Readers' Recommendations

Releases that readers have recommended others play.

Escape by Leo Ring

for Half-Life

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

“All you can remember in a fuzzy haze is everything going wrong in the test chamber. You remember getting out and overhearing a transmission saying some soldiers have come in and are killing everyone and that some scientists and security guards have got hold of a hanger and a plane. They are waiting for more people to come. You then walked on and you can remember a big explosion and the roof caving in then nothing…………”

3
6
3

Total Downloads: 3,76620th July 2012
18 Comments and 12 recommendations, most really enjoyed it!

The Loop Complex

Here is the first mapping challenge in the Mesa Cup.

The release contains 5 entries.

For this challenge, entrants needed to create a map whose main layout is a loop: the player must return to where they started. As usual, it was the journey that counted.

For full details of the announcement, please see the original theme announcement.

2
3
3

Total Downloads: 3,0873rd March 2018
27 Comments and 8 recommendations, most really enjoyed it!

Nightmare House 2

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

Nightmare House 2 is a free, horror-themed first person shooter modification, and the direct successor of “Nightmare House”.

The story resumes with the player lost and confused in a hospital known as “Never Lose Hope”. With no understanding of how you came to be there, there’s only a vague memory of the mysterious, haunting girl from Nightmare House. Soon it will be difficult to determine between a dream and reality. How long will it take you to realize that escape is not an option?

1
2
5

Total Downloads: 4,27028th August 2010
72 Comments and 8 recommendations, most say "Personal Favourite"

Perplexity

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

Here we go again with another of “Miigaa’s maps”! Follow the route through various puzzles and combat until you reach the final battle.

As with all of his maps, enjoy the beautifully lit and composed areas but be aware that your sightseeing could turn into fighting for your life at any time.

Enjoy!

5
11
3

Total Downloads: 4,4256th November 2013
46 Comments and 19 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

Overawe

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

You find yourself in a toxic wasteland.

Pinned down and weaponless, your objective is to stop those damn Combine Snipers!

Escape and freedom are just around the corner, or so it seems.

1
3
10
5

Total Downloads: 3,54110th November 2012
34 Comments and 19 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

NostalgiaVille

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Half-Life 2 has been around for longer than 13 years, but many will agree that the game has still not lost its charm. However, as Episode 1 and 2 came out, people switched their focus to the new environments and gameplay that were introduced.

NostalgiaVille seeks to balance out the scale by re-introducing the classic environments of Half-Life 2 in the modern day.

Play through 8 official entries and 1 bonus map in this special 2018 mapping challenge.

4
11

Total Downloads: 11,50015th July 2018
39 Comments and 15 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

FusionVille

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

This mod features 17 individually created entries to play, each using the idea of combining at least 3 themes from the list below.

They are set in a variety of locations and have multifarious gameplay ideas.

This could be one of the best Villes ever!

This was August 2020’s Classic of the Month mod.

2
9
4

Total Downloads: 9,76822nd December 2017
35 Comments and 15 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

Station 51

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Station 51 is the current mod in the Critical Jim event.

You receive a message from another outpost warning you of a imminent attack on your outpost.

Just as get the message, a Combine helicopter flies over and you know that it’s going to be tough.

Work your way through to the Combine building and attempt to use the portal.

Good luck, you are going to need it.

1
4
14
3

Total Downloads: 5,72129th March 2015
48 Comments and 22 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

CSS SCI-Fi 3: Hardwired

for Half-Life 2

CSS SCI FI 3: Hardwired is a single-player modification for Half-Life 2. Waking up to find himself an augmented clone of Gordon Freeman, the player must fight time-travelling Combine forces and other enemies across 42 unique and replayable missions.

Missions are set in 18 retail and 24 custom Counter-Strike: Source maps, which are installed intact to the player’s CS:S game folder. The mod edits the entity data for each map as it is loaded, adding and modifying entities to create a seamless single-player experience. The maps remain unchanged and are fully playable in Counter-Strike: Source. Maps have been contributed by established designers, including Bluestrike, Schuzak and d00ds.com. Combat locations range from a snow-covered country church to a dense pine forest to a sun-baked tropical island.

1
1
1
7
12

Total Downloads: 6,3089th October 2009
166 Comments and 22 recommendations, most say "Personal Favourite"