Sven Co-op Map Reviews

           Piha is a façade of what appears to be an apartment building, the map description claims this to be the author, Robootto's, house. There isn't much interactivity or stuff to do in this map. SCMapDP page Author: Robootto Date of final release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Piha (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 26, 2022 | 1554 characters      This map is mostly a façade of an apartment building. It's got a nice open lot, presumably for parking, in front of about 8 units, four on the first floor and four on the second floor. Ther eis only one part you can really enter, the cluster of units on the left has a staircase up to the two units upstairs, only the one on the right exists and is a simple affair consisting of a room with an American flag and a balcony.      There are some ladders providing access to the roof from the back of the apartment building, but I can see no way to get over there without cheating. I noclipped through the whol

       This is something like a recreation of the first level of Duke Nukem 3d. Most of the map does its own thing but for the most part it kind of feels like Duke Nukem. SCMapDB page Author: DukeN Date of final release: 2014 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Dukemap (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 28, 2022 | 4713 characters      "I'm waiting for the reviews to improve my maps" -DukeN in the Additional Info section of dukemap2. 8 years late, but this one's for you, DukeN.      Dukemap2 (listed on scmapdb as Dukemap) is the sequel to an as-of-yet unreleased (possibly cancelled) prequel map. I suppose that will explain the strange circumstances surrounding the spawn area of this map.      The map begins with players in a UFO where they charge their HEV (if you're gonna let em do it at spawn in a cramped spawn area, why not just start them with full HEV?) and a teleporter which drops them out of the UFO and onto a conspicuous reservoir atop a tow

      This is something like a recreation of the first level of Duke Nukem 3d. Most of the map does its own thing but for the most part it kind of feels like Duke Nukem. SCMapDB page Author: DukeN Date of final release: 2014 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Dukemap (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 27, 2022 | 5930 characters      I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Dukemap, made by DukeN, is inspired by Duke Nukem 3D. Duke jumps down from a ship in the first level of Duke 3D and players jump down from a flying saucer in this map. The gameplay diverges pretty differently here, it's not a remake but just feels inspired by Duke Nukem.      Players spawn in a space ship with these green bars rising out of the floor, these are HEV chargers. I didn't realize this until my teammate started sucking up that sweet armor. There is a door at the bottom of the ship that opens when two players press two buttons simultaneously. Once its open players fall t

       According to the map description, KTIVT stands for Krasnoyarsk Technical-College Of Information And Computer-Engineering which this map is recreating. The map description also says you are supposed to save scientists but good luck with that. SCMapDB page Author: RastaManGames Date of final release: 2016 Maps in package: 1 Map review of KTIVT (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 27, 2022 | 3980 characters      KTIVT is a charming little recreation of a real life location in Siberia, a college university I understand. Over here in the United States, such a thing would be pretty taboo, especially with recent events, but it doesn't take a deep dive into this map to know that there is no malice in its intent. I don't know RastaManGames, but I get the impression that he is pure of heart.      The map itself, as a replica, can't really be judged by myself as I have never been to the real location. However, comparing it to universities I have visited in the

      According to the map description, KTIVT stands for  Krasnoyarsk Technical-College Of Information And Computer-Engineering which this map is recreating. The map description also says you are supposed to save scientists but good luck with that. SCMapDB page Author: RastaManGames Date of final release: 2016 Maps in package: 1 Map review of KTIVT (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 27, 2022 | 3890 characters      This is a recreation of a college in Russia, presumably the mapper's alma mater. I have just got to say, the map description is a joy to read. Everything about this map is endearing from the map page, the author's comments, and the very simple and inelegant map design.      The map does look blocky and rough. Door textures are sometimes backwards and none of the doors are actually doors, they are all breakables. Everything has really thick edges and makes all the details, especially the chairs, look like they are made out of thick plastic, like all t

      Listed alphabetically, the list of maps tend to form clumps. Garg is first in line in the clump of Gargantua themed maps and is pretty indicative of what these maps tend to play like. SCMapDB page Author: ShotGunKiller Date of final release: 2002 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Garg (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 15, 2022 | 2300 characters      Garg is a map which I think really embodies a lot of the attitude of Goldsrc and Source mappers: it's a simple idea executed in a strange and interesting way with a bunch of side-content for those who are looking for a little more.      The conceit is simple: In a small patch of land surrounded by sheer cliff faces, a small outpost is harassed by a Gargantua! With some minor exploration, the players can easily become equipped to kill it. After the garg dies, it respawns to be killed again using the cleverly acquired arsenal all around the map. After killing the garg 3 times we presumed the gargs to be respawning

      Listed alphabetically, the list of maps tend to form clumps. Garg is first in line in the clump of Gargantua themed maps and is pretty indicative of what these maps tend to play like. SCMapDB page Author: ShotGunKiller Date of final release: 2002 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Garg (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 15, 2022 | 2364 characters      The map description is very apt for this map, it is an arena with infinitely respawning gargantuas and an arena with some exploration bits. Players start on a cliff overlooking the garg and the arena, I immediately saw a rocket launcher on top of a building, when I ran across the bridge to get it the bridge broke and I fell in with the garg. You have to jump up the crates in front of the building to access the rocket launcher, there is a vent around the side of the building that allows access to the inside and some goodies. There are some other sections with enemies, like the long hallway on the other side of the rea

       This map's long winded and confusing name is brought to you by Counter-Strike: Nexon, a spin-off of Counter-Strike that focuses on players vs. zombies. Weapons, enemies, and level design are all taken from Nexon and combines into something not quite PVP. SCMapDB page Author: Nexon Date of final release: 2017 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Metal Gate Deathmatch DM Map-2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 14, 2022 | 2428 characters      Metal Gate Deathmatch is a couple deathmatch maps from the Nexon series. They come here with some scripted weapons, nifty new zombie enemies called "minions", a mysterious crystal by the name of "Get Score!!!", and an aesthetic that combines the sci-fi brutalist whimsy of Halo and the techno spacepunk of Unreal Tournament '99. Like most Nexon maps, they look great and come with some spectacular new toys, yet play mostly like watching paint dry unless you have a chaotic blend of players creating the e

      This map's long winded and confusing name is brought to you by Counter-Strike: Nexon, a spin-off of Counter-Strike that focuses on players vs. zombies. Weapons, enemies, and level design are all taken from Nexon and combines into something not quite PVP. SCMapDB page Author: Nexon Date of final release: 2017 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Metal Gate Deathmatch DM Map-2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 14, 2022 | 1977 characters      This is a map ported over from Counter-Strike: Nexon, a zombie/pvp game with a wide variety of weapons and player models. This particular map is set up like a MOBA, players spawn in two separate spawn zones (but the map is set to deathmatch so players in the same spawn can kill you) and run down corridors to get to a central arena. In this map there is a large green crystal monster with one million health named Get Score! We spent forever killing it and nothing happened. In the corridors there are some infinitely respawning z

       Zombie Pit is one of those maps where the name really says it all. Maybe the name left out the lava and the fact that there is a teleporter out of the pit but that's about all that the name leaves out. SCMapDB page Author: Keen Date of final release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Zombie Pit (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 14, 2022 | 1001 characters      Zombie Pit is an early map out of Keen, and it shows. As is the soft, early prodding of what a playable map can look like. Some beveled brushes loosely imitating naturalistic rock formations suspend freshly spawned players over a fractured earthen arena half-sunk in deadly, glowing, one-hit-kill pasta (or lava, idk). In the lower area the player will find headcrabs, zombies, and a teleporter back up. After moments of play, the zombies and headcrabs fall into the pasta/lava and the action grinds to a halt.      This is a clear example of an early jab at mapping. There's no real good reason to

      Zombie Pit is one of those maps where the name really says it all. Maybe the name left out the lava and the fact that there is a teleporter out of the pit but that's about all that the name leaves out. SCMapDB page Author: Keen Date of final release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Zombie Pit (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 14, 2022 | 1263 characters      Zombie pit is a very small map where players start above a pit that does not have zombies until a player jumps down. I don't know if the zombies spawn endlessly from that point on, or if the zombies spawn every time a player jumps down. There is lava in the pit that zombies and headcrabs can fall into and then players can't really see them or go down in there so the monsters just sit in the lava preventing more zombies from spawning in. I think they zombies do respawn when a player jumps down because they respawned right when my teammate jumped down after me. In the pit there is a teleporte

       Let me just say right off the bat that this map has nothing to do with arcades. It's really just another Black Mesa map style-wise and a scavenger hunt gameplay-wise.  SCMapDB page Authors: Streamfox and RNG Date of final release: 2010 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Arcad (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 14, 2022 | 2976 characters      Arcad is a couple of maps by Streamfox and RNG. The first sees players fight their way through a military base lightly peppered with alien invaders, followed up by a pretty straightforward romp through an alien-infested bunker/engineering facility.      The first map struggles to form much of an identity outside of cargo holds and hallways. Most of the map felt samey, but featured fun (if easy) combat with lots of ammo and an ever-expanding arsenal. I think its most memorable bits are point-and-click reminiscent puzzles featuring finding parts to build explosives, repairing broken door engines, and driving forklifts thro

      Let me just say right off the bat that this map has nothing to do with arcades. It's really just another Black Mesa map style-wise and a scavenger hunt gameplay-wise.  SCMapDB page Authors: Streamfox and RNG Date of final release: 2010 Maps in package: 2 Map review of Arcad (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 14, 2022 | 4824 characters      On the surface Arcad looks like a very generic map that looks like Black Mesa. For the most part, that aesthetic pervades the whole first map but the second map is much more visually interesting. This leads to making the rooms all look the same, but objectives are well marked for the most part so players always know where to go, for the most part. There were definitely times where the means of progression was hard to find and led to a lot of jumping around and poking heads into dark corners.      The first map starts off looking pretty bland and stays that way the whole time. At first players will just plow forward but the

       The map works exactly as described, first players must attack and then players must defend. The secret to attacking is finding the small black boxes with red lights on them and destroying them. The secret to defending is to hold on to your butts! SCMapDB page Author: NIPPER Date of final release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Attack & Defend (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 8, 2022 | 3902 characters      Attack & Defend is a classic Sven Co-op map, going on almost 18 years old as of writing this. It was made by Nipper, an absolutely prolific mapper known for high quality, high quantity output.      This map is simple: you attack, and then you defend. Players start in a safe spawn cave with two exits into the battle. Players progress by destroying multiple red-light boxes on the fences which block progression. When each box is destroyed, the fence falls allowing forward movement. All the while, players must content with strategically entrenche

      The map works exactly as described, first players must attack and then players must defend. The secret to attacking is finding the small black boxes with red lights on them and destroying them. The secret to defending is to hold on to your butts! SCMapDB page Author: NIPPER Date of final release: 2004 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Attack & Defend (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 8, 2022 | 4941 characters      I love Attack Defend. I used to play it a lot back in the day and when I got a say in what the next map would be I would say this one. The map is frenetic action through and through. It completely embodies what I remember as the best part of old school Sven Co-op, crazy chaotic action with a bunch of people.      The map starts off with players attacking a fortified hill. There is a trench at the top with two bunkers in the hill below, charging the trench at the top requires running past these bunkers which fill up endlessly with soldiers. There is

        Kozmic  Chenbox is a small box with piles of crowbars (reskinned to be katanas) and PVP. Large pictures of an anime catgirl line the walls and there is some music as well. SCMapDBPage Author: Gruntzz Date of final release: 2022 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Kozmic  Chenbox (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | May 8, 2022 | 3687 characters      Kozmic is, as I understand, the first map of 2022. Mazel tov.      Kozmic is a silly little box map with images (some animated, with notable quality and fluidity) from an anime that I am simply not familiar with. I admit, I am not the target audience for this map. I invite anybody who is more familiar with the anime to question my credentials regarding this map. However, I think if these were images of characters I AM familiar with, in similar contexts, I wouldn't regard this map much differently. Again, I invite anybody to question my credentials, as I probably do not relate to the media I enjoy in the same way many f

        Kozmic  Chenbox is a small box with piles of crowbars (reskinned to be katanas) and PVP. Large pictures of an anime catgirl line the walls and there is some music as well. SCMapDBPage Author: Gruntzz Date of final release: 2022 Maps in package: 1 Map review of  Kozmic  Chenbox (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | May 8, 2022 | 2339 characters      I'm not a fan of PVP in Sven Co-op, I just don't think that's what the game is about. I'm a fan of sometimes having friendly fire on though. This map is a box with friendly fire on it, there is some art of an anime character I don't know the name of (I would guess Kozmic?), some music, and some respawning crowbars reskinned to look like katanas.      The level design is minimal, the decoration doesn't appeal to me and also the pictures will disappear if you get to close to them, it's weird. Its not inspired and its not a great arena. But after stabbing my teammate to death he respawned and start

      The point of this map is to drive an APC through a linear map blowing up obstacles and enemies along the way. The map certainly looks rough and the vehicles in Sven are very deadly to the occupants, but the map still delivers a fun experience. SCMapDB page Author: JJ45 Date of final release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of APC Rally (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 24, 2022 | 4599 characters      APC Rally is an older walkthrough action map. At a glance, the map looks pretty hastily brushed together and lit for an outdoor canyon, but the gameplay at front and center shines through.      The conceit of APC Rally is that players maneuver a large drivable APC through obstacles, intermittently abandoning it to complete an objective which clears up a roadblock. Func_vehicles are notoriously chunky and easily kill players, but APC Rally designs around this by making the map about absurd action and weapons. While playing, my teammate said something along the

      The point of this map is to drive an APC through a linear map blowing up obstacles and enemies along the way. The map certainly looks rough and the vehicles in Sven are very deadly to the occupants, but the map still delivers a fun experience. SCMapDB page Author: JJ45 Date of final release: 2003 Maps in package: 1 Map review of APC Rally (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | April 24, 2022 | 4927 characters      APC Rally is a map about riding an APC through enemies in crazy fun combat. The map description sold me on the idea and I was excited to play. The map is pretty old and it can be pretty rough at times, but I think it did manage to deliver on its promise. The combat is exactly the kind of stuff I remember seeing in Sven maps back in the day, dense high health enemies that players chew through using tons of weapons.      The first thing that needs to be addressed is the APC. Yes, there is a drivable APC that needs to be driven through obstacles to unlock the way

       There are quite a few maps centered around the gargantua, this particular map has tons of enemies in it yet the gargantua gets all the credit. Players go through teleporters and end up in a big room full of enemies. SCMapDB page Author: Hezus Date of final release: 2001 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Garg House (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | April 24, 2022 | 2320 characters      Garghouse2k is an endless combat map starring a garg, a warehouse (technically a house), an escalating series of events which makes combat more and more complex and intense. First you have a garg running around, then you have bullsquids, then the HECU invade, and then vortigaunts and alien grunts join in the fray- needless to say, things get pretty crazy.      Players spawn in a separated balcony where they can lord over the battle with mutual impunity. However, after jogging through a teleporter the players are thrust into the action on the ground level with the garg. All around the