The Red Room is the fourth level of Descent into Horror. This level features Lava and a Leap of Faith, the latter is an Obstacle that was previously seen in E1M4: Fire Scirocco.
The player must search for the Silver Key and Gold Key in order to proceed. This level brings back the Zombie, Ogre, and Shambler.
Story
Oh boy. You've really done it this time. You know for sure now that swimming in rivers is a bad thing.
You have begun to realize that the military base was built on top of some kind of ancient medieval fortress. This fact probably has something to do with the base being abandoned in the first place, considering the kind of creatures that you have faced so far.
You also realize that you have left whatever remained of the old military base behind you. It's just you, this ancient craphole you have gotten yourself stuck in and all that damn hell-spawn you have been fighting.
Quick Level Completion
- Proceed forward to reach the lower floor.
- Kill the 3 Death Knights and 2 Shamblers to raise a Platform on the upper right side, the Silver Door is on the upper left side.
- Use the Platform to climb a staircase to reach a ramp.
- Turn right on the ramp and proceed up it, then turn left.
- Jump to the platform straight ahead, then jump straight ahead again to reach a ramp.
- Turn left to head down the ramp, then turn right onto a sloped ramp.
- Run and jump up the ramp to reach a platform straight ahead, then turn right.
- Proceed forward to a wall, then turn right and jump up the series of platforms.
- Turn left at the top, then jump up a couple more platforms.
- Jump to the wooden ramp straight ahead, then turn left to ascend it.
- Head down the corridor to collect the Silver Key.
- Return to the Gold Door and go through it.
- Proceed forward through the Teleporter.
- Straight ahead is the Gold Door, turn around and go through another Teleporter to drop into a pool of Water.
- Go through the tunnel in the lower right corner of the room.
- At the end of the corridor, turn left and enter the next room.
- Go up the ramp on the right side of the room.
- At the top of the ramp, drop straight ahead into the pit of Lava to reach an Elevator that will raise out of the pit.
- Proceed forward through the doorway on the opposite side of the room.
- Go through the Teleporter straight ahead, then drop off the structure to the floor below.
- Proceed down the corridor and hit the Button, then return up the corridor.
- Step onto the Elevator in the lower right corner of the room.
- Turn around at the bottom of the Elevator, then proceed forward onto the platform.
- Proceed forward down the platform, then turn right onto the next section.
- Jump to the wooden ramp straight ahead, then turn right and ascend it.
- At the top of the ramp, drop straight ahead into the pit of Lava to reach an Elevator that will raise out of the pit.
- Proceed forward through the doorway on the opposite side of the room.
- Turn left, then proceed forward down the small corridor.
- Turn left and head up the ramp, then jump to the platform straight ahead to collect the Gold Key.
- Jump to the platform to your right, then turn right to follow it.
- Turn right at the end, then follow the next section to reach a chasm.
- Take a Leap of Faith and walk straight ahead to the Teleporter on the opposite side.
- Go through the Teleporter to return to the Gold Door room.
- Go through the Gold Door, then proceed forward to exit the level.
Walkthrough
E3M4 - The Red Room
Proceed forward, this will cause the Floor to descend to a room below. Turn left to kill the 2 Death Knights, then collect the Yellow Armor by the lower left pillar. Turn right, then cross the room to collect a Pentagram of Protection. To your left is the Silver Door, so instead turn right. Kill the Shambler, then cross the room to collect a 100 Health. To your right is a staircase, but the bottom step is missing which makes it impossible to climb. Turn right, then cross the room to kill the Death Knight and Shambler. Killing all 5 Enemies in this room causes the Bottom Step to raise to allow access up the previously ignored staircase. Collect the Pentagram of Protection straight ahead. Surrounding the room is a ring of Lava, turn left and drop into the Lava, then turn around and swim to the middle of the room (#1). Head up the previously ignored staircase, then turn right at the top and ascend the ramp. Turn left at the top of the ramp, then jump to the platform straight ahead. Jump to the ramp straight ahead, then turn left and descend it. Turn right near the bottom to ascend a sloped ramp, then run and jump on the sloped ramp to reach a platform straight ahead. Turn right, then proceed forward to reach a wall before turning right again. Jump up the series of platforms straight ahead, then turn left at the top to jump up a couple more platforms. Jump to the ramp straight ahead, then turn left to ascend it to reach a small corridor. Proceed down the corridor to collect the Silver Key, then turn around to kill the Knight that has spawned. Proceed forward, continuing down the ramp and dropping to the wooden platform below. Turn around, then proceed forward to collect the Rocket Launcher and 2 Rockets. You are now on the opposite side of the starting corridor.
Return to the Silver Door and go through it. Proceed forward to go through a Teleporter at the end of the small corridor. You are now in a red room, straight ahead is the Gold Door. The floor mostly consists of wooden panels, though some sections have broken off to reveal a pit of Lava below. Turn around, then go through the Teleporter to drop into a pool of Water. Kill the 3 Rotfish straight ahead, then go through the tunnel in the lower right corner of the room. Turn left at the end of the tunnel, then swim into the next room. Collect the Shells to the left and Shells to the right. Hit the Grating on the wall to the left to reveal a room beyond (#2). Turn right to swim to the wall, then turn around to ascend a ramp and leave the Water. The next room consists of a large pool of Lava, proceed up the ramp to reach it. Kill the Ogre in the Lava to the right and the Ogre in the Lava to the left. Kill the Ogre on the raised ramp to your right, then turn right once more to return to your original orientation when you entered this room. Walk forward into the pit of Lava, an Elevator will raise to allow you to continue forward to reach a doorway on the opposite side. Ignore the Teleporter straight ahead and instead turn left, then proceed down the small corridor. Turn left, then head up the ramp with the Ogre that you previously killed to reach the top. Jump to the platform straight ahead to collect the Gold Key. Jump to the platform to your right to collect the 2 Nails. Don't follow the platform as it leads to a set of locked Bars, instead return to the Teleporter you previously ignored and go through it.
As you spawn into the next room, you will collect a Red Armor. Drop off the structure to reach the room below, then turn around while ignoring the doorway straight ahead. Collect the Cells to your left, Cells and Nails straight ahead, and 25 Health to your right. Turn right, then walk onto the Elevator in the upper right corner of the room. After the Elevator descends, proceed forward to reach a platform in the previous room that was originally inaccessible. Head down the platform, then turn right and continue forward to collect a 100 Health. To the left is a doorway that has been blocked by rubble, so instead jump to the wooden platform straight ahead, this is the ramp you previously used to enter the Lava room. Retrace your steps to the Teleporter, then go through it once more and drop to the floor below. Proceed forward to go through the doorway you previously ignored, then start heading down the corridor. At the halfway point of the corridor, turn left to look at a cage-like structure with an alcove beyond. Kill the 4 Zombies in the alcove, then turn right and continue heading up the corridor. Turn right at the halfway point between the previous halfway point and the end of the corridor. Kill the 4 Zombies in the alcove behind the cage-like structure, then go through the separation straight ahead to enter the alcove. Turn right, then proceed to the end of the alcove to collect the Rockets. Return to the previous corridor, then turn right and start to head down it once more while collecting the 25 Health. Press the large Button at the end of the corridor to receive the message - "You hear grating metal...". Return to the platform in the Lava room with the 2 Nails, then follow it to the end and turn right. Head down the platform to enter the next room, the Bars were lowered by pushing the Button. As you reach the next room, you will see a massive chasm filled with Lava and a Teleporter on the opposite side of the chasm. Take a Leap of Faith to get to the opposite side of the room, then go through the Teleporter to return to the red room. Go through the Gold Door straight ahead, then proceed forward through the End Tunnel to exit the level.
Differences from Easy to Normal
- 2nd Knight spawn in corridor upon taking Silver Key.
- 4th, 5th, and 6th Rotfish in Water below Teleporter.
- 2nd Ogre in Lava of Gold Key room, 2 Nails side.
- 2nd Ogre in Lava of Gold Key room, 100 Health side.
- Death Knight beside Button lowering Bars to Leap of Faith.
- 5th, 6th, and 7th Zombie in alcove behind first cage-like structure
- 5th and 6th Zombie in alcove behind second cage-like structure
Differences from Normal to Hard/Nightmare
- 7th, 8th, and 9th Rotfish in Water below Teleporter.
- 3rd Ogre in Lava of Gold Key room, 2 Nails side.
- 3rd Ogre in Lava of Gold Key room, 100 Health side.
- 2nd Ogre on ramp leading to Gold Key.
- 2nd and 3rd Death Knight in corridor with Button lowering Bars to Leap of Faith.
- 8th Zombie in alcove behind first cage-like structure
- 7th Zombie in alcove behind second cage-like structure
Secrets
| Secrets | ||
|---|---|---|
| (#1) |  |
In the room below the starting room, collect 1 of the 2 Pentagram of Protections, then drop into the Lava surrounding the room. Turn around, then swim to the middle of the room. Collect the 4 Cells, 3 Nails, 2 Rockets, and Shells. Swim to the corner of the room closest to the Silver Door, then go up the nearby ramp to return to the platform above before the Pentagram of Protection wears off. |
| (#2) |  |
In the room filled with Water before the room filled with Lava, hit the Grating across from the entrance to reveal a room beyond. Collect the Thunderbolt to the left, Super Nailgun to the right, and 4 Cells spread around the room. |
Enemies
| Type | Count | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Normal | Hard/Nightmare | ||
| Rotfish | 3 (6) | 6 (12) | 9 (18) | The vanilla engine counts each Rotfish as 2 enemies |
| Zombie | 8 | 13 | 15 | |
| Knight | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Ogre | 3 | 5 | 8 | |
| Death Knight | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
| Shambler | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Total | 20 (23) | 32 (38) | 42 (51) | |
Glitches
- A message in the Entity definitions file is unused in this level - "This portcullis is opened elsewhere...". It is not linked to any entity, but it is most likely intended to have been used with the set of Bars before the Leap of Faith.
- If the player goes to the right corner of the Teleporter beyond the Silver Door, they will not teleport to the red room and will instead simply receive the teleporting animation.
Deathmatch
Spawn Locations
- Button corridor
- Below Red Armor structure, opposite side
- Below Red Armor structure, Elevator side
- Water of room beside (#2, opposite side.
- Water of room beside (#2), ramp side.
- Water below Teleporter
- Red room
| E3M3: The River | Aftershock Levels | E3M5: The Guardians |