Library - Dunkelschwamm

 

    Libraries are good settings for video games. There's just something about blowing off the head of an alien onto a shelf packed with books. Library is all about being in a library.

SCMapDB page

Author: Ice Box

Date of final release: 2012

Maps in package: 1

Map review of Library

(originally posted on SCMapDB)

by dunkelschwamm | December 5, 2021 | 1679 characters

    Library is a walkthrough map which takes the player through some environments which expand on Half-Life's default look enough to have a lot of its own personality. Interesting brushwork mixes with fun lighting.

    The stated goal of the map is to kill off a bunch of monsters from Xen in a big library. To this end the map employs plenty of vortigaunts, alien controllers, and pit drones in battle conditions which interact very interestingly with their strengths in different combinations. The map also gives the players new respawn points as they make progress so the action never has to slow down.

    In addition to the fun use of enemies, the map doesn't shy away from giving the players some of the heavier weapons like the SAW. Even with heightened equipment, though, battles get tougher to compensate.

    Throughout, the map employs everything from corridor shooting to platforming to cutscenes to provide an action packed and fun experience. Even the final boss "Unknown biological" was great fun, if a little chewy.

    If you're looking for a map to play with a friend or to add to an action server's rotation, I think library is just right.

Pros:

• Very fun setpieces throughough
• Very stylish
• Combinations of enemies and their placements makes for really interesting encounters
• Fun final boss
• Lots of good weapons
• I liked the checkpoint system

Cons:

• Final boss had maybe too much health- after a while it felt like we were just chewing on him.

Score: 9 / 10