinctive urban design. This personal style soon found its way to influence others within the mapping communities, imitating and adapting these inspirations into their own works. ROCH became a cornerstone point of reference for well crafted city themed levels going forward. Even so, everyone had to start somewhere in their mapping careers and despite series fame, even its premier has a few rough edges.