E3M2: Ascent

Ascent is the second level of Descent into Horror. This level is quite demanding on the original Quake engine, pushing it to its limits. This level had to be reduced in size so that the engine could handle the rendering of this map. Similar to E3M1: The Surface, this level was designed by Gregory A. MacMartin to experiment with Z-axis navigation.

The player must search for the Silver Key and Gold Key in order to proceed. This level brings back the Death Knight. This level also brings back the Rotfish on Easy Difficulty. The Knight is brought back on Normal and higher Difficulties.

Story
''After wandering around in the old and abandoned military base for awhile, you come across a most curious area. You find what appears to be some kind of military training course. The object of this course, it seems, is to go up. ''

Quick Level Completion

 * Turn right, then proceed forward towards the wall.
 * Press the Button to your right.
 * Follow the platform as it veers around to the left to reach a wall.
 * Turn left and cross the thin strip of platform.
 * Follow the platform as it veers to the left, then hit the Button on the opposite side of the room from the starting position.
 * Follow the platform as it veers around to the left to reach a wall on the opposite side of the room from the thin strip.
 * Turn left, then proceed past a ramp to your left.
 * Turn around, then head up the ramp.
 * Turn right at the top of the ramp, then head up the next section.
 * Head onto the Moving Platform to the right, then use it to reach the beam to your right.
 * Turn right and proceed down the beam until a pool of Water is on your right.
 * Drop into the pool of Water, then go through the doorway to reach a large tank.
 * Swim to the top of the tank, then turn around and go through the doorway.
 * Rise to the surface of the Water, then turn left and climb onto the ledge of the pool of Water.
 * Turn left, then jump from the ledge to the extended platform straight ahead.
 * Proceed forward to collect the Silver Key, then go through the Teleporter straight ahead.
 * Turn around, then proceed forward to reach an intersection.
 * To the left is the Gold Door, so instead turn right and proceed to the alcove on the opposite side of the beam.
 * Proceed forward and drop through the hole at the end to reach the Water below, then turn around.
 * An Elevator is in the middle of this room that will allow you to return to the alcove above.
 * Go around the Elevator to enter a corridor, then proceed down it.
 * Turn right at the end and go through the Silver Door.
 * Use the ledges on the side of the room to reach the opposite side.
 * Collect the Gold Key on the raised platform.
 * Return to the Gold Door and go through it, then proceed forward to exit the level.

Walkthrough
Head down the section of platform to your left, then kill the Grunt. Ignore the ramp to your right and instead follow the section of platform to your right. Collect the Shells, then turn to your right to kill the Grunt. Proceed to the end of this section, then turn to your right and head to the middle of the next section of platform. Turn right, then head up the ramp to collect the Yellow Armor at the top. Turn around, then head back down the ramp. Press the Button to your right, then turn right and head down the next section of platform while killing the Grunt. Ignore the ramp to your right as it leads to an empty pit in the middle of the room, instead follow the thin pathway to your right to reach the platform on the opposite side. Turn to your right, then head down the next section of platform to collect a Double-Barrelled Shotgun. Press the Button to your left, this will cause a message to be displayed - "The 2nd tier is accessable...".

Turn to your right to reach the starting section of platform. Ignore the ramp to the right as it leads to the platform across from the Yellow Armor. Return to the first ramp you ignored and head up it. Turn right at the top, then head up the next section of ramp to reach the platform above. Step on the Moving Platform to the right, then wait for it to ascend to the next floor. Leave the Moving Platform by going onto the thin beam to your right. Ignore the section of beam to the right, instead heading down the section to the left to reach an alcove. Kill the Enforcer and collect the Nailgun. Turn around, then walk onto the beam once more and cross it to the opposite side of the room. Ignore the pool of Water to the right, instead continuing forward to reach an alcove on the far side. Collect the 25 Health, then turn around. Return to the pool of Water, then drop into it. Collect the Shells on the close side of the pool of Water, then go through the doorway to the left. Swim upwards in the giant tank of Water to reach the next floor, then go through the doorway to your right. Collect the Shells in the upper left corner, then ascend to the surface of the Water. Climb onto the beam straight ahead to leave the Water. Turn left, ignoring the section of beam to the right, then proceed to the alcove to collect the Grenade Launcher. Turn around, then follow the beam to the alcove on the opposite side. Kill the Enforcer while collecting the 25 Health. Return to the tank filled with Water, then ascend to the top floor and go through the doorway to the left. Collect the Nails to the left, then rise to the surface of the Water. Proceed forward to climb onto the beam while leaving the Water, this will cause another message to be displayed - "Highest tier reached..."

Ignore the section of beam to the left, instead turning right and then proceeding forward to an intersection. Straight ahead is the pathway to the Gold Door. Kill the Enforcer on the small section to the left, then collect the Nails on the small section to the right. Run and jump from this small section to reach the level between the current beam and the previous beam. Kill the Grunt, then turn left. Proceed forward to the wall, then turn left. Continue to the opposite side of the room while killing the Enforcer. Turn left at the end, then proceed to the opposite side of the room. Turn left once more, then proceed to the opposite side of the room while collecting the Ring of Shadows. If you turned left and went to the opposite corner, you would return to the location where you killed the Grunt. Return to the highest beam, then turn left. Step forward to pass the pool of Water on your left, then turn left. Step onto the ledge on the right side of the pool of Water, then jump to the extended platform straight ahead. Proceed forward to collect the Red Armor and Silver Key. Go through the Teleporter straight ahead to end up on the small section of the highest beam with the Enforcer. Step forward to reach the intersection, then turn right and cross the beam to the opposite side. Collect the two 25 Health while descending the ramp in the alcove. Drop into the hole at the end to reach the Water below. Turn around, in the middle of the floor is an Elevator that will allow you to return to the alcove you just leaped off. Ignore the Elevator, instead going around it to reach a corridor on the opposite side. Proceed down the corridor to kill a Death Knight and collect 2 Nails. Go through the Silver Door to the right to leave the Water. Use the ledges on the side to get to the opposite side of the room; a Movable Wall will crush you by a triggered Floorplate if you try to walk down the middle of the room. Collect the Gold Key on the raised platform, then use either ledge to return to the corridor with the Water.

Go through the Underwater tunnel to the right. Proceed forward into the next room, then swim upwards while heading forward to reach the next room. Swim straight up to reach a large room submerged in Water with a ball-like structure in the middle of the room. Collect the 2 Rockets and 100 Health to the left. Turn around to proceed to the opposite side of the room, then collect the 2 Rockets and 100 Health. Rise to the surface of the Water while killing the 7 Rotfish. You are now on the level below the starting level that you previously ignored, the Floor opened to reveal the Water below when you received the message about reaching the highest tier. Use the ramp on the right side of the room to return to the starting level. Return to the Gold Door and go through it. Proceed forward down the End Tunnel to exit the level.

Differences from Easy to Normal

 * Grunt on side of starting level with Double-Barrelled Shotgun.
 * Enforcer in Grenade Launcher alcove.
 * 2 Grunts on starting side of level between highest and second highest beam.
 * Enforcer on Ring of Shadows side of level between highest and second highest beam.
 * 2 Knights in Silver Door corridor.
 * 8th and 9th Rotfish in large Water pool.

Differences from Normal to Hard/Nightmare

 * 2 Enforcers on Floor of pit in middle of starting room.
 * Enforcer in alcove on opposite side of beam from Nailgun alcove.
 * Enforcer on small section by Gold Door with Nails.
 * 2nd and 3rd Grunt on side opposite starting side of level between highest and second highest beam.
 * 2nd Enforcer on side opposite Ring of Shadows side of level between highest and second highest beam.
 * 2nd Enforcer on Ring of Shadows side of level between highest and second highest beam.
 * 2nd Death Knight in Silver Door corridor.

Differences

 * Green Armor on top of ramp across from Yellow Armor.
 * 2 Nails in Nailgun alcove.
 * 25 Health in Grenade Launcher alcove.
 * Super Nailgun and Nails in alcove across from Grenade Launcher alcove.
 * 4 Cells in alcove leading to Silver Door.
 * 4 Rockets in Underwater corridor by Silver Door.
 * Rocket Launcher in middle of ball-like structure in large Water pool.
 * Thunderbolt behind Gold Door, beside End Tunnel.

Spawn Locations

 * Single Player start level, ascending ramp side opposite Single Player start
 * Beside bottom of Yellow Armor ramp
 * Single Player start level, near thin ledge and opposite Single Player start
 * Single Player start level, Double-Barrelled Shotgun side.
 * Single Player start level, ascending ramp side near Single Player start
 * Platform at top of ramp from Single Player start level, near Moving Platform.
 * Alcove opposite Nailgun alcove
 * Nailgun alcove
 * Super Nailgun alcove
 * Silver Door corridor
 * Silver Door corridor