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Grezzo 2
Cover artwork, featuring caricatures of Pope Benedict XVI and other Italian pop culture icons
DeveloperGiochi Penosi[a]
DesignerNicola Piro
WriterNicola Piro
EngineDoom engine
PlatformMicrosoft Windows
Release2012
GenreFirst-person shooter
ModeSingle-player

Grezzo 2[b] is a first-person shooter video game developed by Italian game designer Nicola Piro and released in 2012. A total conversion modification of the 1993 video game Doom, its development began in the early 2000s, with the version called Grezzo 1, when Nicola Piro attended high school.

The plot follows the adventure of pagan farmer Piro which, annoyed and disgusted by Christianity, plans to kill Jesus Christ to prevent the rise of his religious phenomenon. Gameplay requires the player to face various levels, defeating enemies and bosses and using a wide range of weapons. Many well-known personalities of the culture of Italy appear in the game, as well as references to extremely satirized social, political and religious issues of the country.

Following the 2012 release, Grezzo 2 received significant attention, both inside and outside of its country of origin, due to its extremely blasphemous, vulgar and violent content.

Gameplay

[edit]

Much like Doom, the gameplay of Grezzo 2 requires the player to navigate to the exit of each level while surviving various hazards on the way. The game contains an exhaustive variety of weapons, many of which are taken from other Doom mods; such weapons include beer bottles, plasma rifles, crucifix launchers, and the "Lanciaratzinger", a powerful cannon which launches digitized sprites of Pope Benedict XVI. Grezzo 2 contains an equally exhaustive amount of NPCs pulled from various games and modifications, such as the innocent bystanders from Carmageddon and the Cabal cultists from Blood.[1] Regardless of their lethality, the player is often required to slaughter through large amounts of NPCs in order to progress. Occasionally, the player fights powerful "boss" enemies representing prominent figures of Christianity, such as Pope John Paul II, Jesus Christ, and God.

Plot

[edit]

The protagonist of Grezzo 2 is Piro, a pagan farmer from Perugia, Italy. Embittered over the rise of Christianity, Piro embarks on a killing spree, with his first target being the church hosting his grandparents' silver wedding anniversary. Piro massacres the event's reception, and dies shortly thereafter; he then falls into the afterlife to be judged by God, who is depicted as a short-tempered, foul-mouthed man adorned with cultist robes. Depending on the player's actions, Piro can either fight and kill God, or avoid the fight and escape the afterlife.[2]

An example of the blasphemy in Grezzo 2. Over the course of the game, the player kills Jesus twice.

After returning to Earth and killing countless others, Piro initiates a plan to kill Jesus Christ in his infancy, thereby preventing the creation of Christianity. Piro infiltrates the womb of the Virgin Mary and slays the gestating Jesus within. An egg opportunistically appears where Jesus dies, which Piro fertilizes with his semen. From this egg a new Piro is born, who graphically bursts out of the Virgin Mary, killing her. The reborn Piro pulls out a banjo and plays a song for the Three Wise Men who stood at the Virgin Mary's side.[3]

Development

[edit]

Grezzo 1, the predecessor of Grezzo 2, was developed by Nicola Piro in the computer room of his high school's religion class. Piro inserted the likenesses of his friends into the game, which was distributed throughout the school. According to Piro, the game was quickly banned at the school once teachers had learned of its content. Because Grezzo 1 contained a large amount of in-jokes that would only be decipherable by his classmates, Piro decided against releasing the game to the public.[2][1] The development of Grezzo 2 took two years, one of which Piro dedicated to researching the editors and assets he would utilize in making the game. By Piro's admission, much of the content in Grezzo 2 is taken from other games, such as Blood and Carmageddon. Piro would frequently modify the content to suit his own needs, oftentimes by introducing references to Italian pop culture. To this effect, many prominent Italian celebrities and politicians appear in Grezzo 2, typically in the role of antagonists.[2][1]

In discussing his vision for Grezzo 2, Piro explained that he wanted to create a vulgar game that will offend any religious organization and religion in general.[2] In another interview, Piro mused that Grezzo 2 represents how he sees the world, for example describing the Pope as a monster and an enemy.[4] Grezzo 2 runs on Skulltag, a modified version of the Doom engine which supports modern operating systems and provides additional amenities for mod creators.

Reception and controversy

[edit]
Italian priest and saint Padre Pio appears in Grezzo 2 as a regular enemy, as well as a one-off "boss" character in a dedicated game level.[3]

As a result of Grezzo 2's graphic violence, sexual content, and irreverence towards religious figures, the game received a significant amount of media attention. Numerous journalists have characterized Grezzo's content as blasphemous.[5][6] Kotaku editor Patricia Hernandez said that the content of the mod consists of killing several religious and other pop culture figures and that in the game, in her words, "nothing is sacred".[7] In 2015, the video game live streaming website Twitch added Grezzo 2 to its list of prohibited games, banning users from streaming the title.[8]

Grezzo 2 received an honorary mention during the 2012 Cacowards, with the reviewer labeling the game as "the most psychotic thing to release this year", while praising the over-the-top presentation as "so bad it's awesome".[9]

Legacy

[edit]

After Grezzo 2, Giochi Penosi developed and released Super Botte & Bamba II Turbo, a 2D fighting game whose roster includes several characters of the Italian trash culture.[10] A sequel of Grezzo 2, called GrezzoDue 2 (lit. Crude Two 2), was released at Christmas Eve of 2023.[10]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Grezzo 2

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
, titled in Italian as Grezzo Due: Una magica avventura, is a developed by Italian creator Nicola Piro under the banner Giochi Penosi and released on December 24, 2012. The title functions as a total conversion modification for , utilizing the ZDoom engine to deliver satirical gameplay centered on a narrative of and institutional critique, particularly targeting the and Italian societal norms. It incorporates mechanics reminiscent of FPS titles, including multiplayer support for up to 64 players, alongside features like dynamic lighting and adjustable in updated editions. Renowned for its graphic depictions of violence, , and —such as irreverent portrayals of saints and religious rites—the game provoked intense backlash, including platform bans and accusations of promoting hate, while simultaneously earning a and an honorable mention in the 2012 Cacowards for its audacious execution within the Doom modding scene.

Development

Creator and Motivations

Grezzo 2 was created by Nicola Piro, an Italian independent game developer who served as the project's director, writer, voice actor for the protagonist, and primary programmer. Development commenced in the early 2000s as an informal hobby project, initially involving sprite modifications in Doom where Piro substituted enemy faces with those of his friends to amuse his social circle. Over time, this expanded into a complete total conversion mod built using the EDuke32 engine, incorporating assets inspired by 1990s shooters like Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, and Hexen, while emphasizing custom levels, weapons, and narrative elements. Piro's motivations centered on personal expression through grotesque humor and provocation, targeting figures and institutions he personally despised, including politicians, celebrities, and religious authorities within Italian Catholicism. In a 2015 interview, he described the inclusion of such content—such as violent depictions of public personalities like —as a natural response to their perceived scandals and annoyances, asserting that "scandalizing is a right, while being scandalized is a luxury." The game's anti-clerical themes, including assaults on religious icons and narratives of rebellion against the Church, reflected Piro's intent to satirize and critique organized religion's influence in , framed as a "magical " in ironic contrast to its content. Piro developed the mod largely as a solo endeavor, drawing from his background in and a desire to push boundaries of offensiveness in indie gaming, without commercial aspirations beyond free distribution. The release on December 25, 2012—Christmas Day—underscored this deliberate provocation, aligning with the project's evolution from casual tinkering to a deliberate exercise in and .

Technical Implementation

Grezzo 2 was constructed as a total conversion megawad for : Hell on Earth, necessitating the base game's IWAD file alongside a compatible source port to execute its custom levels, assets, and logic. The mod leverages the ZDoom engine family's extensions, with original compatibility centered on Skulltag, a port that incorporates multiplayer support for up to 64 players, model rendering capabilities, and advanced ACS scripting for interactive sequences. This setup allows for runtime replacement of core game elements, including 27 new maps built using sector-based editing tools akin to Doom Builder, which define environments ranging from urban Italian locales to surreal religious parodies. Core mechanics rely on DECORATE definitions to overhaul , enabling customized weapons with rapid-fire mechanics and excessive ammunition—such as variants of the firing multiple projectiles—and enemies exhibiting modified AI paths drawn from imported sprites and behaviors. Gore effects are adapted from external mods like Brutal Doom, incorporating high-fidelity gib animations and particle systems for , while health pickups are reskinned as Italian foodstuffs like for thematic integration. Textures and sounds are frequently sourced from other Doom projects (e.g., Nashgore for viscera) and commercial titles, compiled into PK3 archives via editors like , though alignments often exhibit seams due to mismatched scaling. Early prototypes included 3D models for static objects like streetlamps, later excised in the public build to ensure broader port compatibility. A major technical revision occurred in March 2024, migrating to an enhanced variant—likely GZDoom-compatible—for improved rendering, introducing native aspect ratios, scaling, dynamic lighting via sector brightness modulation, and optional high-fidelity graphics toggles. These changes mitigate original limitations like slippery physics by adjusting acceleration variables and add configurable field-of-view and weapon sway, while fixing bugs in boss and weapon balancing. The update preserves the mod's PK3 structure but optimizes for modern GPUs, enabling smoother frame rates above 60 FPS on hardware exceeding 2010 standards.

Pre-Release Iterations

Development of Grezzo 2 began with a precursor mod, Grezzo, created by Nicola Piro in 2004 during his high school years; this early project replaced enemy textures, audio, and music in the original Doom while preserving its levels, but remained unreleased publicly due to private in-jokes. A first trailer for Grezzo 2 appeared in 2012, showcasing initial concepts inspired by 1990s first-person shooters. Early development screenshots depicted experimental 3D models, such as palm trees, streetlamps, and enemies, though these elements were omitted from the 2012 public release. A public demo followed in late 2012, distributed as multiple WAD files compatible with the Skulltag source port, which generated among Italian online communities through video demonstrations prior to the full version's debut on December 24, 2012. This demo represented the primary pre-release iteration, highlighting core satirical mechanics and assets largely sourced from other games and mods, though it lacked the completeness of the initial commercial bundle.

Release and Distribution

Initial Launch

Grezzo 2 was initially released on December 25, 2012, as a free total conversion modification for : Hell on Earth, developed by Italian designer Nicola Piro under the studio alias Giochi Penosi. The mod utilized the Skulltag source port and consisted of 12 bundled WAD files, enabling a standalone experience with custom levels, assets, and mechanics. Distribution occurred primarily through independent online channels, including direct downloads from developer-hosted sites, without commercial publishing or official platform storefront involvement at launch. The initial build featured core gameplay elements such as weaponized parodies of religious and cultural icons, set against a framework involving satirical depictions of Catholic figures and events, though it lacked the polish and expansions of later iterations. A public demo had preceded the full release in late 2012, but the version drew limited initial uptake, overshadowed by its extreme content including , , and blasphemous imagery that violated many community norms for Doom mods. Piro's motivations, as stated in contemporaneous developer notes, emphasized unfiltered over broad accessibility, contributing to its niche reception among underground circles. Early feedback highlighted technical issues like compatibility glitches with non-Skulltag ports and incomplete level designs, which Piro addressed in subsequent updates starting in , marking the shift toward wider notoriety. No formal marketing campaign accompanied the launch, relying instead on word-of-mouth dissemination via forums and mod repositories, where it quickly polarized users due to its intentional provocation rather than innovative gameplay alone.

Updates and Re-Releases

Following its initial release on December 25, 2012, Grezzo 2 received a significant update in 2013 that improved stability and expanded its visibility, leading to broader recognition within communities. The game remained largely unchanged for over a decade until March 20, 2024, when developers released a major engine overhaul via , enabling compatibility with modern systems, widescreen resolutions, and 4K support while also serving as its first official distribution on the platform. On November 17, 2024, version 2.666 introduced English localization, alongside extensive bug fixes, reductions in boss difficulty, enhancements to weapon performance, and integration of all prior DLC content into the base package. A further update on September 16, 2025, delivered a "definitive edition" via ModDB, adding support and online multiplayer functionality, marking the mod's most comprehensive revision to date after 12 years of dormancy.

Gameplay

Core Mechanics

Grezzo 2 is a that adheres to the foundational mechanics of , wherein the player navigates interconnected levels composed of sectors and linedefs, engaging in combat by firing or projectile-based weapons at enemies while managing , armor, and resources. Progression typically involves locating keys, switches, or exits to advance, often culminating in boss encounters that demand sustained firepower against larger, more resilient foes. The game requires the Skulltag source port (version 0.98d from November 6, 2010) for execution, which introduces deviations such as optional jumping capability and support for modded assets, enabling strafe-running and vertical navigation beyond vanilla Doom limitations. Combat emphasizes rapid, aggressive engagements, with primary weapon attacks delivering high-damage fire that can eliminate most standard enemies in few shots, supplemented by secondary modes for alternate firing patterns or explosives. The arsenal exceeds standard Doom variety, incorporating over five variants—many plagiarized from mods like Russian Overkill—alongside overpowered options such as railguns and rocket launchers that facilitate quick clears but contribute to balance inconsistencies across the 12 bundled WAD files. Gore effects draw from Brutal Doom adaptations, featuring exaggerated dismemberment and modified gib sprites for heightened visceral feedback during kills. Player sustainment replaces conventional medikits with thematic pickups like or for health restoration, while armor equivalents appear as everyday objects, integrating into the scavenging loop amid levels repurposed from other mods with inconsistent texture alignment and occasional vehicles like tanks for traversal in select areas. Difficulty fluctuates due to unpolished integration of borrowed elements, ranging from straightforward enemy hordes to bug-induced challenges, but core interactions remain rooted in Doom's run-and-gun paradigm without advanced abilities like melee finishers or dynamic lighting beyond port enhancements.

Weapons, Enemies, and Levels

Grezzo 2 employs a diverse arsenal of weapons, many of which are overpowered and directly adapted or copied from other Doom modifications, commercial games, and WAD files. The selection includes more than five variants of shotguns, alongside tools like the Bastignatore—a projectile weapon resembling the Life Leech from the game , effective against larger foes for both damage and mobility exploits such as level-skipping in certain areas. Other notable armaments feature ripping tools derived from , a BFG10K model sourced from , and elements from the Russian Overkill mod, contributing to an unbalanced combat dynamic where players can overwhelm enemies rapidly. The gore mechanics draw from Brutal Doom, with modified gib animations for heightened graphic violence. Enemies in Grezzo 2 consist of reskinned and custom sprites portraying unarmed civilians, priests, zombies, flesh-based creatures, and satirical depictions of religious icons such as giant floating heads of , a muscular Jesus Christ affixed to a broken cross, and popes including John Paul II and Francis. Additional foes include Islamic terrorists, celebrity likenesses like Mike Bongiorno functioning as an Archvile-style sub-boss, Moira Orfei, and Paolo Brosio in monk attire, often scattered in waves to emphasize chaotic, high-density encounters. These designs, frequently plagiarized from other mods, replace standard Doom monsters and integrate into levels with behaviors adapted for aggressive swarming, though bugs can render some interactions unplayable without cheats. Health pickups themed around , such as and , aid survival amid the onslaught. The game's levels form a megawad parodying Italian locales, religious sites, and global events, requiring players to navigate hazards, defeat clusters, and confront bosses while progressing to exits. Key maps include a silver in a church, a domestic home sequence involving a heart attack event, heavenly realms, the transit system, an Ipercoop supermarket, Moroccan settings, the pilgrimage site, a Padre Pio-themed aquapark, the simulated gathering, the Virgin Mary's womb, and a birth scenario. Specialized areas feature circus environments exploitable with certain weapons, venues mandating specific armaments, and boss arenas like the confrontation. Many levels incorporate plagiarized map elements, textures, and props from prior WADs such as DMURBAN and DMSBUDE, resulting in unbalanced difficulty—exemplified by segments with excessive Archvile equivalents—and occasional impassable bugs necessitating console commands. Multiplayer and survival modes extend replayability with endless waves across modified level variants.

Plot and Narrative

Story Summary

The narrative of Grezzo 2 centers on Piro, a crude pagan farmer from the , who harbors deep resentment toward for eradicating ancient local religions to which he is devoted. Infuriated by the faith's dominance, Piro embarks on a blasphemous rampage aimed at dismantling its foundational figures and institutions, blending elements of action with over-the-top targeting Italian Catholic culture. The story commences at Piro's grandparents' silver celebration in a church, where he interrupts the event by massacring the attendees, including depictions of Christ. Overcome by a heart attack amid the violence, Piro dies and enters the , confronting —portrayed as irritable and profane—in paradise; players can choose to slay the or flee, emphasizing themes of existential rebellion against divine authority. Revived on Earth, Piro awakens in a amid zombies, allies temporarily with figures like journalist to combat hordes, and proceeds through chaotic levels involving Italian celebrities, such as slaying circus performer Moira Orfei and disrupting a Vasco Rossi concert. Piro's crusade escalates with travels to for a vacation turned bloodbath against locals and terrorists, a pilgrimage to alongside journalist Paolo Brosio resulting in further killings, and confrontations with religious icons like at an aquapark. He assassinates , battles priests during a simulated event in 2013, and eliminates . Culminating in a hallucinatory sequence induced by a roofie, Piro enters the Virgin Mary's womb, slays the fetal to avert Christianity's origins, impregnates Mary himself, emerges reborn while strumming a guitar or before the Three Wise Men, and kills her, framing the tale as a perverse inverting biblical lore. The developer described this progression not as linear fiction but as a "realistic representation" of perceived cultural and violent realities in , with player agency in choices amplifying the anti-religious motifs.

Key Sequences and Endings

The narrative of Grezzo 2 builds through a series of escalating confrontations parodying , with the Piro systematically targeting biblical figures. A central sequence depicts Piro's assault on the apostles, portrayed as , demonized enemies in levels mimicking settings, culminating in a boss fight against Christ, rendered as a mutilated, resurrecting figure amid satirical imagery. Another infamous sequence involves the Virgin Mary, where the player navigates and combats within a nightmarish depiction of her womb, featuring ambushes from lactation-themed hazards and subordinate foes emerging from a rising . These encounters emphasize graphic and profane , aligning with the mod's intent to subvert religious reverence through first-person violence. Following terrestrial rampages, Piro returns home and suffers a fatal heart attack on December 25, 2012—in-game mirroring the mod's release date—propelling him to a for the climax. Here, the player faces as a multi-phase boss, depicted as an eldritch, tyrannical entity in a celestial arena, requiring strategic use of weapons like the "Holy Water Gun" to deplete health bars amid environmental hazards. The endings branch based on player decisions during the sequence. In one path, Piro defeats , leading to a triumphant return to for continued vengeance against surviving religious symbols, framed as a over divine order. Alternatively, evading the fight allows escape from without , preserving Piro's mortal form but implying unresolved conflict. An unaltered remnant from early versions prompts self-inflicted death to loop the game, underscoring the mod's nihilistic, replay-driven structure. These conclusions, observed consistently in playthroughs, reinforce the satirical motif of human defiance against , though they drew accusations of promoting in unfiltered releases.

Themes and Satirical Elements

Cultural Parodies

Grezzo 2 incorporates numerous parodies of Italian celebrities and public figures, often portraying them as grotesque enemies or allies in exaggerated, violent scenarios that mock their real-life personas and scandals. For instance, the renowned television host appears as an Arch-Vile-like boss enemy resurrected as a necromancer, uttering his signature catchphrase "Allegria!" during combat. Similarly, circus performer and actress Moira Orfei is depicted as a massive antagonist hurling fire and energy blasts, satirizing her fame in Italian entertainment. Other , such as home shopping presenter Roberto Da Crema, manifest as flying enemies firing explosive projectiles, lampooning his bombastic sales style. The mod also targets musicians and media figures with pointed ridicule tied to their controversies. Rock singer assaults the player with machine guns and syringes in one level, alluding to his history of drug-related legal issues. Television journalist serves as a zombie-fighting ally, while Paolo Brosio, known for sensationalist reporting, appears as an enemy in monastic garb hurling fireballs. These depictions extend to broader pop culture references, including everyday Italian elements like and as health pickups, embedding mundane cultural artifacts into the game's chaotic framework. Political satire features caricatures of prominent Italian politicians, exaggerating their public gaffes and scandals for comedic effect. Former Prime Minister is shown as a destitute hobo or prostitute-like figure, referencing his numerous legal entanglements and personal excesses. Politician appears as an elite enemy reenacting his infamous on-camera stroke, critiquing his long career amid health episodes. Far-right figure Mario Borghezio shouts inflammatory, islamophobic remarks, parodying his extremist rhetoric. Additionally, cruise ship captain , infamous for the 2012 , is referenced in levels mocking maritime negligence. Media and social receive parody through levels inspired by notorious Italian cases hyped by tabloids and news outlets. The "Asilo Nido Franzoni" level draws from the 2002 Cogne case, involving child murder allegations against Annamaria Franzoni; "Avertana Chainsaw Massacre" satirizes the 2010 Avetrana murders; and "Novi Ligure" references the 2001 family killings by Erika Circi and Omar Favaro, all critiquing the frenzied, exploitative coverage that dominated public discourse. film tropes from the "cinepanettone" genre are mocked in deathmatch maps like "Natale in crociera," lampooning the formulaic, lowbrow humor of annual comedies starring celebrities in contrived plots. Local cultural nods, such as Perugia-specific events like , appear in Umbrian dialect-infused levels, grounding the satire in the developer's hometown context.

Anti-Religious Motifs

Grezzo 2 features prominent anti-religious motifs centered on the of Christian, particularly Catholic, icons and institutions, portraying them as corrupt and tyrannical entities deserving violent overthrow. The , depicted as a pagan named Piro, embodies a rejection of , embarking on a rampage that systematically targets sacred figures and sites as manifestations of evil. This narrative frames Catholicism as a malevolent organization plotting through and , with , , and archangels reimagined as armed adversaries wielding weapons against the player. Key sequences exemplify these motifs through graphic . In the opening level "Santa Messa," the player interrupts a church silver , massacring attendees including a grotesque representation of Christ, establishing as a target for immediate eradication. Subsequent progression leads to heaven, where appears as a foul-mouthed in cultist robes, whom the player kills to defy divine authority. A pilgrimage to the site of is parodied in "Viaggio a Merdjugorje" as a tawdry summer resort infested with enemies, culminating in confrontations with floating heads modeled after the stigmatist , substituted for the enemy archetype. The game's climax intensifies these themes in sequences assaulting core Catholic dogmas. Players battle depictions of John Paul II and Francis as eldritch abominations with specialized attacks during a simulated event overrun by hostile priests. The finale invades the Virgin Mary's womb, fighting flesh-like creatures and clergy before slaying a fetal —the positioned as the ultimate "Big Bad"—after which Piro impregnates Mary, causing her demise and symbolizing profane inversion of the . Developer Nicola Piro explicitly intended such content to provoke religious outrage, stating his aim to produce "something vulgar and unheard of" that would "piss off any mother, any religious organization," and viewing the as "obviously a monster, an enemy." These motifs extend to broader of religious rituals, such as mocking the Three Wise Men with irreverent post-desecration, reinforcing the game's causal depiction of as a delusional and oppressive system ripe for destruction through excess and . While polarizing, the elements draw from the mod's total conversion of Doom II's mechanics, repurposing enemies and levels to amplify without deeper theological critique, prioritizing shock over substantive argumentation.

Reception

Technical and Design Praise

Grezzo 2 incorporates an extensive array of custom weapons, exceeding five shotgun variants alone, many adapted from other Doom modifications, which deliver high-impact, overpowered combat suited to its frenetic pace. This design choice fosters intense, satisfying engagements with diverse enemy types, blending elements from shooters like Duke Nukem and Quake into the Doom engine for varied destructive options. A March 2024 update addressed numerous bugs, nerfed select bosses for fairer difficulty scaling, and buffed various weapons, enhancing technical reliability and play balance in a mod originally released in 2012. These refinements, implemented via compatibility with modern ZDoom-based ports, demonstrate sustained developer effort to mitigate engine limitations and improve user experience over time. Community feedback has highlighted the mod's sandbox-like design, permitting open-ended interactions such as civilian targeting and subsequent police pursuits, evoking -style emergence within Doom's constraints. Some players describe the resulting chaos as highly entertaining, citing it as among the most enjoyable total conversions for its absurd, unscripted action sequences.

Criticisms of Execution

Criticisms of Grezzo 2's execution center on its technical instability, gameplay imbalances, and extensive uncredited reuse of assets from other projects, which compromised its structural integrity and originality as a total conversion mod. The mod, built on the outdated Skulltag source port version 0.98d from 2010, exhibited compatibility issues and a patchwork assembly of components, resulting in frequent bugs that rendered sections nearly unplayable without cheats, such as softlocks in gameplay sequences like the surfboard area. A major 2024 update after 12 years of dormancy addressed "tons of bugs," confirming the prevalence of these issues in the original 2012 release. Gameplay balance was another point of contention, with many weapons—such as multiple overpowered shotgun variants directly copied from mods like Russian Overkill—allowing players to trivialize encounters and disrupt pacing. Boss fights were initially overtuned, necessitating nerfs in the 2024 patch, while some weapons required buffs to function adequately, highlighting inconsistent difficulty scaling and poor integration of borrowed mechanics. Health pickups, rethemed as Italian foods like gnocchi and panettone, further exacerbated resource management flaws in prolonged levels. The mod's design suffered from haphazard asset incorporation, including reused maps from projects like ArmageDoom, TurboCharged ARCADE!, and Zblood+, often with misaligned textures and unpolished geometry that broke immersion and functionality. This reliance on plagiarism extended to full mods such as Brutal Doom v17 and Nashgore.wad, weapons from Realm667 and Action Doom, copyrighted music tracks (e.g., from Earthbound and The Prodigy), and sprites from sources like Batman Doom and Postal 2, without credits or modifications to fit cohesively. Such practices led to a "cobbled-together" feel, undermining the mod's technical execution and raising questions about its development rigor.

Controversies

Blasphemy and Religious Offense

Grezzo 2 features explicit portrayals of Catholic religious figures as violent antagonists, including reimagined as a floating enemy akin to the from the original Doom, bearing and clerical attire while being subjected to graphic dismemberment by the player. Similarly, Jesus Christ appears in a boss encounter where the figure is fought and defeated amid excessive gore, amplifying the mod's satirical assault on Christian iconography. These elements, combined with recurring motifs mocking the Catholic Church's hierarchy and sacraments, have been identified as core to the game's provocative intent. The mod's creator, Nicola Piro, incorporates these depictions within a framework where the protagonist embodies disdain for , particularly Italian Catholicism, framing violence against sacred symbols as cathartic rebellion. Italian online communities initially amplified its notoriety for such content, with discussions highlighting the deliberate invocation of through altered religious hymns in the soundtrack and parodic levels set in settings. While no formal condemnations were issued, the material elicited polarized responses, with some viewers decrying it as irreverent desecration of venerated saints canonized by the Vatican, such as in 2002. Critics within gaming circles have noted that the blasphemy extends beyond visual mockery to integrate profane humor, such as enemies invoking divine names amid combat, exacerbating perceptions of religious offense in a culturally Catholic context like Italy. The absence of widespread institutional backlash may stem from the mod's niche distribution as a free Doom total conversion, yet its enduring infamy underscores how such content challenges taboos surrounding faith in digital media.

Broader Cultural Backlash

The mod's incorporation of racial stereotypes and derogatory portrayals of ethnic groups elicited accusations of racism from critics, who highlighted its "feral" content as promoting prejudice beyond religious satire. In analyses of extremist content in gaming, Grezzo 2 has been categorized alongside white supremacist mods for its thematic elements, contributing to its classification in reports on digital radicalization pathways. These characterizations stem from sequences involving exaggerated violence and humor targeting minorities, which some observers argued normalized harmful ideologies under the guise of over-the-top parody. Within the Doom modding community, significant backlash arose from the unauthorized use of assets ripped from other projects, including sprites and sounds from and various WADs, prompting vocal condemnation from affected creators who viewed it as undermining collaborative norms. This technical and ethical dispute amplified perceptions of the mod as unprofessional and exploitative, leading to widespread reluctance to engage with or distribute it on forums like ZDoom. Platform-level responses extended the cultural repercussions, with Twitch prohibiting streams of Grezzo 2 in 2018 due to its extreme , slurs, and prejudicial themes, placing it on the site's banned games alongside titles deemed too inflammatory for live . This decision reflected broader concerns in digital media ecosystems about , where the mod's unfiltered offensiveness was seen as incompatible with community guidelines aimed at curbing and extremism.

Defenses and Free Speech Arguments

Supporters within the community have characterized Grezzo 2's provocative elements as deliberate critiquing Italian cultural, political, and religious institutions, asserting that its exaggerated depictions, including those of religious figures like , serve to highlight perceived absurdities rather than promote hatred. This perspective frames the mod's content as an extension of Doom's inherent themes of visceral violence and demon-slaying, where player agency allows voluntary engagement with mature or offensive material. The mod's creator, under the handle Giochi Penosi, has defended its ongoing availability by releasing a major update on March 20, 2024—after a 12-year hiatus—incorporating technical improvements like support and bug fixes while preserving the original controversial assets, indicating no retreat from its artistic intent despite public backlash. Community discussions on platforms like Doomworld emphasize that the mod's non-commercial, fan-driven nature precludes mandates for , with users arguing that subjective offense should not override creators' rights to experiment in a genre historically tolerant of extreme expression. Free speech arguments in defense of Grezzo 2 highlight its distribution as a free download, positioning it outside enforced consumption and akin to other user-generated that evade platform-specific bans like Twitch's prohibition on "hateful conduct" content, yet persist via direct hosting. Proponents contend that suppressing such works would stifle the ecosystem's tradition of boundary-pushing innovation, where borrowed assets and have long coexisted without legal repercussions, as evidenced by the absence of successful efforts or lawsuits against the project. This stance aligns with broader gaming community resistance to external , prioritizing player discretion over preemptive sanitization.

Legacy

Impact on Doom Modding

Grezzo 2's incorporation of weapons, sprites, and other assets directly copied from numerous other Doom modifications, such as Brutal Doom and Russian Overkill, without attribution or permission, provoked widespread condemnation from modders and prompted the community to compile exhaustive lists of plagiarized content. These efforts, including the "Grezzo 2 Plagiarism Compendium" first documented in 2013 and updated as late as 2019, underscored the prevalence of uncredited resource extraction in modding and fueled debates on intellectual property norms within the scene. The mod's release in 2012 amplified scrutiny over ethical asset usage, with creators expressing frustration over the dilution of their original work through such wholesale borrowing, which included overpowered weaponry and textures misaligned due to hasty integration. This incident contributed to a broader pushback against unchecked , influencing discussions on platforms like Doomworld where users contrasted 's practices with mods that provide credit or create original content. Despite the backlash, Grezzo 2's irreverent, boundary-pushing aesthetic inspired a niche of imitators, including the short-lived "Grezzo clones" such as Regular Day (development ceased around 2016–2017) and Wkurw: Polski Mod (cancelled in 2016), which attempted to replicate its satirical excess. More recently, the 2024 Pisstake demo explicitly drew from its style, signaling a lingering, if controversial, influence on experimental and offensive mod design. The mod's technical bundling with the Skulltag port and dependent WADs further illustrated the challenges of mod interoperability, though often criticized for exacerbating compatibility issues through unvetted inclusions.

Modern Availability and Community

Grezzo 2 is distributed as a free downloadable mod for Doom II: Hell on Earth, compatible with source ports such as GZDoom, and requires the base game files. The most recent version, titled "GREZZO 2 - UNA MAGICA AVVENTURA," was uploaded to ModDB on March 20, 2024, incorporating a major update with bug fixes, boss nerfs, and weapon buffs after 12 years of dormancy. Earlier iterations, including a "final version" from 2017, are marked outdated on the platform, directing users to the latest release. The mod's availability extends to archival sites and community shares, though official distribution centers on ModDB to ensure updated files amid reports of download safety concerns in older links. Installation typically involves multiple WAD and PK3 files, reflecting its total conversion structure with dependencies on custom assets. A niche community persists around Grezzo 2 within circles, centered on forums like Doomworld and ZDoom, where users discuss its technical quirks, content , and the 2023 sequel GREZZODUE 2. Enthusiasts praise its chaotic gameplay and satirical edge, while detractors highlight execution flaws and overreliance on , sustaining debates into 2024. analyses, including a review uploaded on October 27, 2024, document playthroughs and cultural impact, drawing views from hobbyists. The sequel's December 25, 2023 release and subsequent updates, such as the multilingual ver. 2.666 on November 17, 2024, signal ongoing developer engagement and fan feedback loops.

References

  1. https://giochipenosi.itch.io/grezzo-2
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31037920/
  3. https://www.doomworld.com/19years/others.php
  4. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Grezzo_2
  5. https://www.holycult.com/il-grottesco-nel-videogame-intervista-a-nicola-piro/
  6. https://grezzo-2.en.uptodown.com/windows
  7. https://www.pixelflood.it/grezzo-2-intervista-agli-sviluppatori/
  8. https://www.moddb.com/mods/grezzo-2-una-magica-avventura
  9. https://www.reddit.com/r/DoomMods/comments/19e3pkz/i_been_having_trouble_finding_a_working_version/
  10. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=64871
  11. https://giochipenosi.itch.io/grezzo-2/devlog/700976/grezzo-2-updated-after-12-years-and-for-the-first-time-on-itchio
  12. https://giochipenosi.itch.io/grezzo-2/devlog/835463/grezzo-2-ver2666-english-update
  13. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/Grezzo2
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FglVuYr0BJg
  15. https://doom.fandom.com/wiki/Grezzo_2
  16. https://giochipenosi.itch.io/grezzo-2/devlog/1028764/grezzo-2-definitive-edition-2025-spanish-update-multiplayer-online-
  17. https://www.moddb.com/mods/grezzo-2-una-magica-avventura/videos
  18. https://www.moddb.com/mods/grezzo-2-una-magica-avventura/videos/grezzo-2-definitive-edition-spanish-update-online-multiplayer
  19. https://www.speedrun.com/g2/guides/9nqpn
  20. https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/155425-trying-to-find-the-sources-of-some-grezzo-2-weapons/
  21. https://www.vice.com/it/article/grezzo-due/
  22. https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Grezzo_2
  23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PLikJIb0cM
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb2S4KV-blo
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WassGmhYAY
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKdXuTUOzFI
  27. https://www.mobygames.com/game/64444/grezzo-due-una-magica-avventura/screenshots/windows/684712/
  28. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/Grezzo2
  29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw1cCB_Q-yk
  30. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/Grezzo2
  31. https://www.vice.com/it/article/wdwpan/grezzo-due
  32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWhRxAAHmoU
  33. https://www.reddit.com/r/Doom/comments/2yeaw4/grezzo_2_appreciationdisgust_thread/
  34. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=37401
  35. https://playretro.it/2021/11/02/giudico/grezzo2-2-demo-level-1/
  36. https://archivio-gamesurf.tiscali.it/forum/showthread.php?116206-Grezzo-2-Una-Magica-Avventura/
  37. https://gamecloud.net.au/features/editors-choice/editors-choice-the-best-worst-games-of-all-time
  38. https://gnet-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GNET-37-Extremism-and-Gaming_web.pdf
  39. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=64871
  40. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=72573
  41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTw8MuVKz7k
  42. https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/95301-what-are-your-thoughts-on-grezzo-2/
  43. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=72573
  44. https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/103605-doom-mods-that-have-content-plagiarized-from-others/
  45. https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=80006
  46. https://www.moddb.com/downloads/grezzo-2-una-magica-avvenntura
  47. https://www.moddb.com/downloads/grezzo-2-final-version
  48. https://www.reddit.com/r/Doom/comments/p0jfqd/where_can_i_download_grezzo_2/
  49. https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/105657-grezzodue-2-has-been-revealed-to-the-public/
  50. https://www.moddb.com/mods/grezzodue-2
  51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUSpxrGKgZg
  52. https://www.moddb.com/news/grezzodue-2-ver2666-english-update
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