Friday 4 December 2009

Short and Quick update

Hi All,
it has been quite a while since I put some more stuff inside this blog, one comment was put regarding a dead link which has been updated if there are some other don't hesitate to ask me for updating them.

I really lack of time since september (mostly due to work) and also had to face with a HDD crash so I still didn't install back all WW2 game but be sure I will try to add several update before end of the year due to holiday.

Actually i'm playing MOH:Airbone which actually, i'm half way of, let me a mixed feeling,  more like a half empty bottle I started to prepare a review of it which should be the for the next update.

I have also started A new poll (regarding the maps and mods), I always play everything but thaught this site would only be dedicated to good or at least worth release so would you like to have all of them for you own collection without taking in account they could be crap.

End of the year his also a good moment to give or ask for present under the tree if you don't know what to choose I think the 10th anniversary bunble of Medal Of Honor could be a good one.

Saturday 12 September 2009

Church Crookham for MOHAA


Level name : test_churchcrookham

Author : no info about

Date of release : 28 January 2005

Size : 3 935 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : none

Download:




Author's note:

None

Review:

I didn't find any info it's a classic well put together mission! There is a single objective to retrieve documents, to succeed in it, you will need to fight and travel a lot in a coutnry yard full of well designed locations from some house to bunker with at the end a destroyed village.

Design is directly quite impressive except the way you progression is oriented (bushes walls) the design is quite imaginative on a starting summer night on a not simply flat terrain you will need to progress with sometime help of your squad...enemies awaits you everywhere from a bunker to a house and even more. It's visually good and enjoyable to provide what we all are looking for :' and after the next corner what will I face' except some sky texture problem, that seems to disepear sometime, I didn't encounter any problem or missmatch.

Gameplay is perfrectly put together through enemy placement and entities...it will provide some challenge through a quite big amount of fight spread over all the visited location, weapons and health need to be picked up from killed enemies so it's better to not take to much time to progress in order to prevent items to disapears. Everything is well balance and help, even if limited from squad mate add certainly a good point to this small mission

In conclusion: Even if I still didn't play a lot of mission for MOHAA this was will certianly be classified in the good ones. Through a well put together design and architecture, enhanced by an enjoyable gameplay this is, for shure, a recommanded one


Playtime : 20 minutes


Rating : A B C D E (85%)

Tuesday 18 August 2009

test_lonesniper for MOHAA

Level name : test_lonesniper

Author : zaphad1

Date of release : 16 December 2008

Size : 876 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : none

Download:



Author's note:

None



Review:

I didn't find any info about this one kindly send by shurr (who I cannot thanks enough for the bunch of information and file he sended to me). This one is certainly not from great quality but it certainly provide a thaught experience full of frustrating moment since you're alone again a quite important (more than 100) german squadron.


Design is quite basic to even poor, there is a huge terrain generation where the author put some walls, houses, trees and additional features. All this putting correctly together but with no access to house no real textur alignement...There is no real objectif except to defreat all members of this german squadron this event is taking place on a bad rainy day...

Gameplay is really the only thing to bother with and you should make some tactics to progress without having to much frustration each time you die...because you will certainly, more than once. There is nearly no health and even if you have full ammo in your sniper rifle, I really recommand you to pick up the enemies weapons if you can. Enemy placement is dramaticly good with some respawn in your back at time and they have, most of them, also a huge ability to shot you with a huge efficiency. If this is your kind of challenge in gameplay you will be certainly happy with this one and the over 140 german that need to R.I.P.

In conclusion: This type of gameplay is certainly not my cup of tea and since i'm more taking attention to the general layout and design than to some frustrating gameplay, I won't reserve a good rating for this one, I'm pretty sure that some here will like it, that's why I intend to finish it and post it at the WWspmapcorner.


Playtime : 1 hour


Rating : A B C D E (53%)

Sunday 26 July 2009

Death on th Westwall for MOHAA

updated info 10/09/09

Level name : Death on the Westwall

Author : Dietmar 'Manstein' Hartje

Date of release : 10 August 2002


Size : 1 137 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : none

Download:




Author's note:

None



Review:

I have no info about this one graciously send by Alexander and it was certainly a good surpise. You aim is to run through a snow village on a fogy afternoon in order to find the SS commander and kill him.



Design is well put together with some great touch in layout and architecture, we can complain a little about those textured vegetation walls that are directing our travel but this is for me a minor issue regarding to the general layout of this map. At first you will discover a well detailed farm with good architecture and interesting texture attention (even if some room didn't get some element of detail), the road is also well made in a not flat layout, after the forest is a little bit more appoximative, but the train bridge and the two rail wagons add something really important in a map: the depth.

Gameplay is what we are looking for, perhaps not enough challenging but enemies placement are well done; there is, even if the map isn't huge, a lot of corner to explore with no bad surprise...the single objective will make you reach to end of the map quite fast, this will complete your enjoyment abruptly when the officer is killed...


In conclusion: through it's minor flaws and abrupt end it's easy to recognise that this map was never totlally finished, this is a shame regarding the quality that was put in this one...it's certainly a recommanded one and if you don't take attention to it's flaws you will enjoy this one that could be a interesting MP map too thorugh it's different location and tiny size


Playtime : 20 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (74%)

Friday 24 July 2009

The Great River for MOHAA

Level name : The Great River

Author : George 'BAX' Baxevanis

Date of release : 3 january 2003

Size : 527 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : none

Download: at filefront

Author's note:

It is a single player map for MOHAA. I worked a lot with the AI part and the script.The map is fictional and the place is not historically accurate. I wanted to make a stage that has water, bunkers and chaos(like OMAHA)..
Review:

This is another really short experience straight forwar in a limited area main objective is to cross the river, enter the bunker area and clear everything and final face the cunter attack.
Design is quite limited to some terrain two bunker and some small feature, there are no error (I may have missed them) and no highlight that is quite basic map.
Gameplay is quite easy when you enter the bunker area (first puzzle is not perfectly functionning) and then well helped by your team mate I will be a 'cleaning' rush nothing else to tell and quite fast finished...

In conclusion: this is really the less we can ask for having something to shew on...



Playtime : 10 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (52%)

Monday 20 July 2009

Top Secret Facility for MOHAA


Level name : Top Secret Facility

Author : Carl 'Moonglum' Kam

Date of release : 20 december 2003

Size : 502 ko

Number of maps : 1



Website : here not working anymore

Download:



Author's note:

You must infiltrate a top secret underground launch facility for V2 rockets and stop the launch.


Review:

So here we go with the fist Medal Of Honor experience, it's a pretty basic one with a major objective and 3 additional (not necessary) small ones.

Design is a compilation of room and hallways pretty basic with limited environement (storage room, office, training room, generator room,...) squale is ok like the layout. Enemy placement is well put together to give some limited challlenge. Progression is straight forward but with different route, it will make you progress from floor to floor till the launching bay.

Gameplay is mostly oriented to kill enemies and fix the alternative objective (recovering papers) until the final objective, everything is basic without no puzzles or heavy fights.


In conclusion: I won't consider this one like a great one, the author manage to put things together in a limited way, but for what was done it was well done. It won't give you a lot of challenge but except its tiny size and simple objective features there is nothing to complain about, so just make a rush in t for less than 10 minutes and if you don't expect to much it will be an honorable expeirence.




Playtime : 10 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (58%)

Monday 6 July 2009

Men of Valor

Men of Valor Personal review


Publisher : vivendi universal
Developper : 2015

Minimum reiquirements:

  • Pentium IV
  • 256 Mb RAM
  • 500Mb HDD
  • 64Mb 3d card


Test: Made on average skill using the default setting on my computer [ AMD64 - 2Gb Ram - GEforce 6 128 Mb] no slow down and perfect render of effect and graphics .


Cost: it can now easily be find for less than 5 $/€ in some second hand store or for a little bit more as classic retail version in megastores .





Storyline
-----------

The game puts the player in the role of Dean Shepard, a black Marine stationed in Vietnam in 1965. With this scenario come many references to the problems of racial segregation and this is enhanced by the letter conversation between father and soon about the small descent to hell of is his young brother. This letter conversation and the change of objective during the mission (not only saving your life but also the one of your brother) add certainly a parallel immersing storyline to the classic and simple rush trough missions.


Design
--------


Through 12 missions (53 maps), 2015 will try to immerse you into the Vietnam war with some interesting touch like the cutscenes performed with a movie 16/9 size (screen here below), the story behind at every loading mission and even some real movie archive. They try really to put you into the adventure. The mission design is what I expected from the creator of Medal of Honor : Allied assault with well put together environment with all what was put already in advance before through the Vietcong serie (sadly for 2015 they came after this first visit of Vietnam through FPS that was really a success for me) they visited the same type of environment with some really good highlight like the tick grass where search for enemies isn’t that evident and the impressive explosion and fire effects. But those stuff felt a bit light and didn’t clean away my taught of replaying just another Vietcong addon with some better texture.












The location of all mission where quite interesting and not to devoted to jungle or underground experiences with a good twist between day and night sun and rain I would have expected some more vehicle mission that was mostly limited to the boat one. The squad experience is always present and even if they don’t really act as good as in COD, squad mission is certainly pushing you to give the best that you can. Also what was a good point was that the mission were well organized as a ‘run to escape’ war and not a run for glory this taking in account that this war was a real down turn for the United States of America.

The AI except there sometimes erratic behaviour, are well designed and have really a realistic layout not as much as the weapons but still enjoyable, but one more this doesn’t really add a positive value to what was done before.











Gameplay
------------



Like for the Vietcong series to find some munitions or feature you will need to search bodies but this time they will quite fast disappear, the collaboration between you and your squad isn’t always that efficient and this especially when you receive order to follow ‘Mr Brown’ but the game doesn’t feature the soldier name as in COD series…also the objective to achieve through the direction you need to follow (compass) can make you turn around for a certain time because you missed something without knowing what to do, the cherry on the cake is certainly the fact that you cannot save but need to pass a certain point to have an autosave… this can make some experience really frustrating to the lack of some autosaving (you will see what I mean trough the ambush mission (7th) where on the way back to the camp you will never encounter an autosave…it took me around 10 time to finish this one… the bandage system was in comparison a good additional feature where you can hide yourself recover the wound and restart the fight. The challenge was well present and adds some epic combats that will be appreciated when finished, but one more time there wasn’t enough destroying objective mission (putting bombs) or timed mission like in COD or Vietcong where you need to hold a position with a counter decreasing.











In conclusion: I had a good time but felt really disappointed at the end of this game through is frustrating saving system is missing originality the game just felt off with no real replay value like previous release certainly have…For a game that came out in 2004 there was never an interested community that grow up with the game, no planetMenofValor, no real covering website (or the one that was died quite fast) and I think that there was no custom single player mission ever done.
The only good point is now that you can easily find this game for a quite interesting prize and give it a try but be aware that Men of Valor will never be as good as it’s predecessor (MOH, COD and Vietcong).



Playtime: 13 hours


Rating:

Sunday 5 July 2009

The secret of the 3rd Reich for COD

Level name : The secret of the 3rd Reich

Author : unknown

Date of release : 1 March 2005

Size : 14 860 ko

Number of maps : 9


Website : none

Download:



Note:
for the objective to be on screen (exept the loading screen) if you don' t use a english or russian version just follow the explanation how to do it here

Story:


None included

Review:

Even if this one is compiled as a simple file the adventure is devided in 9 different maps the changing between map can be a little special regarding with the normal way of building mission but it won't be a lot perturbating. Each map wil take arround 10 minutes to be played in a mostly forest/bunker set arround a railway environment really well put together and highlychallenging in several places

Design is well put together with luminosity changing while you progress just like in a normal day. the attention to detail is well balanced and this, even if, your progression will be oriented by the design path road without no real possibility to explore arround (it's mostly staight forward) each map contain mostly one objective that except for the first one (spoiler into the zip file) seems quite obvious, the environment is not redundant from a farm to a base getting into a railway station or a bunker will hold you busy always in a enjoyable layout and except the fact that most of the building and tower aren't accessible it's at least catching you interest.

Gameplay is mostly oriented on battle with here and there something to activate, fights are well ballanced with hords of german coming from everywhere, choice of weapon will certainly make you qwest easier regarding the one you pick up, it's quite challenging but never frustating due to the fact that health is well place, sneaking arround will also help you better survive this whole experience...just pay attention to several german who won't hesitate to shoot at you with panzerfaust.

In conclusion :I'm really glad that Alexander share his collection of east releases with me so i can share it with wwspmapcorner readers, this first find it a perfect entertainment with action good design you will certainly be glad to play it when you have time



Playtime : 1 hour 30 Minutes



Rating : A B C D E (88%)

future

Thanks to a kind russian reader, Alexander, I will be soon adding several map from the eastern community, not only providing me links Alexandr also translate the script to make it undersandable for non russian

A really big thanks to him ;)

Regarding the poll it's obvious that people would like to see some MOH stuff too, I will so try to add also several one for this game

A new poll will start soon ;)

I've recently play Men of Valor and will add a review of it

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Hold or Die for COD2

Level name : Hold or Die

Author : The Mod Doctor

Date of release : 6 Mai 2009

Size : 12 992 ko

Number of maps : 1



Website : none


Download:



Author's note:

The first version of this map was origionally designed to enter in the modscon07.2 mapping contest at http://www.modsonline.com/

Review:

after a first release for a mapping contest the author took a littel more time to polish the design and script a little more this release so that even if it provide a quite limited area of gameplay the event and objective to achieve really create an intense but enjoyable to play mission.

Design is quite limited a landfield, some houses and roads to provide the battle experience. Everything is correctly design but simply a little to limited in my thinking especially regrading the amount of objective that will make you visit this one in all direction and place that could be a place of battle.
Gameplay is made in a perfectly squad spirit with some retreat, ambush and rushing experience all what could be encounter in COD2 will come to you at a certain moment, even if its seems to never end and a little to repetitive regarding the map size it was never frustrating nor boring but stil felt a litle short to be a memorable experience.

In conclusion: with a good use of scritping and trigerring event, the author succeed in making from a quite too empty and limited map a quite enjoyable experience, it's not perfect but worth to give it a try



Playtime : 20 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (67%)

Wednesday 20 May 2009

The lost symbol for COD

Level name : The Lost Symbol

Author : Radoslav 'De_Vice' & Victor 'Spaik' Borissov

Date of release : 26 October 2006

Size : 40 576 ko

Number of maps : 2


Website : none

Download:



Story:

This is a single player mission for Call of Duty. The Lost Symbol is a story based on the game RtCW. The pack contents custom textures,xmodels and good music from RtCW.

Even if this was release as a beta it just has as only minor issue that the objective aren't include for the rest it's fully playable

Review:

After several asking to active people from the community there seems to be no objective string added even if all objective points are correctly put together.

Design look directly ambitious with an intro cutscene that show you the butifull castle wolfenstrein like you never saw it before and so you are at the main gate the enter the nightmare and steal the magnificiant orb. Architecture is really outstanding with perfect squaling and interconnection, totally feetting textures form COD and RTCW and lot more content from RTCW included german speaking and original sound. Attention was put everywhere to create a impressive conversion from one of the first WW2 FPS game. This release divided in two part is really a succession of great looking area from indoor to outdoor with a big amount of inteconnectivity that keep the player immersed in a one whole unit...the design has for me no evident flaws and really provide another expeirence according this great COD game.

Gampelay is also well manage from place to place you will fight against those nasty enemies customed from RTCW, the mix between search activating button and battling is well balanced with good enemies placement and well oirented travelling in a non linear way. You are in castle wolfenstein so the search for glory as something special and is more related to a Graal hunting that to the classic Call of Duty war experience we could perhaps hope to some more COD feature like for example a huge attack that need to be holded with a squad experience or an Mg42 or with the look to RTCW the quest for secret places or the present of it's particular weapon or enemies; those small difference are mostly the personal touch of Borissov brother's thatn a complain to their appoach. Finally the quest for the holy Grall took it's personnal orientation with a good similitude to the RTCW with its traps and nasty surprise...

In conclusion : It has been a while since something different came for COD (I know it's already one year old), with it's particular atmosphere, great looking architecture and well balanced gameplay this beta release is really a must have without any hesitation part of my top 5 favorite maps .



Playtime : 50 Minutes



Rating : A B C D E (94%)

Sunday 17 May 2009

Warzawa 1944 for COD

Level name : Warzawa 1944

Author : Robert Wiaz

Date of release : 09 February 2005

Size : 1 839 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here not active anymore

Download:



Story:

None I could understand but it was based on a picture and some events that happens at the end of the war in Warshow. You could easily make a correlation with some resistance intervention that main objective should be to kill all german officers that are in the City of Warsow.

special note: a special thanks to Robert 'grinder' that help me with the translation of the objective string it's not perfect and some message will still spawn in polish (I appologize for that) it's still better playable that in the original version, for those non polish players

Review:

Even if the first idea was quite interesting in making a translation of a short moment of the polish history and the end and regarding that this relaese is the third from Robert, it left more disappointment than enjoyment.

Design, as a first global look, especially through the documentation added seems quite promising, and so is goes on as you first progress, Architecture has a good consistancy but will quite fast tumble through it's obvious repetition by simply copy/pasting of building with some tight stairs and repetitive textures and doors that need to be open for exploration. In addition to this you will also encounter one of the think I dislike the most in modern mapping: invisible walls that block you way but not your eye looking. Scale is perfect and for sure the creation according the original is well done but those highlights looks pretty weak in regards with the whole unit.

For the gameplay it's quite straight forward and certainly too challenging with enemies respawn in those small strairs and hallways, you will certainly have some surprise when, on a corner, a german soldier will rush on you. Those doors that need to be open can cause also some frustration while not opening or in the wrong way...don't rush but sneak and kill all enemies as fast as you can to prevent frustration...In term of objectives everything seems quite obvious and if you look constently to you objective orientation you won't have any problem especially with the last one... that don't need you to get back to the starting place.

In conclusion : The idea was quite original and the first impression was also going in the same direction, but finally through a boring and repetitive gameplay the player, or at least me just finish this one without any good feeling or enjoyment.



Playtime : 30 Minutes



Rating : A B C D E (61%)

Sunday 3 May 2009

Sorry for the lack of update

Perhaps because i'm in the mood a little I have two maps to review still for COD/UO perhpas a third one...several left for COD4 and one for COD2...so I don't know if there will be a lot of new release in the future but the good days, except perhaps for COD5 and after, is behind us I think. That's why I have add a poll just running for a month asking to you readers if you would like to have some Medal Of Honor review here...I certainly could have some interesting ones

BTW I'm really thankfull to those peoples who gave me some featback about potential map to review...thanks to them ;)

Thursday 26 March 2009

Homefront: Downtown for COD4


Level name : Homefront : Downtown

Author : Babycop

Date of release : 7 November 2008

Size : 76 119 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :


SP Offensive,Leningrad,Stalingrad,Homefront: Cells


Story and Mission (take from the readme file):

The world we know is changing. The western world dives into a new era.
Boundaries are broken. New frontiers are reached.
The war on terror, chaos, and tyranny has set foot onto new grounds.
The fight is carried to our doorstep.
This is the Homefront.

Recent terror threats have pressed American authorities to increase the securitywarning to high alert. In the heart of downtown, Marines are called upon tosafeguard the citizens. Summer festivities and business conventions are underwayand some streets have been closed off for the activities.
On this hot summer evening, an innumerable group of terrorists, assembled from allaround the continent, have put to execution a never before seen large scale attack. Taken by surprise, your mission is to eliminate all terrorists and rescue pinned down colleagues and civilians throughout the downtown streets.

Review:

After several preview releases for CODUO and COD2 (Leningrad and Stalingrad) the 'brothers team' started to build some mission for COD4. The first one (Homefront: Cells) could be considered as a learning experience and despites it's relative limited developement and gameplay, it was an honest enjoyable experience. I was so waiting for it's sequel that came out already 5 months ago but for which i didn't take the time till yesterday to play. I really didn't regret to play this one yesterday

Design and architecture may look a little repetitive according to the collection of skyscrapper and the quite linear avenue you will travel too, but this is the real approach necessary for a lot of big city arround the world. The design looks quite realistic and while you progress will add some additional route to 'alternative environment. the short indoor experience was perhaps the weekest part of this release...not enough detailed, too 'mazy' progression and the elevator that is more looking as a service lift...
There isn't a lot of thing to tell about design...it's sure repetitive and not that much detailed in general but this is what lots of city town looks like.

Gameplay is one more time the highlight of this pack by mixing in a quite professional way, short cutsceenes, voice acting and triggered events. Babycop pushed this COD4 experience to a level not enough reached before. The scripting approach as a kind of dancing lesson were the teacher lurn you to move with a certain rythm so that you totally manage to enjoy the experience that you just learn. Babycop's experience alternates heavy challenging fights, enjoyable cutscenes, and even some sniping precision objective. It's put together as a road movies and immerse you into the mission as the leading actor...you don't really pay attention to design and detail you simple rush for a tremendus experience with you squad.

In conclusion: After a first opus in the homefront serie that disapoints me a little, Babycop took the necessary time to shine with a release that cetainly gonna sound in the future as a MUST PLAY experience... Irak war is certainly not far way from this experience, hopefully it's just a game for us.




Playtime : 30 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (91%)

Thursday 19 March 2009

COD Assault for CODUO

Level name : Call of Duty Assault

Author : Briant 'Gunrock' Robinson

Date of release : 16 March 2009

Size : 224 286 ko

Number of maps : 12



Website : here

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :

Nightfire, SAS Manor, Trench86, Wayward, Argentan, CODUO Missions, COD Valor, Toy Soldier


Author's Note:

12 single player maps. Your a American 3rd Infantry Division Soldier fighting the war in africa, italy and france normandy.

Review:

Not so far after an already big release called :COD Valor Briant is back with a even huge addon containing 3 campains (Afrika, Italy and France) from 4 maps each. It has special content with new squad and envrinonment texturing a brand new weapon and new music. For this episode there is no custom voice acting only on text message.

I won't make a as much detailed review as for COD Valor and will only focus on a general approach to focus on things I really liked and the little downwards.

Design is from the same bottle as previous releases from Gunrock, he has reach for me a above average level but except some more complicated architecture I didn't see a huge change between previous release and this one it's certainly not perfrect but really not far away from (what I would like to build things like this...) All theme, according campain, are well implemented and also give some varaition from airfield to town passing by a boat experience even evening or morning missions; Briant really make a huge effort to his pack to make it as much varied as possible. The only minor point to take in account is the fact that Briant does'nt bother about detail and taking time to build them especially regarding indoor parts of town houses where some rooms ave simply fill with armo box or simply...empty.

Gameplay is perfectly balance and really highlight this pack. the way Briant handle you progression and objective to achieve is nearly perfect and really immerse you with your team squad through the 12 maps for each you will play for arround 20min except the two last one that are a lot more challenging (perhaps a too challenging especially the last one). even some of the mission objective where you need to destoy objectives in trench maze or forest may look repetitive but it's a so enjoyable experience that I really don't care from travelling though those maze. In addition to those classic mission Briant added some more original objective with the highlight of the ship escape a la COD4 that was, perhaps short but really briliant and one of my prefered custom mission ever! finally Briant pushes the content like for COD valor to it's end with another enjoyable last sidescrolling cinematic to reward all the people who give him some custom content.

Afrika campain













Italy campain















France campain












In conclusion: Briant is certainly one of the most prolific mapper/designer 'man who can do everything' from this decade, and this always with an above average skill. I really hope he continues in the way of creating single player experience for all of us...This one was a great and memorable experience i will certainly play againin the future and really recommand you to directly, even if the download is huge, download this one that is till now, part of my Hall of fame custom collection.

Highly Recommanded

Playtime : 5 Hours

Rating : A B C D E (92%)

Thursday 19 February 2009

Backlot for COD4





Level name : Backlot


Author : Alex 'Sparks' Romo

Date of release : 17 April 2008

Size : 63 092 kb

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: Author's page

Story and Mission :

None If I understand right this was a modification, throught adding a strong sp gameplay, to an originally made MP map.

Review:

In this map the Author, mainly focussing on scritping, wanted to create a map oriented in a possible disturbing gameplay through playing as a enemy of the american troops...The goal is oriented in a multi purpose mission with a major one that is to old the place.

I really don't know if I'm right but the map Backlot is one of the favorite multiplayer map for COD 4 and is a map delivered with the original game, I won't describe the architecture and design that has a perfect professionnal layout and will only focus on the gameplay
Gameplay is quite restricted due the posibility and the size from the map. It has for sure in some place a quite clostrophobic feeling but the author was able to create an intense experience that didn't make you feel like being blocked in a small township.
Objectives are well trigered to make the mission intense, travelling can be sometime approxiamtive and the use of the compass is really necessary to know where to go next. Hopefully you have a lot of squad mate that make the experience more ballanced that if you were alone.
Challenge isn' t that difficult and this is perhaps the minor issue of this map conversion.

In conclusion: Alex was really able to create an intense and well scritped experience that except the point of vue ('enemy' role) was really enjoyable, with a good mix between objectives to achieve and combats. THis one is for sure a one to be tested.





Playtime : 20 minutes


Rating : A B C D E (78%)

Sunday 8 February 2009

sp_Pillar for COD4

Level name : sp_pillar

Author : Red

Date of release : 5 October 2008

Size : 36 167 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: here (you may need to register to get this one : Recommanded)

Alternative Download:

Story and Mission :

None the author created at First a MP map and after converted this 'arena map' into a single player expeirence.

Review:

This map is a hard mission to service it's nohing to bother with what we are normally looking for as a mission oirented in team squad added with multi purpose objective. In this one you have several goals to achieve but mainly just need to survive...

Design is quite simple with a squared arena full of pillar and crossed by to water path from which you cannot get out. You will after need to go to a dark underground maze that you need to travel forward and backward...The ambiance isn't that bad but design is for sure quite limited

Gameplay is in the same way simple. First you will need to activate some stone that will give you the opportunity to autosave and breath a littlebit when the first previous objective are finished you will need to recover doxument and after escape in a portal futuristic way. Gameplay and combats are quite challenging and this seems to be the most import aim

In conclusion: This is a simple suriving experience with no eyelights nor realistic experiance but regarding to what we encountered in the actual gaming experience it's something different and for sure even if got a lot of frustration filling I was quite happy to finish it...

Playtime : 30 minutes


Rating : A B C D E (61%)

Friday 16 January 2009

Homefront: Cells for COD4

Level name : Homefront : Cells

Author : Babycop

Date of release : 17 April 2008

Size : 49 450 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :


SP Offensive,Leningrad,Stalingrad,Homefront: Downtown

Story and Mission (take from the readme file):

The world we know is changing. The western world dives into a new era.
Boundaries are broken. New frontiers are reached.
The war on terror, chaos, and tyranny has set foot onto new grounds.
The fight is carried to our doorstep.
This is the Homefront.

As part of an anti-terrorism unit, you must proceed with the arrest of several
members of a terrorist cell plotting an imminent attack on american soil.
Located in Montreal (Quebec), Canada, the cell has established itself in an
appartment building and has kept a low profile. Local authorities have been notified,
and an exterior perimeter is established.
Secure the building and capture/neutralize the terrorists while avoiding all
civillian casualties.


Review:

After two interesting major release for COD2 called Leningrad and Stalingrad the 'brothers team' come back with a new mission made for Call of Duty 4 . It be considered as a different approach accodring the COD4 engine more oirented on scritping than design

Design and architecture look quite basic in a building environment with a starting position from the garage and objectives oriented while progression through floors. The general design and layout or correctly manage but repetitive in a quite limited indoor and dark layout... there is no real critics but simply regarding to previous COD2 release it tend to be a little below average.

Gameplay is the interesting part of this release through constant contact with your headquater (through audio recorded voices from good quality) you will try to accomplish different mission from eliminated a terrorist group, thourgh saving some hostage and passing the wire of a counter attack everything is made for you with the help of you squad to have no rest time...it's simple well done but sadly a little repetitive

In conclusion: This is the first approach from babycop to this fourth opus of COD it's certainly mostly oriented to learn the engine and simply a way of killing two birds with one stroke....it's not a memorable one but it's at least immersing you for arround 20 minutes in a terosit battle perhaps a little up to date regarding the actual news...




Playtime : 20 minutes




Rating : A B C D E (67%)

Thursday 8 January 2009

Happy New year to all

I wish to all of you the best for the upcoming year(s) and would like to thank you all for your discrete support during this past 2 years (I didn't have a single post of feedback during the past two years), but having close to 1000 hits in 3 month and was a great surprise that encourage me to update this blog more during the last two months.

the future of this blog will i hope be reoriented to game that still are not covered as COD4 and MOHAA this mainly because, except one or two releases, all the best i could find for COD, CODUO and COD2 is reviewed here but if you could help me digging some stuffs i would really appreciate it.

In the meantime i will also be catch by the updating of my other blog (link in the title) and the new season for virtual rally at Rallyesim