Sven Co-op Map Reviews

            Building is a short jaunt through what seems to be some sort of skyscraper filled with human grunts. It's not too difficult and will be over very fast. SCMapDB page Author: Jouko Lehtonen Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Building (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 29, 2023 | 2784 characters      Building is a straight-forward walkthrough map which pits players against HECU in an office building. It begins with players taking heavy opposition in a lobby while using only pistols, the miniguns the players pick off of the HW grunts from that battle will last them the rest of the map as they ascend to the roof. Pressing the button at the roof's door ends the map.      Most of this map is very standard stuff: wipe out HECU which occupy office floors. They're relentless, which makes the initial battle very difficult. However, the immediate upgrade in weapons trivializes most threats from then on. The map proceeds to

    Explore a massive bedroom and office and find a bunch of secrets. Players get lots of weapons and low gravity to make navigation much easier.  SCMapDB page Author: Fourth Letter Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of DBJR (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 30, 2023 | 2719 characters      DBJR is a rats map which takes place inside of a bedroom and an inconsistently proportioned hoarder's office. There are a handful of silly little secrets and a room wherein players can spawn waves of enemies to fight in the main bedroom. The description said these waves happen periodically, but in many dozens of minutes playing we never saw this happen outside of our direct involvement.      The visuals of the map itself are a treat. There's a really cute textured brush for the outside perspective instead of a skybox. There's the obligatory computer running hammer working on the map itself. There's a bed you can run under for cover fro

      This map touts many puzzles and platforming, some of it is even decently clever. The visuals are trippy and interesting and I just now learned from the map description that the whole thing is fullbright, it looks great for fulbright. SCMapDB page Author: TheBard Date of release: 2009 Maps in package:1 Map review of Braindrain (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 16, 2023 | 2757 characters      Braindrain is a platforming puzzle map that pulls some intelligent tricks, some bullshit tricks, and does so with eye-blasting visuals and some fun audio.      First of all, the texturework is great. There's a good number of visual effects that go on in this map, some of which I rarely see (like distorted perspective stretching in a hallway) and the fun looks carry the map. Between every puzzle is a cute little interesting area, and each area is interesting in itself.      There are some really fun puzzles. The map begins with a grid you must fall through

    Agog means to be very eager to hear or see something. Be agog for this map as it has interesting visuals, puzzles, combat, and some very impressive sequences. Mind the eye strain. SCmapDB page Author: RNG Date of release: 2009 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Psychic Agog (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | January 22, 2023 | 3527 characters      Psychic Agog is a seemingly "beta" map release by RNG. It's been in this state going on 14 years now, so I think it's probably safe to presume RNG's interests have moved on and we can take a look on what this beta release stands to say on its own now.      The map is an action walkthrough with the slightest, slightest hint of a puzzle element. Players traverse a surreal (but not THAT surreal by RNG standards) illusion world which exists as some sort of experiment. Players traverse the initial stage by exploring an open area and solving tiny contextual puzzles in the environment before entering a new

       Welcome to a land of dark and grainy textures, emphasis on grainy. This is a short and spooky map where players must explore a decrepit facility while dealing with hostile creatures. SCMapDB page Author: RNG Date of final release: 2010 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Mystic Radar (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | September 17, 2022 | 5489 characters      Mystic Radar is a short horror map by RNG with a charmingly cheesy story and an atmosphere of texture and grit.      The map is broken up into three parts, I would say. The first is a machine room where players must complete a series of puzzles while dodging two zombies without any weapons. The first puzzle, before the zombies appear, involves placing a block simply into a machine when the machine is opened by a valve pressed by another player. The rest of the puzzles involve finding keys or turning valves while zombies run amok. Once the puzzles in this room are complete, the map lets us know by making the zomb

       This map's claim to fame is the large crushing machine the map is named after. The crusher works really really well and that is all that matters in a map about crushing. SCMapDB page Author: Unkown Date of final release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Crusher (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 30, 2022 | 3391 characters      Crusher is a map by author unknown. It's exactly what's printed on the tin: there's a great big ol' crusher, and you smoosh scientists in it. It's great. You mash a button and two big jagged jaws of rusty metal moosh their meaty bods together, gets stuck and jitters a bit as they make crushing meat sounds, then clamp as they join. They retract and a pile of gibs remain- until the next batch of scientists appear.      If that was the entire map, that would be the entire map. But no, Crusher has some baffling side areas featuring friendly NPCs. One is an area accessible only by climbing down a ladder, wherein B

       Affliction is a standalone mod converted to Sven Co-op set in Black Mesa. There are a lot of maps for Sven with the same story, this one is fairly standard. SCMapDB page Original mod authors: Toni Hiltunen Conversion authors: Outerbeast Date of original mod release: 2002 Date of final Sven Map release: 2021 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Affliction (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 19, 2022 | 3871 characters      Affliction is a Half-Life mod which was converted and updated, here, for Sven Co-op. This conversion features two maps which seem to combine the maps of the original mod at teleport points. The maps still feel mostly balanced for a single player, with fire fights coming in short, easy bursts often. The levels, for taking place almost entirely in interior settings, feel open and breezy, with breakable glass partitions allowing the interior spaces to breathe even more. Mix in some scripted peaceful NPC interactions and a cinematic opening sequen

       When a map has a name as simple and powerful as 'Adventure' it better live up to it. This is a walkthrough map where the gimmick is that each room is thematically unrelated to the last. SCMapDB page Author: Acky Date of final release: 2002 Maps in package: 3 Map review of Adventure (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 30, 2022 | 5051 characters      Adventure is a 3-part action mapset that is as straight-forward as it is jampacked with action. The setup is simple: grab a bunch of weapons from the arsenal room, and then room after room, the players fight soldiers, aliens, and turrets in lightly segmented battles.      The first map is the roughest of the bunch. It begins with a strange, clearly broken mechanic where you are, I think, inside of a ventilation room where the air current is pressing you against the ceiling. Bullsquids within this room were also pushed against the ceiling- so hard, in fact, that they moved upwards into the ceiling and out

       We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs, in the deep places of the world. SCMapDB page Author: NIPPER Date of final release: 2004, community fix on 2019 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Moria (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 23, 2022 | 5667 characters      Moria is one of many Nipper map projects which recreates a piece of pop culture. This time, it's the Mines of Moria scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. This begins in the ambush scene where the orcs and the cave troll attack, and ends after the fellowship flee the Balrog.      Nipper has been an expert mapper for Counter-Strike for years, playfully recreating and parodying things through brushwork and simple textures in the top tiers. For that, it shouldn't be much of a surprise to learn that the map looks pretty good. It looks like the scene from the movie, with some fun small details included. The map doesn&#