Sven Co-op Map Reviews

       Welcome to a Fire Temple inspired by the Legend of Zelda. There's lots of platforming here along with a maze, traps, secrets, and sometimes monsters.  SCMapDB page Author: Dr.Abc Date of release: 2014 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Fire Temple (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 25, 2026 | 4663 characters      A masterclass in how small decisions can make a charming, creative map into a patience grinder.      The fire temple features a series of puzzles and progression which would seemingly help the player become empowered over time. Since the player starts with literally nothing and has to work their way up to the first crowbar, it reminds me of a beginner dungeon in Zelda like the Deku Tree more than a later temple in terms of escalation.      There are some clever puzzles, like a maze which requires you look out for barely-visible tripwire-like kill barriers. There's a fun bit where you p...

      Welcome to a Fire Temple inspired by the Legend of Zelda. There's lots of platforming here along with a maze, traps, secrets, and sometimes monsters.  SCMapDB page Author: Dr.Abc Date of release: 2014 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Fire Temple (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 25, 2026 | 4365 characters      The first thing I notice about this map is that there is Zelda music and sound effects, so this is a Legend of Zelda map. It's obvious in hindsight, but I didn't know that going in. There are some signs that have text on them I might have seen in the Zelda games and some weapons have replaced textures on them to more like weapons from Legend of Zelda. There is also Thor's hammer at one point, I don't know what is going on there.      The map is one big unfolding puzzle. We've got lots of platforming over pits of lava, a maze with instant-kill walls, big eyes we have to make blink, buttons to press, and enem...

       This map is supposed to be Halo, it says right in the map description: You are Master Chief, A Cyborg who recently escaped the planet Halo. Aside from the incredible story this map is indistinguishable from a Black Mesa map. SCMapDB page Author: Matt *e**rm**er Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Halo (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 24, 2026 | 3913 characters      This map is ridiculous. Halo is a linear walkthrough map where players fight through an amalgamation of Black Mesa vignettes in space while rescuing HECU, G-Man, and Scientist. Open a door into a hallway full of vorts and agrunts, only to open the next door into a hallway full of… vorts and agrunts!      There are three aspects of this map worth talking about: the action, the mapping itself, and its adherence to the Halo theme. The action itself is pretty bad in, I think, a very honestly mistaken fashion. It tries to ambush the pl...

      This map is supposed to be Halo, it says right in the map description:  You are Master Chief, A Cyborg who recently escaped the planet Halo. Aside from the incredible story this map is indistinguishable from a Black Mesa map. SCMapDB page Author: Matt *e**rm**er Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Halo (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 24, 2026 | 2483 characters      So this is supposed to be a Halo map. I guess it can kind of look like Halo if you squint at the first room which is a Half-Life office with a window into space. Then from the supposed cockpit we travel forward, in front of the cockpit into more ship. At one point there is a train track tunnel with barriers blocking our way. There is also a tent. I mean if somebody is working with limited resources to make a conversion like turning Half-Life into Halo I don't expect perfection but this is nonsense. The ship makes no sense, just random Half-L...

       Gotta go fast, again! Another set of six areas players have to clear before dealing with the evil Dr. Eggman. This was merged with the first map by the community but is being reviewed separately.  SCMapDB page Author: iLLuSioN Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 9, 2026 | 3207 characters      Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a follow-up to Sonic the Hedgehog. We played it through the merged maps available here. Much like the first map, it is a platforming/puzzle map. This time, a fair bit easier than the first to beat each zone. To find each chaos emerald, however, it's quite a challenge.      First of all, this time the platforming is far less reliant on propulsion springs. There are far more straight forward platforming puzzles, like a frogger-like, navigating atop spinning barrels, avoiding obstacles atop a moving platform, etc. I think fo...

      Gotta go fast, again! Another set of six areas players have to clear before dealing with the evil Dr. Eggman. This was merged with the first map by the community but is being reviewed separately.  SCMapDB page Author: iLLuSioN Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 9, 2026 | 2002 characters      This map is very similar to the first one, with a central hub and some Sonic themed courses accessed by jumping through pictures on the wall. Right off the bat a big difference I see is a lot more details added. The second level is a burning version of the first, its really cool.      This map is extremely similar to the first map, with lots of platforming and special gimmicks per level. The is music for each stage and that's a very welcome addition. I remember thinking the lack of music beyond one short song was strange in the first map. So while it m...

       Gotta go fast! Play through six stages inspired by the blue blur and find secret emeralds to defeat Dr. Eggman. Followed by a sequel that was merged into one map by the community. SCMapDB page Author: iLLuSioN Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Sonic the Hedgehog (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 9, 2026 | 3213 characters      Sonic the Hedgehog is a platforming map where players race through 6 stages, a bonus stage, and a boss battle with tricky traps and secret emeralds.      Graphics are largely taken from old Sonic games to create the blockiest South Island I have ever seen. Despite the primitive geometry, there's a real charm to each environment that basks in the simplicity of a much older 3D title. The simple graphics sometimes help, sometimes hinder (as is the case with the bonus level).      The puzzles range from simple and fun to hair-tuggingly frustrating. Some are ...

      Gotta go fast! Play through six stages inspired by the blue blur and find secret emeralds to defeat Dr. Eggman. Followed by a sequel that was merged into one map by the community. SCMapDB page Author: iLLuSioN Date of release: 2008 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Sonic the Hedgehog (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 9, 2026 | 2602 characters      When the map starts my teammate and I are in a room with a button that when pressed starts the map. We're dropped into a hallway that accelerates us towards the classic big red springs which bounce us straight up into the ceiling where we bounce back into the acceleration hallway. When we free ourselves we end up in a room with a big water feature and beyond are the entrances to the six different challenges. These springs aren't always janky, but the majority of the map relies on precision jumping and these big springs.      The challenges open up one at a time and within eac...

       Here's a novel concept, stealth in Sven Co-op. Players are supposed to reach the end of the map without being seen. There isn't really a penalty for being seen. SCMapDB page Author: IceShaft Date of release: 2002 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Infiltration (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 9, 2026 | 1923 characters      Infiltration is a confusing map. It describes itself as one where you need to get in without being seen, but you spawn in the line of grunts' vision from windows in a building you must break the glass of to get inside (except you don't, because the grunts will most certainly break it first). My buddy and I used the crossbow at spawn with its respawning ammo to take everyone out. From there, you go down a series of pitch-black hallways fighting grunts and assassins and encountering way over-scaled furniture. After a hall that curves with a window in its side, the map ends.      I don't understa...

      Here's a novel concept, stealth in Sven Co-op. Players are supposed to reach the end of the map without being seen. There isn't really a penalty for being seen. SCMapDB page Author: IceShaft Date of release: 2002 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Infiltration (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 9, 2026 | 1264 characters      The map description says that we have to try to sneak to the exit and not be seen. When the map started and the message of the day popped up I was getting shot. So I don't know how anybody can be reasonably expected to play this map the 'correct' way.      There is a crossbow at spawn and I use it to blow up some soldiers before running out of ammo and dying. Then I ran through what felt like a straightforward hallways connected to rooms with some enemies in them. The map is really blocky and has bad proportions. Although I will say I did like the desks clearly built for giants but not so much the st...

       Not to be confused with THE Hotel, this map is an unfinished project meant to be a Sven Co-op map and a Half-Life: Deathmatch map. The map page seems to suggest it is almost finished but who knows. SCMapDB page Author: DennisG50 Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Hotel (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 3, 2026 | 3182 characters      Hotel is a very surreal deathmatch map converted into a Sven Co-op map (if I am understanding correctly from the description) that apparently isn't quite finished as of 20 years and some change ago.      The players start in what I at first thought were jail cells with buttons to open the doors. one of the four rooms has a door that opens very slowly for some reason. The doors open into a hallway which terminates at both ends in doors which open into a large lobby area. The lobby area has a big front desk that reminds me of the snack counter at a movie theater, a...

      Not to be confused with THE Hotel, this map is an unfinished project meant to be a Sven Co-op map and a Half-Life: Deathmatch map. The map page seems to suggest it is almost finished but who knows. SCMapDB page Author: DennisG50 Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Hotel (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 3, 2026 | 2651 characters      No part of this map reminds me of a hotel. There are individual rooms with a couch and table in each one, but the grey textures and industrial doors operated by buttons evokes the idea of a prison. There are two maps included here and one is a deathmatch version of the map, except deathmatch is not enabled so it is a cooperative exploration of an arena.      The map has this abstract fever dream layout. In the regular(?) version of the map players start off in cells, I mean hotel rooms, and each one has a weapon and some ammo and a couple even have HEV batteries. One of...

           The map page has a story written out for us, plus a promise to deliver more maps in the same story at a later time. But it's been over two decades and this is all we have, a very short map. SCMapDB page Author: [Barney]_Mouge Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Horror 1 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 2, 2026 | 3143 characters      Horror 1 is a very short outdoor zombie-shootin' map with some very cute brushwork and textures. There's meant to be a foreboding horror theme, and frankly whole map is just adorable.      Here's the progression: You start by your car, walk through a tunnel with a few headcrabs in it, walk through wilderness where zombie ghosts (I presume- they have the additive draw mode) ambush. The players pass by what looks like a church (which I thought was a very fun visual, even if a bit blocky and janky in places), and a stack of boxes with a key hoveri...

           The map page has a story written out for us, plus a promise to deliver more maps in the same story at a later time. But it's been over two decades and this is all we have, a very short map. SCMapDB page Author: [Barney]_Mouge Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Horror 1 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 2, 2026 | 1670 characters      This is a very short and cute map, It's over 25 years old at the time of writing this. It's endearing in its presentation but there really just isn't a whole lot here.      Players start off at the bottom of a road so slanted I see no possible way any car can drive up it. We go through a hallway, take a few turns, pick up a key on a stack of boxes, and find a fork in the road near a cemetery. Going right take sus back to spawn, unlocking a shortcut with a fun explosive plunger. Going left leads to a locked gate we use the key to open and the map ends...

       "You hit your head and now you are dreaming" of some blocky stairs covered in respawning enemies. This map really embodies early Sven Co-op, where things appear to be optimized for a rush of people. SCMapDB page Author: JJ45 aka Aurora Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Dreamstairs (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 26, 2026 | 2576 characters      Dreamstairs is walkthrough map in which the players ascend a spiral staircase surrounded by death drop and filled with respawning enemies. All progress made is immediately met with enemies reappearing to wreak vengeance on your buttocks. The story implies that the scenario is a hallucinatory manifestation from head trauma, and I think it succeeds as a headache simulator.      The visuals are dirt simple, to an almost respectable degree. The only real flourish to the grey concrete staircase is layers of semitranslucent grey planes which create a mo...

      "You hit your head and now you are dreaming" of some blocky stairs covered in respawning enemies. This map really embodies early Sven Co-op, where things appear to be optimized for a rush of people. SCMapDB page Author: JJ45 aka Aurora Date of release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Dreamstairs (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | April 26, 2026 | 2805 characters      You hit your head and now you're in a dream … . where you climb stairs covered in respawning enemies.      My first reaction to this map was pretty negative. We start off on stairs and we climb upward, with full armor which really does help our survival, until we fight globs of enemies. Each enemy has a ton of health so its slow going and each enemy respawns so when we clear out a patch and move forward we sometimes have to deal with enemies behind us, putting us in and endless loop of being pincered.      But my teammate suggested just ru...

       Welcome to the Nuclear Power Plant, a short mod for the original Half-Life from the ancient year of 1999 ported to Sven Co-op in the modern age. As the name implies, it is a nuclear power plant, and since this is a shooting game, we get to fight in the power plant. SCMapDB page Original map author: Alexei Frolov Conversion author: Reuniclus-579 Date of original mod release: 1999 Date of final Sven Map release: 2026 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Nuclear Power Plant (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | April 25, 2026 | 2018 characters      Nuclear Power Plant is a simple walkthrough map with a bit of platforming, a bit of vent scouring, and a bit of firefighting.      There's lots of fun bits, like shutting off an electric coil before climbing up it like a ladder, or a caged HEV suit that we used to gib a local Barney and grab a gun before it should have been possible. There's a bit where a spinning piece of ma...

      Welcome to the Nuclear Power Plant, a short mod for the original Half-Life from the ancient year of 1999 ported to Sven Co-op in the modern age. As the name implies, it is a nuclear power plant, and since this is a shooting game, we get to fight in the power plant. SCMapDB page Original map author: Alexei Frolov Conversion author: Reuniclus-579 Date of original mod release: 1999 Date of final Sven Map release: 2026 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Nuclear Power Plant (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by GrandmasterJ | April 25, 2026 | 2898 characters      The starting area of the map is a room with a barney and two HEV suits in weird spiky cages. There are two buttons, one opens the cage for the HEV suit on the right and the other button seems nonfunctional, I could not open the cage on the left. Anyway, we opened the cage on the right, lured in the barney, closed the cage, and I think that alone is going to boost the score for this map.  ...

       I'm starting to think the third L in the title is a typo. Icon of Hell(l?) is a conversion of a mod with a lot of futuristic and archaic visuals all thrown together in an interesting linear experience. It's also got custom models and scripted weapons which really help sell that this is as a new experience. SCMapDB page Original map author: Lefront Conversion author: Reuniclus-579 Date of original mod release: 2013 Date of final Sven Map release: 2024 Maps in package: 7 Map review of Icon of Helll (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | March 29, 2026 | 3901 characters      Icon of Helll is a very inspired spooky mapset converted expertly by Reuniclus-579. There are lots of recognizable assets (and even some map setpieces and layouts) from games like Doom 3 and Duke Nukem 3D. You'll notice more than anything, though, the really nicely scripted weapons and enemies borrowing heavily from Cry of Fear. While lots is repurposed assets,...

     I'm starting to think the third L in the title is a typo. Icon of Hell(l?) is a conversion of a mod with a lot of futuristic and archaic visuals all thrown together in an interesting linear experience. It's also got custom models and scripted weapons which really help sell that this is as a new experience. SCMapDB page Original map author: Lefront Conversion author: Reuniclus-579 Date of original mod release: 2013 Date of final Sven Map release: 2024 Maps in package: 7 Map review of Icon of Helll (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by GrandmasterJ | April 29, 2026 | 4593 characters      Let's start with an obligatory 'I have not played the original mod' for this conversion so I don't know how the original plays. There are a few areas where a checkpoint would not have been unnoticed and some places where it seems players are expected to just die. But beyond those points this is a very competently done conversion.      The first thing tha...