(Note: this review originally posted 22nd April 2001)

Now this is a decent piece of work. It's basically a level based around those seen in the game "Aliens vs. Predator," which is in turn based around scenes from one of the various 'Aliens' films- it's a dark marine base, with plenty of small corridors, metal floors melted away by alien blood, creepy shadows and much more. It's very dark indeed, and brings a new meaning to crate rooms.

Without using a single custom texture, the author has managed to make what is possibly the moodiest map ever created for Half-Life. There's industrial sounds to go with all the pipes and machinery, metallic walkways and flickering lights making it quite spooky at first, but it's missing some env_sounds to make echoes (and change how sounds are heard) so the effect doesn't last long. The focus area of the map is a crate room with one of those APC thingies in it- you can't go in it, and some of the texturing on it is iffy, but it's a nice touch and well made overall. Below this you'll find people having firefights around some crates in order to use the only health/HEV chargers in the map. Other features are a control centre, a domed room containing the RPG, and a water flooded lower section.

It's a bit too dark in places, which, in conjunction with the dodgy weapon placement, spoils this map somewhat. You'll find the gauss just lying in the middle of a corridor that you have to pass through anyway, right next to a 9mmAR and a few player starts (which are oft placed in the middle of corridors/large rooms inside of corners or small alleys). The connectivity of the map is good, but never really a problem with small levels.

The idea of having all the health/HEV chargers (2 of each) in the same room all next to each other should work, but it would be better off not being in the middle of the crate room- players will just find numerous grenades/rockets raining down on them, thus defeating the purpose of having these chargers. By the way, there aren't any batteries/health kits anywhere else, so these are your only lifeline. The flooded section is good fun though, as it obscures your motion and stops you from jumping around so much.

For Alien Colony 3 (or any future maps) the author should consider sorting out his weapon placement, adding a few more lights to the place and perhaps having a few more ventilation pipes. I know that some of suggestions go against the theme, but this type of map is best suited to Aliens vs. Predator really, where you'll be sneaked up on by hideous aliens and the like. It's not very scary when someone looking like Gordon Freeman starts throwing snarks at you. Or amusing, if you don't know where they're doing it from.

Design
Well done, considering the (apparent) lack of custom textures. Nice atmosphere too, but a bit too dark.

Gameplay
Like I said, too dark in many places. Weapon placement could have been better, layout is fine.

Verdict
Doesn't really suit Half-Life, but enjoy it while it lasts.

Pros
Authentic 'Aliens' theme

Design
I want a power-loader, dammit.

(Note: this review originally posted 22nd April 2001)

Now this is a decent piece of work. It's basically a level based around those seen in the game "Aliens vs. Predator," which is in turn based around scenes from one of the various 'Aliens' films- it's a dark marine base, with plenty of small corridors, metal floors melted away by alien blood, creepy shadows and much more. It's very dark indeed, and brings a new meaning to crate rooms.

Without using a single custom texture, the author has managed to make what is possibly the moodiest map ever created for Half-Life. There's industrial sounds to go with all the pipes and machinery, metallic walkways and flickering lights making it quite spooky at first, but it's missing some env_sounds to make echoes (and change how sounds are heard) so the effect doesn't last long. The focus area of the map is a crate room with one of those APC thingies in it- you can't go in it, and some of the texturing on it is iffy, but it's a nice touch and well made overall. Below this you'll find people having firefights around some crates in order to use the only health/HEV chargers in the map. Other features are a control centre, a domed room containing the RPG, and a water flooded lower section.

It's a bit too dark in places, which, in conjunction with the dodgy weapon placement, spoils this map somewhat. You'll find the gauss just lying in the middle of a corridor that you have to pass through anyway, right next to a 9mmAR and a few player starts (which are oft placed in the middle of corridors/large rooms inside of corners or small alleys). The connectivity of the map is good, but never really a problem with small levels.

The idea of having all the health/HEV chargers (2 of each) in the same room all next to each other should work, but it would be better off not being in the middle of the crate room- players will just find numerous grenades/rockets raining down on them, thus defeating the purpose of having these chargers. By the way, there aren't any batteries/health kits anywhere else, so these are your only lifeline. The flooded section is good fun though, as it obscures your motion and stops you from jumping around so much.

For Alien Colony 3 (or any future maps) the author should consider sorting out his weapon placement, adding a few more lights to the place and perhaps having a few more ventilation pipes. I know that some of suggestions go against the theme, but this type of map is best suited to Aliens vs. Predator really, where you'll be sneaked up on by hideous aliens and the like. It's not very scary when someone looking like Gordon Freeman starts throwing snarks at you. Or amusing, if you don't know where they're doing it from.

Verdict

Doesn't really suit Half-Life, but enjoy it while it lasts.