Transmissions: Element 120

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,067 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • atmosphere
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"Transmissions: Element 120" is a single-player game set in the Half-Life Universe, featuring a gravity-defying weapon and mysterious storyline. The game enhances the Source Engine with new features such as dynamic lighting, advanced post-processing, and improved AI abilities, providing an immersive and engaging experience. Where and why you've been sent remains a mystery waiting to be explored. NO RELEASE DATE OR DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER MENTIONED.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,067 reviews
gameplay459 positive mentions
optimization20 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and level design that captures the essence of the Half-Life universe.
  • Innovative mechanics with the modified gravity gun that allows for rocket jumping and unique gameplay.
  • Short but engaging experience that leaves players wanting more.
  • Extremely short playtime, typically around 30-60 minutes, which may leave players wanting more content.
  • Lack of a substantial story or character development, making it feel more like a tech demo than a full game.
  • Some performance issues and crashes reported, particularly during intense combat sequences.
  • gameplay952 mentions

    The gameplay of "Transmissions: Element 120" is a blend of classic Half-Life 2 mechanics with innovative new features, such as a modified gravity gun that allows for gravity jumps and stealth elements where enemies cannot see in the dark. While the gameplay is engaging and well-designed, many players feel that the mod is too short, often lasting around an hour, which limits the exploration of its unique mechanics. Overall, it offers a fun and atmospheric experience that successfully captures the essence of the Half-Life universe while introducing fresh gameplay elements.

    • “The gameplay is engaging and challenging, with a perfect balance of puzzles and action sequences to keep you hooked from start to finish.”
    • “Transmissions: Element 120 provides a gripping and atmospheric experience set in the Half-Life universe, offering a unique take on the franchise's iconic gameplay.”
    • “The new mechanics introduced work wonderfully, with some practice it feels like you're playing a TFC scout in HL2.”
    • “The gameplay is a short romp through the sewers with a cool zombie puzzle, some other stuff (I don't recall) then it's a strider battle near the end that is more fun than the original City 17 segments.”
    • “The new mechanics introduced in the game are very interesting, but they aren't explored in depth, leaving the player wanting more.”
    • “The gameplay is similar to Half-Life 2 but lacks the depth and variety needed to fully engage the player, making it feel more like a demo than a complete experience.”
  • story593 mentions

    The story in "Transmissions: Element 120" is generally described as minimal and vague, often relying on environmental storytelling and scattered journals to convey its narrative. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the nostalgia of the Half-Life universe, many express disappointment over the brevity and lack of depth in the plot, feeling that it serves more as a gameplay showcase than a fully fleshed-out story. Overall, the game is seen as a fun, albeit short, experience that could benefit from a more substantial narrative.

    • “The story is intriguing and keeps you engaged throughout the game, with interesting twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.”
    • “With its engaging storyline, challenging puzzles, and intense combat encounters, it captures the essence of the series while introducing fresh mechanics.”
    • “The story takes place at a mysterious date and location, and while it may not be the greatest, it still provides a fun and satisfying experience.”
    • “The downside is that the game is somewhat short, and the story isn't as clear or present as you may think.”
    • “My only major complaint is I wanted something of a story and there isn't any.”
    • “The main detractors would be the short completion time and the lack of any real plot or purpose - a vague backstory is alluded to, but never really built on or made the most of.”
  • atmosphere449 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Transmissions: Element 120" is widely praised for its dark, immersive, and eerie qualities, effectively capturing the essence of the Half-Life universe while introducing unique elements. Reviewers highlight the game's impressive sound design, detailed environments, and the ability to evoke feelings of tension and suspense, making it a standout experience despite its short playtime. Overall, the mod is celebrated for its ability to create a captivating and haunting atmosphere that resonates with fans of the franchise.

    • “The atmosphere of this Half-Life mod is second to none!”
    • “Every minute of it is some of the most immersive atmosphere I've ever experienced in the Source engine; it works wonders if you turn the lights off while playing it.”
    • “The game's impressive visuals and sound design create a haunting atmosphere that immerses players in its dystopian world.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is so lonely, dark, and depressing... I love it.”
    • “The atmosphere was tense!”
    • “The atmosphere is dark and eerie, and the immersion is fantastic; the game does great to keep the atmosphere flowing.”
  • graphics252 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, detailed environments, and impressive lighting effects that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some players noted performance issues and frame drops, particularly in larger areas, the graphical improvements over the original Half-Life 2 are seen as significant, showcasing the capabilities of the Source engine. Overall, the game's aesthetics and visual design contribute to a highly immersive experience that many players found captivating.

    • “The game's impressive visuals and sound design create a haunting atmosphere that immerses players in its dystopian world.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, with detailed environments and impressive lighting effects that create a truly immersive experience.”
    • “Transmissions: Element 120 is an absolutely fantastic display of the source engine's capabilities, both technically as well as graphically, and is solid proof that the engine is still kicking.”
    • “I don’t tend to be a graphics snob, but the source engine definitely shows its age here.”
    • “Even with every graphical option tuned to the max, the graphics are mediocre (and I'm playing the game in 4K at way over 60+ fps).”
    • “These graphical improvements push the source engine too far, resulting in very poor framerates.”
  • music198 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising the original compositions and their fitting integration into gameplay. Players noted that the soundtrack effectively sets the mood during both tense and action-packed moments, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Despite some comments about the music occasionally repeating or being too short, the consensus is that it elevates the game's immersion and enjoyment.

    • “The music is terrific.”
    • “The ambience, music, and puzzles are all fantastic, and fight sequences are fun as anything.”
    • “The soundtrack is a solid 10!”
    • “Don't even get me started about the horrible sound effects and the atrocious, god awful techno soundtrack!”
    • “Some of the music never stops playing.”
    • “The atmosphere would merely get created by dark environments & music from the Half-Life games + some HL zombies, which I don't find frightening anymore after all these years; they seem rather comical to me at this point.”
  • optimization58 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting frequent performance issues, frame drops, and long load times, particularly in certain levels. While some players noted that the game runs smoothly on higher-end systems, others experienced severe lag and instability, especially on lower-end machines. Despite its appealing graphics and gameplay, the poor optimization detracts from the overall experience, making it frustrating for many players.

    • “Pretty fun source mod, great graphics and the Linux port runs smoothly.”
    • “Good improvements to the source engine, quality graphics at top performance.”
    • “Much better than the current non-steam build (1.05), as it adds deeper depths to the storyline, in-game achievements, new songs added to the soundtrack, tons of bug fixes, and tons of performance enhancements (i.e. not as laggy...).”
    • “During my recent play-through of this, I experienced some performance issues and my game crashed twice.”
    • “Aside from this, extremely long map load times (longest out of all source mods I've ever seen!), poor map optimization overall, the 'achievements' option in the menu redirecting to a web browser instead of using the native source achievement dialog for no reason, the fact that multicore rendering can't be enabled (it just keeps reverting to 'disabled' state no matter how many times I set it), some NPCs having slightly bugged AI (e.g. striders may sometimes lose track of the player - not sure if this is really unintentional) and some minor level design problems, this seemed interesting.”
    • “So I recommend this game but there are some massive issues with it, well a massive issue: poor optimization.”
  • stability32 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with some players reporting significant bugs and crashes, particularly towards the end, while others found it to run smoothly without major issues. Achievements are frequently noted as buggy, often requiring players to restart the game for them to register correctly. Overall, while there are occasional glitches, many users still enjoyed the gameplay experience without it being overly frustrating.

    • “The game runs great thanks to the source engine, holding up well in 2021.”
    • “Overall levels were relatively bug-free and nicely designed.”
    • “It was tight, not buggy, and the most HL2-like of all the mods I'd tried.”
    • “Unfortunately, it can be a little buggy and crash-prone (especially at the end).”
    • “This game was a buggy piece of shit, with terrible and buggy jumping mechanics.”
    • “I can't... with the constant FPS drops and freezes; it literally makes the game impossible to play.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players enjoying the quirky mechanics and funny weapons, such as a rocket jump gun and a gnome-carrying challenge, which add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. However, some users found certain aspects unfunny or frustrating, particularly during specific fights. Overall, while there are moments of visual and situational humor, opinions vary on its effectiveness throughout the game.

    • “I think you play as some guy who cleans septic tanks and then finds a funny gun that makes things go yeet.”
    • “It has tunnels, arenas, a quirky weapon, and big funny fights.”
    • “Carrying a gnome through half of the map of a kind of scary zombie/alien game was actually quite funny.”
    • “Very unfunny and unpleasant, especially the second and last of those two fights.”
    • “Come on, Valve... it's not funny anymore!”
  • emotional11 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of nostalgia reminiscent of the Half-Life series, with some even shedding tears at its conclusion. While the exploration aspect is generally enjoyable, a few users noted moments of frustration that made them feel inadequate. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Transmissions: Element 120 made me feel a nostalgia that I haven't felt in a very long time.”
    • “I shed a tear.”
    • “This game made me feel emotions, like sadness when it ended.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while it offers some value through achievements and exploration of secrets, its short length limits overall replay potential. Players can enjoy challenges like speedrunning and honing skills, but many feel that the lack of substantial content reduces the incentive to replay. Overall, it provides a fun experience, but the replay value is not particularly strong.

    • “It has good replayability with achievements, including a Left 4 Dead 2 and Black Mesa style gnome achievement where you had to reunite two gnomes.”
    • “The mod includes achievements, so while it is short, there are a few challenges to increase replay value for those who want to play it a second or third time.”
    • “A pretty nifty mod that is easily replayable and fun every time.”
    • “The replayability is not strong.”
    • “The game itself isn't very long, so it has little replay value; the only reasons to replay this game are for completing the journal (which there are only 4 pieces of) and unlocking achievements. However, the short length could make it great for speedrunning, and alternatively, it's filled with lots of little secrets like weapons, ammo, and a couple gnomes that could be sought out for the sake of exploration.”
    • “Other than the 11 achievements, I don't think there's much replay value.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players express that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, particularly during the final section, which features overwhelming enemy spawns and challenging battles. Many reviewers note that the need to constantly search for ammo adds to the frustration, detracting from the overall enjoyment despite the game's interesting mechanics and visuals. Overall, while the game is fun, the grinding elements can feel like a significant time commitment.

    • “New mechanics, pretty visuals, not tedious gameplay.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I found the last section of the game tedious and obviously dragged out.”
    • “The final section is very tedious, and finding new ammo for the rocket launcher is not easy at all, especially when you can be one shot by walking outside.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is praised for being free of add-on purchases and annoying ads, which enhances the overall experience. However, some players feel misled by advertising claims regarding gameplay features, leading to disappointment.

    • “When I read the advertisement saying 'featuring a unique gravity-defying weapon that allows you to jump buildings,' I expected more than a fence-height jump, so I left kind of disappointed.”
    • “Oh also, in the advertisement of the game, it says: 'the story takes place at a mysterious date & location.'”
    • “No add-on purchases, no annoying ads.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
1-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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