Reviews - rcminor

First off, let me say that a lot of the scenery was lost on me as I'm not terribly familiar with Toronto. I'm sure natives got a real charge out of it, though! That said -- glancing over some of the other reviews, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thought it was extraordinarily difficult. Now, I play a LOT of HL & HL2+. There were a couple sequences, mostly involving the nonstop wave type assaults where I just got frustrated and gave up for a while. I checked out a few walk-throughs and discovered that in one sequence I had missed an important supply locker which included health/suit kits, and I got through that bit OK. Now -- I THINK it's the final sequence, with the aerial gunship. I even changed the difficulty down to Easy, which I rarely do. I give up. You win, Combine. Just deleted the game folder out of sourcemods, and going downtown to join Overwatch.

Hi- just finished playing through this after having played your Deep Down. It took me just a little bit longer to "get into" this than Deep Down, I found some of the above-ground sequences a bit slow and quirky. For example, I'm not sure if this is a bug or not, but in the giant culvert, whre you jump across the gully, once I was down there with the Strider,it just patiently waited for me to figure out that I needed to jump. The blank wooden wall which needs something thrown through it seemed different and original, but once I'd figured it out, it seemed anticlimactic. However, once underground it became a real delight! Very much the flavor of the original Half Life, which I assume is the intent. And I DID like the jump through the plate-glass window where the Combine goon is waiting! Oh, and have I mentioned how much those fast zombies freak me out?! Very nice sequence with the water-filled tower. Again, a real HL1 feel. Faked me out, though. Thought I recognized the noise in the tunnel as an ant lion Guard and spent I-don't-even-know-how-long bringing explosive barrels up the ramp and into the tunnel. Then almost had a panic attack when I saw the Hunters! Took a few times getting through THAT! Only other criticism is that the finale was a bit anticlimactic -- seems like there should have been one final skirmish, or even some dialog with Alyx, rather than just the passage up and out. Although I will confess that when I popped my head back up into daylight (haha), and zoomed my vision to the end, yes, my heart jumped at the sight of her! Excellent work, an I hope you do more HL mods!

Excellent,excellent, exciting game! Loved every minute of it. Very high quality, could be a missing chapter from the original. Got a bit discouraged at only one point, the underground "beach" with the wooden walkway going over the dunes and the two hunters up top! Then, when I finally knocked them both off, and was down to about 5 life points, I heard the goons coming in from the other end and almost cried! Took a few times and getting my strategy just right to finish that sequence. HINT/SPOILER -- as soon as you've killed both hunters, run for the far end where a tunnel will open up and let in 3 or 4 Combine goons. Save an RPG or rocket and launch it as soon as the tunnel opens and you should take them all out with one shot.

Also a very nice ending as we get to kill one of those slimy slugs of an Advisor! I think I saw you've got another game out now, hope to play it soon.

RESIST!

I had started this a long time ago, didn't realize how close I'd been to the end! Started and finished this time. what a delight! Love the surrealism of the numbers dropping around. Even at that, there should be some internal logic to a game, and that's what lacked a bit here. The ending was somewhat anti-climactic and didn't seem to really answer any questions about what had just happened or why. However, that doesn't really affect the gameplay before you finish, and the gameplay is topnotch. Probably the only criticism I'd make there is that there are one or two sequences which are puzzle-y feeling, but rather than a "puzzle" solution to the situation, all you have to do is run fast. I like the difficulty settings! I played on normal and felt plenty challenged. Again, a couple of places where you get to feel entirely overwhelmed, have to play through a few times, and then find that just where you thought was too hard, it turns out to be the end of the sequence.

The psychokinesis bits are great fun, but I never really felt in control of it, maybe that's part of it, that you never really are and you must struggle with this power.

So definitely a winner in my book! And I've just read that there a number of secrets and hidden levels, so it looks like I'm gonna have to go back and play it through again soon!

Came back to update my remarks. Just played through again, and again am terrifically impressed! I see one commenter mentioned wanting more ammo & life/armor. I understand that, but as it is, it is incredibly challenging! I don't think I've played any game through with so narrow a margin. I'll only repeat my first criticism, the ending was a bit anticlimactic and ambiguous. It needs some extra kicker to know you've not just finished but "won," see my original comments. Just downloaded the new Extras pack,so I guess I have to play it all again! Well, first I'm going to play your other, Residual Point. Istarted it but for some reason never finished. Looking forward to it!

One of the best mods of the original Half Life I've played, very well done! A lot of nice touches, I
liked the assassin zombies especially, and the security babes were knockouts! One sequence I particularly liked was where you're in the science complex where the 2 soldiers are in the containment tubes, and work your way back with the scientist who opens the door for you.

Nice departure from the usual very linear gameplay HL employs. The ceiling turrets were a nice surprise too. Excellent balance of action and puzzling.

Top-notch work here. The only reasons I'm giving this 9 and not the full 10 are these: as good as it was, in a lot of places it seemed too much like a mirror image of the original and a bit predictable, such as the big cargo elevator, starting the generator, and the final scene in the freight yard. Also, the ending was quite anti-climactic. I ran through it a few times, even blowing up the alien grunt by the elevator where you came up, looking for a continuation or a more
definite ending. In truth, I came back here to look for a clue that that was the "real" end and not
just a "mistake" ending.

Definitely would like to see more of your work though! Bravo, a real standout in a field of the mediocre.

Just excellent! Adds back to Black Mesa with some all new twists, so it is familiar but not simply repetitious of the original HL1. Adds in seamlessly to Black Mesa,as promised, although for some reason I had to use the zip file and extract directly, as the installer program somehow missed the directory.

The only complaint I might have at all is the same complaint I might level at the original; that the two battle sequences between alien goons and HECU are fun to watch, but not really something you play yourself, at least until one the action calms down and they come looking for you. Or maybe that's just how I handle it.

The only thing I would like to see more of -- and I know this is largely beyond your control, as it is the nature of the game, is less linearity. I think you mention that yourself, and trying to at least give the feel of more open-endedness. B ut I'm sure a big part of that too is that so many of us have played this through SO many times now that we know pretty much exactly what we have to do, and that naturally contributes to the linear feel. I hope you can do some pure mods that go more that way!

Excellent work, and congrats on getting pulled for the Black Mesa team!

Wowee! What a trip! Possibly the best mod I've played yet, and definitely on par with HL2 itself! The opening sequences were possibly one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I've had from any computer game yet! A very different feel, since a lot of it you're just running from the goons, you can't even fight them. A lot of very nice touches, such as the tank that actually moves to shoot at you, and the recharge packs the Hunter has in the "Prototype" sequence. Reminiscent of the Nihilanth sequence wrapping up the first. Took a few times to figure that one out. The bit riding the train was quite inventive, I admit I went back and rode it a second time to see if I could get off at the one platform where the goons are executing resistance or just unlucky citizens. Unless I missed picking it up somewhere, not having a flashlight really made some of the underground sequences tense, especially the zombie parking garage. And wow again -- what an insane battle at the far end of that!
I made it through the 2nd Hunter encounter with my life barely in the teens, and was pretty close to panicking over whether or not I was in the ending sequences or not at the house! Desperately looking around for health kits, ya know?

Oh, VERY nice music and sound work too. Made for a very atmospheric and immersive game, and yes that's on top of a game which is already known for that to begin with.

Bravo and well done, I hope to see more from you soon.

As a couple others have noted, some bits seemed pointless, such as the gunship you can't shoot down. And unless I had read the other comments I wouldn't have had any idea that Breen & Alyx were on the roof in the last scene, let alone that I should try to kill them -- her anyway. I'm not sure if there was a glitch or if I just didn't find the exact trigger spot, but I had a hell of a time getting out of the first underground office, where you use the gravity gun to blast through the wall -- that was a clever bit! But that dam door would NOT open for the longest time, and I wasted hours trying to get up the ladder, blow up another pipe, retrace my steps to another door, etc. maybe it's just me. Someone else complained about the antlion guard -- I thought he was pretty easy. Rolled a grenade out on the walkway where it blew up the two barrels (of course duck back inside) and then 3 or 4 crossbow bolts put him down. I also did it just with the crossbow, but that took up nearly all the bolts, and left me with just 2 I think to take out the goons who rappel in for the next scene around the left corner.

All in all, a very nice mod though, and interesting concept even if it's a little uncertain what's going on. Is it a parallel universe? An alternate timeline? I got to a 2nd ending where Kleiner lives, but how can that be when we see him shot right at the beginning? Alyx's last "He doesn't have a clue, does he?" really kind of summed it up; it was almost like dropping in 3/4 of the way through the second episode of a 2-part Dr. Who story.

Very good idea though, as I say, and hope to see more. I would REALLY like to see a mod that isn't so linear, like all of HL is. Definite cusp moments leading to completely different maps and such, and a few distinctly different endings -- maybe 2 ways to "win", 1 to lose, 1 to draw? Good luck and I look forward to your next.

Blown away! Incredible mod, I think my favorite straight HL2 mod now (as opposed to such far variations as Nightmare House 2). Terrific gameplay, excellent pacing between action & puzzling, stunning artwork. The bit with the bird -- brilliant!In the casino, I think the "zombie staircase" and what followed immediately was one of the most intense sequences I've ever played! I sincerely had to take a break after that! I put on all the lights to go downstairs to get a drink because I have a couple of big black cats and I knew I didn't want to have one one of them surprise me on the stairs right then! (Think venom crabs!)

Great concept picking stuff up to complete missions/puzzle, and the multiple ending setup is brilliant. Still trying to save Larry "undercover" though. Like the theater forcefield puzzle too.

Just a couple of very slight gameplay criticisms: right at the beginning being "almost dead" twice in quick succession seems a bit much. And in the ice rink battle, I was blazing away at the goons and had no idea the rest had split! Not sure if I was too far away to hear something or what, but had to replay that to get out with health in double digits. I think that needs a better cue.

One glitch where after releasing the pigeon, I managed to beat the game and get myself out on the street where of course nothing happened, except a couple of manhacks got loose and found me, so had to go back and replay that sequence right. And again where there's a clothes dryer blocking the door and you have to open it up for your crew, something coughed up and nobody wanted to move.

But absolutely stunning guys, and if you do go on to a 3rd, what I'd really like to see are some alternate gameplay options, like your Save Larry bit, so there are really significant options in a storyline, because the only weakness of any of HL is that it is so linear.Getting around that for once would be just off-the-charts spectacular.

OK, better final thoughts than I left in the regular comments. I still think it dragged a bit for the first half or so, I still think John is annoying, and my initial observation about the soldiers is still left mostly unanswered (at least we know who they are, but still not why.) Inside the mansion got pretty tedious finding the keys, going around & around, but liked the concept, also that one crab zombie! Sgt. Chris is good sidekick. Again, some very beautiful artwork & textures & stuff. I liked the endgame quite a bit, starting with the approach to the restaurant, classic HL/HL2, and the Mustang was a great addition! Would have liked more driving time. (And the opportunity to run over some goons!)

Still find the weapons system a bit clumsy and floundering about taking damage when I find I'm trying to shoot an empty weapon. Feel there are almost too many. Liked the bolt action rifle a lot! Is that supposed to be a Mauser? I would like to see setups where your crew can go in for close combat while you snipe away from a distance with it.

The church was gorgeous. Here and in HL/Lost Coast, I have mixed feelings about combat scenes inside a church, but it helps too, to drive home the ruthlessness and nature of the enemy. The last action sequence is a real "Holy %#*" moment, and I suppose that is the only really plausible wrap-up which follows! Just slightly anticlimactic, and I do hope that it indicates your next installment "Rogue Train" will carry on this story.