Nearly 20 years after its initial release, mods forHalf-Life 2arejust as popular today as they were on day 1. Valve’s critically acclaimed first-person shooter uses the Source engine, which has since become popular due to its advanced AI and physics systems.Since the release of the Source SDK, many popular and acclaimed games such asGarry’s Mod,The Stanley Parable, andThe Beginner’s Guidewere made using Valve’s engine,including some games relating to theHalf-Lifeuniverse.
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One such game isNeoTokyo, a multiplayer first-person shooter in a cyberpunk setting. The game initially released in 2009, and later re-released through Steam in 2014. While many of the original creators have gone on to work for AAA games and movies, a single-player sequel toNeoTokyois in the works. This game is made by a fan, with the blessing of the original creators. The announcement and development have excited many fans, and will hopefully ignite interest in the original game.
5The Lore And History
As its title implies,NeoTokyotakes place in a futuristic Japan and has a tense backstory leading to its multiplayer content. Roughly 30 years into the future, the country barely avoids a military coup d’etat. The perpetrators behind this act were a group of Japanese nationalists inside the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
In response, Japan’s Prime Minister creates the National Security Force (NSF) to find and thwart any potential coup plotters. Soon, a group of ultranationalists called the Jinrai prepare to succeed with yet another coup.NeoTokyotakes place during this conflict, and the player can choose to side with the NSF or the Jinrai.
4Player Classes & Their Roles
There are three classesNeoTokyoplayers can choose from: Recon, Assault, and Support. Recon has a careful approach to combat, with an emphasis on sniping and sabotage. The Assault class has more of a combat concentration, focusing heavily on close-quarters combat and concentrated firepower. Support features more heavy combat, encouraging players to use a heavy combat chassis and suppressive fire within matches.
NeoTokyois designed to be slow and tactical, with plenty of opportunities for ambushing other players. Whatever class the player chooses will inform their gameplay strategies, so it’s important to understand their roles.
3Different Game Types
There are two different kinds of matches available to play. The first is a traditional Team Deathmatch, which should be familiar toanyone who’s played multiplayer shooters. The second is called Capture the Ghost, which is similar to more traditionalCapture the Flag matches. Players can choose whichever gameplay mode sounds more intriguing.
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In Capture the Ghost, both teams compete to pick up the “Ghost” (a dismembered torso) and bring it back to their retrieval zones. Players who pick up the Ghost can instantly see where all enemy players are at all times. Conversely, those enemy players can also see the player carrying the Ghost. Players must drop their primary weapon before picking up the Ghost, cannot sprint while carrying it. Players can also win the match by simply eliminating everyone on the other team. Most maps inNeoTokyoare designed for this style of gameplay.
2Declined Player-base
Despite positive reviews, the player-base forNeoTokyohas unfortunately dropped significantly since its initial release. The game’s initial 2009 release was popular with players, and even received critical attention from several publications. Yet, it seems to have declined in popularity in recent years.
Players jumping in today may have a hard time finding others to play with. Semi-organized events may take place each Friday. Most of the time, however,NeoTokyo’s servers might appear dead to most players. Hopefully, the announcement of a sequel will revitalize interest in the original. The standalone version of the game is still free for players to download on Steam.
1Single-player Sequel (& Demo)
Many of the original developers ofNeoTokyohave now gone on to produce other work. Composer Ed Harrison has since worked on compositions for theDeus Exseries, and one of the game’s artists has since worked onGhost in the Shell. In 2019, however, aNeoTokyocommunity leader announced through Patreon that they were developing a single-player sequel to the game. The game is titledNeoTokyo Kshatriya,and the creator describes it as a crossover betweenNeoTokyoand developer SerygalaCaffiene’s ownKshatriyauniverses.
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Fans can play a three-level demo of the game at moddb.com, where the developers actively look towards comments for feedback. The demo has largely seen positive feedback from players, with most praisingthe game’s cyberpunk worldand open-ended levels. SerygalaCaffiene has been effective in responding to fan feedback, fixing technical issues and general criticism that players may have expressed. The game doesn’t yet have a release date, but is planned to be a full-length shooter that will undoubtedly be an impressive achievement for fans.
