100 Half-Life 1 Mods: page 10

Timeline 3: Heart of Darkness

Timeline 3: Heart of Darkness is the last part in the Timeline series. During hyperspace travel Gordon, G-Man and Barney are captured by the Nazis, who apparently weren't eliminated in previous games. After escaping from prison, you discover that the Third Reich has managed to infiltrate itself into several timelines, which means that you will have to find another solution to this problem. I really liked the story in this part and, in my opinion, it provided a really good ending to the series.

The level design has really impressed me this time. The maps contain a lot of detail and are very well connected with others, also, they are very architecturally diverse due to being in different time periods. A few of them allow a non-linear approach to problem solving, but the large amount of freedom may confuse some players. Some of the passages are very well hidden, so keep your eyes peeled. Many of the doors are limited by access cards (pay attention to green lights next to them), unfortunately, some of them also require large amounts of backtracking.

The set of enemies is very varied, as it includes most of the ones from the original Half-Life. They are very well positioned, and will occasionally surprise you by teleporting. The latter was made less annoying as in previous part, so playing is less stressful. Difficulty curve could be better, as you will barely make it to the end at Medium, on the other hand Easy occasionally does not provide a big enough challenge. There is enough ammo for conventional weaponry, the same goes for healing packages and batteries.

The appearance of the game is good, and occasionally excellent. A number of maps are very well lit, and the impression is further enriched by positioning of objects, scripted events and the occasional background music. I needed about 3 hours to complete the mod.

Times of Troubles

Times of Troubles takes place in an alternate timeline of the original Half-Life story. When you wanted to visit Xen via the Lambda Complex teleporter, you surprisingly landed in an unknown part of the Black Mesa complex. It seems that the scientist mixed up the coordinates. After a long time of unconsciousness, you wake up and find out that you have lost your H.E.V. suit as well as all of the weapons. The latter are gradually regained during gameplay, but the full selection is fairly modest, as there are no biological and futuristic weapons among them, as well as no crossbow, and explosives section contains only grenades. Nevertheless, the amount of ammunition is sufficient for Hard difficulty, and the same goes for healing packages and batteries.

The maps rely heavily on the designs from the original, which is not so unusual as the story happens in the same complex. Nevertheless, the author has differentiated the mod enough to make it stand out. The maps are excellent and contain a diverse and sophisticated architecture, which is complemented with good layout of elements, a suitable choice of textures and a well-chosen illumination. A great addition to the visual impression are numerous scripted events with combination of skillful editing of sounds and speech. Gameplay is very diverse and contains a mix of fighting and puzzles. You will fight against soldiers and various monsters from Xen, with the difficulty being pretty well calibrated, the only exception being a big difficulty jump at the end. The puzzles are quite interesting and include jumping challenges, searching for hidden paths forward, exploring, escorting NPCs, pushing buttons and switches, and also backtracking. Unfortunately, the mod has a big Achilles' heel in form of its length, which is only 45 minutes.

Todesangst 1

In the Todesangst intro, we discover that the mysterious G-Man is in fact subordinate to dr. Jack Newell, which is the head of the Black Mesa research and development department. After Freeman finishes off Nihilanth and Xen is seized by humans, dr. Newell wants to use the surviving creatures for his own evil purposes, but does not want to have any witnesses. The first victim of Newell's madness is G-Man himself, with our hero Gordon Freeman being next on the list. Soldiers try to finish off Gordon with the help of Headcrabs, but Gordon is tough and finishes off the monsters with his trusty crowbar. Now it's time for revenge. The story is full of cliches, but it is an interesting attempt to explain what happened after Gordon's return from Xen.

The maps are quite diverse and represent a mixture of the styles already seen in the original. You will be roaming through the corridors, crawling in the vents, try to beat jumping challenges, swimming, activating various machines, driving with trains, etc. There are also some nice traps. The design is solid, but some parts could be more detailed and consequently more memorable. Some paths on the way to the end are well hidden, but be careful when exploring, as you can get stuck in at least two places in the mod.

You will be attacked by a very limited set of enemies from the original, which are relatively well placed. The enemy lines mostly consist of soldiers, the Xen monsters are scarce and not a big threat until the end. Your arsenal is pretty limited, but there is more than enough ammo for the Medium difficulty. The amount of medkits and batteries on the other hand are just right. Occasionally, you will be able to finish off enemies with a stationary machine gun or cannon. You will also need to use them to pave your way through certain obstacles.

The visuals of the mod do not stand out, as it does not offer anything new except some new models. The key feature of the modification are certainly numerous good scripting events that greatly enrich the gameplay. In addition to them, very nice video sequences enable you to track the story which happens in parallel. In some places, background music is used, and some NPCs use custom speech. Unfortunately, the end of the game is so-so and after approximately a hour of gameplay doesn't offer a satisfactory conclusion.

Todesangst 2: Der Echte Feind

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.

TWHL Tower

The TWHL (The Whole Half-Life) Tower is a compilation of thirteen maps of various authors, which are presented as floors in a tower, connected via the central staircase. Each of the authors was limited by the building space (floor), but as there were no other limitations, he could do anything with it. The result we got in this mod is surprisingly good and even has some traces of consistency. Each floor contains a specific task (or more of them) that needs to be solved before you can unlock the stairwell door, and move one floor higher through some kind of a portal.

The portal is not only used to restore life points, but also for removal of weapons, making the beginning of each floor a fresh start. Most of the time, you will lose only the crowbar, which you must use to break certain areas of the map, but in some floors, the game will also give you the pistol, the machine gun and the shotgun, as you will also have to fight. At lower levels, you will be mostly attacked by Xen monsters and machine guns, but at the rooftop a bigger challenge awaits you, as it's full of soldiers and even has a helicopter. Sometimes you will also have to run away from your opponents, and in one of the levels, you will have to avoid camera detection, as it will otherwise trigger deadly machinegun fire. Since your life points are regenerated after every floor, I would recommend playing the game on Hard difficulty.

Most maps are visually good, as they contain enough interesting details, and it is also difficult to complain about the geometry itself. Only a few of them slightly deviate in the negative direction, because of the simplicity, but this is quickly countered by those which are above average quality and are a true visual treat (eg Upper Management, Chairman). In general, all the maps are puzzle oriented. The challenges are very diverse and some of them are also very original. You will be searching for hidden access cards and keys, gradually unlocking areas, pressing buttons, activating terminals, collecting items, and there are also some jumping challenges. Unfortunately, the pack also contains some bad puzzles (for example, the teleporting box), but that does not ruin the overall experience. I needed about 1 hour to complete the game.

U-Life

U-Life is a hybrid created by the transfer of some visual features and mechanics from the legendary Unreal, while still being Half-Life in the core. The levels consist of internal maps and have a typical Unreal touch, which is not evident only because of the use of very sharp textures from the game, but also because of general architecture and color scheme. Although the complexity of the maps could be better, the visual impression is very good, and is additionally enriched by special effects and scripted events. Maps contain quite a few alternative routes, which contribute to the impression of non-linearity, and some also have secrets with goodies. The puzzles are quite rare. Most of the time, you will need to activate a certain mechanism (door, lift), which works by hitting the area with your body.

The enemy selection is (somewhat surprisingly) copied directly from Half-Life itself, and consists of both Xenian creatures and human opponents. The placement and the abundance of the enemies are satisfactory, and there are also some ambushes - too bad that the opponents appear pretty late in the game (after the first fifth). The fights between the various factions make the gameplay more diverse and also save you some ammunition and health. The weapon set is quite modest, as it contains only a few weapons from the original, but it has to be said the ammunition is plentiful. Amounts of medkits and batteries are just right for the Medium difficulty, but careful players might also be able to complete it on Hard. The modification is not finished and ends without a warning immediately after an epic battle. It's also really short, as I barely accumulated 30 minutes of play time.

Underground

Underground takes place after the events in the original. You play Gordon Freeman, who is sent to explore bunkers in the northern part of Black Mesa. During your visit, the deactivation of the safety system causes a serious error in one of the reactors, causing the destruction of certain parts of the complex. Your escape will not be easy, as the bunkers are full of Xen monsters, and the soldiers are also there to clean everything up. The enemy selection is very varied, as it involves virtually all opponents from the original. Additionally, you will also fight against machineguns, tanks and helicopters. The positioning of the opponents is good, and in some places excellent. Additional drama is caused by situations requiring rapid decision. During the game you will be gradually picking up all the weapons from the original. The ammo is enough for the Hard difficulty, and the same goes for healing packages and batteries.

The starting maps do not impress. The corridors and passageways are claustrophobically narrow, most of the rooms are tiny, and there is too much crawling in the vents full of Headcrabs. The visuals of the game are not bad, but the lightning is too dark. The situation improves considerably in the last third of the game, as most of the disadvantages of the previous sections are corrected. Maps are more complex and more open, possibly due to the inclusion of a long jump module. You will spend most of the play time inside, but there are also some outside areas, and a tiny Xen section. Although the game seems quite diverse, there are practically no puzzles. Due to the almost complete linearity of the levels, you won't need to think a lot how to advance. The thing that stands out are the jumping challenges at the end. I spent about 1 hour and 15 minutes of play time to complete the mod. Do not forget to play the very interesting Hazard Course, which also includes a fun mini-game.

USS Darkstar

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.

Vengeance

Vengeance takes place a few weeks after the events from the original game, when our hero, Gordon Freeman, has already recovered. G-Man wants you to visit a complex called Mipping Tax, which was built to observe the prisoners from Xen. Unfortunately, a renegade group of soldiers has infiltrated the laboratories. They want the experiments to be stopped immediately, and they already managed to take over the entire western part of the complex. Your task is to get instructions from Mr Johnson on how to proceed, but you can not find him anywhere when you arrive. The story is full of clichés and contains quite a few illogicalities. You uncover it through video sequences and text that you can read on the screen.

The map set contains both internal and external areas, in which you can find some side paths with goodies, and also some non-linear areas. Maps have generally very simple geometry with plenty of flat surfaces, also, very low ceilings stand out a lot. On the other hand, they are densely populated with NPCs, they contain plenty of static elements, and in some cases, they also have a nice color scheme. The unconvincing visual impression is also slightly corrected by scripted events and video sequences. The puzzles are practically non-existent, as you have to only push a button here or there, or do a jump challenge. Among them, there are also some bizarre things: e.g. the door does not open until you pick up the pistol ...

In the first three quarters of the mod, the gameplay is mostly passive, as opponents are very rare, but the situation in the last quarter improves a lot. In it, the number of opponents increases sharply, with more powerful beings from Xen and even a helicopter added to the mix. Even a very poor selection of weapons from the first part gets expanded so that you can successfully cope with new dangers. The amount of bullets is hardly enough, on the Medium difficulty, but the amount of healing packages and batteries is the complete opposite, as their amounts are just right. I managed to finish the game in about 1 hour.

Let me just mention that you get the H.E.V. suit after the train ride, so do not bother too much to get it right from the beginning ;).

Zubben

This mod takes place in a research center located on the planet Zubben in the Lepus constellation. After many years of excavations, scientists have made a revolutionary discovery, and have of course notified their superiors about it. The latter requested the excavations to be immediately halted until the U.S.S. Arizona research vessel arrives at the planet with a team of experts to deal with the discovery. You play one of the employees named Gordon Freeman JR, who is awaken from cryogenic sleep at the moment of arrival of the vessel. Instead of scientists, soldiers storm out of the U.S.S. Arizona with a mission to not leave any witnesses. Your task is to get to the communications tower outside the base and get in touch with one of the research vessels circling around the planet.

As far as the map design is concerned, the first impression is very promising. In the first third, the maps are quite visually appealing because of the used color scheme, textures and architecture, despite the latter being quite rough. In addition to the areas within the research center, you will be able to experience quite a lot of Mars-like exterior. The other third is a visual disappointment, due to the chronic lack of light sources. Because of this, you will need to travel through the maps with a continuously lit flashlight and look for well-hidden ways forward in a microscopical circle. The last part consists mostly of weakly, yet well-enough, illuminated exterior, which I again liked. Puzzles mostly consist of jumping challenges, button pushing and terminal activation, but they also contain some very original ideas. In the levels there are also some secret areas with goodies.

In the game, you will mostly fight against soldiers, and a tiny amount of opponents also consists of machine guns and monsters from Xen (mostly Headcrabs). The beginning is very rough, because you have only the crowbar to deal with a soldier armed with a machine gun, who is waiting for you in an ambush. This lines up well with the story itself, but the author could also include the possibility of escaping to make the start less frustrating. The high difficulty is maintained all the way to the end, because the soldiers are numerous and well-placed, and often also appear behind your back in the most dramatic moments. Several times you will also have to jump while fighting, but the toughest is the dark section in which you will need to target opponents by looking at their gun muzzle flash. Your weaponry is fairly limited, but you can expand it with secret weapons. The bullets and goodies are just right for the Medium difficulty, and on it, you will finish the game in about 45 minutes.