A map pack for Doom 2. Great, as expected. I mean most maps as usually. Just finished my second playthrough of it.
Though there is some work to do to get this thing properly started. But you should use a proper source port for it, like GZDoom or ZDoom.
EDIT: some people are saying this is now included in the steam version of Doom 2 however I couldn't find it. So I can't confirm nor deny that.

shoutout to everyone who got this before it got de-listed

tl;dr a 21 map expansion for DOOM II with exclusive levels created by renowned mappers in the community, they're pretty fun and it's worth picking up.

Tired of companies releasing shovelware CDs full of random WADs straight off idgames without giving iD a share of the revenue, iD contracted some of the best and most well known mappers in the DOOM community to make maps for iD's own official map pack.
This resulted in the 1995 release Master Levels for DOOM II.

The pack contains 20 single level wads (TEETH.WAD has a secret level, bringing the map count up to 21), almost an entire campaign worth of new levels.
Master Levels comes with a text mode frontend called Doom-It for launching individual wads in the collection.

Some parts of the original release were not included with the Digital version, such as Maximum Doom, which was a collection of 3201 random amateur maps downloaded off idgames. As you might expect these generally suffered in quality and had problems like some maps being DOOM 1 maps that were hastily ported to DOOM 2, which tended to break balance and cause additional problems. Some of the maps weren't even for DOOM but rather Heretic. However some of the maps were originally intended for Master Levels but didn't make it into the collection.
Other parts that weren't included were a poster, and id STUFF, a bunch of encrypted software that could be unlocked via phone order.

My thoughts on DOOM itself and the quality of the release here are the same as my other DOOM review.

Overall the quality of the map pack is great. The extra levels are a lot of fun and freshen up the DOOM experience.

A quick note, if you plan to play these using a modern ZDoom-compatible source port, check out Master Levels Menu Interface for ZDoom[zdoom.org] by Zippy, which is a replacement for Doom-It and allows you to launch the levels directly from the game.

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This really isn't and won't be easy (for me) and I still haven't made a decision while writing whether it will be a thumbs up or a thumbs down and I'm leaving the rating at 5/10 so that you can, regardless of the thumb that there will be at the end can be viewed as neutral

A thumbs up would be that the Master Levels for Doom 2 on Steam are now included in the Doom 2 Edition and therefore do not require an additional purchase.

For me, the choice of levels, for example, would be a thumbs down, but this is a subjective matter and leads to the actual topic surrounding the master levels.

So what exactly are these master levels for Doom 2 and why is there such a discrepancy in opinions online.

There is no clear explanation for the different opinions to me, but I have the feeling that if you look deeper into it, those who aren't really convinced by the collection are simply the "older generation" who are into Doom and grew up or witnessed the beginnings of the Internet. But of course I could also be wrong.

Apart from the somewhat complicated handling of the master levels, if you don't know them from the DOS times, it is probably more due to the fact that "Maximum Doom" was released in 1995, which contained additional bonus content in addition to the master levels for Doom 2. And that wasn't exactly a small number because, as far as I remember, it consisted of over 1000 custom files downloaded from the Internet, a few of which were for Doom and most of which were for Doom 2.
In the end, Maximum Doom contained thousands of levels with a wide variety of quality levels, of which there were also some levels from the designers who were “commissioned” for the Master Level of Doom 2, but which did not make it into the Master Level edition.

There was quite a lot of criticism of Maximum Doom because, like many similar Doom compilations, it contained some levels that were not designed to be played with Doom 2 and there were always problems.
There was also criticism that many levels were simply of inferior quality, which was also due to the fact that many levels were created by people who had little or no experience with level design or game mechanics in general at the time.

But back to the master levels for Doom 2

Since the Internet wasn't as widespread in the late 90s as it is today, some people took advantage of this and sold low-quality CD-ROMs full of WADs, which you could download tons of for free.

That's why id Software has decided to counteract this with its own extensions.
One of them was Final Doom and the other was Master Levels for Doom 2.
The whole thing with the master levels was started by Shawn Green because he also downloaded a few hundred levels from the Internet at the time and then commissioned some of these authors based on that.
There were some less well-known names among them, but also those like Tim Willtis, who became studio director, level designer and even, I think, co-owner of id Software and was co-responsible for games like the Quake and Rage parts, as well as Doom 3 and 2016.

But the whole project was a bit, let's just say, mysterious from the start, because many authors were of the opinion that everything belonged to a single and coherent "Mega-WAD (WAD stands for "Where's All the Data" which is the file format was used for the Doom and Doom 2 engine) will contribute to Doom 2. Others believed that the project was more of an exhibition of the authors' skills.

But Shawn Green and John Romero insisted from the start that the project would only be a collection of 20 PAWDs because the community was exploding with the release of working level editors.
If all the statements are to be believed, there was no further instruction to the authors other than maintaining design standards and the final product should simply be a high-quality selection of individual levels from the brightest and best Doom architects.
For this reason, the levels vary greatly in terms of size and difficulty and this is probably where the opinion that the collection is a worthy addition comes from.

Of course, that's why the original master levels for Doom 2 were released with id Software's own version of the Shovelware compilation Maximum Doom, but I don't think the whole thing was really thought through and it's not surprising that each of the authors who worked on the master levels, is represented with even more levels at Maximum Doom.
In addition, id Software probably “shot itself in the foot” with Maximum Doom, as this “bonus” contained additional WADs from the Internet and was actually what id Software wanted to combat with the Maser Levels.
Basically, the Master Levels are just another level package that already existed in abundance, which they tried to make more unique and justify that it was worth the money.

And the “master” in the whole project does not refer to the skills required to play the WADs, but rather refers to the skills that are necessary to create professional levels.
It is therefore not surprising that most of these authors have found a place in the games industry.

And all of these are also the reasons why I find it difficult to make a recommendation.

Because basically they are levels that replace other levels in the game and of the thousands of WADs there are still many that you can download today.
Anyone who owns the master levels for Doom 2 and enjoys the game should definitely take a look at the collection and form their own opinion about the quality, playability and difficulty of the levels.
Subjectively speaking, these aren't really bad because they are all completely different and depending on your "preference", one is more fun than the other, or you like it much more or not. But in my opinion it's not a big loss if you don't do it.

When you start the Master Levels for the first time, don't let the look scare you.
It looks worse than it is and you can start the level simply by pressing the enter key.
If you want to get a little more involved with the master levels or make it more comfortable, you can also do that with a source port.
There are good guides for this here on Steam and it looks more complicated than it is. However, I cannot say whether and to what extent these guides still work, especially the links to the other programs you need.

Oh yes, as you saw, I decided to give it the thumbs down because in my opinion it's not a "I have to see or play that" thing, it has nothing (anymore) to do with the Maximus Doom thing and because, if you're interested, there's a lot more to choose from than just these 20 levels

Revised and reposted: November 27, 2023

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PLAYED WITH: ⌨️ 🖱 🎧

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⮩ VISIT ME IN MY LITTLE WORLD

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“Master Levels” is an official expansion pack for Doom 2 that comes with twenty maps made by some of the best and well known independent mappers from the Doom community of the 90s!

They are collected into four sort of anthology arcs that tell the stories of different figures from the Doom universe.
The arcs are:

Titan:
By: Jim Flynn
Consisting of two maps.
The mysterious mansion belonging to a UAC Weapons Engineer located on the “Titan” moon of Saturn has become infested with demons due to the Mars Incident. The manor was full of unfinished weapons that would be vital in helping the UAC stop the demonic invasion. It is your mission to recover these prototypes and check for survivors.


Doctor Sleep’s Inferno Series:
By: John W. Anderson (aka Dr. Sleep)
Consisting of five maps.
A fun reimagining of the first canto of The Devine Comedy to fit the Doom universe
You are a UAC scientist named Dante who got separated from his girlfriend Beatrice during the Mars Incident. Your friend Virgil says he last saw her being chased by a demon before she ran into a malfunctioning portal gateway that opened to Hell. Vergil agrees to accompany you on your journey through all of Hell to reunite with her. Maybe he could write a decent poem about the whole situation.

The Cabal:
By: Sverre André Kvernmo (aka Cranium)
Consisting of five maps.
You are a former Head Cyberdemon who was betrayed by the head council of Hell, The Cabal, for your opposition of Hell’s invasion of the human world. Betrayed by your own council, you are kicked out and humiliated by being forced to be morphed into the shape of one of Hell’s most hated figures of all time: the infamous Doomguy! While on the way to one of hell’s most brutal island prisons, floating on the ocean of blood, you broke out and swam all the way to a port where one of the Cabel member’s base is located. You decide to seek revenge on every single member of The Cabal that wronged you. Every level go up against a member of the Cabal and their lackeys, it’s pretty awesome.

There are also some unsorted levels by Christen David Klie, Tom Mustaine and Tim Willits where you just play as Doomguy suvivin’ and stuff.

The Titan arc is just amazing, it’s only two maps but you are in a genius’s mansion so it’s full of secrets and differently themed rooms like bedrooms, horse stables, libraries etc. You will often find yourself trapped in a new room while it gets flooded with demons and you'll have to figure out some hidden way out like through the stables or by solving some puzzle. The manor is absolutely flooded with demons outside to you may want to get around to taking them out soon, so they can’t take potshots at you from the outside the windows. The second map takes place in the backyard, so you really get a sense of progression.

The Cabal is probably my favorite as the levels are really creative and change as you play them, for example, there is one map where go through hell’s graveyard and they tease you by making you go through The Icon of Sin’s tomb (after Doomguy took him down in Doom 2), opening new rooms and entrances so you can open a way into the lair of one of the Cabal members while waves of different demons teleport in. Eventually you actually do wake up The Icon of Sin and have to fight him. Great stuff.

The inferno series is probably the weakest, that’s not to say it’s terrible. The levels are well designed visually and play alright but they’re bland compared to the ones found in the other arcs. Also, not that it really matters too much but the arc was never finished so the story goes nowhere.

The Doomguy levels are pretty great though too all in all, it’s very fun, if you aren’t a fan of Doom’s gameplay then it probably won’t win you over but if you are, then I’d say you should pick it up.

It basically just a dump of .wad files though so I recommend you use the Master Levels Menu mod for it.
You can use this guide to set it up:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=267116862

You can find a level order guide here![doom.wikia.com]

Master Levels for Doom II was ID Software's answer to the plethora of unauthorized level packs being sold for their popular game. Intent on outdoing the guys behind DZone, ID Software got some of the best amateur level designs to craft official levels as an expansion for Doom II. They also compiled over 1,800 WADs on a CD to give the DZone guys a run for their money.

While those 1,800 levels aren't included, the 21 that make up the "Master Levels" are fairly good. Not every level is a winner (and some are just down right cruel), but it's a fairly competent collection of levels for anyone who has mastered the base game.

The biggest issue is that "Master Levels" includes a lot of ridiculous enemy counts. Some levels have upwards of 250 enemies and keys hidden behind secrets. It creates an atmosphere where you can easily get lost or overwhelmed. A few times, I had no idea where to progress because my map didn't show anything else. I went to YouTube and found the answer to be obtuse beyond reason.

That could also fit the description of how to find the hidden level (taking an invulnerability sphere and making an Arch-vile blast you). It turns what is normally a fun hunt into a frustrating exercise in patience. The AI isn't exactly smart in Doom, so trying to manipulate it in ways that it wasn't developed for just sucks.

Then we get to how some levels are pathetically easy. A few of the WADs have spaced out battle zones that do little more than pad out the length of the level. If you constantly sprint (and why wouldn't you?), there doesn't really exist a reason to have such large landmasses.

Sprinting is also key to finding a lot of items. A yellow key may be perched on what looks like an unreachable pedestal, but you really just need to travel a few rooms over and run like a wild man out the window. It's just annoying to see the same tricks repeated so many times.

As for the Steam release, it's a bit of a mess. The game doesn't run any worse than Doom II or the other DOSBox ports, but it's strange to set up. There isn't a front loaded menu and trying to play them in any coherent order can be quite the ordeal. There are some extra mods for source ports that allow you to freely select each WAD (and the Eternity Engine has built-in support for Master Levels), but it's not as straight forward as launching ZDoom with the other main games.

There is also no way to individually buy Master Levels on Steam. You have to get it in the Doom Classic Complete pack. While that is, admittedly, a good deal, it is a bit annoying. If you happened to only buy one of the main games or skipped out on, say, Final Doom, you're stuck rebuying them all.

For that reason alone, I would say Master Levels for Doom II isn't worth it. The Doom enthusiast will already have the Complete collection on Steam, but casual users can just stick with Doom I and II.

6/10

2021 update: The Unity port of Doom 2 on Steam gives you the option of playing the Master Levels. However, if you want to use a different source port to play, you can follow the following steps to play the Master Levels there:

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Overall, I think this is a fun and well made level pack for Doom 2!

In my opinion, some of the levels included here are way too easy to be considered "Master Levels", and some others are specially hard (I'm looking at you, VESPERAS!).

But in my opinion, none of the levels are unfair (including TEETH, which is specially difficult at the beginning). I specially enjoyed the BLACKTOWER level!

So, if you purchased Doom 2 (or the Doom Classic Bundle), and enjoyed the game(s), then don't let this level pack go unused, collecting digital dust in your library!

Instead, do this:

> Download GZDoom[zdoom.org] if you haven't already

> Install the Master Levels on Steam and go to the game folder

> Transfer all the .wad and .txt files of the Master Levels to your GZDoom folder (make sure your Doom 2 .wad file is also there)

> Check the .txt file of the .wad you want to try, to see the MAP number that's assigned to the level (most are just MAP01)

> Load the respective .wad in GZDoom, and warp to the respective MAP number using the console, or the 'idclev##' cheat (replace ## with the MAP number)

> Have fun!

Or you can also follow any of the top rated guides on the Community Hub that describe other ways to setup and play the Master Levels.

Press F to pay respects to this.

Let me download this separately from the original Doom 2!!!
Why is it ok to just take away what I bought?!

Basically some of the hardest levels you'll ever play; the title is not misleading at all. Even though some of the levels are no different than your run-of-the-mill Doom 2 levels, this map pack has its fair share of tricky-dicky moments. Particularly, the map TEETH is extremely difficult. Not for the faint of heart - that's for sure. ;)