This is the same author who did "Beyond Glory 2." Therefore, I was expecting nothing short of perfection (well, maybe a little bit short.. after all, nobody's perfect), and much to my satisfaction I wasn't disappointed. This is a level that has it all: Detailed architecture, balanced textures, good enemy placement, good item placement, enhancements coming out of the woodwork, an enveloping atmosphere, a good plot, and challenging puzzles. Could it get any better? Well, yes because the level is really, really, long! Set aside a good hour before you begin playing it, and play it you shall. Well, maybe not, but I'd highly recommend it. Start downloading it now as you read the rest of the review.

It's been a while since I've seen architecture of this quality. The only negative spots I could find were right at the beginning, and the courtyard of the command/control building. Both areas were a tad too boxy. However, for the other 1000+ sectors that this level had, the architecture was exceptional. The detail alone was simply astounding and I hardly know where to begin. Hallways within Ironfort weren't straight rectangles. They flowed and followed a pattern. There was detail to them as well. There were ledges, computer stations, and secondary passageways that branched off the main ones. Pillars, beams, and structural decay (this is an aging colony) were all present, adding to the detail. The alien installation was superb, but I don't want to get into it too much since it should be a surprise for you all to see for yourselves. Take my word though, you will be most impressed. Texturing was top notch as well. All the textures that you would expect to see in a mining colony are there, and they are well balanced with respect to repetitiveness. There was one texture (a bright white texture with blue strips) that appears briefly, and was the only source of complaint I could find. It just didn't fit in with the concrete grays and stone browns of the rest of the colony. The alien installation is done with entirely new textures. I won't tell you what they look like, but they work well with the level. Mechanically there were very few errors concerning alignment. I think I found, in this enormous level, a grand total of maybe two. My hat's off to the author for keeping the design clean as well as aesthetically pleasing.

When I did a preview of this level, one of my few criticisms was that, at times, the enemy placement was a bit excessive. Well, the author either took my hint or figured it out himself, because the enemy placement is much better now. Of course, it may have to do with the fact that this level has difficulty settings. Nonetheless, I was pleased to see less enemies doing same amount of damage. Strategically, they were well placed: stormtroopers and commandos guarded the hallways, doors, and hid in little alcoves waiting for the unsuspecting player to walk by while the officers populated the control rooms, and the computer monitors. Item placement within the fort was good (there was always a nice balance between my health and the amount of ammo in my blaster), but the alien installation had a few too many energy units and power cells, and not enough shield recharges. There were two or three revives if you looked around, but it would have been better had the revives been limited to one, and the number of shield and health packs increased slightly. Enhancements, however, is one thing you can almost never have too much of. The alien installation alone contains more new features then most full length levels. The entire section was done with new BM's, FME's, and WAX's to boot. There's also a ton of INF manipulation too. I was thoroughly impressed, not to mentioned scared, with the ending sequence. I haven't had that much fun since "Mt. Kurek." However, we can't forget Ironfort either. Brand new BM's, FME's, 3DO's, and VUE's populate the colony. There are also several new VOC's. The voice of Cascade1 (can't remember his real name) was excellent. His message right at the end really freaked me out- as stated above- and then what happened after that made me jump out of my chair the first time I played this level. Rounding out the enhancements is a new briefing and several new cutscenes of amazing quality.

Lighting was nothing short of spectacular in this level. Exterior scenes were bright, and almost cheery. Areas in and around the control rooms of Ironfort had a sterile look and feel to them. My favorite parts were when the author changed the lighting within the room. For example, when you first enter the furnace room, everything is dark. However, once you turn on the furnaces, the room brightens up with the additional heat and light. It's a small detail that most authors seem to overlook, but this one didn't. As you progress deeper into the colony the lighting becomes darker and the mood shifts. The lighting within the installation is an experience of itself that you'll have to just play for yourself and see. A quick suggestion: turn off the music once you enter the installation to get the full atmospheric feel out of the level (thanks to Darth Oosha for noticing that). The level's semblance is another high point. There are multiple paths that you can take to get your objectives. Unlike most levels, this one doesn't force you to play every scene. You can explore a bit if you want. This adds realism to the level and it enhances the atmosphere even more. Realistically, there wasn't anything wrong that I could find. The plot was well written although I was a little disturbed by the fact that the Alliance would just blow up the installation without trying to capture it first and see what it contained. Then again, the author seemed to notice this too. The briefing file makes a short, witty remark about preserving valuable treasures. Mechanically, the level runs smoothly. There aren't many wide open spaces, and so there aren't many places to cause the framerate to drop. Still, you might want to have a high-end computer (for DF specifications... meaning a P133 or higher). There weren't any bugs either. As far as I could see there wasn't any HOMing, clipping, and there weren't any places where the level unexpectedly crashed. Only a couple stitching errors kept it from being absolutely perfect.

Hopefully, you've been downloading this level while you read the review. If not, shame on you. There's no reason for any DF fan to not play this level. It has everything you could possibly want.