25th of July 2023

Skool Tour | Single | Author: High Treason | Download

The Review: High Treason takes you on a tour of his old school (junior high, I assume) in this enemy-less "museum" map. British white trash public schools seem to have been quite different from what we had in Finland back in the '90s. The map features everything from classrooms to the gym plus the building's exteriors. Each location has several audio triggers, like those developer commentary icons in games such as Half-Life 2; by activating these, the author tells anecdotes from back in the day. Some are mandatory (to unlock further areas), others optional. In a nice gesture, the author added a function for skipping the audio bits. Upon listening to these slices of life, it's no wonder the place left enough of a lasting impression to warrant a map. School maps designed after real-life counterparts have of course been a staple since Doom, but this one feels more personal. The map's design does a wonderful job of conveying the depressing concrete hell of middle Cold War era buildings. There are a few amenities, including a Playstation, to fool students into believing you're attending a school.
Skool Tour is well worth playing if you're into "concept maps" or just looking at good design. There are enough interesting anecdotes to listen to while looking around the place. (At the same time I can imagine getting a lot more out of the map had I actually attended the school.) If you're looking for aliens to kill, then look elsewhere.

Rating: No rating