Transmissions: Element 120

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Transmissions: Element 120 is a single player shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Vincent Thiele and was released on June 16, 2016. It received very positive reviews from players.

"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.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,121 reviews

gameplay469 positive mentions

optimization19 negative mentions

Transmissions: Element 120 offers a unique and engaging gameplay experience with a modified gravity gun that allows for rocket jumping and creative combat.
The game features impressive graphics and level design, creating an immersive atmosphere that captures the essence of the Half-Life universe.
Despite its short length, the game is well-crafted and provides a fun, nostalgic experience for fans of the Half-Life series.

The game is very short, typically taking only about an hour to complete, leaving players wanting more content.
Some players experienced performance issues and crashes, particularly during intense combat sequences.
The story is minimal and lacks depth, with little narrative context provided throughout the gameplay.

gameplay
965 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
49%
2%
The gameplay of "Transmissions: Element 120" is highly praised for its engaging mechanics, particularly the innovative gravity gun that allows for unique movement and combat strategies, including rocket jumping. Players appreciate the incorporation of light and darkness as gameplay elements, enhancing the atmosphere and puzzle-solving aspects. However, many reviews note that the mod is quite short, often feeling like a demo that doesn't fully explore its intriguing mechanics, leaving players wanting more depth and length in the experience.
- “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 is a short handcrafted Half-Life 2 mod that stays true to the atmosphere and gameplay of Half-Life 2 in a side-story fashion.”
- “The new mechanics (QR codes, darkness/stealth for both zombies and turrets, the new gravity gun) are all implemented well and fit into the atmosphere of the mod amazingly well, creating a seamless blend of environment and gameplay.”
- “The mechanic of hiding from enemies in the dark could have been interesting, if it was used for more than about five minutes.”
- “The ideas introduced at the beginning of the game are very cool, with the jump boosting of the gravity gun and the 'darkness' mechanic, the problem is those ideas aren't expounded on very much at all.”
- “However, the real problem here is that there’s nearly nothing I can do in this mod that I couldn’t have much more fun doing in either half-life 2 or team fortress 2.”
story
602 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The story in "Transmissions: Element 120" is generally described as minimal and vague, with players taking on the role of a nameless character navigating a mysterious environment filled with dangers. While some reviewers appreciated the atmospheric elements and environmental storytelling, including scattered journals and QR codes that provide hints about the backstory, many felt that the narrative lacked depth and coherence, leaving them wanting more substance and clarity. Overall, the game is seen as a fun but short experience that serves more as a gameplay showcase than a fully fleshed-out story.
- “The story is intriguing and keeps you engaged throughout the game, with interesting twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.”
- “This mod introduces clever new mechanics that coalesce remarkably well with the lore and feel of the half-life franchise in a concise but rich story arc.”
- “The story was almost non-existent but I suppose that's not what the game is really about.”
- “Unfortunately, there is no plot at all, and the game is short; there are also glitchy achievements, but in principle, it is quite good for a free game.”
- “The story is supposedly after Half-Life 2: Episode 2, but I wouldn't know that if I hadn't read or watched anything about this mod.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
457 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The atmosphere of "Transmissions: Element 120" is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively capturing the dark, post-apocalyptic essence of the Half-Life universe. Players appreciate the game's detailed environments, atmospheric sound design, and unique mechanics that enhance the overall experience, making it feel both familiar and fresh. Despite its short playtime, the mod delivers a captivating atmosphere that keeps players engaged and on edge throughout.
- “The atmosphere is dark, mysterious, and keeps you on edge.”
- “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 atmosphere is absolutely perfect in every way, bringing a perfect mix of eeriness and action to the forefront.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is so lonely, dark, and depressing... I absolutely love it.”
- “The atmosphere was so thrilling and gripping that I felt like I was in a real post-apocalyptic world.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and eerie, and the immersion is fantastic; the game does great to keep the atmosphere flowing.”
graphics
254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The graphics in this mod have received widespread acclaim for their impressive detail and atmospheric quality, showcasing significant enhancements over the original Half-Life 2 visuals. Players have noted the effective use of lighting, textures, and new graphical effects that elevate the overall experience, despite some reports of performance issues and frame drops on certain hardware. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing to an immersive and engaging gameplay experience.
- “Kudos to shokuin on the visual department, because this mod is beautiful, and extended limits on the projected texture entity definitely made the visuals pop a lot more.”
- “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.”
music
202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and gameplay experience, with many users praising both the original and custom soundtracks for their fitting compositions. Reviewers noted that the music effectively captures the essence of the Half-Life series, elevating tension during combat and contributing to the overall immersive experience. While some mentioned that the soundtrack could be repetitive or short, the majority found it to be a standout feature that significantly enriches the game's ambiance.
- “The music, puzzles, ambient and gun fights... it matches perfectly just like the good old classics of Half-Life.”
- “The custom made soundtrack elevates the tension and key encounters to another level.”
- “The atmosphere is beyond perfect, sound and music is great and puts you in the mood, gameplay has not changed that much from Half-Life 2 but some nice environmental touches make this game stand out.”
- “The soundtrack is a solid 10!”
- “Really good, but too short in my opinion, I love the new effects and the attention to detail, also the last part is incredible, my only criticism to that is the fact that the soundtrack is too short and repeats itself too often, maybe a longer one would be nice.”
- “Don't even get me started about the horrible sound effects and the atrocious, god awful techno soundtrack!”
optimization
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
41%
33%
Overall, the optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting frequent performance issues, including frame drops and crashes, particularly on lower-end machines. While some players appreciated the visual style and gameplay, they noted that the game's optimization is lacking, leading to frustrating experiences during play. Despite these issues, a few users mentioned that the game runs smoothly on certain setups, indicating that performance may vary depending on hardware.
- “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...).”
- “Terrible optimization: I thought my computer was going to die.”
- “Aside from this, extremely long map load times (the longest out of all source mods I've ever seen!), poor map optimization overall, and some NPCs having slightly bugged AI, this seemed interesting.”
- “So I recommend this game, but there are some massive issues with it, well a massive issue: poor optimization.”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
79%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with many users reporting bugs primarily related to achievements and occasional glitches during gameplay, particularly in the final battle. While some players experienced crashes and performance issues, others noted that the game runs well without significant problems. Despite the bugs, many found the gameplay enjoyable and manageable, especially considering the game's free status.
- “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 Half-Life 2-like of all the mods I'd tried.”
- “Unfortunately, it can be a little buggy and crash-prone, especially at the end.”
- “The achievements are a little buggy, but are all attainable.”
- “I can't deal with the constant FPS drops and freezes; it literally makes the game impossible to play.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players enjoying the quirky mechanics and funny weaponry, such as a gun that launches objects humorously and amusing scenarios like carrying a gnome through a zombie-infested map. However, some found certain aspects unfunny and frustrating, particularly during specific fights. Overall, while there are moments of visual and situational humor, opinions vary on its effectiveness and consistency.
- “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!”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
36%
55%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, particularly in the final section, which is described as tedious and drawn out due to overwhelming enemy spawns and the difficulty in finding necessary resources like rocket launcher ammo. While some enjoy the overall gameplay and mechanics, the repetitive nature of the final battles detracts from the experience, leading to a sense of exhaustion rather than excitement.
- “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.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 players felt frustrated by certain challenges, which detracted from their overall experience. Overall, the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, leaving a lasting impact on its audience.
- “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.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
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 appreciate the challenge of completing the journal and unlocking achievements, but many feel that the game lacks substantial content to encourage multiple playthroughs. However, the mod's unique mechanics and speedrunning opportunities provide a fun experience for those looking to revisit it.
- “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 has only 4 pieces) 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 of 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.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model of the game is praised for being free of add-on purchases and intrusive ads, aligning with its promotional claims. However, some players feel misled by the marketing, expecting more substantial gameplay features than what was delivered.
- “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.”

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2h Median play time

4h Average play time

1-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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Transmissions: Element 120 is a shooter game with science fiction theme.

Transmissions: Element 120 is available on PC, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Transmissions: Element 120.

Transmissions: Element 120 was released on June 16, 2016.

Transmissions: Element 120 was developed by Vincent Thiele.

Transmissions: Element 120 has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Transmissions: Element 120 is a single player game.

Similar games include Estranged: The Departure, Red Trigger, Industria, Black Mesa, Prospekt and others.

Transmissions: Element 120

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