{{Short description|2001 video game}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox video game | title = Poke646 | image = | developer = Poke646 team | publisher = | producer = | designer = Marc Schröder<ref name="Team">{{cite web |title=Team |url=http://www.poke646.com/team.htm |website=Poke646 |access-date=28 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222042831/http://www.poke646.com/team.htm |archive-date=22 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = | engine = GoldSrc | series = ''Half-Life'' | platforms = Windows | released = 21 December 2001<ref name="PHL5">{{cite web |title=Poke646: Vendetta Release |url=https://planethalflife.gamespy.com/fullstory16c9.html?id=109201 |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=26 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017162834/https://planethalflife.gamespy.com/fullstory16c9.html?id=109201 |archive-date=17 October 2015 |date=21 December 2006 |quote=Five years ago today, the critically acclaimed Half-Life® singleplayer modification "Poke646" was released [...] |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ReleaseDateOfficial">{{cite web |title=Downloads |url=https://www.poke646.com/downloads/ |website=Poke646 |access-date=26 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124154834/https://www.poke646.com/downloads/ |archive-date=24 January 2025 |quote=The „Poke646: {{as written|Annn|iversary [sic]}} Edition“ was released on Dec 21st 2016, the 15th anniversary of the original „Poke646“ release [...] |url-status=live}}</ref> | genre = First-person shooter | modes = Single-player }} '''''Poke646''''' is a single-player mod for the computer game ''Half-Life''. Set in an east German city, it concerns an alien outbreak. The mod features new weapons and enemies, and has many similarities with ''Half-Life 2''. The lead designer, Marc Schröder, developed the game for his university diploma.<ref name="MarcSchröder.de">{{cite web |title=POKE646 |url=https://marcschroeder.de/project/poke646/ |website=Marc Schröder |access-date=28 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220918191816/https://marcschroeder.de/project/poke646/ |archive-date=18 September 2022 |language=German |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ModdingScenes"/> It has been often called one of the best single-player mods for ''Half-Life''.
A sequel, ''Poke646: Vendetta'', was released in 2006. ''Anniversary Edition'' was released on 21 December 2016, the 15th anniversary of the original game. It bundles both ''Poke646'' games and updates them to current versions of Steam and ''Half-Life''.<ref name="AnniversaryEdition">{{cite web |title=Poke646: Anniversary Edition |url=https://www.moddb.com/mods/poke646-anniversary-edition |website=Mod DB |publisher=DBolical Pty Ltd. |access-date=28 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424000910/https://www.moddb.com/mods/poke646-anniversary-edition |archive-date=24 April 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Plot== The game takes place 13 months after the story of ''Half-Life'' in Nation City. The player character is Damian Reeves, a technical assistant to Dr. Fuller at Poke646, an organization set up to investigate alien-related issues after the Black Mesa incident. Poke646 discovered an alien plan to invade the city. They intend to counter it by building four beam generators, which when activated close all Xen portals in the city. Reeves is knocked unconscious in a storeroom accident and when waking up, he discovers that the city has been evacuated due to an alien invasion. The player's objective is to activate the generators and defeat the aliens.
==Gameplay== {{seealso|Half-Life (video game)#Gameplay}} thumb|The player wielding one of the nail guns, a new weapon created for the mod The game features eight new weapons including a steel pipe, two different kinds of nail guns, a double-barreled shotgun, pipe bombs, and an alien gun that shoots acid. There is a stamina system when using the pipe, the character swings slower and with less power if it is used for too long. There is also a device called the IUIC which is used to contact the people at Poke646. The game features two new alien creatures: Explotoad and the final boss enemy.<ref name="PHL2"/>
==Critical reception== {{Video game reviews | GStar = 84%<ref name="GameStar-rating">{{cite web |title=Gamestar results |url=http://www.poke646.com/ |website=Poke646 |access-date=25 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020328223328/http://www.poke646.com/ |archive-date=28 March 2002 |date=6 February 2002 |quote=I don't think that 84% is such a bad rating for a hobby mod and free web download, eh? |url-status=dead}}</ref> | PCPP = 5/5<ref name="PCPP">{{cite magazine |last1=Lee |first1=Derek |title=Mods - Half-Life Poke 646 |journal=PC PowerPlay |date=March 2003 |issue=84 |page=86 |url=https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-084-2003-03/page/n85/mode/2up |publisher=Nextmedia |issn=1326-5644}}</ref> | PCZone = 65%<ref name="PCZone">{{cite magazine |last1=Lamb |first1=Tony |title=The Modsquad - Poke 646 |journal=PC Zone |date=April 2002 |issue=114 |page=128 |url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_114_April_2002/page/128/mode/1up?view=theater |publisher=Future plc}}</ref> }} ''PC PowerPlay'' summarized: "Poke 646 is a fantastic HL mod that does justice to the feel of the original game and improves on it in several respects, while never giving players an unwanted sense of de ja vu."<ref name="PCPP"/> ''Level'' praised the graphics and music, and noted the weapon arsenal as original. It was called one of the best single-player ''Half-Life'' mods.<ref name="Level">{{cite magazine |author1=Locke |title=Mods - Poke646 |journal=Level |date=March 2002 |issue=54 |pages=58-59 |url=https://archive.org/details/Level_54_Mar-2002/page/n57/mode/2up |publisher=Vogel Publishing |language=Romanian |issn=1582-1498}}</ref> ''The Games Machine'' said the graphics have been done excellently. Many of the puzzles were described as well-done and easy to solve but some were noted as frustrating and resulting in the player getting stuck for long periods. The combat was said to be the least impressive aspect of the game due to slow and predictable enemy artificial intelligence (AI).<ref name="GamesMachine">{{cite magazine |last1=Della Calce |first1=Andrea |title=Fragzone - Mod del Mese - Half-Life: Poke646 |journal=The Games Machine |date=February 2002 |issue=153 |pages=90-91 |url=https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-n-153-febbraio-2002/page/n89/mode/2up |publisher=Xenia Edizioni |language=Italian |issn=1129-2326}}</ref> ''PC Zone'' also remarked the puzzles as frustrating but said the mod overall "is really pretty good and well worth sticking at."<ref name="PCZone"/> ''Computer Gaming World'' named ''Poke646'' the single-player mod of the year, saying it is commercial quality in every way. They also called the puzzles clever and the high-resolution textures beautiful.<ref name="CGW">{{cite magazine |last1=Baker |first1=T. Byrl |title=Extended Play: Homebrew - Homebrews of the Year! |journal=Computer Gaming World |date=April 2002 |issue=213 |page=39 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_213/page/n41/mode/2up |publisher=Ziff Davis}}</ref> One ''Planet Half-Life'' reviewer called it the best single-player mod ever.<ref name="PHL1">{{cite web |author1=Stylez |title=Mod of the Week - Poke646 |url=http://www.planethalflife.com/features/motw/poke646.shtm |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=18 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020111063545/http://www.planethalflife.com/features/motw/poke646.shtm |archive-date=11 January 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Another reviewer called it an "excellent mod" that is on par with Neil Manke's mods and professionally produced ''Half-Life'' missions.<ref name="PHL2">{{cite web |author1=Yahtzee |author1-link=Yahtzee Croshaw |title=Poke646 Review |url=http://www.planethalflife.com/features/articles/poke646/ |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=18 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020205134954/http://www.planethalflife.com/features/articles/poke646/ |archive-date=5 February 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Another reviewer wrote: "Everything has been brilliantly done from the storyline to the new weapons down to the lowly little roaches. I have yet to find a single player mod that has been able to top Poke646’s magnificence."<ref name="PHL3">{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Gregory |title=Featured Mod - Poke646 |url=http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=HLMotw.Detail&id=181 |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=22 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630081434/http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=HLMotw.Detail&id=181 |archive-date=30 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The report Modding Scenes said the mod has "utterly professional production values" and textures of "exceptional quality".<ref name="ModdingScenes">{{cite web |last1=Laukkanen |first1=Tero |title=Modding Scenes - Introduction to user-created content in computer gaming |url=https://trepo.tuni.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65431/951-44-6448-6.pdf#page=59 |website=Trepo |publisher=University of Tampere |access-date=25 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204004744/https://trepo.tuni.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65431/951-44-6448-6.pdf |archive-date=4 February 2023 |page=58 |date=2005 |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Poke646'' was named as one of the best single-player mods by Mod DB in 2002 and 2003.<ref name="ModDB1">{{cite web |author1=INtense! |title=2002 Mod of the Year Awards - Best Single Player Mods for 2002 |url=https://www.moddb.com/groups/2002-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/mods-of-2002 |website=Mod DB |access-date=25 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907084916/https://www.moddb.com/groups/2002-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/mods-of-2002 |archive-date=7 September 2015 |date=7 January 2003 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ModDB2">{{cite web |author1=BlueWolf72 |title=2003 Mod of the Year Awards - Best Single Player Mods |url=https://www.moddb.com/groups/2003-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/mods-of-2003 |website=Mod DB |access-date=25 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102808/https://www.moddb.com/groups/2003-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/mods-of-2003 |archive-date=5 September 2015 |date=13 December 2003 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Poke646: Vendetta== A sequel to named ''Poke646: Vendetta'' was released on 21 December 2006, the fifth anniversary of the original game.<ref name="PHL5"/> Due to its shorter length, it has been called an expansion pack.<ref name="PHL4"/> ''Vendetta'' features a new gun, the PAR-21 assault rifle.<ref name="PCAction"/>
''Poke646: Vendetta''{{'}}s story continues on from the end of the first game and the player reprises the role of Damien Reeves. Damien Reeves plans to seek revenge for being betrayed by the Poke646 team and to stop the Poke646 scientists from destroying Nation City to stop the Xen invasion. The player fights his way through parts of the city again to reach the Poke646 headquarters and then the Alpha labs where Dr. Fuller and other staff are planning the nuclear clear out of Nation City. The player finds out that detonation charges have been placed in the conference room, and has to find the detonator. After battling with a large Robot, the player finds the detonator and detonates the conference room, killing everyone inside, including Dr. Fuller. A cut scene reveals Damien reading a letter from a vice-president of Poke646, saying he has been promoted for his actions and someone from administration will be there soon. A door opens revealing a man in a suit with a briefcase (his face is not seen), he simply says: "Quite a nasty piece of work, you managed over there. I am impressed." His voice reveals the identity of the G-Man from the ''Half-Life'' series.
''{{ill|PC Action|de|PC Action}}'' gave a rating of "outstanding" and praised the mod's level design, graphics, and soundtrack.<ref name="PCAction">{{cite magazine |last1=Bertits |first1=Andreas |title=Mods & Maps - Half-Life - Komm zur Rache, Schätzchen! |journal={{ill|PC Action|de|PC Action}} |date=April 2007 |volume=12 |issue=134 |page=122 |url=https://archive.org/details/pc-action-2007-04/page/122/mode/2up |publisher=Computec Media |language=German |issn=0946-6290}}</ref> ''Planet Half-Life'' gave a positive review, they liked the graphics, and the soundtrack including music, ambient sounds, and sound effects.<ref name="PHL4">{{cite web |author1=your evil twin |title=Featured Mod - Poke646: Vendetta |url=https://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View094f.html?view=HLMotw.Detail&id=184 |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=18 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213065345/http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=HLMotw.Detail&id=184&game=4 |archive-date=13 February 2007 |date=13 January 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://www.poke646.com}}
{{Half-Life series}} {{GoldSrc modifications}}
Category:2001 video games Category:First-person shooters Category:GoldSrc mods Category:Half-Life (series) fan games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games developed in Germany Category:Windows games Category:Windows-only games