Cave for Half-Life 2

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Cave

Author: Thomas "Stadric Gonzalez" Kelley

Date of release: 24 november 2006

Size: 9 262 ko

Number of maps: 1



website: http://www.halfwit-2.com/aild/

download: http://www.halfwit-2.com/aild/uploads/files/update/cave.zip

Review :

This is the second release from the author (check is site for the other one that isn't bad too). This one can be, I think, considered as a totally playable and enjoyable DEMO map. In this one (like the title explain it without any doubt) you will pass most of the time in a...cave. The design starts slowly in a simple squared room were you will take you HEV suit that is in charge (you can cut the power) and after you will try to get out when you hear an explosion in the toilet room. There is a hole in the ground that will lead you to the cave quite well build with a high atmosphere full of Quake and RTCW spirit. Design is average to above average (more through the effect use by the author that are cool but i won't spoil them). The atmosphere especially in the cave is enhanced by sounds. Combats are not really present (but will be perhaps more part of the upcoming entire release). Progression and puzzles are easy and you are more in place to enjoy them than getting nervous not beating them. Ending is a little wierd and abrupt but certianly manage to make us seen more from the author.

In conclusion: Even if the release is short in playtime (but certainly not in construction time) and can suffer from the absence of real gameplay or lack of fluidity to the theme visited (dificult to mix a medieval cave with futuristic train ride), it's worth to play it through and appreciate the neat effect that the author add to is map.

Playtime: 10 minutes

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Rating: A B C D E (69%)

Obi-Wan map01 for DOOM3

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Obi-Wan map01

Author: Henk 'Obi-Wan' Bernhardt

Date of release: 25 september 2004

Size: 15 167 ko

Number of maps: 1



website: http://home.telkomsa.net/obihb/

download: http://files.filefront.com/obihb%20map01zip/;3664632;/fileinfo.html

Story:

It seems that there is something strange going on at a research station on Mars, no contact anymore and the last new was just telling us that there was something terrifying happening there...Marine you will be send there to clear the situation.

Review :

According this release i think (but i might be wrong) that the first intention of the author was to create a model that could be use for a mod (most of the work from the author is modeling) but since it was created the author simply decide to make a custom map to include is model. Result is for me excellent.

The mission start directly with a short cutscene of you, marine, landing at the facility. Mission will directly start in a strong and solid architecture you will easily noticed that 75 purcent of the map is composed by hallways but they are so highl detail realistic and non repetitive (in structure and design) that you won't notice it.

Progression is streight formard without any PDA or accessing requirement, weapons are provide on the good places but without any exceed, for the heath and armor they are only present near the end...witch will certainly create a good challenge, enemies are well placed and could just get on you with some frightening.

Sound is used with parcimony and this is a great idea because it helps creating a opressing atmosphere.

Finally the end place will be naturally in a kind of anciant cave were the arena will be the place to survive or die against the monsters that hopefully for us doesn't move to fast.

In conclusion: All together for a first map from the author it's a master piece everything being put together to create a perfect release full of challenge with above average design and great atmosphere, it's not perfect but certainly give me (and hopefully you) a enjoyable moment of gaming

In conclusion: There isn't much to say about this release since it's really short but the way it was release was more to convince player after a short experience to follow this upcoming release in the future whish will certainly be my case.

Playtime: 30 minutes

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Rating: A B C D E (84%)

U.A.C. Reincarnation: Omega Labs for D3

***NEW!!!***

Level name: U.A.C. Reincarnation: Omega Labs

Author: Scott 'Sythen' Baker

Date of release: 14 january 2007

Size: 261 ko

Number of maps: 1



website: http://www.doomwadstation.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=74 (forum only)

download: http://planetphillip.filecloud.com/files/file.php?user_file_id=339907

Story:

You have been sent out to find out what catastrophes have happened at the new UAC Omega Labs. It is your objective to keep whatever is in there from getting out, and this objective is classified..

Review :

Like the author tells this is a kind of beta release (bugfree!) from an upcoming serie Sythen and friend are working on. Looking to the exlpanation already tells you that this kind of intro will not be huge (especially regarding the size). But lets take a look at it.

Start and experience will run fast and smooth design is for me a little above average with quite basic room but well textured and correctly 'ambianced' for this small intro. You will also recieve the PDA with some on screen message and stuff also correctly put together. gameplay is too easy (hopefully the author din't put 100 monster in this tiny release) but it wasn't the aim to kill interest from players travel through some room and killing less than five enemies will lead you to a kind of control room were a short on screen scenes will lead you to the end.

In conclusion: There isn't much to say about this release since it's really short but the way it was release was more to convince player after a short experience to follow this upcoming release in the future whish will certainly be my case.

Playtime: 5 minutes

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Rating: A B C D E (68%)

Assassin Mark 2 for Half-Life

***this review was previously available at Alejandro Mapping Center***


Level name: Assassin Mark 2

Author: Stuart Maine

Date of release: 30 july 1999

Size: 806 ko

Number of maps: 4



website: http://www.mrbunwah.co.uk/levels (dead)

download: http://planetphillip.filecloud.com/files/file.php?user_file_id=145815

Story:

21 hours ago, a top secret government agency sent a team of it's elite assassins to a government laboratory on a mission to neutralise all of the scientists there. When the assassin team exceeded its mission time and failed to report in, the agency decided to send its lone, experimental Assassin Mark 2 into the laboratory in an attempt to complete the mission.
Your mission objectives will be supplied to you when you enter the laboratory. If you cannot complete your assigned objectives you will be expected to terminate yourself.
Good Luck

Review:

This is one of the three releases that Stuart Maine did for Half-life (he has made several maps for Quake1 including Assassin 1 ) After improving himself through mapping for Quake, Stuart skipped (moved) to Half-Life… with success.
Stuart has really his own mapping style with a different approach (does something different than others). In Assassin mark 2 you play the role of an … guess what? and your mission is to eliminate 5 scientists who have the power to destroy the Earth. The whole mission happens in an atmospheric base (green-black wall texture, concrete structure and snow). This 4-map pack features a well balanced gameplay between fights and puzzles (sometimes tricky). Surrounding atmosphere enhanced this pack especially when the music from the original game starts, it’s never too hard and it’s gonna keep your interest for less than 1 hour.
Worth downloading especially if you got bored of the classic HL pack.

Note The first Assassin release is worth to play so if you never try it on Quake 1, it’s never to late especially if you like Challenging gameplay…

Playtime: 50 minutes

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Rating: A B C D E (77 %)