Sunday 21 December 2008

Hedgerow siege for COD2

Level name : Hedgerow siege

Author : Soulwax

Date of release : 31 January 2007

Size : 5 243 ko

Number of maps : 1



Website : None

Download link: here 'you may perhaps need to register to download it!

Alternative download:



Other map reviewed from the author :

Angoville

Story:

None regarding to the environment of the map it's shound take place in the north of Belgium or the Netherlands and it's just a mission with as main objective destroying flags

Review:

This was the first release from the author for COD2 it's a basic one but enjoyable to play.

Design is made with a biginner touch, flat map with oriented progression through canalized progression with ton's of bushes all building or structure you will encounter a defenetly missing realism but you easily understand what the author wanted to make all in all it isn't that bad but a little not enough realistic

Gameplay is quite enjoyable even sometimes a little hard due to the fact that the automatic saving are place just before some thaught combats, it's a squad mission so you won't be alone, objective are well organized and it's straight forward, there isn't anything original but it wasn' t a boring mission

In conclusion: this first release according COD2 from soulwax is a typical beginner map but that also show the potential from the mapper design is a little to simple and wont let a memorable feeling but gameplay is enjoyable, if you never play this one before give it a try.


playtime : 30 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (56%)

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Call of Duty Valor for CODUO

Level name : Call of Duty Valor

Author : Briant 'Gunrock' Robinson

Date of release : 5 July 2008

Size : 73 164 ko

Number of maps : 5



Website : here

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :

Nightfire,SAS Manor,Trench86, Wayward,Argentan,CODUO Missions

Author's Note:

4 single player maps. Play as a 82nd paratrooper, and a british paratrooper.

Railgun: Fight your way through a nazi train yard to capture a railgun.

Ruins: In france deep in the woods the nazis set up a base in the old
french ruins go in hard and clear them out!

Farm: Hq reports that the germans are setting up a flak 88 gun
on a farm close to the main road the allies supply line uses.
Your squad has got a job to do.

Hill52: Hamburger hill your captain calls it. the germans got that
hill covered with mg42 bunker's land mines and a hard edge
german division to top it all off. And the brass want that hill!

Review:

This is I hope not the last release from Briant, It's an episode that is not as good as other episode previuously reviewed here but it's not far away. Maps aren't really linked together but provide different experiences always oriented in a squad progression, objectives are easy to understand but in all fights you have to remember that the respawn of enemies is associated with your progression, so if you stay to kill enemies they will never stop coming. The four missions are set in different environment with a correct design and an enjoyable scripting and last but not release regarding to previous release from Briant, this time it's challenging enough to give durability. the author took also some music, sound and models to add some special features to the pack, except some weapons sounds, it was perfectly fitting.

First map (Railgun):

for this one you will need to travel through a railway depot and destroy all flag cannons. Layout is correct but a little dispaointing in terms of realism most of building are empty or not enough constructed in term of indoor details and, it also doesn't shows any effect from bombing planes that seems to be always present during this mission, this depot never let me the feeling to be a startegic place to destoy and really looks unrealistic, for the rest the general layout is quite good and the scripting events are well manage to make you travel through this really huge openwided train station depot. Its huge intense and not that easy to pass through.










Second map(Ruins):
this time you need to investigate some ruins left in a forest were german troops found some coverage after their pull back. In this one sherman tanks will be you friend, progression is straight forward in a more realistic environment were german always have good place to hide and ambush you it's quite ckassic in design and architecture but really let a realistic feeling, for the scpiting it's as well handled as in the fist mission and respawn of enmies add a fighting value to this one making it thaught to progress in some places.










Third map(Farm):

After a brief but intense fight trying to protect a main road you will follow your team mate to get into a far away farm well protect by german troops, progression will make iot not that easy to reach the farm and try to take it after there will be a panzer counter attack to fight against with perfect placement of tank that really gonna hurt you... the general layout is enjoyable and all location seems enough detail to make them realistic, short mission briefing is present in this one and perfectly audible, it's ones more injoyable and add the talking dimension of a team... scipting change a little bit at the end with those 'moving' objective but one more it's enjoyable.











Fourth map (Hill52):

here we are with the tanks trying to get rid of those nasty, well protected bunkers it's more simple in this last one progress, eliminate resistance and take the bunker and go forward to do. The same layout, like the scipt but doesn't add anything new to what we saw before and i would expect something much like a timed final battle where you need to hold the position... it's ok well handled but lets an unfinished tasted.











Fifth map (???):
I wont tell about this one but really found the idea original and everything was simple but so efficiant this is really the perfect example of what I, player, like to see...and really finish this one with a personal, highly enjoyable touch.

In conclusion: after a lot of successfull tests maps (that are all available here) Briant came with some bigger project though a four maps episode with more challenge, mixed gameplay experience and mixed environment, this all put together bring something enjoyable that also has some flaws but certainly make us play an enjoyable pack.


Playtime : 1 Hours 40

Rating : A B C D E (87%)

Monday 8 December 2008

LeonCOD for COD

Level name : LeonCOD

Author : Leon Stephan Brinkman

Date of release : 16 August 2004

Size : 740 ko

Number of maps : 2


Website : none related

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :

Leon COD2 for COD2, Leoncod2 for COD


Story:
Map one:

The German army is holding you in a holding cell under the ground in a large complex. You have to find a way to escape from there, when you succeed you will have to find yourself a weapon before you can go on, (because the axis soldiers first shoot and than ask questions later). When you have a weapon you have to find yourself a way up and try to get out of the complex into the open air.

Map two:

Out of the complex you will find yourself in a little village, this all belongs still to the complex and you’re still not free. From now on the war will just intensify, (Baltic.Forever who did make all the scripting for this mappack did say after playing the map the first time; "It looks like I’m getting the whole German army after me!) Now begins the really hard part, and some people will maybe even say that it can't be done. But it can be done; you can get out of there and walk into freedom. Be very careful, and watch carefully in every corner for healthpacks. That's all I can say.


Personal Notes:
I played this one colse to the day it came out and found it back then hard and to challenging sothat my frustration only kept in mind the diffuclty...I change a little bit my meaning this week-end when i play it back


Review:

This is the first one Leon release for Call of Duty series, so it was much more some twiking and learning that what he came with after for HL2.

Design starts classic...you need to escape from a jail find a weapon and progress to the outdoor to complete the first one after you will need to cross the village full and protected by germans. Design is classic but correctly put together in a realistic design from the storage room to the garage and all offices linked on the first floor, the way your progression is handled is clever simply by passing near area you will travel across after, it really let the filling to travel a huge complex well crafted and put together. the indoor is ok but lighting doesn't always look perfect and for the outdoor even if the design let a good put together feeling, the fact that it's nor open and only surronded by walls make it a little too boxy in my opinion.
Gameplay is correctly ballanced but challenging so you will need to progress like a sniper and need to save a lot if you don't want to loose you progression benefits. It's just a battle there are no real objectives except to kill all enemies, weapons and health are well placed sothat you will never run out of ammo it's simply ealised but also effciant in giving us some intertenment.

In conclusion: For a first major release and even if it has it flaws, leon succeed in creating a attractive but challenging gameplay in a basic but efficiant design location, it's not the best out here but will certianly add some gameplay enjoyment for the people who want to check this one.



Playtime : 25 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (62%)