100 Half-Life 1 Mods: page 6

Case Closed

In Case Closed, you play a janitor named Bob Dewey, who works at the Black Mesa facility. What seems like a normal working day quickly turns into a nightmare when Black Mesa is flooded by aliens from Xen. When you finally wake up after the elevator crash, your survival instinct is activated. You want to get to the surface as soon as possible, but the task will not be easy.

The maps are architecturally satisfactory, but they could contain more details here and there. The most problematic areas are certainly boring corridors with concrete texture. The mod contains both internal and external maps, amongst which I really liked the levels with a hybrid of Xen and laboratories. With the exception of events tied to switches, there seem to be no puzzles in the game, which is unfortunate. Some events that are triggered with switches are rather logical, others seem to be pretty random. Several times you need to destroy parts of the levels to progress, which is pretty well done. I also liked the many scripted events. The course of the game is almost completely linear, except for some side paths which contain goodies.

The opponents mostly consist from all kinds of military forces, but there are also a lot of different Xen monsters. Excellent placement of enemies and various sneaky surprises will give you a lot to do during your advancement, so there are barely any opportunities to catch breath. Opponents almost always appear in pairs, so you will have to use a tactical approach, especially if traps are around. In some places, you will also encounter fights between different factions that you can take advantage of. The weapon selection is standard, but it contains only human weapons. Ammunition and medkits are abundant enough for Medium difficulty, but on Hard you will need some skills to get through.

It's only a pity that the game is so short. To get to the ending (which made a strong impression on me), I only needed 1 hour of play time.

Chemical Existence

Chemical Existence is a modification originally created for Quake 2, but during development the authors shifted to a more modern and powerful GoldSrc engine used in Half-Life. You play Reece Max, who decides to visit his sister living in Motashe city. On arrival, he notices that the city is unusually empty, the only people on the streets are junkies. During the ride, he is ambushed and manages to escape, but the danger is not over yet. The story sounds interesting, but it was really confusing to me.

Modification is certainly a significant shock to someone who is used to the classic Half-Life map packs. The design of the levels is architecturally quite simple, occasionally dark, at times resembling Unreal and Unreal Tournament. Paths forward can be well hidden, so you will have to look through every inch of the darker levels. This can be problematic, since you have no flashlight at the beginning - it's attached to the machine gun (right click), which you get later in the game. There are a lot of scripted events, maybe even too many, because sometimes it seems they were added, just because they could do it, and not because it would contribute to the story. There are also some jumping challenges in which you must pay attention to the stamina bar located at the bottom of the screen.

During gameplay, you will encounter different factions (monsters, soldiers and punks) that are hostile to each other, therefore you will sometimes be able to use their fights to avoid confrontation. AI has serious problems with proper activation, so NPCs will often be inactive and just wait for their heads to be shot off. Active AI is, on the other hand, a very dangerous opponent, especially due to the almost supernatural accuracy and lethality of the weapons used. The arsenal is extremely varied, but because the ammunition is so plentiful and the headshots are so devastating, I mostly used only the machine gun and grenades. Healing is done through chemical cocktails, which can also be collected in the form of injections and stored for later use.

The visuals deserves praise for all the adjustments, but the stages didn't impress me. Excellent custom speech is also present, and sometimes background music plays. Some people will love the complete package, but I simply could not get used to the confusing story and changed mechanics. To complete the game, I spent 2 hours and a half on the Medium difficulty.

Fate Reversal

Fate Reversal takes place some time after you (Gordon Freeman) managed to stop the invasion from Xen. When G-Man offered you the choice between certain death and further co-operation, you have chosen the latter. Just before you went into stasis, the process was interrupted and you got teleported to Black Mesa. At first, it seems like you do not have a clear goal, but in later stages the game quite skillfully connects to the other parts of the Half-Life series. The pretty interesting story is uncovered via progression, clever scripted events and also video sequences.

Levels are divided into several different thematic sections. You will be roaming through Black Mesa labs and warehouses, sewage and city streets, and you will also visit more exotic locations, which I will not reveal, because it might spoil your experience. I liked most of the maps very much, because they contain interesting details, have nice lighting and are also architecturally good. New textures and models contribute to a good visual impression, and I also liked how time of day changes during gameplay. The paths forward are mostly opened by activating triggers that are located in side paths, or with access cards. In multiple cases you can also return to the previous section by removing the one way blockade. It's a pity that the author did not integrate more complex puzzles in the game ...

As far as battles are concerned, the beginning is quite rough, because you have only the crowbar to fight against Vortigaunts, and soon after the pistol becomes your only defense against Alien Controllers and soldiers. The initial diversity of opponents is maintained through the entire gaming experience, as you will fight against virtually all creatures from Xen and also the soldier threat, which is backed up by helicopters and aircraft with reinforcements. The action is quite good due to enemy positioning and abundance, with scripted events and battles between different factions further increasing it. The difficulty curve remains quite constant, and although it massively drops near the end, it is quickly corrected. The weapons are limited to those of the original, but it is commendable that some are reskinned. The bullets and the health / batteries amounts are enough to play on Hard, and on this difficulty I finished the game in about 1 hour.

Escape from the Darkness

In Escape from the Darkness you are playing a scientist named Alex Johnes, who gets involved in the incident from the original Half-Life. Since you attended a self-defense program three months ago (play Hazard Course), you definitely do not want to surrender and die. You discover some weapons in your hiding spot, and use them to attack soldiers patrolling outside. Your current objective is to get to Gordon Freeman, who will surely know what to do. The story is enriched by custom speech and video sequences, and gets weirder during your progression towards the end. During gameplay, background music will occasionally turn on, but it's not well chosen and is therefore annoying. To be honest, I would rather see it was not included at all.

The maps are complex and full of details. They have excellent architecture and lighting, and are definitely the main trump card of the game. The terrain is extremely versatile and only rarely contains completely flat surfaces, which contributes to authenticity, but at the same time you will constantly get stuck in it. I was extremely fond of rich vegetation, which is not just a visual treat, but also a hiding place for enemies. The levels are composed of varied external and internal areas, which are very well connected to each other, and they also contain quite a lot of side paths. You will travel through labs, offices, snowy fields, mines, canyons, sewers, etc. The puzzles are quite diverse and among others include destruction of environment, activating buttons, jumping challenges, protecting NPCs, search for well-hidden ways forward, and so on.

During your journey you will be attacked by a varied mix of classic and new enemies from Xen and Earth, and you will also be threatened by helicopters, artillery and machineguns. The positioning of enemies is very good, and the same applies to their numbers. The battles are intensified by quite a few scripted surprises, soldiers in camouflage clothing, and attacks from dense vegetation. This mod uses a different approach to battles as the others do. The weapons are extremely deadly, which increases the sense of realism, but I really didn't like it. Because of this, any fight must be finished as fast as possible, as any delay leads to death and consequently reloading. You have an extremely large arsenal of modified firearms that are more or less balanced. The shotgun has, for example, ridiculously long range, and AK47 is painfully inaccurate making it completely useless. The ammunition is plentiful, and health and batteries are just right for the Medium difficulty. I used around 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to the end of the game.

Residual Life

Although the beginning of the Residual Life mod hints at being a sequel to the pretty good Residual Point, it soon becomes clear that the game actually takes place parallel to the first one. You play a female(?) scientist Sora Kim, who works at Black Mesa as an assistant reactor engineer. You start the game on a tram ride to your workplace, where you put on your protective suit. During a elevator ride the mechanism breaks and, as the complex is suddenly flooded with hostile aliens, you fall into the deep.

The level design of the first half of the game is remarkable, with great emphasis on details and some very interesting ideas for advancement. Well-placed enemies in good quantities offer a very good pace, which is more bearable compared to the predecessor, but the game is still not too easy. You will be attacked by a classic set of aliens, among which you will again find super fast military zombies and headcrabs, but in much smaller numbers. Most of the fighting will be done with soldiers and special ops, which will give you some headaches in certain levels :). You will also encounter female assassins, and rare zombie versions of them. The weapon selection is pretty standard, ammunition amounts are just right, and the same applies to health packages.

Everything is fine and well until you get to the other half, which is pure disappointment. Although the level details are still good, everything else is bad. You will walk across vast empty areas without a major challenge, and then, suddenly, a horde of enemies will charge your position. They might have camped in a specific location of the map or were teleported upon your arrival, it doesn't really matter. After you survive, you will be able to advance to the next empty area which again offers nothing, not even a simple mental challenge, and then again you will be greeted by hordes of attackers. Repeat until you die of boredom, a nervous breakdown, or you finish the game. Too bad! I applaud the authors that they created a huge pathway branch, but it is present in the most boring part of the game, so it simply fades away.

The visuals are not substantially altered, but the layout of the elements in the maps can sometimes be jaw dropping. In particular, I was fascinated with the appearance of the very first introductory part of the game, but sadly, you don't spend gameplay time in it. The game was played at Medium difficulty and was finished in about 3 hours and a half.

Hard 2

Hard 2 is the second part of the modification in which you play Agent Jeffrey Hard, and continues exactly from where the previous part ended. For some weird reason, our hero looses all weapons and H.E.V. suit during the crash, but luckily you are able to regain it after a few minutes of playing. Similar to the first part, you should also reset your controls. The game contains a lot of annoying bugs (doors do not open, NPCs get stuck, etc.), so keep saving regularly and do not be afraid to approach some situations in a different way to avoid them.

Maps follow a similar pattern to the previous one, but progress is definitely visible. Some of them are still simple empty cuboids, but the amount of those with solid design, tips the scale. You will be out of luck looking for logic or story for level transitions or element placement, as they seem to be created via current authors inspiration. This mixture often results in extremely awkward visuals (urinals on the women's toilette? XD), but at the same time it provides exceptional diversity, so you will certainly not be bored in the 3 hours and a half long gameplay. There challenges are pretty varied and range from puzzles to jumping trials and tense fights. Certain levels are a gigantic non-linear experience, which is very commendable.

The selection of enemies is extremely varied, but there are no new ones. Their positioning is pretty good. Along with scripted events it will put some stress on your mouse and keyboard =). It is very commendable that the number of frustrating and unjust situations has dropped to a minimum, so I dared to play this mod on the Medium difficulty. Ammunition is quite plentiful, and the same goes for healing packages and batteries.

Hidden Evil

The game takes place in an alternative timeline, which begins when Gordon Freeman is killed by Alien Grunts in Black Mesa. With the help of technology, you are resurrected. Additionally, scientists found alien DNA on your body and decided to create their own version of Alien Grunts from it. The creatures created in this way become your allies in the fight against terrorism, and they are also able to communicate with you (all fans of the Alien series will quickly recognize where the inspiration comes from). In one of the missions against terrorists you are captured, and thus need to escape and destroy the facilities that produce chemical weapons on your path to freedom. The tasks are given to you during gameplay, and you get additional ones from your extraterrestrial friends.

The set of levels consists of external and internal maps, which are quite diverse. The visual impression is satisfactory, mostly due to the use of variable textures, but it has to be mentioned, that they could be often placed much better. The details are relatively modest, and the same applies to architecture. The visual impression is slightly corrected by the numerous scripted events and some external maps, which I liked for some unknown reason. Playing takes place mostly in a linear way, but there are parts where you can finish your goals in any order. The set of gaming mechanics is fairly varied and introduces welcome gaps between the fights. In addition to activating switches, destroying machines, driving with trains, finding hidden paths forward and protecting the NPCs, you will have to undergo a number of skill challenges, often under time pressure. I spent a lot of time searching for goodies, especially for the H.E.V. suit, which is located at the very beginning of the game (in the second stage).

The opponent ranks consist of a small portion of mostly powerful creatures from Xen, who often get involved in spectacular battles with terrorists, and most of them will attack you on sight. Although Alien Grunts should be friendly, you will soon find out that you can't rely on this fact. There are also crazed Grunts among them, and this can not be detected until they attack you. The vast majority of the remaining opponents consist of all types of soldiers, which are armed to the teeth, and often have the support of machineguns, artillery, female assassins and even helicopters. Their numbers are very high in almost every map, and in some levels they will also continuously spawn out of the thin air (very disturbing), so some areas will look like slaughterhouses after brutal battles. There are a lot of ambushes, and soldiers are not afraid to throw grenades and launch explosives. Your arsenal is extremely varied and largely unchanged from the original, the absence of the crossbow zoom stands out the most. Although ammunition and healing packages / batteries are abundant, you will have a lot of problems at any difficulty above Easy, because it certainly looks like the game hates you. At this difficulty, I managed to finish the game in about 2 hours.

Infinite Rift

Infinite Rift takes place about 3 days after the incident in the Black Mesa complex. The military forces led by a villain nicknamed The Administrator took control over the complex and are now killing everyone who stands in their way. One of the survivors is dr. Larry Hoot, who manages to get in touch with our hero, Gordon Freeman. Together, they plan on how to spoil administrator's plans and destroy a mysterious device called Infinite Rift. I liked the story very much. It is revealed during gameplay with help of communication with Larry.

Although the modification takes place in Black Mesa, the game does not reminisce too much on the original, as the style is quite unique. Maps do not architecturally impress initially, because they are made pretty rough.  but the picture quickly changes after the transition into the world with a mixture of Xen and human elements. The overlapping of the elements between the maps is excellent in this part, and the colorful illumination also impresses. In general, maps are very well connected, there is some button pushing, back tracking, and non-linear elements. In the puzzle list, you will also find parts in which you need to stay hidden and not touch the sensors, which is very well done, but its unfortunately really short.

You will encounter a vast array of opponents from the original, which includes all human and almost all Xenian opponents. Their positioning and abundance are mostly good, and there are also some scripting surprises. The fights are not limited to progression only, but also include other interesting elements. One of the gaming segments, for example, requires from you to defend a certain area while enemies storm your position. The very good pace of the action from the first part is slowed down considerably in the last third, as the focus shifts on jumping challenges. Too bad, this decision disappointed me quite a bit. To fight your way to the end you will be able to use a limited arsenal from the original. Amounts of ammunition and goodies are just right for better players to complete the mod on Hard difficulty. To achieve this, you will spend about 1 hour and 15 minutes playing the mod.

Ispitatel 4

Ispitatel 4 is the third released game in a series of modifications about Ravil Unisovich, who was once employed in the secret Russian research laboratory LIPM. Those times are long gone, but he still loves telling stories about the past events to his colleagues over a game of dominoes. The story is completely crazy, therefore you will either adore or hate it - I thought it was brilliant :). You uncover the story during gameplay with the help of video sequences and excellently recorded Ravil's narration, which is in Russian, but fortunately has English subtitles. Everything is packed in about 1 hour and 15 minutes of play time, filled with humour and wow moments.

The maps are extremely diverse and comprise of both completely imaginative and realistic levels, among which you'll find levels where both worlds are mixed together. Architecture is quite simple, but interesting ideas combined with scripted events and exceptional background music greatly enhance the gaming experience. The puzzles are very varied, you often get them in the form of quests, so it seems like you are playing an adventure. You will control certain events through control panels and cameras, pick up objects, guide NPCs, perform jumping tricks and try to find hidden tasks that improve your life points. The latter are superfluous, because the fights in the game are extremely simplified. You will pick up weapons when needed, but you will fight against miniature dogs that can barely harm you, even at the highest (Normal) difficulty.

Mistake -1

Mistake -1 is a survival modification in the style of the Silent Hill series. The sign -1 means that it is taking place before its predecessor with the same name, and both take place in the Andrew Parker's asylum. You play Steve Rick, one of the former employees who became one of the patients in a series of unfortunate events. You uncover the story through gameplay by reading messages and your thoughts, as well as through video sequences. The story seemed extremely interesting to me, but I wish it would be more detailed. I would definitely want to know more about the Steve's of the past and also about other patients in the madhouse.

Most of the game takes place in a dark and decaying madhouse, which is quite surrealistic in terms of placed elements. There are tons of boxes everywhere, which are all without exception empty, the doors and passages are often barricaded, protected by a lock or numeric code. Wood and metal plates lie on the floor, chains are hanging from the ceilings, and some passages are blocked with parts of furniture. While playing, the appearance of the maps changes constantly and often turns into a thrilling imaginative world in which you are even more vulnerable. There is some backtracking, and in some cases you will also need to find a very well hidden way forward. In addition to finding keys and codes, you'll need to find certain items to advance. In your search you will be aided by tips that are scattered through the maps. Part of the puzzles are also jumping challenges, which can be quite annoying, as some of them require of you to do a running crouch jump, which is not so easy.

As usual for horror video games, the enemies are rare. Their positioning is fantastic and will provide for several jump scares. In some cases, enemies will also appear from nowhere, so be always prepared. In addition to several types of zombies, you will also be attacked by acid sprayers and hybrids between spiders and babies, who have genetic material probably borrowed from Headcrabs and are a very good substitute for them. There are also some boss opponents present. The weapon set is very modest, because you have only a butcher knife and a gun, but you also get a shotgun near the end. At the first glance, the amount of bullets is scarce, but you will quickly discover that they are too numerous for the default difficulty (you can't change it). Opponents are very sensitive to headshots, so you can quickly eliminate them. Also, the health pills are too numerous, and the same applies to portable medkits.

The appearance of the modification is quite appealing, not only because of the textures used, but also because of the graphic effects (flashlight, bump mapped surfaces), which require some tricks with the Steam* version. In addition to its appearance, a skillfully chosen background music is also contributing to the good atmosphere. It's a pity that the modification is so short, as I only spent a little less than one hour to complete it.

* From the sdk folder, you will need to copy the opengl32.dll file into the Half-Life root folder. You will then need to set the file to Read-only mode, disconnect from the Internet, and restart Steam. When you want to play online, you need to delete the opengl32.dll file from the root folder, otherwise you might get a VAC ban!