MAP31: The Descent (Hell Revealed)

MAP31: The Descent, designed by Yonatan Donner, is the first secret level of Hell Revealed. It uses a remix of the classical music piece "Adagio in G minor" composed for Rise of the Triad.

Description
According to the Hell Revealed info pack:


 * In this lift you will not be sure if you are descending into hell, or are in hell already. Enemies will fight you all the way down, and there more resistance awaits. You must get the ammunition in the start or you will never survive the descent. And you must be very good to get out alive. Your heartbeat might go very high when you expect the way out to show any moment... You can leave from the normal exit, which requires two keys, or the secret exit, which doesn't require any key. But to leave through it you will need to prove good maneuverability skills.


 * Size: small
 * Difficulty: very hard

Walkthrough
When the level starts, you will see a pillar in the middle of the room. Shoot it. This will open 4 doors at the sides of the room, all containing guns. Next, activate the switch on the same pillar you shot before. The floor will start do descend and monsters will spawn, starting with zombies, ending with Arch-Viles and Barons of Hell. You do not necessarily have to fight the monsters on the descending lift, you can also stay on the pillar platform. Alternatively, if you are fast enough, you can also avoid the lift fight by hitting the switch and quickly running into one of the weapon/ammo stashes.

After the lift has stopped moving and you are at the bottom, there are 2 options. You can go for the secret exit, which does not require keys or you can go for the easier exit which requires 2 keys. The secret exit is south and the default exit north. The keys are located in the west and east rooms. Because you need them both, it does not matter which you collect first. On Ultra-Violence and Nightmare every corner room will house a Cyberdemon, making it hard to get to the soulpheres situated in the corners of the map. Be aware of your health, the level only includes few health pickups.

Secrets
Press use on the walls behind the guns at the beginning to open them and reveal ammo stashes.

Speedrunning
See:
 * Hell Revealed at Compet-N
 * Hell Revealed at the Doom Speed Demos Archive