100 Half-Life 1 Mods: page 8

Dav Train

Dav Train takes place after Gordon rejects G-Man's offer of co-operation. Gordon gets placed in a locked cell on a train and is transported to a secret base where his memories will be erased. During the stop he successfully kills his guard and escapes from the cell. Outside, he will not only be challenged by angry soldiers, but also numerous Xen monsters which roam the area. You will be mostly fighting with four types of opponents: soldiers with machine guns and shotguns, Vortigaunts and Alien Grunts. Due to their number, good positioning, cover and clever map design, the fights will be full of action. Teleportation and well-placed machinegun nests will take care of additional surprises. Your weapon set is limited to human ones, but there is enough ammunition for them.

The levels consist of almost exclusively internal maps, which contain offices, corridors and warehouses. Some initial actions also take place on wagons. The map design is fairly good with quite a few details, but unrealistically narrow passages and certain wrong proportions ruin the impression. The course of the game is mostly straightforward, but certain parts of the maps are open enough, therefore you do not get a sense of linearity. There are some side paths with loot, but be careful when breaking boxes, as they sometimes explode and injure you. The game visuals do not contain any surprises, but I really liked are the interesting scripted events, in which the opposing factions are fighting each other. On the difficulty of Medium, I used about 30 minutes to complete the mod, but you can squeeze additional 15 minutes out of it by playing on Hard.

Destination Black Mesa

In Destination Black Mesa, you play Gordon Freeman, who is instructed by G-Man to capture dr. Elia Vance. The latter is supposed to be located in the northern part of the Black Mesa, in which fierce battles between beings from Xen and human forces are still being fought 18 hours after the defeat of Nihilanth. In addition to the classical weak canon fodder, there is a bunch of Vortigaunt and Alien Slaves in the maps, which are very often involved in battles with all sorts of soldiers. Both of the types can suddenly appear in an area and surprise you: Xenians with teleportation, and soldiers abseiling from Ospreys or blowing up the doors. Fights can be quite good, as opponents often ambush you, and sometimes you will also have to run away as enemies can infinitely appear in an area. The threat is further increased by machineguns and helicopters. Your armament is very modest as far as the types of weapons are concerned, but there are many bullets and healing packages available, so that you can reach the ending at Medium difficulty without major frustrations. It will take you 1 hour and a half to do it. Unlike for other modifications, I advise playing Hazard Course only to the most persistent players, as it's brutally difficult.

Most maps are nicely designed in terms of architecture and excite with a bunch of details and good lighting. There are also some of them that leave only an average impression, but this is improved by numerous scripted events. The maps are well connected, and several times you will return to a certain area by another route and continue through a newly opened section. The puzzles are extremely diverse and interesting, and they contain a lot of skill challenges, pushing buttons, and sometimes you will also need to find a hidden way forward. Unfortunately, all of this has a few huge problems. The biggest one is that the modification relies on the original Half-Life too much. Thus, some sections are almost complete copies of original maps, but are slightly modified, and the same applies to puzzles. With a little more originality, it could be an extraordinary mod, but it gives too much of the »already seen« vibe, and I tried to reflect this on the rating summary. Another thing that bothered me, were forced explosions that can badly damage you, and paths with no return, which can fortunately be avoided by loading automatically saved games.

Escape

In Escape you are playing a scientist named dr. Jim West, who works in the anomalous materials section of Black Mesa. The day begins with an experiment as usual, but it soon turns into a nightmare when something goes wrong. Half of the Black Mesa research center is destroyed, and creatures from Xen appear everywhere. Your task is to save yourself and your colleagues, but the situation gets complicated when the army gets involved. In the first part, you will mostly fight against the Xen monsters that consist of all kinds of zombies, Headcrabs, Bullsquids and Vortigaunts. The latter stand out in particular because they are not only well placed, but are also surprise you by teleporting at certain events. The second part is dominated by all types of soldiers who are equally well-placed, and have the support of machineguns. Your arsenal is very limited, as you have only a crowbar and a gun in the first part, and only later you get a shotgun, a machine gun and explosives. Ammunition is fairly limited, but it should be enough for Medium difficulty. The same applies to medkits. Note: you can't collect batteries, as you do not wear the H.E.V. suit.

I had mixed feelings about the map design. On the one hand, the maps contain tons of exceptionally simple rooms without details and boring corridors; on the other hand, some sections are extremely detailed, have fantastic lighting and layout of elements. On average, the visuals of the mod do not stand out, but they are slightly improved by some scripted events. Levels are mostly interior maps (among them being also a Blue Shift link), and several times you will also get to the surface. Your path through the game will be mostly linear, although you will find some side paths here and there. Puzzles consist of rare jumping challenges, button pushing, train rides, crawling through vents and driving with lifts. It sounds diverse, but during playing I had the feeling that the tasks repeat themselves.

I spent about 1 hour to finish the mod. I would also like to point out that the ending battle crashes Half-Life if you reload a savegame, so avoid saving.

Escape 2

Escape 2 continues where the predecessor stopped. When you killed the final boss, you were teleported to the unknown. It was unfortunately not your freedom, as you landed deep in Black Mesa again. Unlike the predecessor, this mod doesn't seem to contain any story at all and friendly NPCs are also missing, your task is simply to reach the end. Again, your path will be blocked by numerous opponents who are very well positioned and will provide for the fiercest fights. The first part is again dedicated to Xen monsters, the most common being diverse zombies, Headcrabs and Vortigaunts. The last two types are often teleported to your surroundings at certain events (way too often), so always have a full clip ready :). In the later stages, the soldiers with machinegun support get involved, and near the end you also get to fight special forces and tanks. Factions constantly fight each other, which can be used to save on health (again, you do not have H.E.V.) and bullets. Both of these resources are hardly sufficient on Medium difficulty. The weapon set is fairly limited, and if you want to have the crowbar, you must install the provided patch!

The map design has improved considerably compared to the predecessor - both in terms of architecture, as well as the use of textures and layout of elements. The only level which stands out negatively is a completely dark section in which you must find the way forward while shooting your way through dozens of zombies. Sections are often open, so you can reach the goal by another way. The scripted events that transform the maps have become rarer and increase in numbers just towards the end; however, the amount of visual effects has undergone a significant upgrade, but, unfortunately, this is sometimes results in stuttering. Most of the puzzles from the first game have been cut, as the game practically does not contain them. It is true that you need to find a card or two and go back, press a few buttons, ride a train, and do some tricky jumps, but this is a bit too modest, considering the overall quality of the maps.

I spent about 1 hour to finish the game. Be sure to set the keys before playing!

ETC

In ETC (or Earthquake Test Center) you play Gordon Freeman. The scene is Black Mesa which is full of soldiers and aliens. Your task is to get to the Lambda complex, which is located on the opposite side of the base. Your mission will certainly not be easy, as numerous opponents will stand in your way, with very well-placed soldiers of all sorts being certainly most memorable. They will attack you from multiple directions at a time, and you should also prepare for a lot of evil surprises. There are several types of enemies from Xen, but their numbers are pretty low. Headcrabs are again the most annoying ones (soldiers seem to dislike them too), and Vortigaunts are also worth mentioning. The difficulty curve could be set better, as the start is more difficult as it should be. The weapon selection is very varied, as it is missing only biological and futuristic weapons, and the amount of ammo on Medium difficulty is more than enough. A different story are the amounts of healing packages and batteries, because they are just right.

The maps are inspired by those from the original and are quite well-made in terms of geometry and lighting itself. The selection of textures did not impress me, since they come mostly from the greyscale spectrum, but the game redeems itself with a number of excellent scripted events, which greatly enrich the gameplay. Occasionally the background music turns on. I also thought the NPCs mustaches were a pretty humorous addon :). The progression through stages is mostly linear, but here and there there will also be moments where you need to do something and then go back, and sometimes parts of maps get modified. Puzzles are limited to pressing buttons, but in few instances you also need to take advantage of NPC help. The weak point of modification is definitely its length, as I spent only 30 minutes to complete it.

Force of Evil

In Force of Evil you play an agent, who works for the secret section of the Ministry of Home Affairs. You start the game by escaping from a prison, led by a military organization which is hostile towards your employers. Your current task is to visit the laboratories where they are researching teleportation, and finally return home via a teleporter. Here, a new mission awaits you. You will have to prevent a nuclear disaster in the nuclear power plant Temelin, which got occupied by activists. The story sounds interesting, but since the speech and the subtitles are in Czech, you will probably have problems with following the flow of the game, and also with understanding the tips and tasks the game gives you. The gameplay is enriched with video sequences, and in some cases, custom background music.

I kind of liked the level design, because the maps have good geometry, lighting, and interesting details. Most of them are internal maps that are very different from the ones found in the original, and the rest is urban environment. In the latter, I really didn't like the numerous invisible walls. The Hazard Course with a medieval theme is also worth mentioning, as it will keep you busy for a pretty long time. Levels are filled with many side paths and secrets, which might contain interesting treats or just Easter eggs. Certain paths forward are well hidden, and there is also some vent crawling. The puzzles consist mainly of pressing buttons that can often be quite well hidden, and will cause you quite some problems. Here and there you will also have to find an access card.

Conflicts are rare, but mostly very tough, sometimes you will also have to react quickly. The biggest problem with the fights is, that the gaps between encounters are pretty large, and thus the mod feels empty. You will be attacked by female assassins, which will be later joined by soldiers, activists, guards and machineguns. Often, you will have to fight your way through the levels with a minimum set of weapons, as you start each new mission as a civilian. This means that you do not have the H.E.V. suit, and all previously picked up weapons are removed. Thus, even the activists armed with sticks suddenly become a dangerous opponent. There are no surprises regarding the weapon selection: the set is very limited, and only the crowbar is visually changed. Amounts of ammunition and healing packages are sufficient to play the game on Medium difficulty, but be ready for frequent reloading. I finished the game in about 1 hour and a half, including the Hazard Course, which contributed about 15 minutes to this total.

Half-Life: Ultimate Attack

In Half-Life: Ultimate Attack you play as David Johnson, a corporal who was sent to Black Mesa along with his comrades with the mission to cover all traces of the incident. The story of the mod is linked to the Half-Life series timeline via the events in the Opposing Force expansion, in which the army is already leaving the complex, because they suffered heavy losses. Soon after the mod begins, you'll see that the army's decision was wise, as the complex is swarming with enemies.

Your life will not only be threatened by the Xen monsters, but also creatures from the mysterious Race X and the military forces. The set of opponents is very varied and includes almost all creatures from Xen, three monsters from Race X and, of course, soldiers. These factions are constantly fighting with each other, and these battles will be regularly joined by your allies - the special units. The high number of enemies is the main reason for pretty hard fights, but there are also a lot of ambushes and scripted surprises that keep the difficulty high. You weaponry is extremely limited, as you only have the revolver, the shotgun, the machine gun and explosives, and only in the later stages you can pick up the Shock Roach. Despite tough fights, the mod is not very generous with first aid and batteries, but the quantities should be enough to complete the game on the Medium difficulty.

Because the game happens in Black Mesa, the maps bear some resemblance with the original, but they are unique enough. The visual impression is pretty good, but it would be difficult to say that the game stands out from the average by a lot. The maps are otherwise colorful enough, well lit and have quite a lot of detail. Especially commendable is the variety of environments, as you will walk through warehouses, laboratories, tunnels, exterior and even Xen, but it's really unfortunate that your way through them is completely linear. With the exception of rare side paths with treats, you can forget about exploration. Additionally, the set of puzzles is extremely modest and consists out of button pressing and rare jumping challenges, everything else is not worth mentioning. You will need around 1 hour of play time to complete the game.

The Long Night

The Long Night takes place in Black Mesa, 18 hours after the events from the original. You play as Gordon Freeman, and that's basically all the story there is. The mod does not hide it's connection with the original, as you will notice the influence of the latter almost in every map available. Architecture is relatively simple because it contains quite a bit of flat surfaces and also relatively few objects, but the impression is corrected by a good choice of color schemes and textures, and above all diversity. The path will lead you through warehouses, offices and flooded areas, and you will be able to catch some fresh air in the complex surroundings and even visit Xen (which did not really impress me). The level design is pretty non-linear, and I liked it very much. It contains alternative paths, side paths with goodies, secrets and tasks that you can finish in any order. The puzzles are fairly varied and interesting, but for my taste they are too similar to those from the original Half-Life.

In the pauses between the puzzles, you will fight against the Xen monsters, soldiers, female assassins and machineguns. Interestingly, the opponents are not gradually introduced as you might expect. Already in the very beginning of the game you will have to fight soldiers and Xen Warriors, and their numbers are definitely not lowered to ease your step into the bigger fights later in the game. Enemy positions are pretty nice, and you should also be prepared for ambushes and scripted occurrences. The difficulty thus remains fairly high through the whole gaming experience, but is unfortunately lowered on Xen. The weapon set is limited to human weapons from the original. The amount of bullets and health / batteries is just right to finish the game on the Medium difficulty, and I needed about 1 hour and a half to complete this task.

Moonwalker

Moonwalker takes place in 2090 on the interplanetary space vessel with the same name. You play a researcher named Gordon Freeman, who is more a janitor than a scientist, if you would judge him by his tasks :). Your first mission is to reactivate the generators of one of the sections. After you complete it, you get a message that a crack has appeared in one of the portals. This leads to emergency evacuation of all personnel. Will you be able to escape? The story is revealed to you through messages on screens and through intermediate sequences, and in my opinion, it has more holes than Swiss cheese :).

Maps represent a very mixed experience. The architecture of the majority is satisfactory, but it could contain more details. Despite custom textures and special effects, it would be difficult to say that the visuals are above average. Then we have a tiny amount of rooms, which in my opinion are perfectly illuminated, have great selection of textures, and they also stand out as far as details are concerned. The last part is represented by visually appealing, but boring labyrinths of corridors that give the game a sense of incompleteness. The puzzles are quite diverse and include jumping challenges, finding cards, pressing buttons, backtracking, and there are also some traps you will need to avoid.

Your path to the end will be obstructed by varied Xen opponents, as well as soldiers and female assassins, which have the help of machineguns. Their numbers are generally small, so you should not have any major problem, even on Hard difficulty. Ammunition for a limited set of modified weapons is a ample for the mentioned difficulty, and there are also a lot of batteries and medical packages available. However, there are exceptions. There are quite a few brutal jumps in difficulty, which will make you reload more than you would wish. The last quarter is pure disappointment as far as the action is concerned, and I was also disappointed with the ending. I needed about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete the modification.

Project Quantum Leap

Project Quantum Leap is a map compilation of 15 different authors who linked 20 levels to make a mod. There is no common story linking the maps, and at first glance it also seems that there is also no common theme connecting them. The result is rather chaotic.

Transitions between maps are very wild, not only due to the change of theme, but also in terms of quality fluctuations. Three maps (Radix, Blow up and Someplace Else) stand out for very good design, appropriately balanced action, scripted events and interesting gameplay, a pinch of the maps is somewhere between average and good, and the rest is really bad. Lack of details and sense of aesthetics, disproportionate size of elements, poor transitions, frustrating jumping challenges and exaggeration with the number of enemies are just some of the shortcomings of the vast majority of levels.

The set of opponents depends on the author, but the Xen monsters are quite rare. Most of the time you will be attacked by soldiers in all variations, and they will be backed up by machine guns, helicopters, and tanks. Weapon selection is very limited, but ammo is plentiful. The difficulty is quite variable, but on the Easy difficulty there are enough healing packages and batteries to make it to the end in 3 hours and a half of gameplay. With the exception of new textures, there are no visual changes, most maps are fairly unattractive. Occasionally the background music will also be turned on.