diff --git a/source/build/src/engine.cpp b/source/build/src/engine.cpp
index 0a9f5070e..d67f72f81 100644
--- a/source/build/src/engine.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/engine.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "v_draw.h"
 #include "imgui.h"
 #include "stats.h"
+#include "menu.h"
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
 # include "glsurface.h"
@@ -10067,6 +10068,7 @@ void videoNextPage(void)
 
 		// Draw the console plus debug output on top of everything else.
 		DrawFullscreenBlends();
+		M_Drawer();
 		FStat::PrintStat(); 
 		C_DrawConsole();
 		GLInterface.Draw2D(&twod);
diff --git a/source/common/console/d_event.cpp b/source/common/console/d_event.cpp
index 3846e5829..b61ef1948 100644
--- a/source/common/console/d_event.cpp
+++ b/source/common/console/d_event.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "c_console.h"
 #include "d_gui.h"
 #include "inputstate.h"
+#include "menu.h"
 
 int eventhead;
 int eventtail;
@@ -150,10 +151,8 @@ void D_ProcessEvents (void)
 			(void)0;//UpdateJoystickMenu(I_UpdateDeviceList());
 		if (C_Responder (ev))
 			continue;				// console ate the event
-#if 0
 		if (M_Responder (ev))
 			continue;				// menu ate the event
-#endif
 		G_Responder (ev);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp b/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
index 2fabae2d1..62aefcd3e 100644
--- a/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
+++ b/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "i_specialpaths.h"
 #include "z_music.h"
 #include "statistics.h"
+#include "menu.h"
 #ifndef NETCODE_DISABLE
 #include "enet.h"
 #endif
@@ -381,6 +382,7 @@ int CONFIG_Init()
 	buttonMap.SetGameAliases();
 	Mus_Init();
 	InitStatistics();
+	M_Init();
 
 
 
diff --git a/source/common/menu/listmenu.cpp b/source/common/menu/listmenu.cpp
index 7bcec164b..7cb389e8a 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/listmenu.cpp
+++ b/source/common/menu/listmenu.cpp
@@ -502,28 +502,29 @@ bool FListMenuItemSelectable::MouseEvent(int type, int x, int y)
 //
 //=============================================================================
 
-FListMenuItemText::FListMenuItemText(int x, int y, int height, int hotkey, const char *text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, EColorRange color2, FName child, int param)
+FListMenuItemText::FListMenuItemText(int x, int y, int height, int hotkey, const FString &text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, EColorRange color2, FName child, int param)
 : FListMenuItemSelectable(x, y, height, child, param)
 {
 	mText = text;
+	/*
 	mFont = font;
 	mColor = color;
 	mColorSelected = color2;
+	*/
+	mFont = NewSmallFont;
+	mColor = CR_RED;
+	mColorSelected = CR_GOLD;
 	mHotkey = hotkey;
 }
 
 FListMenuItemText::~FListMenuItemText()
 {
-	if (mText != NULL)
-	{
-		delete [] mText;
-	}
 }
 
 void FListMenuItemText::Drawer(bool selected)
 {
 	const char *text = mText;
-	if (text != NULL)
+	if (mText.Len())
 	{
 		if (*text == '$') text = GStrings(text+1);
 		DrawText(&twod, mFont, selected ? mColorSelected : mColor, mXpos, mYpos, text, DTA_Clean, true, TAG_DONE);
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ void FListMenuItemText::Drawer(bool selected)
 int FListMenuItemText::GetWidth() 
 { 
 	const char *text = mText;
-	if (text != NULL)
+	if (mText.Len())
 	{
 		if (*text == '$') text = GStrings(text+1);
 		return mFont->StringWidth(text); 
diff --git a/source/common/menu/menu.cpp b/source/common/menu/menu.cpp
index 57e9219d8..2256f7ebc 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/source/common/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound)
 	}
 
 	C_HideConsole ();				// [RH] Make sure console goes bye bye.
+	GUICapture |= 1;
 	menuactive = MENU_On;
 	// Pause sound effects before we play the menu switch sound.
 	// That way, it won't be paused.
@@ -416,9 +417,9 @@ void M_SetMenu(FName menu, int param)
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				const PClass *cls = ld->mClass == NULL? RUNTIME_CLASS(DListMenu) : ld->mClass;
+				//const PClass *cls = ld->mClass == NULL? RUNTIME_CLASS(DListMenu) : ld->mClass;
 
-				DListMenu *newmenu = (DListMenu *)cls->CreateNew();
+				DListMenu* newmenu = new DListMenu;
 				newmenu->Init(DMenu::CurrentMenu, ld);
 				M_ActivateMenu(newmenu);
 			}
@@ -426,9 +427,9 @@ void M_SetMenu(FName menu, int param)
 		else if ((*desc)->mType == MDESC_OptionsMenu)
 		{
 			FOptionMenuDescriptor *ld = static_cast<FOptionMenuDescriptor*>(*desc);
-			const PClass *cls = ld->mClass == NULL? RUNTIME_CLASS(DOptionMenu) : ld->mClass;
+			//const PClass *cls = ld->mClass == NULL? RUNTIME_CLASS(DOptionMenu) : ld->mClass;
 
-			DOptionMenu *newmenu = (DOptionMenu *)cls->CreateNew();
+			DOptionMenu *newmenu = new DOptionMenu;
 			newmenu->Init(DMenu::CurrentMenu, ld);
 			M_ActivateMenu(newmenu);
 		}
@@ -649,6 +650,7 @@ bool M_Responder (event_t *ev)
 void M_Ticker (void) 
 {
 	DMenu::MenuTime++;
+	if (DMenu::MenuTime & 3) return;
 	if (DMenu::CurrentMenu != NULL && menuactive != MENU_Off) 
 	{
 		DMenu::CurrentMenu->Ticker();
@@ -685,7 +687,7 @@ void M_Ticker (void)
 
 void M_Drawer (void) 
 {
-	PalEntry fade = 0;// x70000000;
+	PalEntry fade = 0x70000000;
 #if 0
 	player_t *player = &players[consoleplayer];
 	AActor *camera = player->camera;
@@ -701,9 +703,9 @@ void M_Drawer (void)
 #endif
 
 
-	if (DMenu::CurrentMenu != NULL && menuactive != MENU_Off && fade) 
+	if (DMenu::CurrentMenu != NULL && menuactive != MENU_Off)
 	{
-		if (DMenu::CurrentMenu->DimAllowed()) twod.AddColorOnlyQuad(0, 0, screen->GetWidth(), screen->GetHeight(), fade);
+		if (DMenu::CurrentMenu->DimAllowed() && fade) twod.AddColorOnlyQuad(0, 0, screen->GetWidth(), screen->GetHeight(), fade);
 		DMenu::CurrentMenu->Drawer();
 	}
 }
@@ -723,6 +725,7 @@ void M_ClearMenus ()
 		DMenu::CurrentMenu = NULL;
 	}
 	menuactive = MENU_Off;
+	GUICapture &= ~1;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -733,6 +736,7 @@ void M_ClearMenus ()
 
 void M_Init (void) 
 {
+	timerSetCallback(M_Ticker);
 	M_ParseMenuDefs();
 	M_CreateMenus();
 }
diff --git a/source/common/menu/menu.h b/source/common/menu/menu.h
index 8d70dac72..874a7768d 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/menu.h
+++ b/source/common/menu/menu.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ struct FMenuDescriptor
 	FName mMenuName;
 	FString mNetgameMessage;
 	int mType;
-	const PClass *mClass;
+	FName mClass;
 
 	virtual ~FMenuDescriptor() {}
 };
@@ -399,12 +399,12 @@ public:
 
 class FListMenuItemText : public FListMenuItemSelectable
 {
-	const char *mText;
+	FString mText;
 	FFont *mFont;
 	EColorRange mColor;
 	EColorRange mColorSelected;
 public:
-	FListMenuItemText(int x, int y, int height, int hotkey, const char *text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, EColorRange color2, FName child, int param = 0);
+	FListMenuItemText(int x, int y, int height, int hotkey, const FString &text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, EColorRange color2, FName child, int param = 0);
 	~FListMenuItemText();
 	void Drawer(bool selected);
 	int GetWidth();
@@ -430,8 +430,8 @@ class DListMenu : public DMenu
 	DECLARE_CLASS(DListMenu, DMenu)
 
 protected:
-	FListMenuDescriptor *mDesc;
-	FListMenuItem *mFocusControl;
+	FListMenuDescriptor *mDesc = nullptr;
+	FListMenuItem *mFocusControl = nullptr;
 
 public:
 	DListMenu(DMenu *parent = NULL, FListMenuDescriptor *desc = NULL);
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ class FOptionMenuItem : public FListMenuItem
 {
 protected:
 	FString mLabel;
-	bool mCentered;
+	bool mCentered = false;
 
 	void drawLabel(int indent, int y, EColorRange color, bool grayed = false);
 public:
diff --git a/source/common/menu/menudef.cpp b/source/common/menu/menudef.cpp
index 4f1f5939b..40023216c 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/menudef.cpp
+++ b/source/common/menu/menudef.cpp
@@ -241,12 +241,7 @@ static void ParseListMenuBody(FScanner &sc, FListMenuDescriptor *desc)
 		else if (sc.Compare("Class"))
 		{
 			sc.MustGetString();
-			const PClass *cls = PClass::FindClass(sc.String);
-			if (cls == NULL || !cls->IsDescendantOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DListMenu)))
-			{
-				sc.ScriptError("Unknown menu class '%s'", sc.String);
-			}
-			desc->mClass = cls;
+			desc->mClass = sc.String;
 		}
 		else if (sc.Compare("Selector"))
 		{
@@ -428,8 +423,8 @@ static void ParseListMenuBody(FScanner &sc, FListMenuDescriptor *desc)
 
 static bool CheckCompatible(FMenuDescriptor *newd, FMenuDescriptor *oldd)
 {
-	if (oldd->mClass == NULL) return true;
-	return oldd->mClass == newd->mClass;
+	/*if (oldd->mClass == NULL)*/ return true;
+	//return oldd->mClass == newd->mClass;
 }
 
 static bool ReplaceMenu(FScanner &sc, FMenuDescriptor *desc)
@@ -629,12 +624,7 @@ static void ParseOptionMenuBody(FScanner &sc, FOptionMenuDescriptor *desc)
 		else if (sc.Compare("Class"))
 		{
 			sc.MustGetString();
-			const PClass *cls = PClass::FindClass(sc.String);
-			if (cls == NULL || !cls->IsDescendantOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DOptionMenu)))
-			{
-				sc.ScriptError("Unknown menu class '%s'", sc.String);
-			}
-			desc->mClass = cls;
+			desc->mClass = sc.String;
 		}
 		else if (sc.Compare("Title"))
 		{
diff --git a/source/common/menu/messagebox.cpp b/source/common/menu/messagebox.cpp
index f568553f5..f0f17576d 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/messagebox.cpp
+++ b/source/common/menu/messagebox.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ void DMessageBoxMenu::Drawer ()
 
 		if (messageSelection >= 0)
 		{
-			if ((DMenu::MenuTime%8) < 6)
+			if (((DMenu::MenuTime>>2)%8) < 6)
 			{
 				DrawText(&twod, ConFont, OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection,
 					(150 - 160) * CleanXfac + screen->GetWidth() / 2,
diff --git a/source/common/menu/optionmenu.cpp b/source/common/menu/optionmenu.cpp
index bbe1d278f..1eb6b7981 100644
--- a/source/common/menu/optionmenu.cpp
+++ b/source/common/menu/optionmenu.cpp
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ void DOptionMenu::Drawer ()
 		int cur_indent = mDesc->mItems[i]->Draw(mDesc, y, indent, isSelected);
 		if (cur_indent >= 0 && isSelected && mDesc->mItems[i]->Selectable())
 		{
-			if (((DMenu::MenuTime%8) < 6) || DMenu::CurrentMenu != this)
+			if ((((DMenu::MenuTime>>2)%8) < 6) || DMenu::CurrentMenu != this)
 			{
 				M_DrawConText(OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection, cur_indent + 3 * CleanXfac_1, y+fontheight-9*CleanYfac_1, "\xd");
 			}
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/demolition/menudef.txt b/wadsrc/static/demolition/menudef.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..838c4a6fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wadsrc/static/demolition/menudef.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+// Text only variant of the main menu for Doom, Strife and Chex Quest to be used with localized content.
+//
+//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+LISTMENU "MainMenu"
+{
+	linespacing 15
+	TextItem "$MNU_NEWGAME", "n", "PlayerclassMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_LOADGAME", "l", "LoadGameMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_OPTIONS", "o", "OptionsMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_HELP", "h", "HelpMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_CREDITS", "c", "CreditsMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_QUITGAME", "q", "QuitMenu"
+}
+
+LISTMENU "MainMenu_Blood"
+{
+	linespacing 15
+	TextItem "$MNU_NEWGAME", "n", "PlayerclassMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_MULTIPLAYER", "m", "MultiMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_OPTIONS", "o", "OptionsMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_LOADGAME", "l", "LoadGameMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_HELP", "h", "HelpMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_CREDITS", "c", "CreditsMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_QUITGAME", "q", "QuitMenu"
+}
+
+LISTMENU "MainMenu_SW"
+{
+	linespacing 15
+	TextItem "$MNU_NEWGAME", "n", "PlayerclassMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_LOADGAME", "l", "LoadGameMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_SAVEGAME", "s", "SaveGameMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_OPTIONS", "o", "OptionsMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_COOLSTUFF", "h", "HelpMenu"
+	TextItem "$MNU_QUITGAME", "q", "QuitMenu"
+}
+
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/language.txt b/wadsrc/static/language.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb