MAP02: Well of Souls (The Plutonia Experiment)

MAP02: Well of Souls is the second map of Plutonia. It uses the music track "Dark Halls" (the same as for E1M3: Toxin Refinery).

Overview
This map is notable for containing an invisible bridge near the end, possibly inspired by that in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It can be seen by shooting computers through a window in the area, which will cause wooden stakes to rise from the ground to show the beginning and end of the bridge. It can also be seen if one uses a map cheat, and its presence can be surmised by an invisible "wall" in the middle of the toxic mud pit.

Strategy
When you go up the winding stair past the hall with the skull switches and the imp cage, one of the floor sections will rise to the ceiling when you step on it. You should back up and let it close, then push it down. Once you do this, it will stay down. If you let it go up and go forward instead of back, you will be stuck at the pit, unless you have the red key.

Walkthrough
Walk forward and hit the switch to lower the platform. As it lowers, kill the Commandos that are revealed. When the platform hits the bottom, kill the imps and go into the room on the right. To your right is a Commando. Kill him, and get the Super Shotgun and Shells on the other side of the room. Proceed into the hallway, taking a left, and you should be in a hallway with four skulls in each wall, which are switches. Facing west, hit the second closest switch to you on the south wall, releasing some spectres and Hell Knights. Kill them, then hit the western-most switch on the north wall which will cause the floor you are on to lower, so get off fast. Snipe into the pit just made until the Baron and Zombies are dead, then drop into it. Go into the hallway on the Southwest side. Some ceilings will start lowering, so run through fast. Drop into the pit, kill the Demons, and go into the room east of the pit, killing Commandos and Demons. Go up the staircases, watching out for a Revenant, until you get to a wooden bridge. Run to the end, grab the key, and drop off the eastern side of the bridge, and drop into the hole in the north. You will teleport on a platform in the same room, so exit through the door quickly. Go back to the hallways with the skull switches, and drop into the pit again. Hit the switch, then walk into the teleporter. Go into the room the Hell Knights came out of, and get the Red Skull Key. Exit the hallway and go north, then east up a winding staircase. When you see a door, proceed slowly until the floor below you starts to rise, then back up onto the stairs again. Lower the floor, then go into the door, which overlooks a huge pit. Turn left and shoot the computers in the room you see, and some posts will rise which should help you navigate an invisible bridge. Hit the switch on the western side of the cliff you are on, then go into the door, navigating the hallway until you come to a switch. Activate it, then you will be on level with some Commandos. Kill them, drop into the pit in the room for some potions and a backpack, then exit the level.

Secrets
There are no official secrets in this level.

Records
The Compet-N records for the map are: