HL2 Mod Mini-Reviews

[The Rogue Wolf]

Hmm. Get A Life is proving to be rather interesting, though like so many other Mods it makes a few irritating design choices (a handful of sections early on, especially) and has thrown up a couple forehead-slapping moments- though most of those were less the fault of the Mod and more the fault of the base AI. "Hey! Stupid! There's twelve zombies behind you! TURN AROUND AND SHOOT!" I like the locational damage/healing bit, though, and the enemies so far have gotten me to jump more than once.

EDIT: I've just gotten to see the new enemy that appears just after the EVIS agent blows up the rock crusher.

...creepy.

[bobdog]

Part 24: Episodic Table of Elements
Here's a good scattering of maps for the original HL2 and both Episodes 1 and 2. It's a mixed bag, with only a few decent maps for your long-term consideration. All are available for download courtesy Planet Phillip. Let's start with HL2 vanilla first:

Town Ex -- Once again you are tossed amongst the zombie savages, so you'll need to attempt an escape from this town. Some areas had some wonky scripts that didn't go off correctly and requiring a noclip, but mostly it was fun, and had some variety and surprises to it. 3.25 out of 5

Freedom -- This boxy, short map just has you facing hordes of enemies. Boring. 2.5 out of 5

Otherworld -- I had played this previously and forgot. It's bad … really bad. It's dark, and calls for a major mind-trip. Break out Silver's inhalers and fill 'er up! 1.5 out of 5

Warehouse really surprised me. You are supposed to rescue some hostages from a shipping warehouse, but the Combine have holed up in there but good. The crowded building is full of those big red shipping crates, strewn haphazardly throughout, with Combine tucked in nice and tight as you make your way through the maze. Good layout and Combine placement, plus a surprise ending, make this map a winner. (I was unable to complete the final task and had to God-mode through it, unfortunately.) 4 out of 5

SP Zombie X could have been a decent zombie romp, but none of the scripts worked, forcing me to noclip through the entire map. There was some decent thought to map layout and enemy placement, but without all the pieces working, it's no good. 2.75 out of 5

So how did the episodic maps fare? Here's a few new ones for Episode 1:

Catch a Train is semi-promising, but the two maps aren't correctly connected together, so you'll have to boot up the second one separately and then Impulse 101 your suit and gear. The first map is short (about 45 seconds!!) and has you dash through some Combine to a train, but the second is more interesting. You'll clear out a moving train, and then take on a VERY TOUGH helicopter which takes forever to die. 3 out of 5 for the pair.

A little humor makes Giant Enemy Robot more enjoyable, even though it is a fairly short map. There are two simple physics puzzles and fairly decent mapping of a destroyed building that you'll make your way through to your mystery opponent. 3.25 out of 5

Greenhouse is one of those weird, surreal, art-deco type of maps, where the authors color all the items you use white. I didn't really like it, but appreciate that there is something more than just a square room and hallway to fight in. 2.75 out of 5

The Escape has a few square rooms that lead to a helicopter battle. 2.25 out of 5

So how did our sole Episode 2 map fare? Pretty good, all things considering. Do Not Disturb is a beta two-map set that has a ton of tense atmosphere. After waking, you must immediately escape from your room before the Combine storm in; then you must alternately sprint and hide from the Combine as they search the multi-story apartment complex where you live. There is a lot of trial-and-error involved in this map to figure out where you're supposed to go, and how you can lead the Combine away from your path before your health is whittled away to nothing. The second map is very large in scale and starts with you taking a fantastic leap of faith from the 15th floor of the building into a swimming pool -- definitely the highlight to this map! After landing, you'll FINALLY get a gun, but you'll have to be efficient because your enemies are numerous, and they can see your flashlight as you roam in the dark. I accidentally broke the script to escape, but found out how to do it again. As mentioned, this is a beta, and could use some tweaking, but is certainly playable in this state, and the author has almost got it perfected. Overall, I rate it 4.25 out of 5.

So, the only two I intend to keep out of this bunch are Warehouse for HL2, and Do Not Disturb for Episode 2. Now, the long wait until StriderMountain is released, hopefully very soon!

[bobdog]

Part 25: In the Meantime...
Planet Phillip is hosting an interesting new mod for HL2 called Alan's Mod. It's a student effort that tries to implement new "puzzles" into the HL2 gameplay. Mostly, the puzzles are somewhat straightforward, although there are a few headscratchers. Notably, one part has a sleeping Citizen (who are enemies in this mod) in a room with explosive barrels. A steampipe causes three gates to fall down at differing rates while Barney (voiced by a Brit this time  ) tries to sneak past. This took me about a dozen tries to figure out what the heck to do. Finally, my 8-year-old daughter gave me the right idea -- nice to know genious runs downhill! 

The second real puzzler has you move some electric balls on a map to keep some of the Citizens from proceeding once you've opened their cages (yes, I know it doesn't make sense in the normal HL2 world....). But a simple read of the notes on the wall should give you enough ideas to move ahead.

The final true puzzle is something I could actually see in a regular HL2 level. You've got to get an electric door open, but there are no obvious ways to do so... wait, are those two circular paddles part of two dynamos? Hmmm....

The voice-acting is poor (but at least present and synched to the heads), the story is barely above non-existent, and the ending is abrupt, but I still kind of liked this mod. 3.75 out of 5 for efforts to integrate some new puzzles into the mix.
www.planetphillip.com/posts/alans-mod-half-life-2-ep2/#comment-158446

[bobdog]

Part 26: While We're Waiting...
... for StriderMountain, here's just a few new additions to the HL2 fold, all courtesy of our friend Planet Phillip. The first is for Episode 2, and the rest are HL2 vanilla add-ons.

Pollution Labs: Sector 2A is an Episode 2 map that is essentially in beta form and actually crashed my computer at the end. I don't really recommend it. 2 out of 5
www.planetphillip.com/posts/pollution-labs-sector-2a-half-life-2-ep2/

Forward Motion is a 10-level connected mapset that is surprisingly good! Some people have reported map failures, so you can load all maps individually if you'd like, but I never had any problems with the map continuation. The author has done some interesting things throughout the map-pack, starting with the first one, which is somewhat of a puzzle to escape a room in a derelict building. The city design is pretty good, leading to a fun little destructible shoot-out area at the end of the map. Map 2 starts you with the swamp buggy through the next three maps. I really like the thought the author put into developing these areas like a skatepark, with some puzzles to figure out and gates to get through. A Combine assault ship joins the fun and is capped by a wicked-ass jump in the buggy. By Map 5 you're ready to take on that assault ship, interestingly enough in a glass warehouse containing hordes of Combine, after which ... STRIDER!! You'll cat and mouse through some destroyed buildings to finally escape through a warehouse.

Map 6 follows you through an office building, where you must make your way to the top floor to face off against not one ... not two... but THREE assault ships, AND a strider!!  . The ensuing blast blows you across the map into another building, your weapons stripped from you. At this point, you start having nightmares of burning people as you make your way through the sewers. An ingenious electricity puzzle is followed by hard-to-find secrets. You finally reach the surface, but the nightmares continue, flipping you through the city environs and a maze in the countryside. With the help of an unwitting Bull Ant Lion, you'll wipe out a flock of zombies in front of a not-quite-abandoned mine. As you enter the mine ...

... your dreams flip you back into the maze, which leads to a temple across a lake. By placing a special crystal in a pylon, all heck breaks loose and ... you're back inside the mine. Quick, find a battery so you can open the tunnel! After exploding the mine tunnel, you must swim through a passage; here again I must commend the author for using light crystals to not only light the tunnel, but to show you the proper direction to follow. This tunnel eventually opens into a large Combine mining town, and this is one of the coolest set-pieces in the whole map-pack. As you leave the town ... it's back to the abandoned temple, which has some new Combine portals in place. Quick, through them both to retrieve the remaining treasure pieces! For the final part of this map, your nightmares somehow come to life, and I admit that I didn't know where to go with it; suffice it to say I used God-mode to good effect to survive the nightmares, gain the last piece of the puzzle, and turn on the portal to.... A great mapset and my congratulations to the author -- 4.5 out of 5.
www.planetphillip.com/posts/forward-motion-half-life-2/

Super Buggy Track 2 is one of those gimmick maps, wherein you drive a buggy all over, make jumps, unlock secret areas, etc. PlanetPhillip shows some areas that I didn't see, so I guess I didn't play long enough to open those secrets. For what it is, I rank it 4 out of 5.
www.planetphillip.com/posts/super-buggy-track-2-half-life-2/

Snake Assault Simple is a short but sweet map allowing you to blow Combine up. 3.75 out of 5
www.planetphillip.com/posts/snake-assault-simple-half-life-2/

[bobdog]

Part 27: … And Still Waiting …
… for StriderMountain, but nothing for it but to wait a little longer. In the meantime, here's a few maps to keep you busy:

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Edges -- The House is certainly creepy, but also unfortunately buggy. This requires Episode 1 to play, but unRARs into a mod folder. The author has implemented somewhat of an adventure feel, with you collecting a few objects and reading some papers to progress through the levels, but the overall design is lacking any aesthetics -- large boxy rooms with many props in place. I recommend the second level, with its hedge maze, as the best map, but the rest fall flat. The author also integrated a new distortion effect that takes place when you enter significantly scary areas, similar to the COC game recently released. In time, the effect fades, but it's pretty scary when a fast zombie is attacking and all you can see are waves in the distance. As I entered the third map into the house proper, the poor level design and buggy doors that won't open just pulled me out of the success of the second level, and I opted to simply quit the map. Shame on me, but my time is more valuable elsewhere. 2.75 out of 5 for a decent but ultimately flawed effort.
www.planetphillip.com/posts/dark-edges-the-house-half-life-2-ep1/

Neuromancer is an Ep. 2 map, and succeeds on all levels. A mix of Portal and HL2, this small but amazingly crafted map has you enter cyberspace, where you must manipulate brightly colored neon boxes to open up locked areas further in the map. It reminded me heavily of the Portal map where you have to lug around your Companion Cube. I can't praise it enough except to say that the two cyberspace areas weren't nearly enough for my tastes -- I'd love to see a multi-map version featuring these concepts. 4.75 out of 5
www.planetphillip.com/posts/neuromancer-half-life-2-ep2/

Talk about ambitious -- Bloodstone: The Journey Home is another mod requiring Ep 1 content, but this is a full-scale Role-Playing Game (RPG) built on the HL2 engine! I really, really wanted to give this a shot, as it looks immensely interesting. However, when I downloaded the 720MB RAR file, and attempted to use its built-in installer program, it gave me the error message that my C: drive was faulty (I don't have a C: drive on my computer, so I guess so). I attempted to un-pack the files myself, but unfortunately, it didn't put the 5,300 files into folders! So, if anyone else gives this a try, post how it fares. Download here or visit the website.

Logistique just requires vanilla HL2 and lists itself as a Beta/Demo, so you know not to expect TOO much out of it. However, I would have expected to at least be able to start the game! I downloaded the file, used the installer to make the folder appear in the Source Mods folder, and then went into Steam to start the mod, but for some reason it never clicked on. In comparing the files in Logistique to other mods, it appears to be missing something, but I don't know what. PlanetPhillip reports being able to play it, but many others there say it's too buggy in its current state. Still, knock yourself out if you feel the urge.

[bobdog]

Part 28: Errata Ad Nauseum
Say what you will about the modding scene, the Half-Life 2 crowd is still pumping them out, as it's only been three weeks or so since my last review, and yet I'm introducing another nine maps/mods to you, most of which are pretty decent. I mentioned before that there was a slowdown in this period of HL1's career, but it seems that modders (and by default, players) are still interested in HL2 as an engine. Perhaps this can be attributed to the ongoing official episodes of Valve.... I do have some negative news -- that the website Amphibian Mods seems to have died (or at least hasn't been available for the past three months). This was a GREAT resource for single-player gaming. At any rate, let's take a look at what we've got on tap today.

Stealth Sniper is an Episode 2 map that has a lot of potential, perhaps as a concept piece, but doesn't successfully pull it together as is. The setting in near perfect darkness is certainly unique, with thunder booming around you, but the execution is weak. The author has placed a destroyed bridge as an obstacle to get around, of which the only way is through a very small (two-building) Combine outpost. He also offers the crossbow and a "sniping" spot to take them out from afar. Unfortunately, all the Combine were huddled in the buildings on my play-through, completely defeating the concept! This map has potential, but needs to be part of a larger section and/or the Combine outpost needs to be larger to take advantage of the sniping opportunities. 3.5 out of 5

Combine Attack is a terse map forcing you against waves of Combine and a rocket launcher. It probably would have been more ideal if it were part of a larger map project, or if it had a more formal ending. 4 out of 5

Detritus is a small but tense map filled with zombies but few weapons. You'll have to search out the hidden weapons to survive. 4 out of 5

Old School is a very well done mod in an Asian theme, which even uses Lo Wang of Shadow Warrior as its mascot. It is called "Old School" because it really does tie back to the old days of Duke Nukem and Shadow Warrior, with you having to find four colored keys to progress through each of 18 levels, some of which are somewhat connected from one level to another. It's been long enough since we've had to undertake this type of game, which actually makes it more nostalgic at this point than annoying. Not everyone will appreciate it, but I found it "refreshing" to go Old School. The maps themselves have a few new textures but retain the regular HL2 enemies. The mod could have been more successful with new Asian-themed enemies, but was fine as it was.

Through the 18 levels, you'll go through small complexes, dojos, downtown office complexes, island bases, street battles, malls, nightclubs, caverns, submarine base, and even islands in the sky. Several standout levels feature traps and puzzles, lava filling the streets that you must make your way through, an homage to the Duke himself, and even an homage that is suspiciously similar to the start of Bioshock. A few more traps at the end wll bring you face to face with ... well, you'll see! Overall, a great mod, and fun to play through. 4.5 out of 5

Combine Force: Citadel City 3 unfortunately is not half as good and needs a lot of work. For the two maps available, there are many missing textures, few enemies and poor level design. The maps do however feature three new weapons for an axe, pistol and SMG, so I give it 2.75 out of 5 for effort.

So Much For Freeman is a very well-done map, which starts with you being transferred into a holding cell. All your comrades are being executed down the line and just when the execution squad gets to your cell, a timely antlion attack serves to free you. Not so easy, though, since an antion bull wants to play hide and seek. You'll next have to get through a Combine train yard complete with rockets and snipers, where you must turn on a portal that leaps to .... It's such a good map, it leaves you looking forward to the next part with anticipation. 5 out of 5

Agonized has a sound concept -- to offer a zombie-killing extravaganza in a warehouse complex, with plenty of zombies and head crabs to kill, and plenty of ways to do it, including weapons and the buggy itself. However, there is no proper ending and no interactivity with the buildings. I'd prefer to see this as part of a larger map pack where you must get through the complex somehow to the buggy, and then take the buggy further. But lacking a proper story and ending, it's okay for simple zombie-smashing fun. 3.75 out of 5

Blue Shift 2 is listed as a demo, and one can see why -- from the faulty HDR effects to the poor level design (you must go forward from one end of a moving train) to the poor enemy AI -- it all screams "Thank God you didn't finish this mod!" 2.25 out of 5

Dear Esther is one of those "experimental" HL2 mods that university students often do. It's more an interactive story (something about a crazy man trapped on an island ... I think....) that you passively participate in. The setting is extremely well done -- a large island formed of several maps, where you'll traverse the landscape from the shore to the mountain, enter an extremely well-done cave setting, and then return back outside. I only wished the maps were the setting of a Combine showdown, rather than this artsy-fartsy thing. But, even university students have to show that they have class. 3 out of 5, with wishes for some run-and-gun action.

[bobdog]

Part 29: Post-Crysis Depression
After spending some weeks playing Crysis and some of its many add-on maps, I decided I needed a break with some HL2 action. It's interesting, as many people think Crysis is much better than HL2. And certainly, its graphics are vastly superior, but the level design between maps is so similar as to be boring, in my eyes. Greenery, greenery everywhere.... I know that HL2 has many styles of levels that are similar, but it does have enough multiple designs to continue to pique my interest. And storylines? Pshah -- Crysis has nothing on the rich HL2 story that we all know and love. So let's see what the latest offerings are for HL2, shall we!?

The Escape is a challenging 3-map beta from a dead mod. The first level takes you through city streets, the second through a creepy tunnel/sewer system, and the third finds you racing through city culverts in the buggy. As mentioned, this was meant to be part of a larger mappack, and thus the third level doesn't have a proper ending transition. Level design is adequate but not exceptional, and the author has left few health packs around for you, so make each shot count. 3.75 out of 5

Lake 17: Inland Beach - Chapter 1 is an Ep1 map that is intended to represent the first hour of the 7-Hour War with the Combine. I actually felt it was quite a good effort, much more so than some players are griping about. The opening cutscene requires you to storm a hill manned by snipers, after which a Strider opens up a creepy path through some dark tunnels filled with headcrabs and then a water puzzle. You then must tackle a meticulous stacking puzzle to exit to the streets, where the Rebels are facing Combine troops and an attack ship. There are some mapping errors, but nothing to get upset about. Overall, pretty good. 4.25 out of 5

Intrusion is a mod that requires Ep2 content. It is basically an arena map with you facing off against hordes of acid antlions in a research facility. If it were part of a larger mapset, it would actually be pretty cool. 3 out of 5

Hangar is another Ep2 map in which the author has attempted to remake the original first level of Doom 1. There are no enemies and you'll run through the level in literally 15 seconds. 2.5 out of 5 for effort.

[bobdog]

Part 30: Appels and Orangutans

Just played the Appeltaart Mod Beta, and I regret it highly. Gameplay and level design were boring, banal, nonsensical and, thankfully, short. I will not play the final mod if this is indicative of the end product. It sports a gore system to blow up heads, which might appeal to some, but the gameplay is atrocious. Imagine having to spend 10 REAL-LIFE minutes in pushing a box from one end of a canal to the other end so that you can jump into a cove where your next objective lies. And then, imagine spending another 8 REAL-LIFE minutes pushing that same box back to where it came from so that you can escape. I have other, better things in my life to do, than to push a box around. No-clip, you're my hero! Broken scripts kept doors closed and Combine barriers up (noclip), the driving portion is way too short, enemy AI forgot to even phone in their actions, and health is non-existent, so don't get shot. 2.75 out of 5, for at least letting me blow up enemy heads.

But, in other Great Ape news, mapper Adam Foster has been hired by Valve Software to work on HL2's Episode 3. Adam said on his website that he was one of the first non-Valve people to play through the Orange Box prior to its release, while Valve was the first to play-test his Minerva series and offer comments, so I know they had an existing connection. Besides the fact that Valve also has his mod as one of a handful of single-player maps downloadable through Steam, which is quite the coup. Most people liked his Minerva series (I gave it my top score of 5 out of 5), and I certainly think he's talented enough to pull off some cool stuff. However, I wonder if that means Valve's own folks just aren't creative enough to do Ep. 3 justice, and thus had to hire outside?? Guess we'll see in 2009.

[bobdog]

Part 31: Surviving the Wait
I know ... I know ... I too am eagerly awaiting the release of The Gate 2. But the author still hasn't gotten it ready after 6 years. 

In the meantime, how about this little map I just played? Survival 101 is a beta of an unfinished "zombie" mod that is set in a deserted college campus. The well-done voice acting directs you through the map to find tools and safe areas. And as a zombie escape mod, the lighting is creepy and hides scads of zombies in the darkness, while camoflauged police come to take you out for now knowing too much. As it is still in beta form, the map could use some beefing up to appear more realistic and "liveable", as well as featuring more zombie scares. However, as it's not a bad start, I'll give it 3.75 out of 5.

And in the interest of providing some new info about HL2 modding, how about some of these (potential) upcoming mods? I of course say potential because you never know what's going to come out or not.

Mirage -- an action RPG in the mold of Oblivion
The Sewer -- a survival horror mod -- good potential for release
1187 -- describes your flight as a survivor of the portal storms -- looks close to release
Journeyman Project: Puss in Boots -- FPS/RPG -- hmmm ... stupid name = dead on arrival
Opposing Force 2 -- says it is coming out first quarter 2009, and will tell the continuing story of Adrian Shepard
Wolfenstein: Source -- imagine the cartoonesque graphics of the original Wolfenstein, with the high-def graphics of Combine foes -- nah, didn't think so
Police Brutality -- even the mod description doesn't know what they want to do -- no high hopes here for release
Combine Force: Citadel City 3 has just released a demo
Stargate TC 2 -- one of THREE Stargate mods I found -- why don't you guys work together and get a full mod done, rather than each redoing textures and releasing half-assed beta maps?
eXitium -- is still in the planning stages but looks ambitious
Citizen Life is in German, but there are some promising screens
Eye of the Storm -- this looks good and continues the story of Ravenholm, one of my fav HL2 mods
The Cult -- calls itself a first-person adventure puzzle game, with no enemies
Code: Blue -- you must protect/infiltrate a water base from the Combine
Prison Island takes place in a Combine-converted prison
Generation -- not sure what it's about but a few screens available
Black Mess -- I assume it's a play on Black Mesa, but you must free a base from Combine
Mentality posts a November 2008 release date and is a story-driven horror FPS
Biohazard X looks very "Black Mesa"-esque
Breaking Point -- yet another "let's retexture every gun out there before creating a map" mod
Gray Shot -- survive a devastating attack from a 500-foot monster in New York City -- maps look cool
The Cold -- The Cold War between US and USSR continues in this mod -- seems somewhat STALKER-like
Portland: State of Emergency -- Says it is 36% done and that it takes place after the explosion of Borealis which only managed to kill off the zombies, so Gordon finds himself in a rebel facility in Portland (Oregon? Maine? Who knows?)
Operation Harbinger is a city-infiltration mod (no HL2 relation)
Resident Evil: Twilight -- seems to be closer and closer to release -- I think they've been working on this since HL1!! 
Wilson Chronicles: The Second Encounter is a remake of the HL1 mod WILSON CHRONICLES -- I don't remember this one
Seven -- is another rendition of the Seven-Hour War -- looks promising
Return to Black Mesa -- I'm not too sure we need too many Black Mesa retreads....
Modern Nightmare -- a teenager explores forbidden places -- probably DOA
Stormbound -- yet another horror FPS -- also DOA, I'm sure
Anomalous -- G-Man transports Gordon to an unknown Black Mesa facility
Recombinant -- Gordon fights Combine -- good-looking screens
HL2: Extinction -- tells the story of another 7-Hour War survivor
Epidemic -- survival horror FPS with new characters and enemy models
Zentech -- don't hold your breath on this one....
A Combine's Life -- read the title -- it will come to you
Operation Black Mesa -- a conversion of Opposing Force -- some people just really love Adrian Shepard
Shadow Hunter -- play a Combine assassin

And there are many many more out there, so the future of HL2 modding is not as bleak as we may have thought! 

[Lord Mantrid]

CJB would make an excellent candidate to work for 3D Realms on DNF. So in case it is ever released and it sucks ass, then they can use him as a Patsy.

[bobdog]

Some good semi-related news: Amphibian Mods is back online after several months absence, and seems to be updated. This is a great resource for FPS gamers and lists links to existing and upcoming mods for DX, HL2 and other loved games. I don't know if Fitzroy Doll ever stops in here, but I for one am a fan of the site and find it is a very handy reference.

[planetphillip]

Some good semi-related news: Amphibian Mods is back online after several months absence, and seems to be updated. This is a great resource for FPS gamers and lists links to existing and upcoming mods for DX, HL2 and other loved games. I don't know if Fitzroy Doll ever stops in here, but I for one am a fan of the site and find it is a very handy reference.

The site has been working for me and was never offline when I visited it, which was a few times over the last few months.  Strange.  Anyway, I fully agree it's a great resource.

[bobdog]

Wonder if that could have been some incompatibility with IE6, which I just upgraded to IE7? Either way, I'm glad to give the site some kudos -- good work there. Also, welcome back from holiday, Phillip -- hope we see some new things soon from you! 

[bobdog]

Part 32: Students Make the Grade 2
Not to be confused with High School Musical 3: Senior Year ("I love you Zac!!")

On a whim, I checked out the latest student releases from the Guildhall, which has provided some interesting past fodder. The latest batch is no different, and offers some unique ideas and concepts from aspiring level designers. The first thing I noted is that the majority of their HL2 releases are utilizing Episode 2 content for their maps, so it’s nice to see  the industry taking note. Second is that some of these are … how shall we say … “out there” in their design. That’s okay – I don’t mind experimentation if it eventually brings us what we want as gamers. That’s not to say these will necessarily be good maps, or what you as a regular HL2 player expect. But different is good, despite what the media would brainwash you into believing.

Our first two mini-reviews are for some MODS:

Color of Doom is built in a “comic book” style, with vibrant colors, and thought bubbles (“THWACK”, “BAM”, etc.). You have to destroy your foes, based upon the color of their uniform, so you have a two-color gun that you switch back and forth between with a hot mutton. However, I found the enemy AI very challenging, and got killed literally in the 2nd room. 3.75 out of 5

The Ghastlybriar Zoo Incident has great potential to make it as a full-fledged game. The antique-tinted color scheme is eerie, textures (drawn from Ep. 2) are bright and crisp, the new enemies are well-done and feature unique AI, and you even get a boss battle! As for the story, you are the zookeeper and all the animals have escaped. Using only your bag and a trap, you must capture the animals (bonk them on the head, and then trap them within the bag) and return them to the zoo owner. The style of play is somewhat similar to Psychonauts (i.e. 3rd-person 3D) and you jump and run around. The graphics are very well done – you can actually see the bag moving with animals that you have captured. My kudos to the team, and I wish them all the best. 5 out of 5

Compromised is the final mod on our list today, but the only one to actually be set in the HL2 universe. You are one of the Resistance of City 17, and have just been given a rescue mission. What sets this mod apart in several ways is first that you can choose (through the Start menu) whether you want to view the peripheral action through either scripted (i.e. in-game) or cinematic (theatrical) cues. Second, your actions at a key moment determine which of two endings you’ll get. The firefights are brutal, but the storyline keeps you moving forward. 4.5 out of 5

Our next round of mini-reviews are for MAPS that require Episode 2 content:

Limbus Island is one of those “concept” maps I was talking about. It dispenses with the gunplay and goes straight down the puzzle-solving route. You begin on a mysterious prison island, and you can see a lighthouse on a nearby island, separated by water and those ferocious fish. However, everytime you solve a puzzle correctly, a box will rise and make an eventual bridge for you. The puzzles are diverse and not overly difficult: some simply require turning a lever or wheel, while others require some thought and special attention to clues (a switch-flipping exercise, touching all the floor pieces in a special way, getting a furnace to burn at the right temperature with the books on hand). This isn’t what we HL2 gamers expect, but it is a quick play, and exercises the mind over the trigger finger. 3.5 out of 5

Reverie is a true concept map, depicting amnesia through an ever-branching path. The backstory that you gain in bits and pieces is sufficiently creepy, as are the lighting and gameplay scripts. I kept wishing these were only the start to a real HL2 gunplay map, but maybe the promised sequel will go in that direction. 3.5 out of 5

The House, on the other hand, is simply a short exercise in how to implement the Commentary mode into a small zombie map. No Score

Clearing a Path finally takes us back into familiar Combine territory, but is still unique in featuring multiple paths to accomplish your three objectives. It’s a quick play, but still fun. 4.5 out of 5

And finally comes Abandon, which is NOT a Guildhall student map. This is another creepy map, set in an abandoned silo of some sort. Zombies and their headcrab friends make a starring role, further complicating your quest for three batteries throughout the complex. The third battery is very challenging to find (I had to noclip to get a clue, and then smacked myself for not seeing it the first time), but once in hand, allow you to power up an elevator. Take it down a level to another stranded ‘vator and climb up to face the end of the map before finally escaping. This was very well done -- 4.5 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 33: Tide Me Over Maps
Good and bad news: StriderMountain is now undergoing deep beta testing, which means the end is nigh! But a little longer wait is inevitable. So here's some tide-me-over maps in the interim.

Dead-End Freeman: Reload is a short Episode 2 map created by a Guildhall student. This map incorporates a new gameplay mechanic allowing you to use the Grav gun to cause a data spike in certain Combine consoles, opening locked areas. This new element is done well, and includes a timer – it would be cool to see other mods take advantage of this. Overall, the Combine foes don’t present much of a challenge, even in the final rush, where I just stacked stuff in the doorways to outlast them. However, the new game mechanic, and the quick play leave me recommending it as 4.5 out of 5.

Powerstation 17 is a tight, nicely developed Episode 1 mod requiring you to shut down a Combine power reactor. The gameplay is a mix of indoor and outdoor levels, primarily with Zombies in the first half and Combine foes in the latter. Once you see that you are entering an arena-type area, you can set your surroundings to box your foes out or to make it more difficult for them. The author provides plenty of action sequences, but nothing that is overly challenging (i.e. damages you more than half-way). Good-looking and well-designed, I’d like to see more from this author. 5 out of 5!!

If the Beta for Combine Survival is any indication of the final product, steer clear of this suckfest *IF* it even comes to fruition. The level consists of a very poorly designed outside area, a “barracks” room of some sort (with no beds or other indication that it is actually used by living beings), a tunnel with some boxes and explosive barrels, and another “barracks” room, which leads outside to end the demo (the best part of the map). Level design is boring and blah with repetitive textures, as well as being nonsensical; lighting is horrid; gameplay consists of fighting off two sets of about 20 Combine guards (one situation which you can simply walk around and ignore); and it’s not truly a beta – it’s a demo (as a beta is an advanced release of a near-finished product, while a demo is only a short snippet of final gameplay). If anything, it is a demo of a beta, and I recommend not even wasting your time with this piece of crap. 1 out of 5 (because they did release “something” and the unzip actually created a true mod file.)

Dachka is not really my cup of tea – it is more of a “protect the house” arena type map, with waves of Combine enemies swarming you. The level design is blah (a non-descript house in a square piece of land with forest mural surrounding it), but the house certainly disintegrates well! ;-)  I didn’t make it but through about 5 waves, after which your allies are all dead, and there are no hiding places from bullets, and no health packs to redeem yourself. 2.75 out of 5