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Postat: 18 apr. 2021 la 12:28
Actualizat: 18 apr. 2021 la 13:03

Logistique | The Maze/”WHERE DO I GO?!” Mod

I remember hearing about this mod a year or so ago. I wanted to play it cause it looked interesting and I love seeing new content for Half-life. But then, Alyx came out during that same time, so I just played that instead and forgot about Logistique. Hell, I didn’t even know this came out on Steam until a couple of weeks ago – that’s how little I cared. But, I was still intrigued with the mod: the gunplay looked cool and has some different tweaks compared to regular Half-life 2. I’m the kind of guy who thinks gameplay should come FIRST, then the story last for games. I have Arkane Studios to blame for this belief and that design philosophy in mind. But, I was stoked to play this, Half-life mods that have new content or tweaks in their combat tend to be really good. Some examples being: Entropy: Zero, Snowdrop Escape, ICE, Underhell, Human Error, etc. However, to a huge surprise, I was beyond disappointed with this mod. Instead, I despised it and have nothing but frustrating constructive criticism for it.

I will start positive because as the old saying goes, “positivity is the best medicine.” Or is that only with laughter? Whatever, you get my point. So, what did I like about Logistique?

Well, I like the gunplay that was there. I think it was fun playing Half-life 2 differently since I feel that the base game was lacking in this regard. The game is still Half-life 2, but now with Condemned: Criminal Origins inspired mechanics. You have to check on your ammo by holding “R” and be cautious with your shots. The guns themselves feel great and satisfying to use; you acquire a Markov and an MP7 in this mod. So, in this field of the mod, I was a happy camper.

The maps and levels look beautiful. They are well detailed and are amazing to look at. So amazing that it got me invested in the world when I was exploring. In terms of graphics, it is a job well done. Though, I wish I could say the same for the rest of Logistique.

I really wanted to give Logistique a shot and like it. But, during my first couple of minutes of playing the mod, I knew I wouldn’t enjoy it. When I am saying to myself continuously in the beginning of your mod, “WHERE THE F*CK DO I GO?!” That is not a good sign for me already, since I start losing interest in your product. I don’t know where to begin with this, there are so many moments in which the level design was god-awful (Also spoilers... if you really cared that much).
For example, after fighting your first batch of CPs, you come to a Combine barrier. So, I go on a huge Easter egg hunt by not knowing what I was doing, breaking some boxes and finding NOTHING. I just stacked a random wooden box and climbed over the barrier. Why not have a button or get rid of the barrier? In fact, what happens if I break all of those boxes? What then? For one puzzle, I couldn’t find a battery for a generator after completing another one moments before that. I checked the wires, the cars (it made sense), the area around me and didn't find SH*T! I did find a dead woman that got stabbed by a piece of debris in this one store or whatever, even though the building was perfectly fine and wasn't destroyed. So how did she die? Did she slip on a banana and impale herself on convenient debris? That is how I lost my mind trying to find this ONE battery. Then, I watched a walkthrough and found out that it was back where I started in the other area before that. Who the hell does that?! Also, there is no sprint in this mod, so they do an annoying and poorly executed platforming section. Oh, that’s not enough? Let’s add in this Combine energy thingy that tries pulling you over the edge every ten seconds. That’s still not enough? Okay, let’s blind you with an effect on your screen while that happens. Does that sound fun? Because IT F*CKING SUCKED! During the last part of the mod, there is a turret that blocks your path. All right, that is fine by me, it is an interesting way to block your journey and do something else to get past it; Half-life is well-known for gameplay like this. So, you need to get grenades... from across the map of course and come back. What happens if you run out of grenades? You run back and restock on grenades, or I guess since you can't sprint you walk back. Oh yeah, what do you even do with these grenades? Well, I didn't know either, so I nocliped around the map and found out I could get on this bridge and throw grenades into a hole. How did I miss that? Because the developers put up boxes to block the entrance and put it in range of where the turret can shoot you... Seriously guys?
There is no guiding the player with lights, confusing layouts, and not giving enough info on the situation. Hell, I looked up a walkthrough by CW3D and it seemed like he was complaining about the same issues I had. I am pretty sure I could write a novel on how bad this level design was. You just have to take my word on it, it is NOT good.

The gameplay is a little annoying. Even though I liked some of it, I still have problems with it. For one, you can’t see your health. I am going to be real with you, I don’t know if there was regeneration health or not (despite there being medic kits). Why not have like a watch or something to tell you this information? There are only four weapons in this mod, which is lower than in Alyx. You get a crowbar, a pistol, an MP7, and grenades (that you get late in-game while also being awkward to throw). Why couldn’t there be more unique weapons or maybe even more guns in general? Though I do give credit for games when they don’t have a shotgun because EVERY fps game NEEDS a shotgun I guess. But, it really would have helped the mod out in this case if you did add one.

If you do enjoy the story, it just ends without a heads up; no final boss, no last wave, nothing to hint that “this is it” type of moment. That kind of sucks because the mod had a cool opening and interesting idea for the protagonist. Besides that, I didn’t care about what happened after that. I didn’t care about the characters (that I don’t remember) or the plot. It wasn’t hard to follow or anything, it was a pretty simple story in terms of creative writing. However, my issues up above made me stop caring about it. This is more on the technical side of things, but the NPCs you talk to in this mod don’t move their mouths for some reason. Also, why are their Nova Prospekt soldiers in CITY 17?! What are they doing there? Oh, wait, sorry there are like four regular soldiers in there and every other Combine solder is from Nova Prospekt.

Do I recommend this mod? HELL NO! Do not waste your time on it. By the ending of the mod, I felt like I had forced myself to play it just because my internet was down and had nothing better to do. I couldn’t finish nor do my school work even if I wanted to or not, I didn’t have too many options. If you make a sequel, then add more combat, add more to the gameplay and FIX the level design. Overall, it had good ideas and potential, but fell flat on its face and broke a leg… literally.

Links:
Thanks to CW3D: https://youtu.be/Y-EVDY-Xzhw
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGEwsB7LK8_duOhvpJW7_jw

Anyways, that is all I have to say. I want to die now.
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