100 Half-Life 1 Mods: page 4

Mod installation instructions

After downloading any file it is recommended to verify if the download was successful:

  1. install the free HashCheck Shell Extension
  2. right click the file and select the Checksums tab
  3. compare the MD5 value from the program with the value posted on this site

You can install the mods by either extracting the archive (use free 7-Zip) in the Half-Life folder or run the installer. Default WON folder is located at C:\Sierra\Half-Life\, and the Steam version is located at C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\Half-Life\. After installation you should make sure to restart Steam, and the mod will appear in the Uncategorized section.

Steam Half-Life mod installation

Half-Life 1 Mod list

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CWC MapPack is a modification made up of interlinked maps of various authors. Since the topic was not defined, it is a very varied package, which unfortunately does not have a story.

The mapping quality varies greatly, but unfortunately there is no map in the package, which really excited me, because each of them has some disadvantages. Some are architecturally too simple, others contain illogical architectural elements. Some exaggerate with the number of enemies, others frustrate with unclear paths forward, which will make you run around in circles, etc. Since the transitions between the maps have not been accurately defined, they can be pretty crazy and sometimes even buggy, so save regularly. Frequent saves are recommended also because of the numerous bugs and places without exit. The mapping theme encompasses internal and external maps, and Xen is also present.

The enemies were taken from the original game, their number and positioning are dependent on the individual author. Difficulty of some fights is just right to be enjoyable, and in some cases you can get rid of the opponents in an alternative way. Ammunition is plentiful on Medium difficulty, and the same applies to healing packages and batteries. I disliked very much that the first map did not offer me a crowbar, but I got it later, unfortunately, almost at the end of the modification.

Visually, most maps did not impress me, but of course there were some exceptions (Kane) that had a nice layout of elements, lighting and also scripted events. To complete the map pack, I spent about 2 hours and a half playing it.

CWC MapPack screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 15.31 MiB

MD5

In Hard you play an agent named Jeffrey Hard, which is sent to Black Mesa disguised as Gordon Freeman to check why the facility stopped responding. Problems with the game appear immediately after the introductory sequence, as the truck does not want to drive backwards. The solution is to enter map hard1 into the console to skip the level. Fortunately, this jump will not cost you anything. Another problem are completely changed keys, so you need to reset them before playing.

The quality of the maps is extremely variable. Some of them are pretty good, with nice lighting and scripted events, others are cuboid holes without a single detail. Routes forward are often well hidden, not only through the switches / buttons that need to be pressed, but are also found in unclear places. Sometimes you will also need to go back to the already visited area, but prepare for hard fights. There are also some challenging jumping challenges present.

The game is hard and unjust, levels contain tons of soldiers, Xen monsters, machine guns, cannons, rockets, snipers and lasers. Threats are reinforced with nerve-breaking scripted events that can not be escaped unharmed. To frustrate the player further, several levels contain Snark nests with large amounts of these annoying creatures. There are no surprises about the weapons set, the amount of ammo is just right. Number of health packages and batteries is barely enough at the Easy difficulty, so I recommend frequent saving.

The appearance of the game does not impress, occasionally the music is turned on. To complete this mod, you will need about 2 hours and a half of gameplay, but this time can be extended considerably because of hidden paths.

Hard screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 11.39 MiB

MD5

Hour-Glass takes place after the events in Black Mesa. Gordon Freeman is employed by the Intergalactic Time Reassurance, where he works as an agent who takes care of the correct timing of world events. When comparing all the collected data, the ITR finds that manipulation has occurred and was performed by the mysterious G. Mann. The latter managed to take over the world by traveling through time-space and poisoning Coca-Cola with a mysterious chemical X. The story is interesting and is provided via intermediate sequences with texts (press Pause). The intros can be up to a minute and a half long, so be patient.

Because the modification is divided into missions that take place on different planets, the levels are very diverse. The mapping quality is pretty good, although some areas could use more details, and there could be less corridors and duplicate sections. I really liked the feeling of freedom that is conceived by alternative routes, occasionally you will also have to track back. Many of the doors are locked with keys or security cards, and occasionally you will also need to flip a switch. The maps also contain secrets with nice rewards, but beware, I managed to get stuck quite a few times during exploration! Some of the levels were clearly influenced by Duke Nukem 3D (explicit content), so I advise you not to play this in front of your family members: P.

You will mostly fight against soldiers, which are later joined by a limited set of monsters from Xen. The enemies are well placed, so the fights are intense, and some scripting events will additionally increase the difficulty. The final stage can be a nightmare for many, as the enemies become invisible, but fortunately you have heat tracking weapons in the arsenal. The latter is pretty standard, although it might not seem so because of reskins. There is enough ammo, health and batteries to prevent the gameplay from being frustrating.

The visuals of the mod are ok, but don't stand out, well, with the exception of erotic content and new designs. The game contains a lot of humor and new sounds, so I highly recommend playing with headphones ;). To finish the game, I spent 2 hours and a half on the Medium difficulty.

Hour-Glass screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 21.89 MiB

MD5

Todesangst 2: Der Echte Feind is the second modification in the Todesangst series. In the first part, a crazy scientist named Jack Newell wanted to create human-Xen hybrids and get rid of Gordon Freeman. Gordon successfully avoided this fate and dr. Newell has become a Xenantromorph monster. In part two, you discover that Dr. Newell was just a puppet for a anarchist group called Schwarzgeist. The latter is trying to fix Newell's failure by sending mercenaries to Black Mesa with a mission to regain as much of Newell's projects as possible. The story is again full of clichés, but I liked how the authors tried to explain the background of the Schwarzgeist group.

This time, the game does not take place only in Black Mesa laboratories, but you are sent to a Xen-like planet with the nearby research station on it, as well as to the countryside. The maps are quite diverse and mostly more detailed than in the predecessor, but I was disappointed by the dull valley on the surface of the Xen-like planet. I really liked the non-linear design, which sometimes allows you to choose which problem you will solve first or choose which route you will take to reach the destination. Often you will need to take an alternate route around the obstacle, and then you will be able to return via another path. Paths forward can be very well hidden and there are also secret parts of levels, that reveal hidden codes for the bonus level in Hazard Course.

In the modification, you will mostly fight against Schwarzgeist mercenaries, who are armed almost exclusively with shotguns and (very interesting) crossbows. In close quarters, they can be extremely deadly, too bad that they can not throw grenades. Occasionally they are located in tactical locations with machineguns, and sometimes they are supported by machines (helicopter, giant robots with lasers). The numbers of monsters are much smaller, but their diversity is commendable. In addition to zombies, you will be attacked by monsters that have been cut from the original game (Chumtoad, Flocking Floater, Mr. Friendly, etc.) and also completely new ones, such as aggressive rats. Of all the beings, I liked Chumtoad the most. It's an excellent alternative to Headcrabs, because you get temporarily poisoned by the bite. Your weapon set consists of a limited selection from the original, with the crowbar being replaced by a throwable axe. On the Medium difficulty there is more than enough ammo, and the amount of healing packages and batteries is just right.

In addition to the new models, you will notice the greatest graphic changes at the research station, as sharp textures stand out from the average. Video sequences have also been upgraded, not only in numbers, but each of the performers in them has its own speaker. Although the quality of pronunciation fluctuates both in terms of accents and volume, the authors have to be praised for their efforts. In certain parts of the maps, custom background music is also activated. To complete the mod, I spent about 2 hours and a half playing it.

Todesangst 2: Der Echte Feind screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 74.48 MiB

MD5

USS Darkstar is a giant spacecraft intended for exploring the living creatures discovered during its journey through space. One day a expedition to a nearby planet returns to the vessel because one of the security guards has gotten ill. During his examination a Headcrab bursts from his chest, and causes the scientist to panic and activate a flame thrower. Due to unwisely positioned fuel containers, a powerful explosion is triggered which causes a series of technical problems on the vessel. During the chaos, prisoners from Xen escape from the cages, and take over the control of the spacecraft. The story is great and will surely be liked by fans of the Alien series.

Although the whole game takes place inside the spacecraft, the authors have nevertheless managed to create an extremely diverse experience. You will not only be limited to corridors and laboratories, but you will also ride with trains, be forced to overcome jumping challenges, jump in a zero gravity environment, and even get shrunk to a mouse size when the teleportation system fails. The maps are perfectly connected to each other, occasionally through alternative routes. There are a few places in which you have to go around the obstacle, and sometimes you will also need to backtrack. The paths forward are well hidden. There are some secrets with goodies and even bonus weapons, but there are also numerous traps.

During the game, you will be fighting exclusively against the Xen monsters which have flooded the vessel and also infected the computer system. The opponents are very well placed, and they can also surprise you behind your back. I was very fond of how the Xenians use human devices because this way they are not just cannon fodder, but show intelligence, which presents them as even more dangerous. Weapons are standard, and the amount of ammo and goodies is just right for you to enjoy the game on Medium. For experienced players I recommend Hard for the best challenge.

The game has no outstanding visual novelties, but with very detailed maps it still succeeds to create very good visuals. Its main trump card is certainly a phenomenal atmosphere, which it reaches not only with good ambient sounds, but also with fantastic scripted events. The latter make it feel like the ship lives and things happen in parallel with your advancement towards the end. To complete the modification, I spent about 2 hours and a half playing it.

USS Darkstar screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 10.74 MiB

MD5

In Half-Life: Visitors you play a lawyer named Alan Green, who was sent to a desert in New Mexico to analyze the security protocols used in the Black Mesa laboratories. Because the story of the mod is intertwined with the original, an incident occurs during your visit and the Xen monsters flood the complex. As your life is endangered, you have no other choice but grab a weapon and start fighting your way to freedom. The position in the timeline of the original universe keeps revealing itself during gameplay, and also through video sequences and cross references, but somewhere in the middle of the mod there is a really strange and unexplained scene jump.

Maps rely heavily on levels from the original HL and expansions, but are very ingeniously transformed into a unique and varied experience. They contain tons of very interesting puzzles that will test your ingenuity and ability to observe the surroundings. Sharp eyes will also be needed for some very well hidden paths. It's hard to find any major irregularity in level design itself. The levels are full of detail and are perfectly connected to one another, players that like to explore will love them. I recommend that you save regularly, since you will encounter countless traps and surprises during gameplay.

In regards to the enemies and weapons, there seem to be no major surprises (with the exception of the parameter adjustments). You start fighting the Xen monsters first, later on they are joined by soldiers, special forces and assassins. Their positioning and numbers seemed just right to provide nice fights. The difficulty curve is polished pretty well. On the difficulty of Medium there are just enough healing packages and armor to avoid frustration, and in worst case scenarios, you can also get some help from the scientists. Interestingly, you can find batteries in the levels, but they can not be used. The same holds for certain types of ammunition. The arsenal is fairly standard and unlocks during advancement, unfortunately, there are no biological weapons.

Although the modification does not offer big graphic improvements (with the exception of a couple of new models and textures), authors managed to create a very appealing look with the placement of elements in the maps. Some of the locations were extremely well-lit and had an excellent color scheme, and this was further strengthened by scripted events and background music. I needed about 2 hours and a half to complete the mod.

Half-Life: Visitors screenshot

Length:  2 hrs 30 mins

Size: 45.10 MiB

MD5

Absolute Redemption takes place after the events of the original Half-Life story. Gordon Freeman freed three butterfly-like creatures called Telnorps, who served to protect Xen against the hostile Zan race from the Theldran galaxy. Te panicked Xen creatures asked the mysterious G-Man for help in finding the lost Telnorps. The first one is in the captivity of a cult in the Himalayas, the other in the amusement park, and the third in captivity of a passionate collector of unusual things, that will do everything to get the remaining two.

If you count Xen, you will fight in the game through four differently built areas and all of them are of exceptional quality. The maps are perfectly joined to form a homogenous area. They are greatly detailed and contain quite a few jumping challenges and scripted events. I really liked the non-linear design, which gives an exceptional sense of freedom, but it could confuse some players. You will occasionally have to return to the previous section, but it may contain a surprise which wasn't there before :).

As far as the enemies are concerned, there are no big changes and they are grouped by thematic sections. In the Himalayas, you will fight soldiers and ninjas, in the circus/Xen aliens, and in the warehouse the personal army of the collector. The game does not treat you as a beginner when starting, but throws you directly into the crossfire. Weapons are standard, there is enough ammo and medkits. The fights can be quite demanding, especially in sections where the map is divided into several heights or in the places where the teleporters are placed.

Visually the mod doesn't deviate significantly from the original, but there are some reskinned models available, and the gameplay is enriched by scripted sequences. There is also some really great custom speech present, and background music is also included in suitable places. To complete the game on Medium I needed about 2 hours, and I must mention here that I was greatly disappointed by the ending.

Absolute Redemption screenshot

Length:  2 hrs

Size: 34.10 MiB

MD5

Assault on Roswell takes place in Roswell somewhere in the US. You are playing a British secret agent sent to the base to investigate the outbreak of a mysterious virus, which may even be of extraterrestrial origin. In order to increase the effectiveness of infiltration, our character is disguised as gorden (this is what the text says, lol :) and even undergoes plastic surgery.

The level design is one of the key weak points of this mod. The maps (especially at the beginning) consist of simple and almost empty rectangular boxes that are connected with long and boring corridors or shafts. In addition to the dull emptiness, the impression is made worse by the monotone textures on the walls, and design mistakes. Occasionally, you may get stuck without the possibility of a return, so save regularly. The quality of the created levels increases with the time, so the ending levels are pretty decent. The way forward is occasionally well hidden, but in many cases you will need to activate a switch somewhere and return a long way back - very annoying. Maps also contain secrets and traps.

On the way to the end you will encounter opponents already known from the original, which are well placed in some places and represent an interesting challenge, but in other cases the authors have exaggerated their numbers a bit. The weapon list has not undergone significant changes, but the way you get them differs from other modifications. You will have to find them in the level, otherwise you might have to do a long walk back. Ammunition and healing packages are just right, but they are found in unusual fragile objects such as, for example, boxes that look like explosive charges.

The appearance of the game progressively improves during play, but it is never pretty. The elements are mostly placed without some sense of aesthetics, the height and size ratios are wrong, everything is made very crude. Occasionally the music background is switched on, but the moments are not always appropriate. On the Medium difficulty, I finished the game in about 2 hours.

Assault on Roswell screenshot

Length:  2 hrs

Size: 6.98 MiB

MD5

Back to Xen 2 is a direct continuation of the predecessor created by the Slovenian map creator Janez Brezovnik (go Slovenia! :), and this time the mod contains a story. In order to stop the invasion from Xen, a new device was developed to prevent teleportation between the worlds. Since this means the end of Xen's research and the revolutionary discoveries associated with it, the Administrator decides that the project will never be launched. Some scientists oppose this decision and try to start the device anyway, but this is prevented by the army. Your task is to get to the device and turn it on.

The quality of the maps made a quantum leap with regards to its predecessor, and for this accomplishment the author should definitely be praised. The levels now contain much more detail, better color schemes, and most importantly, since they are more complex they are consequently more interesting. There is much more non-linearity, and there are several side paths and secrets in which you find many goodies. Most maps are internal, but the rare outside maps do not impress. There are quite a few scripted events. Among them you will find those that deform the surroundings, which looks pretty good. Some work has also been put into the puzzles, which are not limited to pressing buttons anymore.

The enemy types were transferred to the sequel without significant changes, but this time the author used a much better approach to balancing. In the beginning, you are mostly threatened by weaker enemies from Xen (eg Vortigaunts), which are later joined by soldiers, machineguns and stronger creatures from Xen (eg Alien Grunts). In this way, the difficulty curve keeps rising in a steady pace, and consequently the challenge keeps increasing. Due to the more complex maps, the author could improve the positioning of the enemies, which resulted in crazy good action that barely leaves you room to breathe. Some of the action can be attributed to scripted occurrences of enemies at certain events that can surprise you behind your back. I was again not impressed by the amount of Headcrabs, but their numbers are much more modest than in the predecessor.

The weapon set is much more diverse than its predecessor, but it is still limited to human weapons. Unlocking happens gradually. Ammunition and healing packages are sufficient for Medium difficulty, but Hard is another story. Although I have played on Hard, because this is recommended by the author, I must say that I could barely make it to the end, so I advise to stay away from this difficulty. To complete the game, you will spend around 2 hours playing it.

Back to Xen 2 screenshot

Length:  2 hrs

Size: 4.57 MiB

MD5

In Cleaners Adventures, you play a janitor named Bryan Anderson, who works in Black Mesa laboratories. While driving to his work, his tram breaks down and our hero faints. After awakening, Bryan discovers that Black Mesa has been flooded with extraterrestrial monsters, and the clock is already counting down minutes until the cleanup soldier squad arrives.

The maps in the mod are fairly diverse and are well integrated into the original story, mostly because of the similar visual style. Alternative paths give a sense of non-linearity, which is just virtual, as there is only one way through the game. Here and there you will find side paths which will reward you with bonuses, but this it's not a game a explorer would like, because there are simply too many empty boxes. You will spend a lot of time inside ventilation systems and pipes, maybe too much. There are no traps too, so keep saving often. A big fail is the NPC with the shotgun, which is incapable of surviving a lift ride due to GoldSrc engine bugs. Consequently, you will not be able to play the last third of the game (Xen) without using cheats.

The enemies are not plentiful, so they won't be a grave danger, but they will often teleport behind your back and surprise you. Most of them are already known from the original game and expansions, but they have some adjustments that make them more dangerous. The weapon set is standard, and it's gradually unlocked during gameplay. Ammunition is plentiful, the same applies to healing packages. There are no batteries or charging stations, so you will need to pick up equipment worn by security guards for protection.

The visuals are definitely the main selling point of the game, not only because of the beautiful NPC and weapon models, but because of the visually stunning level design. Scripted events and background music also contribute to a good impression. The modification also includes speech in Russian, fortunately, the inscriptions and text in the game are English. I spend about 2 hours to finish the playable part of the game on medium, and if you manage to save the NPC with the shotgun, then you can stretch the gameplay time for another hour.

Cleaners Adventures screenshot

Length:  2 hrs

Size: 117.52 MiB

MD5

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