The time has come again for another Roundup, this time covering maps released between mid-November and New Year’s. In addition, look for a new Spotlight in the very near future! And so, without further ado…
Djinndrache’s Community Roundup: Mid-November to Year’s End
Test subjects!
The year 2011 has come to an end and how could we celebrate the end of that year better than with another roundup to point out the best maps that have recently been released? But don’t worry if you haven’t played these maps within the year 2011, it’s never too late to test yourself and the maps that our amazing community created for us!
Also I hope you have successfully survived <Holiday Name Here> and wish you a Happy New Year and hope that we will have many more tests to go through in this new year!
But before we are getting too far into the new year now, let’s have a look back to the last part of 2011 to see which outstanding maps have been released before the year 2011 ended!
Singleplayer
Test Map Pack 3 by Rand0mNumbers
Rand0mNumbers created something very special for the community: a map pack of (currently) 7 maps! But they are not just maps, each of them is very unique and features some interesting concepts and ideas. You will be given new game elements and awesome minigames to play with. There are only two things which are really sure to say at this point: Firstly Rand0mNumbers is a great scripter and secondly you will require to think very different here!
Underground Hustle by Vixul
This is an above-average complex underground-themed map featuring several unique puzzle chambers made by a new community member named Vixul. Some parts of the map are pretty difficult and the map may take you some time to find a way to solve it. Don’t halloo till you’re out of the wood!
After Math by chimera201
Speaking of someone’s first map, let’s mention After Math as someone else’s first map. This clean-themed map observed by Wheatley consists of several puzzle rooms that you’ll be lead through. Even though this map is visually not as detailed as some others are this map is a feast for the eyes and got some really good ideas in it which are just waiting to be explored by more players!
A better Bradd by LittleLui
It’s been more than three months since LittleLui released The Bradd. Now he released a new map, taking the concept of "climb to the top" again. If you’re a friend of eastereggs, you may be able to find the optional companion cube within this map.
Obvervating by beecake
beecake already released tons of maps, but now he created a little masterpiece that deserves a closer look at it. In this map you just escaped from Glados and make your way out of the halls. During the play you’ll have severall flashbacks that keep creeping your mind from all the testing. If you like to be frightened and play a decent map, then this is like just made for you.
12 Angry Tests by CaretCaret
Awesome things are awesome, aren’t they? So is this mappack! While playing this mappack you will travel through different parts of Aperture Laboratories and have to solve tests with pretty much all of the test elements that were introduced in Portal 2. All the mappack is designed with great attention to detail. If Portal 2 hadn’t it’s own completed story this could absolutely be an official DLC by Valve, the quality is just that amazing. And that’s not it, no! In the end of this mappack you will even find a custom bossfight. For Portal fans this is a must-play!
1943 by dinnesch
So close and yet so far. In this map you can see the exit right from the start, but it shall take you some time to finally reach it. This map titled 1943 is the first release of dinnesch and makes use of – who might have guessed – the old theme of Aperture maps. Within this map you’ll have to use the given kinds of gel to reach the next layer and finally the exit. This map is not only a very good first release, it’s also an amazing start to become one of the more respected mappers within our mapping community. Let’s see what he serves us next!
1971 by The_Rabbit42
28 years later you will find yourself in a map by The_Rabbit42. Like in 1943, you’ll have to use the different gels in 1971 in order to complete your task. If you enjoy flinging yourself criss-cross over the map with the use of gels, then you shouldn’t miss this one! However, even though the names and styles of the maps 1943 and 1971 are very similar, I don’t think that the maps are related.
Weighted Wonderland by p0rtalplayer
As you may have noticed, we just had <Holiday Name Here>. For this event p0rtalplayer worked out a very delicious map. It’s not very difficult to solve these puzzles, but the map is amazing! If you did not happen to play this map before <Holiday Name Here>, then you should at least give it a play now and see how amazingly this map is made of. Is there a better way to say "Merry <Holiday Name Here>" than giving you this map to play?
Cooperative
Four Rooms by DieHARD34
DieHARD34 created a pretty complex map for cooperative play. As you may guess this map consists of four rooms with different puzzles, each one is more difficult than the others. You and your partner in science will need to be clever, agile and patient in order to complete these courses.
Impetuosity by Nyskrte
You may remember Nyskrte, he already brought you his amazing singleplayer mappack NYS-5. Now he released an amazing coop map which is huge and full of puzzles to explore! But be warned: in the map description Nyskrte describes the difficulty with "Nyskrte-esque" and that’s exactly what it is. He defined his own kind of difficulty, somewhere next to difficult. This map comes with it’s own hub, however it’s still only one map, so you can’t start now and continue later. You’ll have to explore different puzzle chambers and then always return to the hub to get to the next chambers and finally to the exit. If you plan to play this great map you should take several hours of time. However, the time is worth it though!
