Prospekt’s campaign is mainly focused on combat. While the early puzzles gave me hope of more variety, the majority of the game is spent shooting enemies. The toolset has been reduced considerably, and the lack of a crossbow is felt in the wide open rooms. It is a shame, as the game does have some interesting design choices.

Half-Life 2 add-on

Richard Seabrook started work on the Prospekt Half-Life 2 add-on in 2014. He sent the prototype to Valve in a Half-Life-themed Brief Case, and it was approved to be released through Steam Greenlight. It was originally set for release on February 11, but was later delayed to February 18. The game features 13 chapters, equal to the length of Episode One of Half-Life 2. It features new audio, voice acting, and graphical assets.

Unlike Freeman, Shephard’s weapon arsenal is somewhat limited. He lacks a Gravity Gun, but otherwise the same basic guns and shields are available to him. While Prospekt is a decent add-on, there is a problem: the combat isn’t varied enough. Ninety-per-cent of the combat is with Combine soldiers, and other Half-Life enemies only make brief appearances. The constant bombardment of Combine soldiers can get a bit repetitive. Half-Life always mixes things up, but Prospekt is a bit too static.

Prison

A prison on Prospekt is a facility where inmates can be placed and controlled to achieve a specific goal. Under the new Combine administration, the prison served various purposes, including interrogation and imprisonment of enemies. The prison also served as a place for transforming human subjects into Combine soldiers. These objectives helped the Combine to strengthen their grip on the planet. However, this prison eventually came under attack by Antlions and members of the resistance, who were able to escape through the prison’s teleporter.

Although the prison on Prospekt is not directly mentioned in Half-Life, Alyx’s suspicion of its purpose led to the creation of a plan to break free Eli Vance from Combine captivity. The player fought through the prison’s second turret standoff, and freed Eli. This was the first step in the revolution of City 17.

Baroque palaces on Nevsky Prospekt

In the middle of the 18th century, many luxurious Baroque palaces appeared on Nevsky Prospekt. The Stroganov and Anchikov Palaces are among them. The Winter Palace of Empress Elizabeth, which covered the area between the Moyka River and Malaya Morskaya Ulitsa, was destroyed in 1767. Other Baroque buildings in the area included the Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor, constructed between 1761 and 1785. During the same period, the St. Catherine Cathedral was also built.

The Stroganov Palace is a striking example of baroque architecture. Its facade is decorated with elegant platbands, columns, and statues of female figures. The Stroganov family was associated with aristocratic figures and was well known in artistic and political circles. The family’s emblem is a bear head in front paws.

Gameplay

Though the game has several issues, its gameplay is mostly enjoyable, as it offers an open-world exploration and puzzle-solving experience. The opening section of Prospekt is a pleasant surprise – the player is free to explore a variety of areas, tackling easy puzzles along the way. The puzzle-solving aspect was also an early highlight, and I had hopes for a diverse campaign. But as the game progressed, the puzzles got less challenging and the game lacked variety.

Prospekt offers an interesting experience, but it lacks content, longevity, and a good story. It falls short of the standards set by the Half-Life games. While the graphics are nice, Prospekt’s gameplay isn’t as original or memorable as the original. The combat system is also similar to Half-Life games. The puzzle-solving component falls short of the Half-Life games.