Ceem

Hyper is a game that takes early concepts and ideas for Half-Life 2 from the earliest stages of development and expands on concepts that were left by the wayside. Taking vague elements and expanding on the original journey of Gordon Freeman.

the story

You are Gordon Freeman, former research associate at Black Mesa, survivor of an experiment gone wrong. Now an agent of a much greater, although mysterious force. You have been missing for ten years.

You walk a world now unrecognizable from the one you left ten years ago. Black Mesa is a crater, Humanity is under the oppression of two alien forces, and Earth has been infested with Xen creatures. Resistance attempts have proven futile, but a man who is unaffected by all of this could make all the difference in the world.

As Gordon Freeman, you must discover what has happened to the world in your absence, as well as what must be done. Throughout your journey, you'll learn of the forces that oppose you; the Horde, a race of warriors. And the Observers, a race that resides in a Citadel in the middle of cities that they control. But they both have one thing in common: They want humanity.

You find yourself in a snowy, icy cave. You make your way out of the cave and into the arctic. The wind is strong and the fog is thick, it's snowing. Making your way through the arctic wasteland, you come across the Hyperborea.

An ice-locked ship in the middle of the Arctic. War-torn and doesn't look like it's gonna be moving anytime soon. Filled with zombies, ship bombarded with strange pods that apparently hatch according to Odell, the Engineer on the ship. Obviously nobody is staying aboard, but the only way out is a mini-sub on the other end of the ship. Plus, the generator's been turned off. Don't get seasick.

Face a macro virus creature engineered by a race of warriors, and a parasitic crab-like creature that leaps onto the heads of prey and controls them against their will.

The crew's gone. Well, mostly. Save for Odell, but even then, he's just as weary as you are.

And to think, that this is just the beginning of your employment.

You and Odell finally board the sub, and make your way down under to Kraken Base.

Finally exiting the sub, you discover that the place has been flooded. You learn that this place was a scientific research station, owned by a 'resistance' force of some kind. Now in ruins thanks to a project gone wrong. Obviously not planning to stay, this place is long gone enough.

A man by the name of Dr. Kelsey acts as your guide, a survivalist scientist. His glasses are taped together and one of the lenses is cracked, Armed with a shotgun, ready to face his own life's work.

But this all seems familiar...

An experiment gone wrong, scientists in peril and a facility in ruins.

This all echoes of what happened in the test chamber all those years ago...

Climbing your way out of the escape pod, you find yourself back in the Arctic. But not in the same place you used to be in. An Arctic Base of some kind. You come across soldiers. Clearly hostile, you take them out swiftly. You proceed through the Arctic and come across a large wall, surrounding a facility of some kind with a large, foreboding Dome in the middle.

Take out watchtowers, soldiers, and work together with Captain Vance and his Conscripts to take down the Weather Station. However, Horde finds their way in and causes more havoc. As the battle gets too intense, you make your way into the Dome and eventually, board the C-130 inbound to the Cities that Vance spoke of.

Unlike the beginning, you aren't alone for long. You are apart of a much larger battle then you ever have before. And unlike Black Mesa, you have more then just Security Guards on your side. Actual soldiers with real training, with a Captain who has a plan.

You lie in the plane, unsure of the destination.

The pilots mutter something. However, they begin to panic. The ship begins to shake, as if something is shooting it. The emergency lights flare up and the plane plummets down.

A loud crash is heard, then darkness.

You wake up in a pile of rubble. In a building of some sort.

You get up and notice a hole in the ceiling. You can't reach it. You climb your way up, and hear some voices.

"We gotta clear out all the rooms. Including this one. Could find that 'important cargo' they were talking about."

"Well hey, the sooner we get out, the better. I've been meanin' to get my hands on some citizens. Issue some civil judgement on those rioting bastards. But I've been stuck up here on this Skyscraper."

"You and me both. Alright, placing charge. Step back."

The wall is blown open. Smoke fills the room.

As the smoke clears, you see two figures. Without hesitation, they fire.You fire back. Successfully killing the two men.

You proceed up a ruined staircase, and make your way up.You see the wing of the plane.

It stretches out over the ledge of the ruined skyscraper. You steep over towards the end and take in the City. Boids flock as you observe. Buildings seem to be in a less then pristine state, they echo of a war that ended long ago. Some covered in propaganda. Referring to this place as: 'City 17'.

But then, as you lean outward, you hear a subtle creek.

You step back.

Vertigo.