Sven Co-op Map Reviews

       A fairly standard horde map with an Osprey, not the monster that drops off endless supplies of soldiers but a big driveable func_vehicle Osprey. Fly around the battlefield and shoot soldiers. SCMapDB page Authors: CkDead Date of release: ???? Maps in package: 1 Map review of Ck Osprey (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 7, 2024 | 2683 characters      CK Osprey is a horde map wherein you face many respawning HECU grunts in a desert arena segmented by big rock formations. Players spawn in a partitioned helipad in the corner of the map, where they can drive and ride an osprey over the desert arena. Alternatively, players can enter a garage to drive a truck around to attack from. Alternatively alternatively, players can climb up onto overlooking towers to fire down on the respawning enemies. This continues endlessly until either the map's time runs out or somebody votemaps.      This mostly works out, especially ...

       Kill a bunch of soldiers and aliens in some generic warehouses and offices somewhere in a red brick city. It's a pretty straightforward map that requires at least two people. SCMapDB page Authors: Daniel Plant Date of release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Civil Defence (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 7, 2024 | 3588 characters      Civil Defence is a very simple sequence of gunfighting arenas in a warehouse district setting. Players fight their way out of a building by escaping along its fire escape, then through the district, before moving through a sewers area to the final battle. The first third of the map sees players fighting blackops grunts and assassins, before things take a sudden shift and see the players fighting an odd combination of vortigaunts, gonomes, and shock troopers (with a few itchyosaurs, and eventually a voltigore, thrown into the mix).      The battles in this are intense. W...

       Inspired by 'I am Legend' players fight the eponymous Dark Seekers in an abandoned city. Solve puzzles, find a way to escape, and beware the large amounts of high health enemies! SCMapDB page Authors: Goanna Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Dark Seekers (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | January 7, 2024 | 4838 characters      Dark Seekers is a duo of horror maps based loosely on the I Am Legend scenario. In the first map you search buildings to find necessary items to solve puzzles while being harassed by the titular dark seekers- zombies which run and take quite a bit of damage to kill. The second map takes the players through a dark seeker infested subway tunnel, until they surface into a warzone where hostile soldiers battle dark seekers in the streets. Both maps are very different in gameplay tone, but manage to feel appropriate together in atmosphere and theme.      The first map is slow i...

        There are not a whole lot of options for Christmas themed Sven maps. Step into the shoes of Santa and drop presents (grenades) down the chimneys of the good children. SCMapDB page Authors: CubicVirtuoso Date of release: 2007 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Sveney Christmas (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | December 17, 2023 | 1918 characters      For a map made in two hours, this is a pretty complete idea. Players take grenades, fly around on a sleigh with train controls, and chuck the nades into 8 chimneys to complete the sequence. Each chimney is fairly easy to hit if you pull the sleigh up nice and close and take a couple throws to adjust aim. If you miss a bunch, don't worry, you can just fly your sleigh back to the cloud where you picked up your grenades.      The map has an effective aesthetic. The sleigh looks good, the cloud platform is perfectly functional, I think the street lamps on the cloud highlight...

       Welcome to the Tomb of Death, where you will die a lot. The map has a heavy emphasis on traps and each trap is a unique delight, which is not usually how trap themed Sven maps usually feel. SCMapDB page Authors: generic Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 6 Map review of The Tomb of Death (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | December 16, 2023 | 6784 characters      Tomb of Death! I remember playing this a long time ago and thinking it was kind of clunky and mediocre. Boy, am I glad I revisited it! This mapset captures a lot of the spirit of what I love about Sven Co-op, and is a truly inspiring exercise in creativity.      This mapset is long, so I'm going to go down the maps one by one and give overall impressions.      The first map gives a lot of what the title implies: a tomb full of fun traps and monster teases. There's a couple puzzle-like areas, including a platforming bit over some toxic sand...

      Drop into a blocky city and start killing hordes of monsters. Eventually through some arcane invocations (breaking the right stuff) the enemies will cease to appear. SCMapDB page Authors: Agent Zero the Koraa Hunter Date of release: 2018 Maps in package: 1 Map review of City Rush (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | October 16, 2023 | 4583 characters      City Rush is a horde map set in a modestly mapped block town. Much of the map is spent wandering around wondering whether you're doing the right thing to make the map proceed.      You could say the map is broken up into two acts: the first is getting to know the map as it is desolate save for players. There are three buildings of interest at any given time: a building at the start with your starting weapons and a small table full of ammo (impossible to not be a greedy grabber here on more populated maps), an armory with extremely durable windows which must be shattered to...

       Fight waves of zombies in a city themed arena. The map description makes it seem like fighting waves of zombies is all that happens but there is a nice exploration aspect as well. SCMapDB page Authors: Searanger, EdisLeado Date of release: 2007 Maps in package: 1 Map review of City of the Dead (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | October 16, 2023 | 4960 characters      City of the Dead is a zombie map wherein the goal is to escape using a helipad. To do so, you must explore a city block full of explorable buildings locked off by various obstacles.      The map begins players in a spawn armory where players can take their pick of beginning weaponry or ammo. Right from the start the map's clunkiness, which is a theme throughout, becomes apparent. Grabbing ammo or a weapon will immediately chuck players into the map proper, so if you grabbed ammo, you're a sucker. There are weapons to be found throughout the map, but the...

       This is, of course, a remake of another map by the same name. While it does offer many improvements over the original it also has an unfortunate area that we had to cheat past. SCMapDB page Author: GiGaBiTe Date of release: 2016 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Central Bunker Remake (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | October 9, 2023 | 4758 characters      Central Bunker: Remake is a ground-up remake of Central Bunker, which we have previously reviewed. How does this hold up?      This plays almost exactly like I remember Central Bunker playing, but without the lag. The short narrative of gameplay is: you start outside, with far too few weapons and ammo fight your way through a lobby full of Barnabus/Ottos and ceiling turrets, grab some new weapons, go down an obnoxious elevator, fight a great battle with aliens and grunts beside an electrified pool of water, work your way through many more grunts until you find a bi...

       This is a nice looking map with a mixture of combat, platforming, and puzzles. A lot of the map looks well done and then there are some spots where enemies just get dumped in the level and one terrible platforming section. SCMapDB page Author: Headz Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Crood Coop (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | August 19, 2023 | 3791 characters      Crood Coop is, apparently, in its fifth alpha as of 20 years ago if the splash screen is to be believed. I wonder if Headz'll ever finish it. It's a walkthrough action/puzzle map, with a heavy emphasis on action.      Rooms are shaped in large, nonsensical ways, which interacts well with the lighting and textures. However, I can't help but wonder if these interesting textures and scrolling electricity brushes and sprites are doing heavy lifting for what feels like mostly room after room of big-open spaces full of monsters. Most of th...

       The main feature of Coldburn is that it is so cold it burns and players will take environmental damage in certain areas. I didn't think this mechanic would be fun but the author definitely put a lot of thought into it and made it work really well. SCMapDB page Author: Keen Date of release: 2014 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Coldburn (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | August 14, 2023 | 3315 characters      Coldburn is a total conversion style walkthrough map for Sven Co-op. Players are tasked with plunging the depths of a base atop a Neptunian moon, plunging ever deeper into hostile environments as their HEV is the only temporary barrier keeping players from rapidly deteriorating under cold and radiation threat. To make matters worse, bizarre monsters stalk the players through the facility.      First thing you'll notice about the map is that it nails the environment and atmosphere. Lighting is moody, the fog is e...

       Aliens have invaded a city and it is up to YOU to repel them! There is one part that needs two players to complete but a community tweak that removes that part, the map does seem balanced for two people. SCMapDB page Author: Foofinoo Date of release: 2017 Maps in package: 1 Map review of City Invasion (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | August 6, 2023 | 3028 characters      City Invasion is an action walkthrough map with some minor story elements. That is to say, it tells you what is happening throughout the action and why, sort of. Players are expected to clear a "city invasion" of invading aliens with the occasional help of some soldiers.      The combat itself is broken up into really solid action setpieces which flow into one another seamlessly. You've got just about every xenian you can think of up to the gonarch, and even some voltigores (though they infight with the xenians, much to our delight). There's an ar...

       The map description really says it all: "Nobody knows what this map is about, or why it is called g-man". It's a strange, early map made by an unknown author that found its way onto the map database and now it's getting reviewed. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of G-man (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 27, 2023 | 1869 characters      G-Man is a map that exists without much purpose other than entropy. One of those maps that doesn't really end- it just becomes empty except for the players which dance ineffectively on its corpse.      The visuals are that of a desert valley perfectly contoured to lead players through a linear combat path: first flanked on either sides on the opposite end of a tunnel by HECU grunts; then in a dark tunnel by fassns; then outside, by turrets and even MORE fassns. The natural landscape is only minorly marred by its clunky turn-of-the-...

       Fight tons of chumtoads in this very short map. Watch fun cutscenes where scientists mess up (who could have seen that coming!), fight a bunch of chumtoads, kill a boss, and celebrate victory. SCMapDB page Author: the-middleman Date of release: 2014 Maps in package: 2 (includes another map we didn't play or review) Map review of Chubby Mess (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | July 23, 2023 | 1077 characters      Chubby Mess is a real short map that certainly had a vision. There's an opening cutscene that very naturally (if a little drawn-out) explains the situation: science did what science shouldn't, mixing big and many and chumtoads. The result is a chubby mess.      There are three phases to the map: first run from masses of snarks (chubbies) spawning in huge casecading numbers, then run back the way you came to destroy the mother chubby with explosives. The third part comes before both: the aforementioned very lon...

       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 ...

       This is a very good example of a walkthrough map, it's got lots of action and changes up the gameplay just enough to keep from being repetitive. It is very old though and uses a lot of the standard Half-Life assets. SCMapDB page Author: Hezus Date of release: 2002 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Central Assault (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 20, 2023 | 3411 characters      Central Assault is on BOMS and I can see why. It's funny- looking back on it I just remember some really funny looking proportions, artifacts of mapping from two decades before I sit and write this now. But really, my sentiment throughout is that this is a really good looking map. Some gorgeous natural environments, some fun lab equipment, lots of varied environments- some goofy, but most of it very striking.      I think that a lot of Central Assault has that disarming quality. Players spawn in a teleporter station that teleports, thank...

       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...

       Defend a castle! This is one of those times where the map name absolute describes exactly what is happening here. Defend a nuke for a set amount of time, which is apparently broken so just go until enemies stop appearing. SCMapDB page Author: generic Date of release: 2010 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Castle Defence (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 10, 2023 | 3488 characters      Castle Defense is a hoard map with a veritable multitool of a player defense area. The "castle" is a rather large fortress fit with gates, retractable turrets, mounted guns, SAMs, multiple armories, a barracks, and a goddamned nuke. That last thing is what you'll be spending the map defending against waves and waves and waves of HECU.      The enemies assaulting the player come in your standard HECU flavors, but come in large numbers wielding RPGs. There's also a heavy helping of heavy weapons grunts, and some supporting apaches. ...

       This is a variety map, walk through a teleporter to be dropped off in a fun room. There is an arena, control room, maze, armory, crusher, and a very saucy place. SCMapDB page Author: halo4life Date of release: 2006 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Choose (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | July 9, 2023 | 2752 characters      Choose is a real swiss army knife of a map. It reminds me of the reeeaaally old Garry's Mod construct map, where you just press buttons to spawn everything. This map really harkens back to that.      So, you've got a bunch of doors. There's an armory for restocking your ammo, an arena for pressing buttons which spawn horrible monsters to fight, an invisible maze for banging your head against your keyboard until blood pours of your ears, a "crusher room", a "pron" room, and a control room.      The armory gives you a bunch of the good shit. Tau, RPG, Gluon- the works. It's good, bec...

      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...

       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 ...