http://www.quaketastic.com/files/demos/xmassham_demos.zip
The designs in this pack are awesome. Highlights:
1. Great variety of themes.
2. Strong themes in all maps. Like really strong.
3. Great atmosphere in many maps. Some of them are so creative they actually feel like little introductions to new games.
4. Use of the restrictions really effective for interesting, explorative, convoluted layouts on a smaller scale.
5. Use of the restrictions also good for interesting scenery surrounding the map, some really cool atmosphere-enhancing non-gameplay designs.
6. In short the vibes are spot on, the maps are often very cute and really engrossing. I think it's been a great exercise in just how good small maps can be.
7. Secrets good too.
(I haven't gone into specifics here as it's pretty obvious which bits have been so effective. The less creative maps have still be good and stylish in their own right too).
The gameplay is a bit more problematic overall, with a lot of maps being unduly hard, not in a "git gud" sort of way, but with some recurring and specific issues:
1. Maps are very difficult to get through first go due to a combination of "health-chipping" encounters mixed with fierce AD monster encounters that if you can't predict them or really save health for them are often insta-death.
2. The AD monsters in a cramped environment are harder than usual, I do think AD maps have been previously been used in larger scale maps with more player manouverability options, and this hasn't been taken into account here.
3. I'm guessing that due to the size of the maps, that mappers and playtesters have been able to play them repeatedly (unlike testing a 600 monster map) and thus have become very familiar with the play situations.
This has made several of the maps quite gruelling but the designs have been exciting enough to keep me persisting. Long live small scale maps!