I made a mutator that restores this behavior, to use it, just copy/paste the following code in a text file, and launch EDuke with command line '-mx yourfile.txt'. It should also be compatible with the most of mods.
gamevar MUTWACK_TEMP1 0 0 gamevar MUTWACK_TEMP2 0 0 gamevar MUTWACK_ANG 0 1 defstate mutturndeadplayer ifvarn player[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor -1 { ifvarvare player[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor player[THISACTOR].i break getactor[player[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor].x MUTWACK_TEMP1 getactor[player[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor].y MUTWACK_TEMP2 subvarvar MUTWACK_TEMP1 player[THISACTOR].posx subvarvar MUTWACK_TEMP2 player[THISACTOR].posy getangle MUTWACK_ANG MUTWACK_TEMP1 MUTWACK_TEMP2 getincangle MUTWACK_TEMP1 player[THISACTOR].ang MUTWACK_ANG ifvarg MUTWACK_TEMP1 64 setvar MUTWACK_TEMP1 64 else ifvarl MUTWACK_TEMP1 -64 setvar MUTWACK_TEMP1 -64 else { setplayer[THISACTOR].ang MUTWACK_ANG setvar MUTWACK_TEMP1 0 } ifvare MUTWACK_TEMP1 0 break getplayer[THISACTOR].ang MUTWACK_ANG addvarvar MUTWACK_ANG MUTWACK_TEMP1 setplayer[THISACTOR].ang MUTWACK_ANG } ends onevent EVENT_GAME ifactor APLAYER { ifp pdead { ifaction PFROZEN break state mutturndeadplayer } else ifvarn player[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor -1 setplayer[THISACTOR].wackedbyactor -1 } endevent