''Research and Development'' is a free mod for the
first-person shooter video game ''
Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. Developed by Matt Bortolino and released on July 17, 2009, it is a non-violent first-person
puzzle video game, and has been compared to
''Portal''. It received critical praise for its unique gameplay and high development quality.
Plot
The game does not have an overt story; the player wakes up as an unnamed character in a detailed but generic location, not knowing how they got there, and must start solving puzzles in order to escape.
Gameplay
The mod takes place in the ''Half-Life'' universe, but strips the player of their weapons, giving them only a
Gravity Gun and antlion bait.
The player must solve puzzles to traverse the levels, to the point where the game resembles a
point-and-click adventure.
Development
''Research and Development'' utilizes similar puzzles as those seen in between the shooter gameplay in ''Half-Life 2'', but turns them into an entire game.
Reception
Alec Meer of
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
''Rock Paper Shotgun'' (also rendered ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun''; short ''RPS'') is a UK-based website for reporting on video games, primarily for PC. Originally launched on 13 July 2007 as an independent site, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' was acquir ...
called the game "as must-play as an
'Half-Life 2''mod gets", and stated that the game's non-combative player character is "in many ways more keeping with the mind-over-matter character we're often told
Gordon Freeman is than the openly, incongruously murderous role he dons in
Valve's games".
Nick Breckon of
Shacknews
''Shacknews'' (originally Quakeholio, then ShugaShack) is a website that hosts news, features, editorial content and forums relating to computer games and Video game console, console games. It is currently owned by a company called Gamerhub Cont ...
recommended the game, praising its "refreshing amount of original mechanics and crafted special effects".
Tom Sykes of
PC Gamer called the game one of the best ''Half-Life 2'' single-player mods, saying that it is "surprising just how easily ''Half-Life 2''s toolset translates" to the new focus of puzzles.
Gry Online
''Gry-Online'' is a group of Polish websites devoted to computer games and electronic entertainment. Founded by Mariusz Klamra, Wojciech Antonowicz and Rafał Swaczyna, the group has grown to include Gry-Online, TVGry.pl, Gameplay.pl, and Gamepres ...
called the game's puzzles "ingenious", remarking that their solutions were completely logical.
Anthony Burch of
Destructoid stated that the game "provides clever fun in a way very few games - never mind how many modifications - are capable of," and that he "almost
elt
ELT may refer to:
Education
* English language teaching
* Expanded learning time, an American education strategy
* Kolb's experiential learning theory
Mathematics and science
* Ending lamination theorem
* Extremely large telescope, a type ...
guilty playing this game for free," criticizing some bugs in the game, but calling its final levels "spectacular".
References
{{Half-Life
2009 video games
Half-Life (series) fan games
Puzzle video games
Single-player video games
Source (game engine) mods
Windows games