“All you can remember in a fuzzy haze is everything going wrong in the test chamber. You remember getting out and overhearing a transmission saying some soldiers have come in and are killing everyone and that some scientists and security guards have got hold of a hanger and a plane. They are waiting for more people to come. You then walked on and you can remember a big explosion and the roof caving in then nothing…………”
Basic Details
- Title: Escape by Leo
- File Name: hl1-sp-escape-by-leo.7z
- Size : 2.58MB
- Author: Leo Ring
- Date Released: 07 September 1999
Download Options
Download to your HDD [2.58MBMB]
Installation Instructions
- Copy the escape-by-leo folder into your Half-Life folder.
- Restart or start Steam.
- Escape by Leo should now be listed in your Library tab.
If you require more help, please visit the Technical Help page.
Screenshots
Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.
Reader Recommendations
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Meta Review Data
Statistics based on 4 comment(s) with meta review data.
Installed:
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 4 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 0 Hours, 49 Mins
Shortest: 0 Hours, 34 Mins by Unq
Longest: 1 Hours, 5 Mins by Qwertyus
Total Time Played: 3 Hours, 16 Mins
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 4 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 0 Hours, 49 Mins
Shortest: 0 Hours, 34 Mins by Unq
Longest: 1 Hours, 5 Mins by Qwertyus
Total Time Played: 3 Hours, 16 Mins
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This is a real “blast from the past” – released in 1999. I have called it “Escape by Leo” because with so many other “escape” mods I have to rename them.
Overall, it was fairly fun to play and there were a couple of nice touches.
Too often it felt I was going from big cube to big cube via corridors. of course, that’s what we generally do, but it shouldn’t feel like it.
I can’t believe I had to “lead” a Barney down some stairs – that was a PITA.
If you don’t really care for Black Mesa themed maps then this won’t excite you but if you are like me then you probably will.
Thanks to 23Down for finding this for me.
It’s just been brought to my attention that the file wasn’t packaged properly.
I have now uploaded a proper version.
If you have the old version, just create a folder in your Half-Life folder called “escape-by-leo” and copy the files into that. Restart or start Steam.
Sorry about that.
This was one of my favorites level packs when I was a kid. Thanks for posting this, Phillip.
That one is indeed a great map pack.
Classic old school mapping in valve style mixed with some great npc scripts. The combat aspects rounding this one up.
I wish we would see more such rather simple mods and maps these days. Such gaming packages are very good if you wanna have a fast & swift game. I estimate the playtime around 20 – 30 minutes.
Give it go people you won’t regret it.
It begins with a nice scene where the scientist revives us. Then we see that soldiers are cutting through the door. We move a crate and escape through the ventilation.
We get through some nicely detailed rooms. There are original elements in design: room with Barney has originally looking destruction, and room with the crowbar has a rat hole. The action begins slowly. First we fight headcrabs with crowbar, then more serious monsters with pistol, then soldiers with shotgun and machine gun. And then there are fights where you need to act fast to survive. The fights are very challenging, but not too hard. We need to use explosives to our advantage. Scripted events add nice variety to the mod. Also, there’s excellent use of music.
There’s optional exploration which rewards with early access to shotgun.
The atmosphere is good. Corridor where we have to go with Barney and room with Gargantua have nice lighting.
Not it’s time to talk about the flaws. It’s possible to get stuck in the vent when you try to get under the ceiling. This place seems like there might be some secret, but there’s nothing, it’s empty. At the beginning, there is z-fighting with elevator doors. The player can use crate to follow the scientists into ventilation and see that there’s nothing in there. And some crates” sides are completely black.
The gameplay in this mod is perfectly balanced. It’s challenging, but never too hard. If you’re a Half-Life veteran, play it now, and you will enjoy its battles greatly.
Yes, great fun. As mentioned, there are a few glitches and the mental adjustment back to enjoying HL1 graphics, but its obvious this was well thought out in its design. Definitely a Play It Now. Minor “almost” spoiler, don’t get frustrated at the beginning being in the vent with nowhere to go and no way out. Hint – its a good thing in this case if the soldiers see you and fire at you.
Yup, indeed a very nice classic mod which is making most things just right.
You could also say this is a typical Half-Life Black Mesa mod, nonetheless it’s great fun!
However, there’s the typical incident at the facility and soldiers approach the complex, shooting on sight. Aliens aren’t friendly too, so never release the finger from the trigger!
I love the action of this mod, also it’s very nice design besides too many indoor sections.
It doesn’t feel that boxy like Phillip described in my eyes, there are indoor more or less many details around the larger halls, warehouse and corridors.
Many scripts are also very good and funny sometimes, just take care at some spots. I blew me up once as one thingy did explode suddenly.
I was astonished how often I died at all, taking into account the “easy” difficulty…
Music is quite often used in combat which makes it more dramatically, very nice too!
There are also some secret areas with goodies, so you should explore everywhere to get more powerful weapons. Some areas which seem to be secrets are just empty, what a pity!
What I didn’t like is the average story and that there were as good as no puzzles.
But however people, combat, scripts and neat design easily outweigh that as fighting is very good balanced in my opinion, except for too much ammo for the AR.
Overall, it’s definitely worth playing if you like action in a BM style surrounding. Enjoy!
Playtime: 36 minutes
Enjoying it, though not on Steam. If you’re like me who plays HL exclusively locally, here’s an Installation Instruction (if permitted:)
Local disk Installation Instruction:
Create a Shortcut of “escape-by-leo” then right click, click properties:
write: (depends on your own HalfLife install location:)
Target: C:\SIERRA\HALF-LIFE\hl.exe -game escape-by-leo -dev -console
Start in: C:\SIERRA\HALF-LIFE\escape-by-leo
Start “escape-by-leo”
In the console, type: /map leo
Enjoy…
Just to let you know I have removed your recommendation image – as you comment wasn’t a proper review.
Totally in order, Phillip. I’ve not completed the mod, yet. My Bad!:)
This was a classic layout for HL mods, you are a scientist or a mere simple worker in black mesa, when the hell break loose, and you have to get outta there!
The lenght is medium, and the mapping is cool, involves exploration in order to found some basic weapons as the magnum,[spoiler] so be ware to check well the part where u found the Ichantosaurs u may found it in there, if u dare and if u are brave![/spoiler]
overall the combat is good and the beggining is pretty cool and different to the most plain begginings u may found in HL mods.
I only got little confused at the end but there was no big deal, maybe a little mor xeninan ennemys would come perfect to close the circle.
Here’s the trend for Half-Life maps these days: I want to start a map. Hmm, don’t know what to call it. Everyone else is doing it, so let’s call it Escape. Now how do I end it? Everyone is doing it, let’s have Gordon take off in a jet! Now how do I make all those boring rooms interesting? I know! Just like everyone else! Throw in some grunts!
Relax. Escape (for Half-LIfe) isn’t as bad as I’ve made it sound so far. This approach to mapping still works if done good, and Leo has done awfully good. Unfortunately, it never gets to the point of excellent because… You guessed it, it’s a grunt-fest level. A story is provided, but no story would’ve had the same effect. You get the gist really, really quickly: You must Escape. A meth addict with a bag filled with glue over his head could of figured that one out… Hmm, probably not, but at least I gave it some consideration. The plot is real thin, but that hardly matters anymore when the fights come in good, wholesome bunches as they did in here.
What makes or breaks a good grunt-fest map is obviously how good the fighting the grunts were, and in this respect, Leo has done a nice job. The battles are well balanced, the rooms are huge, and there must be five to eight marines in each huge room. That does not sound like a lot, but when you actually get around to fighting them… it’ll keep that quickload button nice, warm, and moist with sweat. The build of the rooms were, for the most part, wonderful and they were setup like grunt-killing playgrounds 🙂 There is one problem that I saw, however, and that is that the some rooms are too big at times. I could’ve just stayed back and sniped marines because they’re not very affective at all in long distance gun-fights. Of course, the easy way to remedy this is to jump into the midst of super-propelled tidbits of lead and fight like a man! Believe me, it’s a lot more fun that way 🙂
Another thing that can improve a grunt-fest level and obviously, any map as well, is the visuals. When all is stacked up, Escape looked okay but not that good. Main problem was that many areas were very underwhelming in the detailing. To get proof, you need to look no further than the first couple of rooms. To make up for that though, I can’t hide the fact that the visuals were really nice in other areas as well. Speaking of the first couple of rooms, I must also mention that the beginning is quite deadly and you will most likely die in the first few seconds. This is probably unnecessary austerity that the author should of left out.
Escape is far from being the ideal map. But, here’s a practical way of looking at it: It’s long, very little brain is required, and it’s filled with grunts as well as a few cool triggers and even talking characters! So if you like these kind of levels, than you’ll love Escape, and even if you don’t, Escape will probably still be mindless fun. Just don’t expect to be enthralled.
Notes
This review is republished here by permission and was originally published Sunday, 12th September, 1999 by Jiang.
This review was originally posted on the Ten Four Website, which is now offline. Permission has been granted to republish the full review and more details can be found on the About page.
One of my favourite short HL episodes. Very good mapping and interesting combat.
Manually
Hard
1 Hour, 5 Minutes
Yes, a mod where you have to escape. Yet again. It can be forgiven I think, it’s from 1999. And overall this Escape is a pretty solid Black Mesa style pack.
You won’t find anything groundbreaking here, it’s just a well-done if not polished set of maps. Things progress in a straightforward manner, with weapons and combat ramping up as you progress. Exploration is rewarded, and I’m sure I didn’t find all the hidden weapons and ammo (I hate ickys so much no reward is worth swimming with them).
Just don’t expect too much story, and you’re in for a pretty fun romp. Good combat, nice variety of locations, and some clever scripting make this a worthwhile pack to play.
Manually
Medium
34 Minutes
This is just how a mod should be.
That’s what I believe, though. My favorite kind of HL1 mods are the “Escape from Black Mesa” ones, like this one, so maybe that’s why I liked it more than I should have.
There’s not a lot to say here, this mod is very well done, apart from some flaws, like the enemy placement sometimes and some areas being larger than they should.
Overall, this is a mod that you should really try out.
Nice mod! The routes are not hard to find and the combats are well designed and fun! But the combats are sometimes a little bit tough so I wish there are more health kits (especially when fighting the helicopter).
Manually
Medium
1 Hour
Probably you have to change the controlos first. Clear keys and set up yours, once done apply.
Escape the first room pretty quickly, grab the crowbar.
Attract the zombie and eliminate it first. Use Barney as shield to save ammo. Grab the shotgun in the office.
Ventilators can kill you if you climb in the middle of the ladder. Once on top of the ladder quickly jump back or GLITCH can happen here so you won’t be able to proceed forward.
Grenades can help a lot in that tiny room.
Container room can be skipped, just walk left and run without looking back. You can do the same on next area, just follow the right side where the rail is and climb the ladder. If you’re up to fight your choice it’s a hard battle.
Barney opens door, when following scientist retreat! If not, you’re..
Near Gargantua there’s a health station nearby.
It’s possible to eliminate all assassins SILENTLY, there’s 4 at least. One to the right, explosive create and the other 3 on the left each one behind the military vehicle
Killing both Ichthyosaurus are optional, best position is from railing or in the water in the corner.
On Hard it’s important to eliminate the chopper as fast as possible and surprise all 3 soldiers before it with perfection. Still there’s a secret room with health station underneath the roof top.
It’s much easier to save the satchel for the last 2 turrets defence and eliminate the ceiling turret with arrows. Still it’s possible to crouch and jump over the laser trip mine in case you don’t have the satchel.
Barney struggles in the stairs! Be patient!
Manually
Hard
37 Minutes
This one is fine to me but my first concern here is why do you have to change default controls? The combat is fair, the level design is good, a pretty good escape mod especially in a year 1999.