USS Darkstar takes place in 2066 on board a Zoological Research Vessel in which they study and investigate various aliens from unexplored sectors of the galaxy. You are Dr. Gordon Freeman, a brilliant researcher who has always had problems waking up on time...
Aaaah USS darkstar,it's a really ancient mod just like they hunger,and yet again it's quality is still great!Unlike most mods this one is set in a prety nice different style of level design and PC gamer loved this mod as much as they hunger tehehehehe.
Maps 9.5-Well,prety much maps in this mod try to do their own style,the ship feels crampt and there's not that much space to take cover in and yet it actually features huge paths.The issue is trying to find the correct path and it usually ends up with you geting lost sometimes,finding the right path could be hard but overall maps are good.
Models ...-Well...err...there's not allot to say about custom models,it's all mostly half-life/beta stuff in the mod.Not much to say here.
Textures 10-Even though i didn't see as many custom textures i have to say they did a very nice job of just texture placement compared to other mods,very well thought of places to put textures and just enjoying the way they've put them to try and create this ship-lab like style which was wonderfull!
Sounds ...-Again not much to say,not that much custom stuff and mostly good old classic sounds to hear.
Gameplay 10-DEFINETLY a 10 for the gameplay,unlike azure sheep this mod doesn't throw in badly looking maps,complex places and annoying puzzles making you not wanna play it again.The mod has a great re-play value and lenght wise it's over maybe 4/5 enjoyable hours if you enjoy it on a nice week end.
Overall this is a classic,not that much custom content as much of good maping and gameplay and that's what makes this mod so special.I hope you enjoy playing this
10 score
-Blue_Dust
It has a great intro, you encounter many "cut" creatures of HL (such as the kingpin, mr. friendly), there is a great atmosphear, a good gameplay, some incredible sequences such as one where an Ichtyosaur is in an aquarium which breaks and floods the level, really Jaws-like, many fights...
It is from the same developer of They Hunger, if you know it. USS Darkstar doesn't have really any flaws : not too short/not too long, no impossible fights, some challenges here and then, diversity in sequences... Well, that's it.
As many of the reviewers already have pointed out the excellency of this mod among others stems from its overall quality of mapping as well as its smart and often surprising ways of placing enemies and events. But what I find particulary impressive is that USS Darkstar, being one of the first Half-Life mods, shows that sometimes it isn't all about new content but about using mostly original material with few additions and alterations in creative ways to also offer an unique experience.
I love this mod! Great story, athmosphere, mapping & gameplay. Wish that it really will be continued, as the final titles said...
A classic!
Best mod out there
Best mod.
for 1999 USS Darkstar lives up to it's expectations..
you got the usual half life weapons but it's onboard a "Zoological" ship
Security guard completely horizontal on the couch: "Sorry, I'm on duty, Mr. Freeman."
Dude imagine having your desk right next to a headcrab enclosure. All day long they're lunging at you, desperately trying to couple with your head.
Crazy scripting! Looking over the bannister to see some Questionable Ethics **** E X P L O D E ?! Amazing.
The "resonance cascade" event was kinda lame. Just wander the ship and see the zoo, then suddenly containment failure. I guess.
Voice acting was pretty good!
Felt like it wanted to be this grand, atmospheric experience, but kinda fell flat. What started off with good scripting turned into clumsy moments bludgeoning the game forward as you travel all over a vast, confusing, but somehow boring ship.
Spent too much time aimlessly running around. Hallways were bland and samey. Sparsely propped and difficult to tell apart, but expected to traverse with precision. Esoteric clues and puzzles that occasionally necessitated a walkthrough. Felt like I was constantly hitting roadblocks, stunting forward progression.
There was a security guard locked in the brig and he had a shotgun. Don't they normally take away stuff like that, you know, from the guy they jailed?
Man what was that skull impaled against the wall? Is this turning into Event Horizon?
Yo they got bro up here skewered over an open flame like a pig roast. Are they... hungry? They sure are resourceful zombies. Vortigaunts in the bathroom... I mean I guess it kinda makes sense. Everybody poops.
Scattered Scientists in the Kitchen? Could be a band name. I'll admit, that was a great scene.
Some parts of the ship were pretty ugly. Why is there a concrete basement in a spaceship?
The tiny segment was trippy af. Nice work.
Mod improves as it ages into something competent, perhaps even fun at times.
I enjoyed that vent baiting you into looking deep down at the abyss, then up, only to see what could be you pretty soon!
Areas felt... underwhelming. Bridge was too empty with awkward consoles not facing the window. Gigantic turret felt out of place.
It was a decent mod with some great ideas, but somewhat sloppy execution and tedious gameplay. I'm sure it was great in its day, being one of the first (almost) total conversion mods, but it doesn't quite hold up today. Feels rushed and unpolished in an age where mods have so much more detail and fully fleshed out ideas. Worth a play either way.
memories with my dad :)