- Mod Title: Dangerous World
- Game: Half-Life 2: Episode Two
- Number of Maps: 13
- Mod Author: TiiM
- Mod Website: dwmod.half-life2.sk
- Review Author: Ioann Andreev
It's always a pleasure when a new major mod comes out. It's especially good when this mod turns out to be interesting. In the Dangerous World mod, we play as a rebel named Frank Harrison. This story takes place parallel to Episode 1. One day, Frank wakes up in his house outside the city and sees the Citadel about to explode, with Dr. Kleiner raging on TV, urging everyone to get out of the city. Realizing things are bad, our hero decides to run away as quickly as possible.
While the premise is good, the plot isn't flawless. Firstly, it's odd that the distance from the house on the coast to the Citadel is suspiciously close. Secondly, our hero, for some reason, decides that the best way to escape is to go to the center of City17, to the train station (the same one Gordon and Alyx escaped from at the end of Episode 1), and leave by train. There are also a few other plot inconsistencies, like G-Man's unclear role and another bald guy who occasionally crosses our path.
Graphically, the mod is very high-quality. The maps are beautifully designed and varied. In addition to the initial coastline, we'll visit the mines, just like in Episode 2, with their tunnels and yellow doctor larvae. We'll wander through dungeons and, of course, visit the ruined City17. The author is a true obsessive when it comes to details. For example, there's a moment during the game where we walk down a corridor with zombies and find ourselves face to face with an antlion, from which we must run back down the corridor to the escape ladder. If you return after a while, you'll see that the lion has escaped, having made a hole in the wall. You can go there and see what happened to it. What's more, you can even follow the corridor to the place where the antlion emerged and discover a carefully crafted cave!
The mod requires Episode 2, so in addition to yellow larvae, the game will feature zombies and other elements from Episode 2. Among the new features, I can highlight a slightly modified pistol texture.
The game is quite interesting. I'll say right away that the game has many adventure elements. Right at the very beginning, you have to think a little about how to open the gate behind the house and get to the pile of zombies waiting for you. Similar situations will often arise later. If you arrive somewhere and there's no way forward, don't assume it's a glitch. Just use your brain and look around carefully. I had a similar "tough spot" when I found myself in the hallway of a building in the city with a bunch of rebels. Oddly enough, the advice of Barney, who was nearby, helped me solve the problem of finding my way forward.
At the end of the game, the mod closely intersects with the ending of Episode 1. We arrive at the train station too late and barely notice the departing train and Gordon and Alyx standing in the last car. This place is very interesting. You can try to escape the city through a parallel tunnel, or you can trust the nearby robot Alyx and escape together. Moreover, the mod's ending is ambiguous and may even hint at a sequel.
Bottom line: It's a good mod. Play with reasonable expectations, and you're sure to enjoy it.
PS: The mod comes with two bonus maps. In one of them, you'll fight various enemies in a small "amphitheater." First, you'll encounter baton-wielding metro cops, followed by more formidable opponents. The second bonus map is a map cut from the mod, where, in a beautiful, bush-covered countryside valley, you need to fend off an attack of spider larvae and find two batteries to open the gate at the end of the valley.
Source: hl.loess.ru