Blackout Basement is a mediocre Custom Map overall in its current state, with very poor balancing and pacing across its four Chapters.

The first Chapter of Blackout Basement is easily the hardest in the campaign, and it artificially inflates the relative difficulty of the entire campaign as a result.

If you can survive Chapter 1, Chapter 2 is a lot easier overall, Chapter 3 is a breeze, and the Finale is very easy.

The issues with Chapter 1 are multifold, with the Chapter being extremely long, mostly pitch-black, cramped, full of nigh-unavoidable Witches, a seemingly-guaranteed early Tank is placed in the streets just outside of the spawn area (which can notably cripple your team for the rest of the long Chapter if it gets some early Downs), the Chapter only contains Tier 1 weapons throughout most of it, and there’s little to no health, explosives, or supplies of any other kind provided (including ammo, which is notably very easy to run out of on Chapters 1 & 2).

Chapter 1 also interestingly provides the option to fight Crescendo horde events in exchange for the next few areas being illuminated. However, on Expert this feels seldom worthwhile, as the lit areas don’t last for very long before it’s pitch-black again, and there are little to no ammo, health, or explosive supplies provided around the optional Crescendo areas to help you fight them.

Due to the lack of Ammo Piles, expect to swap your primary weapon out often and/or use your secondary weapon a lot on Chapter 1.

Having one or two people use Melee Weapons on Chapter 1 can help with the sardine-packed hordes and limited ammo (if they don’t mind the odd bit of damage from bad L4D2 hit registration).

Near the very end of Chapter 1, just before the Safe Room, Blackout Basement abruptly dumps almost every kind of Tier 2 weapon on you, just in time for Chapter 2.

Compared to Chapter 1, Chapter 2 is way easier, due to the addition of Tier 2 weapons, wider and relatively better-lit areas, and its relative generosity with supplies. However, Chapter 2 is similarly stingy on Ammo Piles, meaning you should main a Magnum, or swap your primary weapon out as needed (Tier 2 weapons pickups are common on this Chapter).

Chapter 3 is extremely short compared to Chapters 1 & 2, and isn’t particularly notable in any way, besides a relatively minor elevator Crescendo event.

Blackout Basement’s Finale is a very easy Defend-Tank-Defend-Double Tank set in a dark train station.

You can trivialize this Finale by defending on one side of the extremely long train station platform, which results in most of the Commons, Specials, and Tanks spawning on the complete opposite side of the platform, thus forcing them to slowly make their way over to you, during which you can use Sniper Rifles to turn this Finale into a glorified shooting gallery.

This spot only has a single Infected Ladder nearby, on the middle of one of the train cars to the forward-right of the spot, which the Infected can uncommonly use to semi-flank you. However, someone can just camp this ladder and shoot the Infected as they periodically try to climb up, and then it should be a non-issue.

There’s also notably a number of God Spots on this Finale, where you can get on top of the signs and decorations in order to become unreachable by the Infected (even including the Tanks, which can get stuck beneath, if they don’t rock you first).

And there’s also a mild troll present on this Finale; the first time you enter the train station, an announcement will sound, and then not long after a high-speed train will appear and run across the track in between you and the Finale platform. This train will instantly kill anyone caught on the tracks. If someone dies to this train, they'll then immediately appear in a nearby rescue closet within the Finale area, at the cost of whatever secondary they had.

Overall, the combination of major balancing and pacing issues across Chapters, some jank, and other issues make Blackout Basement a pretty mediocre Custom Map experience on Expert.

To fix most of these issues, the first two Chapters should be reworked to have their length reduced significantly, Chapter 1 should have more supplies of all kinds be added to it, the Tier 2 weapon pickups should be moved to Chapter 2/3, a new Chapter should be added between Chapters 1 & 2 to break up their huge length, Chapters 1 & 2 should have more Ammo Piles added, Chapter 3 should be lengthened (possibly including parts of what is currently Chapter 2 added to it), the Finale should be reworked to be more difficult and better-polished, and the optional generator Crescendos should be present on each Chapter, be made more difficult, have Ammo Piles placed in their vicinity, and in exchange should keep the lights on for the full remainder of that Chapter.


For more Expert Custom Map Reviews and ratings, see my full Collection here. https://steamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2252724380