Reviews - neophus

First of all I'm not a relly fan of survival in general so the rating will be lower. Secondly, I expected more new places more than just getting back where gordon came from to escape, I'm not againt visiting places again but it was almost 100% similar than Raising the bar so it's a shame.

To finish, I know it's part of the survival style game again but the game need more health and ammo in my opinion. Not a bad MOD but not very fun and repetitive for me.

Very good MOD and realization ! The work done is amazing, and I understand why it took so long.

However, for me, it's missing more good combat zones that I could remember, In Swelter is quieter on these sens. Not really a problem, but I expected more spectacular staging.

But still be one of the best HL2 MOD so far to play !

The first thing I have in mind when finishing the game is the level design. I'm goldsrc mapper too and for me it's just amazing and well detailed ! Amazing work done by the author that provide me a good inspiration for my own creation ! Thanks for this !

But there are some points I didn't like, the level design is amazing but finally a bit repetitive with the same textures. The lightning is too flat with the same tones, and it's the small point that for me which could be more worked. And last thing about lightning, in general it's too dark.

Now about the gameplay, I recognized the author gameplay style because I played Half-life Urbicide lately too and it's the same thing. In Urbicide it's a bit better but in Half-life Sum it's too repetitive, walking, taking weapons, monsters appearing or on your way, killing them, continue and repeat again and again. It's a shame having a so wonderful level design but not well-used to serve the gameplay and the areas created. So sometimes I was a bit boring.

The final part is interesting, and I didn't expect it but repeating it 3 times with the same camera in the bed, well... a bit boring too when you are repeating the same thing for the third time.

But still be a very good MOD so far.

Excellent ! one of the best MOD made to improve Half-Life ! new sounds, more animations for the character and the weapons, nice light effects and vert good sprite improvements. And the best thing now we can see the Gordon's foots ! best feature ever :D

Very good really, it's like giving a young touch at this amazing game.

Excellent MOD ! The level design is amazing, polished with many details, it has been a pleasure to pay attention to everything you built with love (I'm a true fan, and it's a reference for me as a goldsrc mapper :))

The only "bad thing" that make me putting a 9 and not a 10 is the gameplay, good but a bit linear, it's a shame. Although even with that, it's a good Half life MOD to play so far ! Thank you for giving this MOD to the Half-Life community !

Just amazing ! This new version of Half-Life 2 using monsters, assets, props etc... which were planned to be used by Valve in the original game but finally were abandoned give a really new aspect with raising the bar.

The light and the level design work is just impressive, although it's the Source engine ! Only visiting City 17 at the beginning made me impressed ! I loved to discover and really feel how the atmosphere of the city was, and it's just the beginning ! A real masterpiece to visit HL2 in a different, and better way so far !

I'm playing the 2.1 version

EDIT : I just finished it, it's a masterpiece ! 11/10 can't wait for the new maps !

Ho my god ! this MOD is just amazing ! So many good things put on the gameplay and the gunfight is just amazing ! And I'm only on the first mission yet :o ! Impressive !

EDIT : I remove one point because sometimes the difficulty it's not well balancing with lack of ammo that put it painful sometimes. In addition, it's cool to have a lot of characters, but it makes it too complex depending on the mission (a bit of mess to know which one I have to select to know who is the best for me). Missing some "duke gameplay with massacre gunfights" to have more fun killing enemies without being like "tensed" all the time. I like the idea to be careful and fear the enemy, but I like having fun and shooting everything without thinking like a duke game. Missing both balance in my opinion.

To finish, it could have been better to have access quickly to the weapon improvements too, too long to earn the credits required.

Well, good surprise for this MOD and I can notice as a goldsrc mapper too that it's has been for sure a very long work ! There are very good points and other bad points that I will try to resume :

Good points :

- Long story (8h30 on Hard for me)

- Good use of the goldsrc engine using all the Half-Life mechanics that every fan love

- Good level design and architecture (especially on the second half of the game)

- Good action moments that I loved, well created (especially after Xen that was better for me on this aspect)

- Nice parameters from the menu that each one can configure (light, HUD size etc...)

- I liked the status mission I received during my progress

Bad points :

- The first part with laboratories is too long and too repetitive (sometimes better to cut some parts instead of wanting to do something very long)

- Average use of textures sometimes on the first half of the game that make the MOD irregular between the beginning and the end

- Some parts are boring (first chapters again). Kill monsters, use a button, monsters triggered, kill monster, look for the next button etc...

- Very "hall sensation" on the first chapters

- Abusive use of the ambient_generic until the second half of the MOD, sometimes is natural to have silence. I understand the wish to create a good atmosphere but sometimes is boring and not appropriate

Personal

- I would have liked to have more PNG fights with other soldiers, for me this part is fully exploited, the character is too alone

- I know that the idea was to make it retro like a 2000 game, but it could have been better to use more custom textures, models and more complex brush work (especially on the first chapters)

That's all, but still be a very good MOD for all HL fans

Nice surprise to discover again the first level with a new design ! I like the idea, although there are some bugs and things that are not very intuitive. A shame that we don't have the all episode like this :)

Clearly a amazing restoration project that will maybe launch new mods and new projets around duke nukem ! Thank you very much ! Love the team !