Sven Co-op Map Reviews

       We descend into the eponymous bunker and fight aliens and soldiers in our quest to turn off the power. The map is nice enough but there is a supposedly better remake that exists which sort of makes this version obsolete. SCMapDB page Author: Max Helbig Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Central Bunker (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 23, 2023 | 2426 characters      Central Bunker is an action map starring so great brushwork, some really neat action setpieces, some decent HEV, and no ammo or weapons. That's a gross overstatement, of course: the player starts with a crowbar and pistol, and soon in gets a revolver. I found two uzis in a secret, and beyond that our arsenal didn't expand until near the end. There's also one big crate of ammo, but beyond that there is almost no ammo to speak of that the player can actually use. There's shotgun ammo, but I never found a shotgun.      After being ...

      We descend into the eponymous bunker and fight aliens and soldiers in our quest to turn off the power. The map is nice enough but there is a supposedly better remake that exists which sort of makes this version obsolete. SCMapDB page Author: Max Helbig Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Central Bunker (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | July 23, 2023 | 3129 characters      This map is action packed and ammo starved. We fight our way to the bottom of a big bunker complex past an odd assortment of enemies until we kill a garg and complete the map. There are a lot of areas that connect with each other and the map opens up in a cool way, but it never gives us enough ammo.      We start outside, be careful trying to jump down the hole or go through a door, the big door explodes and it took me with it. The hole is a shortcut that currently kills you. After the door is blown open we can go through an adjacent d...

       Suit up squad, it's time to go fight human grunts that this map calls zombies. This map is a horde map taking place in a burned out urban block, supposedly there are points to capture but I didn't see any. SCMapDB page Author: cyberdaemon Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Zombie Squad (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 17, 2023 | 2601 characters      Zombie Squad is a well detailed horde map wherein grunts and hwgrunts (and, like, an assassin) swarm the players from every angle. Thankfully, within the details of the ruins are plenty of weapons, and a reasonable smattering of HEV and health pickups.      The description makes it sound like maybe my experience with the map is broken. There were, like, 3 soldiers which looked like zombies in the map. I think far more were meant to be zombies? Also, the MOTD makes it sound like there's some funny control point business, like there's an objectiv...

      Suit up squad, it's time to go fight human grunts that this map calls zombies. This map is a horde map taking place in a burned out urban block, supposedly there are points to capture but I didn't see any. SCMapDB page Author: cyberdaemon Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Zombie Squad (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | July 17, 2023 | 3342 characters      Fight a never-ending horde or human grunts in a really well made destroyed dense urban section. Did I say human grunts? I meant zombies, but all the zombies have guns and I think the included models have to overwrite the default human grunt models and I didn't do that so most of the enemies I fought were default HECU soldiers. So this map did not feel like a zombie map in the slightest.      My teammate and I spawn in different areas, I start in a closet and walk out to find batteries. I exchange gunfire through a window and pick up a crossbow and sat...

      Welcome to not Black Mesa where we do science that is really similar to what goes on over there but we're totally different, I promise. According to the description we are a secret organization sending scientists over to another dimension via resonance cascades, that sounds safe. SCMapDB page Author: HeAdCrAb KILLA Date of release: 2019 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Catalyst (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 9, 2023 | 3156 characters      Catalyst is a short puzzle map revolving around an Icon of Sin style enemy-spawning computer-crystal thingie.      The gist is as such: players walk through a short Black Mesa-y introduction and teleport to a room full of the map's main arsenal (shotgun, MP5, glock, crowbar, handgrenades), an elevator up to the main supply bunker with rooms full of additional goodies (importantly, a sniper rifle, revolver, HEV, health, and underbarrel grenades). A console on the top floor deploy...

      Welcome to not Black Mesa where we do science that is really similar to what goes on over there but we're totally different, I promise. According to the description we are a secret organization sending scientists over to another dimension via resonance cascades, that sounds safe. SCMapDB page Author: HeAdCrAb KILLA Date of release: 2019 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Catalyst (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | July 9, 2023 | 2142 characters      This map starts out with a very Black Mesa flavor with a big fancy science lab and a room with portals that triggers a bunch of aliens. The goal is to destroy a power source which is on the other side of the teleport past a bunch of soldiers in another science place. At the end we have to fight past respawning aliens so that one player can open a vent and another can toss grenades in, this map requires two people!      We start off in a place that I guess is not Black Mesa and ha...

       Case Closed is one of the many singleplayer Half-Life mods ported over to Sven Co-op. We go around and see all the familiar sights around Black Mesa, especially the sewers, and eventually we are able to get out. SCMapDB page Original map author: EraSerx Conversion author: Hezus Date of original mod release: 2001 Date of final Sven Map release: 2005 Maps in package: 10 Map review of Case Closed (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | July 9, 2023 | 3163 characters      Case Closed is a conversion of a singleplayer mod called Case Closed. Play a singleplayer walkthrough which journeys players through funky testing labs, maintenance rooms, sewers, funky testing labs, maintenance rooms, and sewers!      Most of what is on display is standard Half-Life action stuff, but it plays decently well in Sven Co-op. I'd say I think some maps could stand to be stitched together for the sake of this, as they often end right after ...

      Case Closed is one of the many singleplayer Half-Life mods ported over to Sven Co-op. We go around and see all the familiar sights around Black Mesa, especially the sewers, and eventually we are able to get out. SCMapDB page Original map author: EraSerx Conversion author: Hezus Date of original mod release: 2001 Date of final Sven Map release: 2005 Maps in package: 10 Map review of Case Closed (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by GrandmasterJ | July 9, 2023 | 4977 characters      We return back to Black Mesa once again in a port of a single player mod that puts us in the shoes of a janitor. We wander through familiar sights, mostly sewers, fight familiar enemies and eventually we hit a cutscene of our extraction and the map just kind of lingers there forcing me to end the map manually.      As soon as we start the map I notice something, I am lagging. My teammate doesn't have the same problem and I am hosting, it gets better in some ...

    The map description states that this map is a test only, and it definitely feels like it. It's fullbright, filled with standard prefabs, and it all looks and feels thrown together. SCMapDB page Author: Tuntis Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Black Mesa Defense (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 1, 2023 | 1455 characters      Black Mesa Defense is two maps. You start on one, and bafflingly end up on another, and then the experience ends.      The maps are full bright. The first is a collection of prefabs and a haphazard smattering of enemies, with a ladder to a button, then a big yellow brush. The second map has a ladder to the exit after a brief skirmish with a gaggle of grunts. The map equipped us with M16 with grenade launchers, so what was thrown at us was quickly reduced to jelly. I was excited to be equipped with HEV when I saw charges in the second map, but those were lies and di...

    The map description states that this map is a test only, and it definitely feels like it. It's fullbright, filled with standard prefabs, and it all looks and feels thrown together. SCMapDB page Author: Tuntis Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Black Mesa Defense (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | April 1, 2023 | 1108 characters      This map is functional. We start out in a huge room, the map is fullbright so I can see everything. It's full of prefabs. Enemies appear in clumps around the map, we start with M16s and grenades so we make short work of them. Then we climb up a tall ladder and the map ends with neither of us quite know which one of us triggered that or if it was timed.      The next map is much like the first map, but shorter. It also had a large brick of HEV charger, totally nonfunctional, how mean.      It's a functional map, it doesn't look good, it was mostly made of...

    The map description says 'jump around on steel beams' and it certainly looks like that in the screenshot, but there is a minimum of jumping. Walk up the beams to the top, explore dead end hallways, and maybe jump to your doom. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter of Matter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 1224 characters      Splatter-of-matter (or SOM for short) is a Sven-Coop map experience by robootto. It features a four-way symmetrical layout (or, as my buddy pointed out, "rotational symmetry") and a spiral ascent with branching hallways. One hallway leads to a shotgun shell room. The rest lead to dead ends, though some of those dead ends also have ammo. There's a ring of every weapon at the bottom where the players spawn. If you jump from the highest point down to the middle, you will gib and splatter. I have to imagine that is the intent of the...

      The map description says 'jump around on steel beams' and it certainly looks like that in the screenshot, but there is a minimum of jumping. Walk up the beams to the top, explore dead end hallways, and maybe jump to your doom. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter of Matter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1370 characters      I was afraid this was going to be a hardcore climbing map, but it's really not. The whole map is one big room with a series of metal bars connecting platforms in the corners. There is no jumping around needed, just balancing on the bars is enough.      The way the map is laid out, there is a hallway at each corner of each landing, enticing the player with no less than 12 dead ends. At the top there are actual rooms down these hallways but only one door opened and it only had shotgun shells. One other room had sh...

      Get angry! Wrath is a very simple level, in fact the included screenshot shows about half the level. Also the map description says the vortigaunts are endless but after about ten they stopped spawning in. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 28, 2023 | 1880 characters     Wrath is a map by Robootto which contains a vortigaunt spawner, a chamber with four miniguns, and four vertical shafts filled with colored lights which players will fall through consecutively via a teleport trap if they attempt to use one of the few interactable parts of the map. The map is plainly textured, but features a look that leaves quite an impression.      Indeed, I wanted to play and review this map tonight because of how it caught my eye that RNG's map Disintegration of Time contains a chamber which so resembles this map. If you go to Disin...

      Get angry! Wrath is a very simple level, in fact the included screenshot shows about half the level. Also the map description says the vortigaunts are endless but after about ten they stopped spawning in. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | January 28, 2023 | 1734 characters     This is a very short map with no game end. Players spawn in a red room with a vortigaunt spawner. It does hurt players the moment they spawn and it does respawn vortigaunts but there is a limit, probably ten or around there. So after we killed all the vortigaunts we tried in vain to break into the window of the room in the middle of the room. I decided to head through what looked to be a doorway and fell down a rainbow colored shaft, then hit a teleporter at the bottom and fell through another shaft. Four shafts in total and then I landed inside the room in the middle o...

      Black Operations (not to be confused with Blackops, a different map) is a Half-Life mod converted over to Sven Co-op. It uses many new textures along with impressive detail to tell the unnecessary story of how the United States acquired the nuke used to destroy Black Mesa. SCMapDB page Original map author: Little_Otis Conversion author: Shinkichi Date of original mod release: 2005 Date of final Sven Map release: 2010 Maps in package: 13 Map review of Black Operations: Special Forces (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 28, 2023 | 6245 characters      Black Operations: Special Forces is a walkthrough mapset which follows the exploits of a Black Operations soldier who gets in way over his head. Throughout there is setpiece after setpiece, lots of very inspired material, some puzzles, great action, and some exquisite aesthetics to tie it together.      Throughout this map players take on the role of a Black Op...

      Black Operations (not to be confused with Blackops, a different map) is a Half-Life mod converted over to Sven Co-op. It uses many new textures along with impressive detail to tell the unnecessary story of how the United States acquired the nuke used to destroy Black Mesa. SCMapDB page Original map author: Little_Otis Conversion author: Shinkichi Date of original mod release: 2005 Date of final Sven Map release: 2010 Maps in package: 13 Map review of Black Operations: Special Forces (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | January 26, 2023 | 5947 characters      This map series is a conversion of a standalone mod by the same name. We follow a Black Ops soldier named Declan Walker whose job is to plant the nuclear bomb that takes out Black Mesa. The map description says we're getting back a mysterious briefcase from a Black Mesa scientist. Spoilers, but that briefcase is the nuke. We're also in Metro City but manage to plant the bomb in Bl...

       The map is Doom, the classic first person shooter is Doom. The map design and layout is very reminiscent of Doom, there are some pretty good new models and others that are not so good. SCMapDB page Author: BlueFeena Date of final release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Classic Arcade First Person Shooter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | November 3, 2022 | 6425 characters      Classic Arcade First Person Shooter is a map which attempts to capture the spirit of Boomer Shooters before the Boomer Shooter revival invented the term Boomer Shooter. What did this tribute find before the revival was a thing?      Well, when it says Classic Arcade First Person Shooter, it means Classic DOS First Person Shooter- and by that, it means Doom 1. This map heavily utilizes architecture from the first Doom map, as well as E2M2, but otherwise mostly shakes things up with areas which evoke a Doom-ish feel. The textures are all...

      The map is Doom, the classic first person shooter is Doom. The map design and layout is very reminiscent of Doom, there are some pretty good new models and others that are not so good. SCMapDB page Author: BlueFeena Date of final release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Classic Arcade First Person Shooter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | November 3, 2022 | 4472 characters      This map is fast. This is the very first thing that grabs my attention because trying to walk forward slingshots me into the far wall. I'm going to tell you right now this is my biggest problem with the map, the uncontrolled speed. Everything else is pretty good looking Doom inspired stuff.      There are a couple ways to do Doom in a 3D engine like goldsrc, this map opted to make recolors of standard Sven Co-op enemies and renamed them. Vortigaunts stand in for imps and human grunts take the role of the zombies. Headcrab zombies and bullsqui...

       Welcome to the most evil map of Sven Co-op. Enter the big chompy mouth and then attempt to explore. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of final release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Satanic Dark Wrath Castle (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | October 9, 2022 | 1673 characters      Satanic Dark Wrath Castle is a map by robootto to, I presume, show off some esoteric brushwork ideas. The map begins with the players outside of the titular castle, which is entered either through a chomper trap front door or a higher up entrance that players ascent blocks to reach. Once inside, the map is dark save for some intense colored lighting and some strobes. The inside and the outside of the castle, alike, are mostly nonsensical structures which are a bit interesting to look at, the way geometric shapes tend to be from time to time, but drenched in eye-searing strobe.      Players can find doors that open to the word "Hel...

      Welcome to the most evil map of Sven Co-op. Enter the big chompy mouth and then attempt to explore. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of final release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Satanic Dark Wrath Castle (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | October 9, 2022 | 3237 characters      This is a satanic map, I can tell because at one point I opened a room that had the word 'Hell' written out in very long 3D block lettering and above it, on the back wall, was the phrase 'satanic map'. This is definitely the most evil map of all Sven, only a monster would place player weapons individually in vats of opaque water.      Players spawn in a small courtyard, with the aforementioned vats of water each containing a weapon. There are two doors here, one is locked and I don't know how to open it. The other is a mouth with sharp spikes that absolutely will chomp on players attempted to get past it. Fret not because there is a smal...