The Gatehouse for Doom 3

***NEW!!!***

Level name: The GateHouse

Author: Adam "The Evil Artist" Nichols

Date of release: 02 April 2008

Size: 31 102 ko

Number of maps: 1


website: None

download: here

Story:

It appeared from out of the mist. “Every century, it materializes under the full moon” says the inhabitants of a secluded European village. They say that a dreadful king of demons inhabits this mystical castle and that his curse is what allows this fortress to return every 100 years."Nothing but superstitious fairy tales." That’s what people would have thought the last time this anomaly appeared. But things have changed. Two decades ago, Mankind was nearly exterminated by an army of pure evil. This "curse" would not go unnoticed this time!Mankind needed to act quickly. They did not waste time sending in a recon team to gather intel. Instead, a strike team was immediately dispatched to neutralize whatever threat is lurking inside that mysterious stronghold. After all, we don’t want them(whatever is in there) to make the first move. It’s too risky.

* * * * *Hello, Marine! You’ve been assigned to this crummy job. Your squadhas set up camp in a secured Gatehouse at the castle’s main entrance. Service lights, beds, and supply crates cover the floors and walls of this ancient brick structure.The past few days has been nonstop killing of any and all demons that lurk in the dark corridors of these looming structures. Most of the squad have ventured deep into the heart of the castle. Only a handful of marines, including yourself, was left to guard the entrance and dungeon perimeter, just in case the demons try to trap you all inside from the only way out.For the past few hours, you have sat out in the brisk canyon just shy of the drawbridge, listening to the radio chatter of gunfire and growls. Guard duty sucks.Suddenly, you hear pistols firing off in the Gatehouse nearby. It was supposed to be secure! Get the hell back in there and help your squadmates! If these monsters are ever allowed to leave the premises, Humanity can once again become endangered. The source of this threat must be eliminated. Your mission is simple: kill withoutquestion. This place needs to be cleaned up before it becomes another Hell-Portal.

Review :

The use of new content and the theme visited (a gloomy castle) make this one an interesting release now that Doom3 becomes less followed by young developers.

Design Of this one with a intro cutscenes make you direct immerge into the map. The layout is perfect and will make you travel from place to place to recover items and follow somehow a story through PDA’s information. Even if it’s mostly straight forward with some backtracking the environment isn’t too repetitive and traps and surprise will make you life a little bit complicate while you ‘re progress…the custom content also add a real castle feeling

Gameplay is well balanced with good enemy placement, weapon and the survival stuffs put always before or after some heavy fights…objective are clear but you may sometimes get lost, this being normal in a castle. The challenge increase with you progression but, hopefully in my opinion, never becomes a nightmare. According the ambiance more traps, lightning effects and bad surprise should have been scripted, also some more custom sounds like scream would have certainly add another dimension to this quite enjoyable experience.
In conclusion: I really thought that the best for Doom 3 was behind us this new fresh breath I a good reason to justify a Doom3 folder to sleep on you Hard Drive, if it’s not the case you should directly reinstall it…

Playtime: 40 min

Rating: A B C D E (81%)

Sandscroll for Half-Life

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Sandscroll

Author: Kasperg

Release date: 13 july 2006

Size: 3 514 ko

Number of maps: 2


website: here


download: At filecloud.com

Story:

authors's note :

This map takes place in some sort of Egyptian tomb, where you will find combat as well as some little puzzle solving. It’s longer than Vilcabamba and better designed IMO. Custom textures by me, so I apologize if some of them look cartoony. Enjoy the map

Review :

This is not the first effort from the author witch is well known for is fantastic demonstration map (both for HL 1&2) is last release in collaboration with Chris Fox called The citizen recieved mainly award from the community. In this early one the use of custom texturing and effect was created to produce a kind of Pyramid experience.

The main objective for this experience is to travel thorugh the entired pyramid complex by defeating enemies and traps and gain access to the main place to get the treasure.

Design is top notch everything fits well togethern, texturing is wonderfull and even if it's a little repetitive the architecture isn't. Traps are omnipresent and they design is also interesting. Everything is here really handled in a professional way to create a short but unique half-life experiences.

Gameplay is mostly streight forward some respawn, some combats and traps make you progression sometimes difficult or unexpected. Enemies placement is good and well balance with limited weapon and health. Puzzle will make you think a little witch add certainly the most important aspect of half-life. Final challenge and the way you are reward with the treasure add the final touch

In conlcusion: this is a perfect example of a nealry perfect release: custom content, architecture, gameplay everything is so fluid handled that its a perfect fun map...sadly it's defenetly too short but regarding the time that was spend for making this one we just need to be happy to have such a gaming experience.

Playtime: 30 minutes

Rating: A B C D E (89%)
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thanks goes to Ryan 'Quakis' Rouse for providing the screenshots.

Hour-Glass for Half-Life

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

Level name: Hour Glass

Author: Grey Dog

Date of release: 18 July 2001

Size: 24 835 Ko

Number of maps: 30


website: Author's site

download: At Planetphillip.com

Story:

After turning down the Gman's offer of employment, you managed to escape using an intergalactic teleporter that returned you to Earth. Hiding out within the inner city, you soon believe that the Gman is no longer interested in you. A calm peaceful feeling begins to replace the fear, terror and horror that overwhelmed you during your nightmare with Black Mesa, the soldiers and the Xen species. Feeling confident that it is now safe to return home to your wife and look up some old friends, you make your way back to the old neighbourhood.
Your apartment looks different somehow. There are no signs of your wife or anything that would belong to a woman. You also notice other strange things like items are missing, neighbours no longer live in the building. You turn on the television to watch some news and many of the anchors are new, but what really gives you that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach is the content of the news. Facts are no longer true, companies and products don't exist, people have vanished and been replaced by someone else.. Many things have changed.
Your agitation brings you to telephone your mother-in-law in order to talk to your wife, who must have moved out for some reason. Your mother-in-law informs you that she has never heard of you and insists that they never had a daughter. You try to call up on some old buddies but can only find two and they insist that they don't know the other missing friends at all.
You are sitting in your chair, in a state of shock, staring at the television, when there is a knock at the door. Two men dressed in black greet you. They are ITR agents. Employees of a newly formed organization called Intergalactic Time Reassurance, Inc.. They explain that they are time-space enforcement officers and have been sent to offer you a job as an ITR agent. Time-space...hmm... maybe I can get to the bottom of what the hell has happened to my wife and friends etc. You decide to accept the job and complete a special forces training program. You are now an ITR enforcement officer and have been teleported to a secret base of operations. It's monday morning 9:30 am and you are running late as usual.....

Review:

After the release of Adam, a good half-life experience that integrate a lot of vertical moving, Greydog came in 2001 with a master piece…Hour-Glass.
Everything fits well in this add-on, new textures (under others some hot babes), new weapons ( under others coming from Counter-strike), some memorable theme revisited (Duke nukem, Quake 1&2), this all put together with new voice acting and some huge scripts.
Nothing about storyline? Sure and it is certainly a good and original one; Like in most half-life experience, the G-man is leading you to an impossible mission… but this time you’re gonna be surprise…through travelling to time, that you have a close link with the G-man… only way to destroy him…just think about. The all ‘quest’ is made by separate mission that make you travel trough time and solar system, this with all the stuffs that is needed to do it in the good way: puzzle to solve (sometimes tricky), descent combat (in the first half a little to easy, but after, sometimes challenging especially when you are going to encounter some invisible grunts) you will find those situation in some well experienced place that will remember you some good memory according to quake and duke (in this way you have 6 secrets zone to find !!!).
Is there any flaws, some small but more depending on the easy way to criticise them, to close to the original Half-life game and some part that are close to original game (especially some quake2 area), but this is nothing to compare to the enjoyment of this add-on.

In conclusion: A good use of FPS history to add some value to a really good experience that reach is paroxysm with The End scene


Playtime: 7 hours

Rating: A B C D E (91 %)

Picture were curtously taken from tenfour...without permission...

A devils await you for Quake 4

***NEW!!!***

Level name:Devil's Waiting

Author: Bartlomiej 'Lunkin' Garbiak

Release date: 15 May 2007

Size: 6 562 ko

Number of maps: 1


website: here

download: Author's page

Story:

The war spreads itself over the entire Universe. You and your team are deployed on a Pogon - cold planet half way between Stroggos and Earth. Your task is to find a way into the enemy's base and locate and kill one of the Stroggos Generals.

Review :

Design of this one is really well balance from outdoor to indoor with a good non repetitive layout that fits the mission. Architecture is also well enhance and even without the use of the updating patch everything runs fine. the background story make me a little think to the last chapter of Starship trooper's novel from Robert A Heinlein...mission start directly with a immersing cutscene where you and you squad are drop on the cold Ice planet and there the battle begins. Progression is straight forward but with alternative routes and full of suprise that really make game like Doom3 and Quake4 must have. A minor lack for me was the sound ambiance that didn't add the right stress at the right moment.

Gameplay is from the same bottle as the design: good enemies placement, ambushes, challenging places well triggered. All items are also well placed and enhance the entire mission that isn't that easy to complete. Progression is obvious with addition of several activating button...there is no bad surprise, but clever surpise awaits you... it just flows from start to end.

In conclusion: A short enjoyable release with good design, realisation and atmosphere. It's sadly a little to short but well worth the try.

Playtime: 30 minutes

Rating: A B C D E (81%)

Trespasser for Half-Life

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

Level name: Half-Life : Trespasser

Author: Eivind Larsen

Date of release: 25 December 2002

Size: 12 027 Ko

Number of maps: 8


website: Author's site

download: At Planetphillip.com

Story:

Your name is Mark Hunt, an elite Marine sent in to "clean up" the Black Mesa incident. Near evening your platoon was ambushed by a superior force, taking you completely by surprise. In the chaos you became separated from your C.O. and by sheer luck evaded the atomic blast that followed. The Brass didn't call it luck. You were courtmartialed for desertion and sentenced to ten years in a maximum security prison. Two years into your sentence, something happened...you awoke in your cell one morning to find a clean-cut stiff with a briefcase standing by the door. He was government issue lackey all the way, complete with crew cut and quiet smirk. Your instincts screamed not to trust him, but he made an offer you couldn't refuse. Pull a simple operation for him, and you're a free man. You couldn't say no.
The G-man worked for a top secret paramilitary branch of the FBI. A conspiracy theorist's dream; Stone faced puppeteers pulling invisable strings, operating above and beyond the law for their own inscrutable purposes. As of that day, you ceased to exist.
That was two weeks ago. Last month sitting alone in your concrete cage, the walls cold and crushing, the thought of a mission was ambrosia. Freedom was all you could think of. Now that cell's looking pretty cozy. The mission as the director explained was simple. Infiltrate an underground weapons facility owned by a massive multinational corporation, 'procure' a canister from the bioweapons lab and get out in one piece. Just like stealing candy from a baby. A baby in the seventh circle of hell.
You are to enter the main facility and work your way to the labs. How is up to you but should you err and trigger the alarm, your chances of getting to the chemical are going from impossible to worse. Upon reaching the office complex you will find a Hazardous Environment Suit belonging to one "Gordon Freeman." His "absence" has already been arranged by the department; assume his identity and enter the labs. From there it should be a cakewalk, if you're lucky. But if there's one thing you've learned in two years in the brig, it's that Lady Luck is a bitch. Intelligence has recieved reports of a radical terrorist organization planning actions against the facility. At least the security guards aren't out to kill anyone they see. Should this organization interfere with your plans, remember: you are above the law. Don't let anything stand in your way.
Contact with headquarters will be maintained via a special encrypted radio. As with the rest of your equipment, under no circumstances may any evidence of the department's existence fall into enemy hands. Good luck, soldier.

Review:

Half-life : Trespasser is a relatively good surprise that came out at the end of 2002. It is more reliable, in my opinion, to a kind of Opposing-force mission ( no presence of aliens/Xen world, military objective oriented). Your goal is to infiltrate a research facility center where you’re gonna face a lot of events (through cutscenes and set pieces), solving or surviving them is your only objective in order to reach the end. The author (this is his first release) tried to use a lot of new stuff to accomplish this one year work: new textures, remodelled enemies and a new weapon (Uzy). This all adds something personal to this release (makes me think of affliction). Naturally it has its flaws because after a perfect start (small puzzles, simple but good designed rooms, impressive new texture), the author enhanced his skill but also, in my opinion, worked faster. Results of this are a close to classic HL texture, some r_speed problems (with a new 3d card you wouldn’t notice them) and finally the final piece that is put in a launch facility with a countdown. This provides more a frustration feeling than one of accomplished work (like in ground zero). He could have added some HEV and health distributors or given more time for the countdown.
In conclusion: we have seen less releases than in the past years, but on the other hand, there is nearly no crap left. Even though it has some flaws, Trespasser is a really interesting enjoyment. Just thinking at the end that it was a little bit too short…but this was only due to the fact that I didn’t see time passing…because I enjoyed it.
A good mission pack that you should try.

Playtime: 1 hour 20

Rating: A B C D E (83 %)

Picture were curtously taken from tenfour...without permission...

Soldier Of Fortune IV for Quake2

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Soldier Of Fortune : Cold as Ice

Author: Neil Manke

Release date: 01 December 1998

Size: 3 940 ko

Number of maps: 2


website: here


download:



Story:

Prologue:

In a hostile arctic wilderness, Matt's bear hunting holiday goes very bad. You will need to battle polar bears, wolves and a renegade factionof the Russian army to survive.

Story:

Thank god for hi-tech thermonuclear polar underwear:]

Review :

this is the last opus in Neil Manke Soldier of Fortune serie after a first part made for Q1 that didn't have a lot of feedback except perhaps this one . All other missions were created under Quake 2 engine with as a second mission this one, that didn't recieve a chapter name and as third mission with chapter name Operation Desert Bloom. Even if all of them could easily catch your attention through the fact Neil's creation follow mostly the same sheme has for Coconut series (A particular theme visited through a mission with some custom content) I found no real interest for Mission 2&3 that especially, for Operation Desert Bloom, remind me of Coconut monkey 2 : Dry Gulch. The Mission IV, Cold as Ice was different through it's perfectly fitting custom content and that's why it was add to the sp map corner.

Design has nothing really special it's a good mix beween rock, iced water places, and tiny bulding location. There is nothing really impressive but it's really fluid and well put together with perfect use of texture, models, prefabs and skybox. The ambiance is omnipresent and increase the experience you encounter by the use of USSR subject, like if you were lost somewhere in Siberia and try to succeed you mission.

Gameplay is also well mixed but nothing really tremendous, custom models add something special to this pack and especially the animals (dogs and Yeti). Enemy placement, the way your progression is oriented also taking in count diving and climbing makes it a well balanced pak. The use of the skydoo also remember me experiences encountered while playing game as contract JACK or NOLF wich was for me a good surpise. Sadly it's too short even if the challenge is honest and that use of small puzzle solving make it not a simple speed and kill map.

In conlcusion: there is a lot of creation by Neil form Quake to Half-Life and nearly all of them really deserved to be played through. It's not a perfect release it's quite short and misses certainly a bigger approach though much more content and action.Except from that, It really deserve you attention and a short time of you gaming experience.

Playtime: 30 minutes

Rating: A B C D E (87%)

ETC for Half-Life

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

Level name: ETC

Author: Dave Johnston

Release date: 6 October 1999

Size: 5 445 ko

Number of maps: 7

website: here and here

download: At PlanetPhillip

Story:

None

Review :

The author from this one and the sequel ETC 2 is already an old ‘boy’ in mapping for more than 12 years he has been working on games like doom, quake, half-life and even more. He worked also for companies include CS, CS condition-zero, TFC, James Bond 007 Nightfire and one hove the most popular CS map called Dust. David is still studying Software Engineering at Southampton University and should succeed his Degree in 2005.
Let’s talk about ETC, this one back in 99 was a quite well appreciated release (silver award at 10/4). In a simple but so efficient way it remember us the original game or even uplink. Design is really impressive too perfect, brushes work, texturing and most of all lighting creates the perfect atmosphere. Also looking to small cutscenes adds the necessary feeling to create a great add-on. The progression is nearly forward and will make you pass from time to time other visited place you encounter before (that’s always great!), ammo and health being well spread all over the pack. Is there any problem? For me the ‘biggest’ problem is that there is no story behind and this really is being pointed out by the fact you sometime don’t know which direction you can take (would have certainly increase the total pak if there was more scripting to tell you what come next). We could certainly also point that ambiance sound (if they were more use) would certainly increase the general atmosphere. After performing this new mission you will end it in a way there could be a possibility to create a sequel…which will be the case.

In conclusion: if you have some regrets that you have been immersed for a long time in new modifications with a lot of new stuffs and you mind replaying the original game, this is the opportunity to get back the filling with a totally new scenery…nearly professional, a real must !

Playtime : 1 hour 30

Rating: A B C D E (87%)

The Widening Gyre for Quake 2

***NEW!!!***

Level name: The Widening Gyre

Author: Carson 'Riscchip' Utz

Release date: 28 October 1998

Size: 2 161 ko

Number of maps: 1


website: here

download: From Author's page

Story:

Turning and turning in THE WIDENING GYREThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
-- William Butler Yeats, January 1919

Review :

The second end last attempt from the author to create a single player level (Lot's of Q3 map are available from his homepage) This map should have been part of a episode which will certainly never be release...

Even if this map has certainly a DM orientation (supported) I was so estonish from the quality release that I think I should share this one with you.

Design is really perfect with a perfect balance between architecture and lightning the interconnectivity from floor to floor in a non linear way with perfect transition of texture through every room visited create a great immersing feeling. The visit theme even if quite classic (Strogg Base) is really enjoyable and never let you feel from replaying a part of the official release.

Gameplay is never boring with secret place not that difficult to find a good use of enemies and weapon proposal (get powered one when the challenge increase) and with a little bit over 100 enemies will old you busy enough without getting bored. The progression is rythm by key hunting and defeating ambushes till you reach a quite to classic end that let you the choice of a direct difficult or an alternate easy fight.

In conclusion: Appart from the end and the playtime experience (a little too short) this map only contains highlights from arcitecture to lightning and the way they were mix to the well balance experience in a non linear way, Just give this one a try !

Playtime: 30 minutes

Rating: A B C D E (87%)

Wanted! for Half-Life

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

Level name: Wanted!

Author: Maverick developpement

Release date: 6 June 2001

Size: 113 157 ko

Number of maps: 36

website: none

download: At Atomicgamer

download walkthrough : At 3Ddownloads

Story:

It was hard to imagine two summers ago that you would ever be driven to lift the lid of the trunk where you had thrown your holster and ivory-handled Smith and Wesson. Back then only the sickening feeling that gouged in your gut, was the thing that you wanted rid of. A sickening felt from the killing of boy's with ego's as big as their guns, but with minds as slow as their draw.
Seeking escape from the never ending trail of youth hell bent on killing you, for their own placement in history, you finally thought you had found solitude in the quiet sleepy town of Redrock Creek.
The people of Redrock accepted you into their fold, fully aware of your past but welcoming you as their Sheriff....in case there was ever a need. In time you had developed a strong bond with the people of Redrock and now considered it your home. It was a far cry from the years spent bounty hunting with "The Colonel".
Soured by the taste of war you and the Colonel had used your skills as killers for your own gains. He had saved your own life on many occasions during your partnership when you killed together for money. As Bounty Hunters you had freed some of the lands from the filth that besieged the endless towns throughout the west....and become rich in the process. Like you, the Colonel hung up his guns, putting the deaths behind him. The futile attempt at capturing the rebel, known as Ramone, had finally taken its toll on both of you.
Ramone was mad. There was no doubting that. He was driven by a mind that knew no remorse and favored destruction of life before life itself. The Colonel and you had trailed Ramone for many years through the border regions, before finally other bounty killings had supplied the money, and removed the reasons, for continuing the pursuit.
Suddenly a voice shakes you from your meandering's......
"Hey, Sheriff!" Your Deputy called Hoss say's.
Startled, you jump up from your chair, spilling Annie's coffee all over yourself..... "Dammit, Hoss, what do you want?"
"You wanna see how fast I can draw now?" say's Hoss.
Hoss, ever keen to gain your appreciation, attempts his fast draw once again.....His gun is sent spinning from his hand and clatters across the Jail stone floor towards the door.
Picking up the brand new and unused weapon you pat Hoss on the back before slipping the gun back into his holster, briefly glimpsing the anguish on his face. Beckoning Hoss you step out into the street, partly to hide your smiling face but mainly to see if the Stage is in yet........
Looks like being another fine day.......

Review :

Wanted HL is an add-on that was made already a long time ago. The starting idea is quite unique create a Western mod with all the needed stuffs (new weapons, new enemies, new texture) and this sound really great and promising. Most of the site that has done their review work were a little disappointed and so am I but I will explain this at the end. First let just put the scenery. You’re a pour lonesome Sheriff of the town and you need to find the evil Ramones (end Boss) For this Maverick development put a lot of new stuff in it more than 10 new weapons (from the classic Winchester to the more surprising scorpion thrower) new items and new enemies (from the Mexican cowboy to the Indian with arrow passing by Bears and snakes). Design is quite well done in several environment like mines, far west village, canyon, haciendas, …but always restricted by the general environment (no open view) Like if the site back then where only build in canyons. Gameplay is quite straightforward with some small puzzle to solve and no real problems to continue your progression. Balance between enemies, ammo and health is well done and creates a challenging but not impossible mission. Cutscenes are mostly absent but new sounds and voices acting, like some models, are really great (perhaps the best added stuff) and create the best atmosphere of the whole pack. Some tricks not enough present also create a better far west feeling (wagon ride, Indian boat ride, …). But all this is put together during 42 bsp’s and create really a feeling of ‘quantity doesn’t mean quality’ because external environment is always the same (canyon) mines hallways are overused, End will make you get back to the starting place, some small bug like bears that doesn’t disappears when they are killed, repetitive environment, …and even more.

In conclusion: After looking at the presentation screen and also looking to the overuse publicity made around this mod, I really thought that this one gonna be the best mod ever. The fact that the team wanted to do too much sometimes totally fail to create the ‘good’ far west feeling with some not realistic things that you wouldn’t notice if hadn’t been repetitive over 42 bsp. So this one is certainly a Good mod but not really great at all even if you will remember for a long time the voices from desperados shouting at you ‘hey amigo…’

Playtime : 8 hours

Rating: A B C D E (84%)

Love story of prince of Stroggos for Quake 2

***NEW!!!***

Level name:Love story of prince of Stroggos

Author: Yuri 'dyv' Davidov

Release date: 21 May 1999

Size: 3 689 ko

Number of maps: 1


website: author's page (Russian)

download: At ltdan

Story:

Guys, here is the story of my love.

Every time I recall it, my heart beats faster and with each thump of it I fly back to the remote past when I was as young as you are now.Then I was not king of Stroggos butonly a prince and there was wind in my head. Together with my friends we landed on different planets, staged skirmishes there - we were leading a normal, carefree life.
But once upon a time I ran against Iron. And I fell for her.One would not say she wasa beauty. But as some aliens said ( I presume they were from the Earth ), there are no unattractive women, there is a lack of booze.Nevertheless Iron had luxurious breasts andappetizing little lips =).So I realized at once it was my fate and I proposed to her immediately.Being a decent girl Iron vacillated just a bit and then gave her consent. The wedding had to take place next day.
According to our age-long tradition I gathered my old friends for a "men-only" party.We took a boat and sailed off to say goodbye to my bachelor life... It goes without sayingthat we took with us as much beer and vodka as the boat could hold.
I have to say that during my princeship the country was ruled by my regent Makron. According to the law he had to reign untill I got married. After that I had to becomeking.Obviously this bastard Makron at once realized that he had only a few hours to rule and conspired a plot. Taking the advantage of my absence he kidnapped of my little Iron and declared me an outlaw.
... Howevere much booze one has, sooner or later it comes to an end. Having run out of stock, we decided to get back to the city. My head was splitting, I felt giddy. Unexpectedly when we were entering the city, the gates in front and behind us closed down,and that's when all this started ...

Review :

This short release is quite impressive throught it's design and gameplay and is for sure a particular release you shouldn' miss if you did before.

Design is really impressive and take a lot of inspiration from the kremlin place. Realisation make you travel from place to place in a non linear way and will make you visit different location from Castle to tower and even an up-to-date bar. Theme is perfectly fitting with immersive custom content and beautifull eyes looking places. Fluidity through the architecture is also good and will just fill you memories with good stuff.

Gameplay except perhaps the challenge (too easy?) is also full of good surpise lot's of exploration good secrets location extra content through collecting coints to deliver bonus or the amount of custom sounds and voice acting. All those things just bring a great packed mission full of surpise Sadly it's too short and a little too easy to really deliver the perfect release.

In conclusion: Another one you should miss nearly perfect through architecture and gameplay a little to short in challenge and playtime.

Playtime: 20 minutes

Rating: A B C D E (83%)

Strogg Hunt for Quake 4

***NEW!!!***

Level name:Strogg Hunt

Author: Ben McArdle

Release date: 20 June 2007

Size: 847 ko

Number of maps: 1


website: here

download: Author's page

Story:

None but the main inspriration came from Duck Hunt

Review :

A quite Short but interesting release from a Student at the SMU Guildhall for this short release the author create a sort of arena where cannon are trowing zombies that need to be hit to get points. 10 points are necessary to succeed the objective.

General design and Layout is really fitting the Q4 theme and create a beautifull hangar surrounded by hallways and floor access. It's simply but perfect.

Ambiance and gameplay are specially made through this kind of zombie hunt but certainly is worth to be tested and not that easy. Some sound and triggers could have been add to enhance the atmosphere but for a week of work it's defenetly a good surpsise

In conclusion: A short special release that won't be easy for a lot of player .

Playtime: 10 to 20 minutes

Rating:A B C D E (72%)

Happy new year to All

I wish a Happy new year to every body with lot's of gaming moment, a good health, and and what you really wish

I will try to dig a lot of review from the past and add several more from mod and map that will come

If you would like to see you maps or mod review feel free to ask or to point anything interesting out

Last day on Stroggos for Quake2

***NEW!!!***

Level name:Last day on Stroggos

Author: Jan Harcarik and Michal Rendos

Release date: 9 June 1999

Size: 8 975 ko

Number of maps: 9


website: none

download: At Quake Industrial complex

Story:

None but the title says it as a resumé...

Review :

This nighth maps unit is the first release from this small two peoples team. It provide a perfect balance between gameplay, puzzle and architecture.

Architecture is a really good mix between wonderfull design areas and hallways that never look the same. the building of important or central place makes it always some oustanding plots to visit from normal floor to the different hight. the 'over' use of beam and lazer can sometimes provide some visual or techincal frustration but that really depends from the kind of player you are.

Gameplay and the way it is display through the whole unit makes really the power of this release. You will never get bored and will most of the time think what's you should do to progress, from the incubator at start with you only pulse gun to the end makron fight. Visual is omnipresent and enhance this whole episode .

In conclusion: Another interesting release that is worth for you to reinstall you Q2 version if you never play this one before.

Playtime: 2 Hours

Rating: A B C D E (90%)

Note: for the one interested in the statistic releated with the release here are the details:

enemies ____objectives____ secrets_

Perfunctory Control

map 1 : Stoggos in Trouble_________33/33______ 1/1________ 0/1

map 2 : Deep Impertinence ________26/27_______ 1/1________ 0/1

map 3 : Bitter Fortune____________28/28_______0/0________ 0/1

map 4 : Pefunctory Control__________9/9________0/0________ 0/0

map 5 : End Is Near______________66/66_______5/5________ 2/3

map 6 : Endless Possibility_________54/54_______3/3________ 1/1

map 7 : Naveless Power___________25/25_______2/2_________1/1

map 8 : Day that you Fear_________14/14_______2/2_________0/0

map 9 : End of All Songs___________2/2________1/1_________0/0

Additional screenshots

Minimicus for Half-Life

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

Level name: Minimicus

Author: Slayer A

Release date: 6 September 2003

Size: 3 229 ko

Number of maps: 4

website: here

download: At PlanetPhillip.com

Story:

The scientists at Black Mesa have invented a shrinking machine. They are shrinking Xen creatures in order to make them easier to control. Two shrunken Gonarchs have escaped and are breeding in the civilian community. The Marines have once again been called in to ‘contain’ the problem and eliminate any witnesses.

Review :

Minimicus is a quite recent release (september 2003) that came out for the first time in a HL sp release with an oversize world. Story is quite simple but original: Scientists have developed a new machine to shrink all Xen’s creatures. Unfortunately some mistakes where made so that some of them escaped. Mission is simple you need to destroy the shrinker in order to eliminate all traces of those experiments. But pay attention some grunts have also taken the portal! Design is correctly put together even if transition through rooms is not always made with a high cohesion. Challenge is omnipresent and alternates with some tricky puzzles, some ‘cutscenes’ and quite a good music. The ending is correctly taught and finished this pack in the way it should end.
In conclusion: An original starting idea that creates something unusual for the HL fans. Sadly the idea wasn’t pushed further and it was perhaps a little too fight oriented. Since it’s a short experience (half an hour) you should really test it.


Playtime: 30 Minutes

Rating: A B C D E (78%)

Between two Worlds for Half-Life

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

Level name: Beween two worlds

Author: Andreas “Widowmaker” Bauer

Release date: 10 August 1999

Size: 3 534 ko

Number of maps: 9

website: None

download: At PlanetPhillip.com

Story:

You don't know much at the beginning. You can't remember anything from your previous life or how you came into this cage of glass in which you have been living several weeks and in which these scientists have made cruel experiments with you. But what you know is: you want to get out and pay it all back to them.

Review :

Between two Worlds is an old and perhaps forgotten release of the previous century. But this is not an excuse to avoid this one if you forgot it in the past. Even if the storyline is a little bit strange and confusing, the starting idea is quite original. You’re the result of a human experiment that was lead by some unscrupulous scientist who wanted to make a new entity between human and Xen race. Through your special power Xen has decided to help you becoming the universe’s Master (with the help of G-man) by making you free. So eliminate all grunts and scientist and succeed to finish this mission so that …you will see. Design is like the storyline sometimes well thought of and polished with some good ideas, sometimes not. The whole unit is quite cohesive with some good ‘cutscenes’ , but what was really, in my opinion, the highlight of this unit was the fact that Andreas used a 2D maze at the end of this pack. Even if it’s a short maze, I never thought that it was possible to do such a thing in HL.



Playtime: 1 Hour

Rating: A B C D E (74%)

Note : thanks to TenFour and Planet Phillip for screens and infos .

They Hunger (full) for Half-Life

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

Level name: They Hunger

Author: Neil Manke

Release date: 27 March 2001

Size: 68 874 ko

Number of maps: 26

website: here


download: At PlanetPhillip.com

Story:

this impressive mod contains 3 different épisodes that were firsly published separatly there was no real storyline added to the full release only a sort of story came with the first and second episode...here it is

You're a writer who saw some success in the past but is now struggling to complete your latest work. Your publisher rents you a house in the country and you are on your way there to rest, write, and recoup. During the course of your drive the relaxing radio music is broken by a hurried announcement, "This is BMRF radio bringing you a special news report! Unknown atmospheric phenomena have been reported throughout the area. Meteorologists have been unable to identify the source of the strange electrical displays but we will keep you informed of any developements. We return you now to our regular programming".
"... ah, probably nothing", you think.

Review :

They Hunger is a must have add-on that integrate something new to HL: a scary horror sequel that could easily stand alone and is definitely part of the top 5 best private sp release for Half-Life. Nearly everything has been changed through the entire package (made with more than 50 maps) all new weapons (12) except the magnum, new models and especially Dogs, a new kind of ‘Frankenstein’ Ogre really powerful in close combats and Cows. Those new stuffs are spread around perfectly designed area such as a lost town somewhere (perhaps in Scotland), in first episode, a psychiatric research house where some ugly experiments take place, in the second one and in the last episode a mix between the destroyed psychiatric hospital and a ‘farm’ theme spread in the middle. The whole package being very well put together with some perfect puzzle and a really scary ambiance spread all over the place.

For the interested people I will now look a little closer to the three parts:

+ Episode 1: to go directly to the point, it is certainly the less interesting part from the entire package (it is still great compare to other releases). I never got the feeling to have a clear view when this mission took place, especially in the first part where there is a mix between ‘old vehicles’ (train, cars) and some helicopter or modern barney. At start you have a marvelous intro that will lead to an accident from there you need to find your way defeating zombies with the first weapon. Progression is quite obvious in a quite linear way and makes a good alternation between indoors (church, buildings and caverns) and outdoors (swamp and mountains). You will also notice that during the progression design increase and always add the little thing at the moment you thing that everything is the same. You have also a good mix between puzzles and some small events…that gonna lead you to the second episode.

+ Episode 2: Rest in peace is a lot better than the first one. The travel takes place in a lot of indoor place introducing a really impressive design dispatched all over the pack, there are nearly no blocked way so that you have a lot to explore adding to the gameplay a ‘real’ dimension. Puzzle are less obvious and ask you sometime to act with 2 or 3 thing to make it work, fights and traps are well set too. The entire scenario is really impressive making the progression always an eye candy when you reach new areas. Work on texturing and modeling is also a lot better introducing this time not only slightly but deeply modified models (dogs and ogres), also through voice acting (video tapes) the ambiance is really increasing in oppression. The minor bad point is due to the hugeness of the pack so that you will certainly walk for miles before you find next thing to do! (Doesn’t spoiled the gameplay at all)

+ Episode 3: Rude awakening after the big explosion you need to escape from the hospital and try to find the 2 evil guys (doctor and Police officer) to kill them. So another quest start at this time and gonna lead from a perfectly design hospital to some farms and house lost in the mountains (pay attention to the cow and the chicken) Design is quite repetitive and sometimes boring but keep you full of adrenaline through good trap and fights that will occurs leading through a train trap to the episode 2 after the crash. Design is one time more perfectly dressed but not really innovative since it used a lot of place already visited in chapter2. Puzzles aren’t really present in this last part (except at start) and will lead you to the escaping place where a helicopter is waiting for you. Now you are ready for the end fights…are you sure it’s the last one? You will see…

In conclusion: Another impressive realization from Neil and his team introducing a TOTALLY new experience, Every FPS fan should play this one. In my opinion even if it is a real conversion, I think Neil was a little hit by the success of USS darkstar and wanted to do something better, the only problem is that this package is a little too long especially regarding realization of first and last episode and when you want to make quality and quantity is sometime has some flaws. I had nothing to criticize regarding USS Darkstar but for this one it would have been better to make a full version taking away the repetitive part of the three episode and in place try to add some ambiance music (which was for some good reason not added). It’s still one of my favorites.

Playtime: 15 Hours

Rating: A B C D E (95%)

Coconut Monkey 2 : Dry Gulsh for Quake 2

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Coconut Monkey 2 : Dry Gulsh

Author: Neil Manke

Release date: 04 August 1998

Size: 7 052 ko

Number of maps: 2


website: here

download: At 3d Gamers edge

Story:

After escaping the Island Paradise, Coconut Monkey found himself adrift in the ocean, his sole copy of Gravy Trader resting to the rear of his vessel. His supplies running low he was about to give up all hope when a blue light appeared in the water ahead of him. The light doubled in size within seconds, enveloping CM and his tiny craft. With a roar the light collapsed upon itself, taking CM with it.

Seconds later CM reappeared, intact, him and his craft floating down a canyon stream. Residual blue light rippled through the craft and before he could react, the boat vanished, plunging CM into the fast moving stream. His only chance is to locate his ship and hope that whatever power brought him to this hell hole will take him back. That is, if he can get past Pierre and his minions…

Review :

this is the second opus in Neil manke Coconut Monkey serie after Paradize Lost and before Saving Private Monkey. In my opinion this one i'm gonna review is the mostly impressive not simply by the mapping skill an general architecture (always great in neil manke's releases) but mostly through it's own content that really remind me (even if this one was published before), the official free add-on for Half_life called Wanted!. This one is full of surprise include new models sounds ambiance and a really well put together far-west mission.

Design is really great and perfectly feeting the far west theme from the gold my to the canyon passing by the saloon or the train... The General layout may look a little restricted to place where you just thing ' how was it possible to bring all the material in this canyon with a tiny entrance just to build the whole living place' and except this unrealistic touch attention is omnipresent even with perfect modeling...

Gameplay is mostly straight forward with some puzzle to solve and a bunch of secret to find on both maps...Challenging is present everywhere with taught combats, good enemy placement and a good disposition of ammo and health. There isn't really something special it's just a succession of elements that take place and make the whole add-on highly enjoyable.

In conclusion: Neil Manke is really one of my favorite author and this one isn't an exception perfect theme, texturing and modeling make it a real blast to play though... so get it !

Playtime: 1 Hours

Rating: A B C D E (91%)

Operation: Urth Majik for Quake 1

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

Level name: Operation: Urth Majik

Author: OUM team

Date of release: 21 July 2001

Size: 10 200 Ko

Number of maps: 6



website: here (seems to be down or lost)

download: here

Story:

Quake never stops trying.
You mutter the words savagely as you pace the floor of the Emergency Command Bunker; the last bastion of what was Frater Research Base. Your base.
As the base commander, you saw Frater grow from a small storage depot in the middle of nowhere to a small storage depot playing host to some scientist types. However their "temporary" stay became permanent, as did the new wings and buildings. Interesting documents and reports began to fill your day, as well as the odd bit of excitement (and subsequent repairs).
Then that building was constructed. No, you were told, you could not be told what it held. No, you could not be allowed inside - what was inside was Alpha level clearance, not for the eyes of lowly Beta clearance wallahs. No, you couldn't talk to the staff there - they were always ferried in by robot drone from elsewhere; and the tracking systems wouldn't track them. Hell, you were ordered to keep all windows closed and blocked while construction was proceeding!
What was in there? You don't know. But whatever it is, Quake wants it, and wants it bad. You've some suspicions yourself - like illegal slipgate research - or maybe something to do with the strange behaviour of Doc Hattenschweiller's "patients".
Doctor Ernst "Hat" Hattenschweiller's research concerns - or concerned, you don't know if he's still alive - the removal of Quake's control devices from those captured by his forces. A fair bit of research involving Quake's other humanoid troops led up to Hat perfecting the process where the components could be removed without setting off the booby-traps incorporated into them. Sort of a cross between bomb disposal and brain surgery.
Hat reported two weeks back that his "patients" had begun to behave oddly; every night, they were chanting in some strange language, stopping abruptly exactly on the stroke of midnight. At first the "cured" patients didn't participate, but as the days wore on they began to chant as well.
Other little peculiarities began to crop up. Missing supplies, for one; odd power demands from various parts of the base, and especially from that building. The occasional escape as well, but as things went from peculiar to queer to worrying, patterns began to emerge. The supplies tended to disappear most often nearest that building. The escapes came more frequent, the escapees more violent, and were always found heading toward one building - that building. The Alpha clearance mystery building.
However, the final straw came from a completely different direction. Hat sent an emergency call - the patients had suddenly, and without warning, completely reverted to their original programming. And somehow they'd managed to get guns and were starting to overrun the facility.
Then the lights went out briefly, flared once, then settled down again. A flash of wrong coloured light from outside drew you to the window. It was that building, being struck by lightning coming down from a gangrenous, unearthly sky.
Then more emergency calls came in from all over the base: reports of intruders, attacks, pleas for assistance. You began deployment of your forces.
But now you hide in this reinforced cage of a room. All the news you're receiving is bad. The base is completely overrun; it's only a matter of time before they break down the doors and take you down as well...
As you pace, you begin to get angry. This is your base, damn it! And now you're hiding here, a fugitive on your own friggin' turf, just waiting to die? Screw that!
It takes a few minutes to send off a distress signal, and a message that you're going to do what you can towards recovering, or escaping, Frater Base. A further minute to plan your route to Hat's laboratory - where things seemed to begin - and one more to check and load your gun.
Quake never stops trying, you say to yourself, and neither will I.

Review:

Operation Urth Majik is part of the masterpiece realisation for Quake1. It introduces a lot of features into a new quake experience. This Add-on is based on a mission that is quite simple: make your way through several bases in order to reach the temple of Urth Majik, where the final battle will take place.
There is a lot of ‘external’ ideas: ik base, Zerstörer, Scourge of Armagon ,…this all together really fits this realisation like if they were selfmade.

All the maps are well balanced in realisation, gameplay, features and are ‘immersing’ the player into a progressing challenge. They all fit together too, except perhaps the fourth map (the eye of the storm) which is, through its texturing, a little bit out of the add-on (perhaps just a too sharp transition). Enemies have been modified not so much in weaponry but more in their look… beautiful but not as realistic (using ‘flashing’ blue clothes is quite a nonsense for an army). There is also presence of Nail turrets (not enough used) , laser drones( ‘toy’ design) and the classic mega enforcer.
According to the weapon features, they are coming from Zerstörer and Ik guns, design flows between average and really good and gives, in a lot of places, the ability to test them.
Finally you will find here and there ammo, health and armor suppliers, a lot of secret places (always useful) that give some good addition to the general release.

In conclusion, even if it first seems quite challenging to let some famous mappers join to do a big release, it shows us that with some rules and good communication can create a masterpiece.
Working together with their own favorite theme has proven to be a success.
Definitely part of the top 10 best quake1 releases and certainly worth to download!!!



Playtime: 3 hours

Rating: A B C D E (96 %)

note : picture where taken without permission from tenfourmaps feel free to contact me if you would like that i remove them