Sven Co-op Map Reviews

      It's a fairly standard kill box map. There are a bunch of monsters in a pit, safely away from players, and players get to pour death down the hole at their leisure. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | March 11, 2023 | 2038 characters      Splatter is a gimmick map for Sven Co-op. Some hatches in the floor allow easy access for players to drop explosives and other armaments down upon infinitely respawning aliens. That'll teach them to be aliens!      Players are supplied with rockets, satchel charges, grenades, a gauss rifle (necessary for catapulting one's self up into an upper area), under barrel grenades, and some other weapons. What matters is the explosives you can drop on the enemies. This is surprisingly fun, and the small area through which you can shoot at the enemies can make for some fun games of trying to get your explosive in the hole from

      It's a fairly standard kill box map. There are a bunch of monsters in a pit, safely away from players, and players get to pour death down the hole at their leisure. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | March 11, 2023 | 2032 characters      Spawn in a safe room filled with weapons and take a peek through some holes in the floor to a pit filled with monsters. Drop a satchel charge in, launch a rocket, perhaps lob an underbarrel grenade. The monsters respawn near instantly.      That's about it for interactivity. There are some interesting things to look at, some checkerboard missing textures, a stack of unbreakable boxes, and a weird booth behind some chain link with a bunch of satchel charges in front of it. The map description says that's an admin room, and it certainly had a bunch of buttons that did some stuff. But there is no discernable way in or out,

    This map was built to play a way that Sven never really supported. So it was abandoned. It's a box (or two) full of headcrabs for a project that was cancelled due to the main concept not working out. SCMapDB page Author: Socrates Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Crablegs (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | March 11, 2023 | 1278 characters      Crablegs is a map for Sven Co-op. It features two darkened arenas with floating water surfaces in the center. Each arena is a cube with inaccessible catwalks with infinitely spawning headcrabs. The player has no flashlight, so facing the headcrabs is a nightmare. To make matters worse, players spawn with a revolver drawn which is a terrible weapon for fighting headcrabs in the dark. Switching to the crowbar helps, but it doesn't help anything of particular note because there doesn't seem to be any end to the endlessly spawning headcrabs.      Maybe with a lot of players fighting the h

      This map was built to play a way that Sven never really supported. So it was abandoned. It's a box (or two) full of headcrabs for a project that was cancelled due to the main concept not working out. SCMapDB page Author: Socrates Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Crablegs (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | March 11, 2023 | 1481 characters      This map consists of two rooms, each with the shallowest puddle in the middle in which headcrabs pour into endlessly via a hole high up in the wall. There is another platform up around where the headcrabs appear, it even connects the rooms which are otherwise cut off from each other. There is no way up there unless players want to create a tower.      Players start with crowbar, medkit, and revolver. Then they get buried in headcrabs. If I've learned anything from this map it is that headcrabs can be real dangerous if you need to fight 50 of them at once.      Also, we don't have flashl

    Welcome to the Holodeck, a map where players can run around an arena while other players spawn monsters in. I'm guessing it's based off the holodeck in Star Trek but I don't remember the that show ever making the holodeck look like this. SCMapDB page Author: Shnuh Date of release:2004 Maps in package:1 Map review of Holodeck (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | March 4, 2023 | 1925 characters      Holodeck is, if I'm following correctly, a follow-up update to Biodome ( http://scmapdb.wikidot.com/map:biodome ) by the same author. To recap, that is to say, Holodeck is a sandbox map for Sven Co-op, wherein an arena comprised of a flat square area adored with turret towers with bridges between them set the stage for players to toy with the tools of Sven Co-op. I wrote a brief review of biodome which you can see on its page on this site. I recommend looking into that and coming back here to find out how this map differs.      Not by a whole lot. T

      Welcome to the Holodeck, a map where players can run around an arena while other players spawn monsters in. I'm guessing it's based off the holodeck in Star Trek but I don't remember the that show ever making the holodeck look like this. SCMapDB page Author: Shnuh Date of release:2004 Maps in package:1 Map review of Holodeck (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | March 4, 2023 | 2802 characters      I played the beta of this map and it was not bad, it looked pretty bad and weapon selection was terrible but the arena combat was fun. Some of these problems even got fixed in this version!      The map is now lit properly and that is already a huge improvement. The arena in unchanged, a pit in the center of the map with some short towers and bridges. There is a ladder up top to an area with buttons overlooking the combat zone that can spawn monsters, weapons, explosions, water, whatever. The buttons are still fairly vague and there are new additions from

    This is an early version of another map called Holodeck. I recommend skipping this and going straight to that map. But it does have a separate entry on the map database so here is a separate review. SCMapDB page Author: Shnuh Date of release:2002 Maps in package:1 Map review of Biodome (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | March 4, 2023 | 3380 characters      Biodome is a sandbox map for Sven Co-op, wherein an arena comprised of a flat square area adored with turret towers with bridges between them set the stage for players to toy with the tools of Sven Co-op.      This map is split up into two parts. The first is the arena. The arena is where players spawn, and it's where the action is focused. Players can use a ladder to exit the arena, but until they do that they are IN the arena. Depending on the whims of the players who climbed the ladder, the arena may be peaceful, populated with allies, full of weapons, full of enemies, raining missiles, underwater

      This is an early version of another map called Holodeck. I recommend skipping this and going straight to that map. But it does have a separate entry on the map database so here is a separate review. SCMapDB page Author: Shnuh Date of release:2002 Maps in package:1 Map review of Biodome (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | March 4, 2023 | 2264 characters      The screenshots of the map look fullbright, and indeed the map is fullbright. It also appears to be the beta of another map called Holodeck. That one has lighting and everything.      The map is a stadium type of map, there is a combat zone with some raised walkways around and buttons up top that players can press to spawn NPCs. The buttons are labelled but can still be vague. Most of the enemy spawners had two buttons, one is green and that indicates friendly. There are some unlabelled buttons and one caused rockets to rain down on both myself and my teammate who was above pressing the buttons. Maybe wit

      One room with a big zapper in the middle and three hallways on the sides spitting out scientists who run straight into the laser. It's all automatic, there is nothing players can do but watch the lemmings die. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 1477 characters      Zapper is map for Sven Co-op which shows off the applications of a scientific zapping machine. To that end, a zapping machine sits in the middle of a room between 3 scientist spawning corridors. Each is drawn to the laser like a moth to a flame. With an "argh!" they fall prone, luring the next scientist in to resurrect. For a scientist zapper, it gets jammed with scientists a lot. Alas, I feel this was probably far more functional before the scientists were updated to resurrect one another.      The map also looks pretty nice, with the zapping machine itself being very we

      One room with a big zapper in the middle and three hallways on the sides spitting out scientists who run straight into the laser. It's all automatic, there is nothing players can do but watch the lemmings die. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1375 characters      This map is very simple. There is one room with a big laser device in the middle of it. There is a console attached to it but it does nothing, ignore the console, do not bother with the console. Scientists spawn in from three short hallways and they sprint directly into the laser beam in the center of the machine. That is the entire map.      The map looks pretty good, a lot of detail went into the laser. Arcs of electricity power it from the sides, big dual pronged machines along the walls. Scientists will try to revive friendly NPCs and players, so some scientists would revive a budd

    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 map.

      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 shotgun shells as well but the other r

      The whole map is a skatepark, with one half indoors in what one would call a big room, and the other half is outdoors. There is a drivable skateboard but it is on a track and does not go outside. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2001 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Room Guy 3 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 2477 characters      Big Room Guy 3 is a hangout map for Sven Co-op featuring two skateparks and one skateboard between them- and NO they may not share. Skate around inside of an indoor skatepark, becoming the envy of your friends and enemies alike. Walk around in an outdoor skatepark, wistfully wishing you either could bring the skateboard outside or at least open any of the doors out here.      The indoor skatepark includes the basic accoutrement one may expect: rails, quarterpipes ramps, the works. There's also a bar with taps which make funny sounds. This interior looks pretty nice, is conveyed simply,

      The whole map is a skatepark, with one half indoors in what one would call a big room, and the other half is outdoors. There is a drivable skateboard but it is on a track and does not go outside. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2001 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Room Guy 3 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1750 characters      This map is a pretty cool skate park. There are two areas, an indoor park complete with bar area and rideable skateboard, and an outdoor park with no interactive things but it does have enticing doors that to not go anywhere.      The rideable skateboard is pretty cool, it's stuck to a track and rides around the level, going up and down ramps. It will absolute splatter anybody who gets in the way. The rest of the map is just half-pipes, rails, and other constructions that aren't really fun to interact with in the goldsrc engine. That skateboard is really the best thing in the map and t

      There really isn't any large male genitalia in this map. There is a small pixelated depiction of that but it's not the same. Besides that, hang out on a sandy island and hang out in the dance tent or hot tub. Edit: 2/20/2023: Shortly after we wrote our reviews, this map was removed from the database. The reason cited was the map's inclusion, in its entirety, in another map (Secret Lounge). Also the author credit is wrong. This review will be kept for posterity, including the incorrect author credit and broken link to a map page that no longer exists. SCMapDB page Author:Boxes Date of release:Unknown Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Penis (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 1555 characters      Big Penis is a hangout map for Sven Co-op. It creates a quaint island setting complete with a jacuzzi, tent, porta potty, towel robot, boombox, torches, and campfire. The boombox inside of the tent, as well as a portable light, are int

      There really isn't any large male genitalia in this map. There is a small pixelated depiction of that but it's not the same. Besides that, hang out on a sandy island and hang out in the dance tent or hot tub. Edit: 2/20/2023: Shortly after we wrote our reviews, this map was removed from the database. The reason cited was the map's inclusion, in its entirety, in another map (Secret Lounge). Also the author credit is wrong. This review will be kept for posterity, including the incorrect author credit and broken link to a map page that no longer exists.  SCMapDB page Author: Boxes Date of release: Unknown Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Penis (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1714 characters      For everybody looking for a big penis in this map, sorry to break the news like this, but there isn't any. The map description does warn of a porn room but it's weird old man penis. Anyway, the whole map is an island and the

      This map is not just Duck Hunt, it also has a Frogger section as well. Snipe aliens out of the air on one side of the map and dodge fast cars in another. SCMapDB page Author: LentoMan Date of release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Retrohunt (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 4, 2023 | 2940 characters      Retrohunt is a map for Sven Co-op which aims to provide two minigames based on classic retro games Duck Hunt and Frogger.      Players begin in a stylish lobby which is Duck Hunt on one side and Frogger on the other, each with a teleporter leading to their respective game. It's an intuitive lobby and shows right away what kind of attraction you're in for. That said, unaware that Frogger would be the featured game, I took the Frogger environment to possibly be Hogan's Alley, which I consider a more comparable pairing for Duck Hunt.      The Frogger minigame is a bit chaotic, but not impossible to master. Players must cross fo

    This map is not just Duck Hunt, it also has a Frogger section as well. Snipe aliens out of the air on one side of the map and dodge fast cars in another. SCMapDB page Author: LentoMan Date of release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Retrohunt (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 4, 2023 | 2792 characters      Retrohunt is not only a version of Duck Hunt remade for Sven Co-op, but it is also Frogger. Player start off in a room that is half dark alley and half bright NES hunting ground each with a teleporter.      In the Frogger side of things players are dropped onto a narrow sidewalk with four lanes of fast cars speeding by. When I first went through my teammate telefragged me by using the teleporter right behind me, so watch out for that. Actually crossing the road is an ordeal, as the cars are fast, deadly, and don't appear in an easily timed intervals as their speeds can change.      Getting across the road (and the floating platforms, thi

      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 Disintegration of Time's page, one of the firs

      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 of the room. It is full of miniguns