MAP23: No Way Out (Memento Mori II)

MAP23: No Way Out is the twenty-third level of Memento Mori II. It was designed by Eric Sargent and uses the music track "Mirage" by Mark Klem. It contains a separate area for multiplayer competition.

Mission briefing
According to both the text file and the Infopack:


 * The demons have sealed the emergency evacuation route and we can't get out. We've sent several scouts in an attempt to find another exit, but all attempts have failed.  We did manage to get an image of the complex from one of the scouts before we lost contact with him.  Send someone to move through the complex and find an alternate route.  Please hurry...  the demons are closing in on the area we have barricaded ourselves in.

Essentials
With a pair of traps that are virtually impossible for the unprepared to survive and the highest monster population of the whole megawad on Ultra-Violence and above (a whopping 374 monsters), No Way Out continues the high level of difficulty seen since. Visiting some secret areas is essential to making some of the level's set-pieces significantly easier.

Red Key

You begin with an octagonal room with an unusual teleporter. This teleporter works like the one in - each side of the teleporter will take you to a different part of the level. Every time you collect a key, one of the doors in this room will open, granting access to an additional copy of the key (for co-op purposes) and access to a powerful weapon.

Begin by grabbing the shotgun in front of you and stepping into the southern side of the teleporter. This teleports you to a lit structure in a grassy courtyard. Find the zombieman and up to three shotgun guys in the courtyard, then take the box of shells, super shotgun and box of bullets in the southwest of the courtyard. Now that you're loaded up for the rest of the level, proceed through the big door in the north.

In this open-air hallway, watch for zombiemen and shotgun guys on the floor and in the rooms to the left and right. On Ultra-Violence and above, watch for the shotgun guy waiting in ambush near the door. Once you have cleared out the room, head through the door to the north into a corridor. There are up to two zombiemen, two shotgun guys and two imps waiting here. Clear them out, and head into the door in the southeast. This leads to the room to the east of the open-air hallway. Flip the switch at the end of this room, then return to the corridor.

A wall in the northwest of the corridor will have opened, revealing a new chamber up to six imps. On Hurt me plenty and above, there is also a spectre. Grab the red key from the back of this alcove, and deal with the enemies behind the fence to the east at your pleasure.

Backtrack south to the lit structure in the grassy courtyard, and take the teleporter to be teleported back to the starting room. The silver door in the west will have opened, with an extra red key. Lower the wall behind it to gain access to a chaingun, which will be needed for the next segment of the level.

Yellow Key

Head through the eastern side of the teleporter to be teleported in front of the red door. Head up the stairs and kill the chaingunner and shotgun guy ahead of you. Drop into the rectangular room ahead and beware of up to six shotgun guys in this room. On Hurt me plenty and above, two are positioned to ambush you from either side when you drop into the room. Your chaingun comes in handy here. Go up the steps in the southeast to the raised part of this room, then go through the door in the west.

This door takes you to a raised platform with a switch. Mow down the chaingunner on it with your own chaingun and flip the switch. Do not jump off the platform. Instead, go back through the door that you used to get to this platform. The wall in the southeast of the rectangular room will have lowered, revealing up to three imps and two shotgun guys. As you enter this area, beware of a chaingunner waiting in ambush in an alcove in the northwest.

Next, head down the dirt steps in the southwest and kill the chaingunner at the end. At the foot of the staircase is a corridor. This corridor has a number of shotgun guys. Take either staircase up to the top, killing any shotgun guys along the way (four on either side). Make your way to the top and prepare for this level's first huge encounter.

The fight for the yellow key takes place in a large outdoor area. Your first concern are the two shotgun guys and two chaingunners in the area, as well as the imp cage around the yellow key in the north. When you head up the staircase to collect the yellow key, a large portion of the floor to the south sinks, revealing three compartments in the south with a total of ten imps and two cacodemons. On Hurt me plenty and above, you also have two mancubi and two Hell knights. If you fall into the pit into the south, you will find yourself in a bad position with up to eight demons. Your best bet is to grab the yellow key and make a quick run back into either of the staircases you used to reach this area.

Once done, backtrack to the first red door, and step into the silver teleporter opposite it to be teleported back to the starting room. The silver door in the north will have opened, with an extra yellow key. Lower the wall behind it to gain access to a rocket launcher.

Blue Key

Head through the eastern side of the teleporter to be teleported in front of the yellow door. Go through the yellow door and beware of the shotgun guy on either side of the hallway (one additional chaingunner on each side on Ultra-Violence and above). Considering the opposition up ahead, you should go to the room at the south of this hallway first, kill the shotgun guy and zombieman in there and flip the switch to open up secret 5.

Backtrack to the north and enter the circular room in the east. Kill the three zombiemen on the walkway. When you drop off the walkway and collect the megaarmor on the blue square, the walkway lowers, revealing two spectres from alcoves in the north and south. A new room in the east will also be revealed, and up to three shotgun guys and three imps will begin making their way into this room. Head into the rooms behind the spectres' alcoves to tag secret 5 and collect a plasma gun in the south and a bulk cell, box of shells and a computer map in the north.

Lower the walkway again and proceed into the room in the east. Kill the two imps and chaingunner on the raised catwalk, then head up the steps in the northwest onto the raised catwalk. Proceed down the hallway in the southeast, being careful of two small alcoves with chaingunners along the way.

At the end of the corridor, kill the two shotgun guys and a chaingunner (Hurt me plenty and above only). To avoid being totally mauled in the next area, you should proceed to secret 15. Using your automap, you should be able to find the entrance to concealed room just west of the corridor you used to enter this area. Open that section of wall, kill the imp in this next room and flip the switch on the west side of the grey pillar to lower the invulnerability for collection.

This next section must be done quickly while you are still invulnerable. Head along either corridor around to the south and get onto the bridge heading to the blue key. As you grab the blue key, the floor around you will immediately rise up, surrounding you with a massive horde of monsters:


 * Hey, not too rough and below: Six imps and three Hell knights.
 * Hurt me plenty: Nine imps, three Hell knights, three demons and one baron of Hell.
 * Ultra-Violence and above: 14 imps, three Hell knights, three demons and one baron of Hell.
 * Add three more imps on all difficulties when playing on co-op.

On Ultra-Violence, the enemy layout is particularly difficult - three imps appear near you, and three more appear in the south of this room, attempting to block the exit. Fortunately, that invulnerability you picked up earlier will save your life now. Pull out your plasma gun, let rip at any enemies in your way and make a beeline for the newly revealed teleporter to the south.

Step into the teleporter to be teleported back to the starting room. The silver door in the east will have opened, with an extra blue key. Lower the wall behind it to gain access to a plasma gun.

Ending, Part 1

Head through the western side of the teleporter to be teleported in front of the blue door. Head through the door into a room with a Hell knight, an imp and a chaingunner (Hurt me plenty and above only). Collect the box of rockets to open a door to the east. Fire a shot and an imp (Hey, not too rough and lower) or a revenant (Hurt me plenty and above) will eventually emerge. Kill it first. When it is dead, run to the east and double back to pull out another imp (Hey, not too rough and lower) or revenant (Hurt me plenty and above) waiting in ambush. Kill it too. Finally, head east, then to the end of the southern passage. Flip the switch on the wall and backtrack to the first room after the blue door.

A new teleporter will have appeared in the southwest of this room. Take it to be teleported to a green hallway. This hallway is full of shotgun guys and spectres. If you prefer speed and survival to a 100% kills rating, you need to act fast for maximum speed and minimum pain:


 * Run down the hallway, clearing out any shotgun guys and spectres you encounter.
 * As you turn onto the stretch of the hallway running north-south, beware of a chaingunner in an alcove at the north of the hallway.
 * 2/3s of the way down the hallway, there is a light beam. Once you leave the western (far) edge of the light beam, the wall opposite it will begin lowering.
 * Kill the two chaingunners at the end of the hallway while running, and go into the alcove between them.
 * Kill the imp in the alcove and flip the switch.
 * Get out of the alcove and run back to the northwest end of the hallway before the horde of monsters from the newly-revealed area in the southeast overwhelm you.
 * Step into the silver teleporter.

This teleports you back to the first room after the blue door. A new teleporter will have appeared east of the teleporter you used. Go through it.

Ending, Part 2

This teleporter takes you to a courtyard in the north with two arachnotrons and a horde of imps. On Hurt me plenty and above, there are four Hell knights and a mancubus added. This is a great opportunity for monster infighting. Clear out the monsters and go through the door in the north to a brown stone building. Kill the shotgun guys and imp in here. Find the switch in the west and flip it to lower the pillar. Walk through into a computer lab. Kill any remaining zombiemen and the shotgun guy in this area.

Next up is the hardest trap in this level. Equip your BFG9000 (if available) or plasma gun. With your BFG, you ideally should have at least 5 shots worth of cells (200 cells). You probably should also quicksave here too. When ready, walk into the narrow corridor in the west and continue all the way to the end. The floor will suddenly lower you into a dark room with enemies. When you walk forward, two more traps will open, releasing more floating monsters:


 * Hey, not too rough and below: Two demons, two imps, two pain elementals.
 * Hurt me plenty: Two demons, two imps, one spectre, two Hell knights, four pain elementals and two cacodemons.
 * Ultra-Violence and above: Two demons, two imps, two spectres, two Hell knights, six pain elementals and four cacodemons.

On Ultra-Violence and above, the best defense is a good offense. Get to work with your BFG9000 or plasma gun and level the monsters before you get overwhelmed. Once done, go through the door in the west.

Ending, Part 3

In this outdoor courtyard, kill the imps and the chaingunners ahead. Head south, kill the chaingunner ahead and go up either set of stairs. Lower any of the three metal platforms and ride them up to a new corridor. Kill any imps in here, and follow the corridor around to a door in the south. This leads to a long green corridor with a small amount of opposition - just kill them and continue southeast.

However, when you cross the halfway mark of this long corridor, the walls to the southwest will begin to lower, revealing a huge courtyard. The courtyard contains two revenants, two Hell knights, two barons of Hell and two arachnotrons. On Hurt me plenty and above, a real problem is added - a cyberdemon. Some monster infighting will come in handy here. Feed the lesser monsters to the cyberdemon's rockets, and have them put in some damage for you. When it's down to you and the cyberdemon alone, there is more than enough space to use the classic circle-strafing technique and mow it down with your rocket launcher. If you need rockets, there are two boxes of rockets (one on Hurt me plenty and below) available nearby.

Once the courtyard is clear, open the door in the southeast. It is full of imps, but behind all those imps is an arch-vile. The problem is that the arch-vile is going to try to resurrect those imps and use them as its meatshield. Counter that with your rocket launcher, then take cover when the arch-vile performs its fire attack. With quick action and good timing, you will mow down the arch-vile before it can start rebuilding its meatshield of imps.

Enter the room the arch-vile was in, and flip the switch to exit the level.

Secrets

 * 1) After obtaining the red keycard, enter the red key door east of the teleporter you arrived at and flip the switch in the northeastern compartment. Enter the northern computer room to find that one of the computers (sector 52) has lowered to reveal a green armor. Grab it and an alcove will lower to the south to reveal three (one on easy skills) imps. Kill them and enter the corridor within the alcove to find another imp and a chaingun.
 * 2) In the yellow keycard room, there is a switch in the western hallway. Flip it and the walls beside the stairway will lower to reveal two compartments (sector 294); the western one contains a chaingunner, two armor bonuses and a box of bullets; the eastern one contains a chaingunner too, a stimpack and a box of shotgun shells. Both compartments count as one secret.
 * 3) Once you obtain the yellow keycard, reenter the last room with a yellow key door to find that the northeastern compartment has opened in the back to reveal a backpack (sector 149).
 * 4) In the room beyond the aforementioned yellow key door, flip the switch to raise a bridge to an alcove with a box of rockets and a rocket launcher. Enter this alcove, exit the room and look to the southwest to find that a compartment (sector 147) has opened to reveal two health bonuses and a switch.
 * 5) After going through the yellow side of the starting teleporter, go through the yellow key door and flip the switch at the end of the hallway. Enter the circular room, lower the walkway (by stepping onto the platform with the blue armor) and look to the north or south to find that compartments (sector 178) have opened at either side. The northern one contains a box of shells, a bulk cell and a computer map, while the southern one contains two armor bonuses, a stimpack and a plasma gun. Both compartments count as one secret.
 * 6) East of the aforementioned circular room, a section of the southern wall (sector 206) has blinking lights in front of it. Open it to find two health bonuses, an armor bonus, a medikit and a switch.
 * 7) Flip the switch in secret #6 to lower the bottom of the northern window (sector 196), allowing access to the outside. Encountering three sergeants, (a chaingunner on medium and hard skills,) two troopers, five (four on easy) imps and a demon, you will find two health bonuses, a stimpack and a berserk pack, as well as a hole in the southern wall with a teleporter behind it.
 * 8) Flip the switch in secret #4 and head to the hole in secret #7 to find that it has opened, allowing access to the teleporter as well as a box of bullets, a box of shells, a box of rockets and a bulk cell (sector 201).
 * 9) Enter the teleporter in secret #8 to find (an imp on medium and hard, ) two chaingunners and a set of four teleporters in front of you. The southernmost one has a green torch in front of it; enter this one to encounter (two imps on medium and hard skills and) a Hell knight; enter the third teleporter from the north in this set. You will find yourself in front of a switch; turn around to see another switch and flip it (opens four switches). Trigger the other switch to lower yourself into the room with (skill dependent) two/six/seven imps and then press the northernmost switch. Enter the teleporter revealed as a result (clue: different pentagram on this one) and you will be taken to a secret room (sector 231) with two troopers, two sergeants and a BFG9000 in the center.
 * 10) Head to the northeast of secret #9 and press on the metal walls to lower a corridor (sector 242) containing five health bonuses.
 * 11) Head to the southeast of secret #9 and press on the metal walls to lower a corridor (sector 243) containing five armor bonuses.
 * 12) Head to the southwest of secret #9 and press on the metal walls to lower a corridor (sector 244) containing five health bonuses.
 * 13) Head to the northwest of secret #9 and press on the metal walls to lower a corridor (sector 245) containing five armor bonuses.
 * 14) Grab the BFG9000 in secret #9 to open alcoves containing monsters: (four Hell knights on medium and hard skills,) (six chaingunners on hard,) four (two on easy) revenants and a baron of Hell. In the eastern compartments where the two pain elementals came from, one section of wall (sector 238) has a white light instead of a yellow light. Open either one to find a megasphere.
 * 15) From secret #14 return to the window mentioned in secret #7 and proceed southwards through the hallway. West of the entry to the passage surrounding the blue keycard room, there is a section of the northern wall (sector 260) bordered by metal, with panels taller than the others. Open it to find a hidden room with an imp, two sets of shells and an invulnerability. Press the switch in this room to lower the invulnerability for acquisition.
 * 16) After revealing and using the second (eastern) teleporter beyond the blue door after the blue side of the starting teleporter, you are at the north of the map. After passing through the first door, press either switch to the west to access the computer room. After this, look to the east to find that two of the computer panels are identical. Press on the central one to find a light amplification visor (sector 380).
 * 17) Leave the computer room to the east and descend either stairway. At the river at the very north of the level, there is a switch on the southern wall. Flip it, head to the northwest of the level, and climb up the metal stairway. Normally, at the apex of this staircase is a pedestal with a stimpack on it; if the switch was flipped, this will be lowered. Enter the now accessible hallway and open the door to find a soul sphere (sector 355).
 * 18) Grab the soul sphere in secret #17 and an alcove (sector 371) will open in the north to reveal (a baron of Hell on medium and hard,) two Hell knights and two imps, also containing a box of bullets and a box of rockets. This alcove counts as a secret.

Bugs

 * Because of the presence of items not flagged as multiplayer-only in the deathmatch arena, you can only get 83% items on Ultra-Violence or higher and 84% on Hurt Me Plenty or lower. Thus, the following items are unreachable: A chainsaw, two shotguns, three super shotguns, a chaingun, a rocket launcher, two plasma guns, two BFG9000s, three bullet boxes, three shell boxes, three rocket boxes, three bulk cells, two medikits, six health bonuses, a soul sphere, a megasphere, six armor bonuses, and both partial invisibilities.

Routes and tricks
From the starting point, after entering the teleporter from its south side, i.e. moving straight, it is possible to make a glide through one of two 32 unit wide gaps to the left (west), directly to the exit room. If successful, the trick cuts out the entire level and allows finishing it below 5 seconds.

Current records
The Compet-N records for the map are:

The data was last verified in its entirety on May 31, 2014.

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:

Trivia

 * This level has the highest total number of monsters of all Memento Mori II levels: 224 on Hey, not too rough or lower, 321 on Hurt Me Plenty and 374 on Ultra-Violence or higher.