Half Life 2 - I don't get it.
Discussion
I loved Half Life, and have played all the various episodes of Half Life 2, and I have to say I don't rate it - especially the later ones.
The physics puzzles are so simple as to be no fun, the story is dull, the weapons haven't changed at all, the episodes are far too short. Am I only the person who doesn't rate this game that highly?
The physics puzzles are so simple as to be no fun, the story is dull, the weapons haven't changed at all, the episodes are far too short. Am I only the person who doesn't rate this game that highly?
Yes!
My only complaint is that it is so immersive (more so than any Call of Duty, Rainbox 6 etc) that it requires a long session to get the most out of it.
If I have a few hours spare I give it a go but to be honest never get the time these days so end up just having a quick blast on something else.
In my opinion HL2 didnt move on much from HL1, more of the same but thats not a problem when HL1 was so bloody good!
My only complaint is that it is so immersive (more so than any Call of Duty, Rainbox 6 etc) that it requires a long session to get the most out of it.
If I have a few hours spare I give it a go but to be honest never get the time these days so end up just having a quick blast on something else.
In my opinion HL2 didnt move on much from HL1, more of the same but thats not a problem when HL1 was so bloody good!
I love the HL2 series, including ep1 ep2.
Episode 1 & 2 are basicly parts of HL3, but in order to not wait years and years for HL3 they are releasing the story in episodes and we shall be seeing episode3 sometime 2009.
I also loved the Portal game altho once complete it only takes a very short time to complete again.
I recently started again on the hl2 series, first half life 2 then each episode in order and spent time finding more in each area including more weapons etc. But i defo think that its proberly one of the best storyline games on the market if you include gameplay, gfx and theme. And they way you are left hanging at the end of episode 2.
Oh and... The cake is a lie!
Episode 1 & 2 are basicly parts of HL3, but in order to not wait years and years for HL3 they are releasing the story in episodes and we shall be seeing episode3 sometime 2009.
I also loved the Portal game altho once complete it only takes a very short time to complete again.
I recently started again on the hl2 series, first half life 2 then each episode in order and spent time finding more in each area including more weapons etc. But i defo think that its proberly one of the best storyline games on the market if you include gameplay, gfx and theme. And they way you are left hanging at the end of episode 2.
Oh and... The cake is a lie!
I think your actually clinically mental.
HL2 is a great game, cracking story, balanced game play (not too hard not too easy) and great atmosphere.
It may not be the most high tech game anymore, but bare in mind it is a good few years old now, and imo it has aged wonderfully. It's one of the few games that I still go back to and play from time to time
To be honest if you're not into the story side of things in games then I think it may lose a little of it's appeal, but it is still great to play.
And as for Portal, awesomeness on a disc It may be short but I've gone back to play through that one more times than any other game.
I would prob go as far as to say the HL franchise is one of the best series of games ever made, and I am looking forward to Episode 3 greatly.
HL2 is a great game, cracking story, balanced game play (not too hard not too easy) and great atmosphere.
It may not be the most high tech game anymore, but bare in mind it is a good few years old now, and imo it has aged wonderfully. It's one of the few games that I still go back to and play from time to time
To be honest if you're not into the story side of things in games then I think it may lose a little of it's appeal, but it is still great to play.
And as for Portal, awesomeness on a disc
It may be short but I've gone back to play through that one more times than any other game.I would prob go as far as to say the HL franchise is one of the best series of games ever made, and I am looking forward to Episode 3 greatly.
There's always been a great feeling of familiarity and instant appeal with HL though - you immediately feel comfortable playing it and it engrosses you. The graphics aren't groundbreaking, the story isn't overly deep and its fairly standard FPS gameplay - but they're all done so well, and melded together so brilliantly that you can't help but enjoy it.
Some fantastic areas "We don't go to Ravenholme..." and mysterys with the G-Man. Just the final chapter to go now, and after more than 10 years (HL1 came out Nov 1998) we'll finally get to find out who the G-Man is, and his relationship with Freeman.
For those interested, the full Half-Life time line here:
http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/
And, they're (still) working on a full Source recreation of HL1, "Black Mesa Source"
http://www.blackmesasource.com/
Some fantastic areas "We don't go to Ravenholme..." and mysterys with the G-Man. Just the final chapter to go now, and after more than 10 years (HL1 came out Nov 1998) we'll finally get to find out who the G-Man is, and his relationship with Freeman.
For those interested, the full Half-Life time line here:
http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/
And, they're (still) working on a full Source recreation of HL1, "Black Mesa Source"
http://www.blackmesasource.com/
As much as I love them I wish they'd actually put some effort into the endings. HL1 was brilliant but then you got to the alien levels which were frankly terrible. Then Half Life 2, again brilliant but it ended in much a lame way I was rather annoyed. Will get the Orange Box as soon as I get paid
Isn't HL2 at least 3 years old now?
It used to have groundbreaking graphics and the whole physics thing was also groundbreaking at the time. Thing is that now everybody has done it and improved the graphics and improved upon the physics (e.g. Crysis) HL2 doesn't look as impressive anymore but I find the fact that a game as old as that is still being played and feels relatively fresh pretty impressive.
It used to have groundbreaking graphics and the whole physics thing was also groundbreaking at the time. Thing is that now everybody has done it and improved the graphics and improved upon the physics (e.g. Crysis) HL2 doesn't look as impressive anymore but I find the fact that a game as old as that is still being played and feels relatively fresh pretty impressive.
The graphics and other touches are not important to me. It's gameplay and story that floats my boat, and I have to say I don't think the story is very good at all. HL1 was brilliant - it felt like you were actually part of a truly amazing story. HL2 (for me anyway) is just bland - nothing really happens - and the gameplay is very contrived, unlike the first one. The HL2 episodes just seems to be lazy way of cashing in on the original. BIOSHOCK is an example of what HL2 should have been like, where you feel like your in a living breathing world.
I think Half Life 2 goes for the much more subtle angle, the clues are all there as to the storyline, but it's up to you to patch them all together and work out exactly what is going on. What are the motives of the G-Man? What is going on with the combine? What happened to make the vortigaunts switch to help out humanity?
Much like you could sit there and watch lost and take it at face value, there is a lot more going on once you start piecing all the little clues together.
Bioshock had a good story that was obviously enhanced by listening to all the audio tapes, but even if you didn't, it was still about as subtle as being slapped in the face with a wet fish.
Much like you could sit there and watch lost and take it at face value, there is a lot more going on once you start piecing all the little clues together.
Bioshock had a good story that was obviously enhanced by listening to all the audio tapes, but even if you didn't, it was still about as subtle as being slapped in the face with a wet fish.
Steve Evil said:
I think Half Life 2 goes for the much more subtle angle, the clues are all there as to the storyline, but it's up to you to patch them all together and work out exactly what is going on. What are the motives of the G-Man? What is going on with the combine? What happened to make the vortigaunts switch to help out humanity?
Much like you could sit there and watch lost and take it at face value, there is a lot more going on once you start piecing all the little clues together.
Bioshock had a good story that was obviously enhanced by listening to all the audio tapes, but even if you didn't, it was still about as subtle as being slapped in the face with a wet fish.
Yeah but in Bioshock, what impressed me was the unnecessary, but welcome, attention to detail. The fact the world felt lived in. HL2 has dropped a lot of the exploring element of 1 and gone for a roller coaster ride of a game, which is extremely linear and kills any effect of it feeling like a real world. The fact that in the streets, every door is locked just strikes me as lazy game design. I expect more from my games. I want to be able to decide how I get from a-b and not be on a ghost train.Much like you could sit there and watch lost and take it at face value, there is a lot more going on once you start piecing all the little clues together.
Bioshock had a good story that was obviously enhanced by listening to all the audio tapes, but even if you didn't, it was still about as subtle as being slapped in the face with a wet fish.
I know its been said but hl2 is a really old game now and surely you cant expect it to compete the 3gen games of today like bio shock.
I personally got bored after 5 hours of it (probaly got near the end) but it doesnt detract that at the time it was a ground breaking game (if slightly over hyped at the time)
I personally got bored after 5 hours of it (probaly got near the end) but it doesnt detract that at the time it was a ground breaking game (if slightly over hyped at the time)
Edited by CooperS on Friday 10th October 11:57
HL2 is absolutely great right up until the part, near the end, where the game designer could no longer contain their need to insert a STUPID JUMPING PUZZLE SEGMENT.
At least the game designer's innate need to insert a BIG STUPID YELLOW TELEPORTER PUZZLE was slapped down. That really took the shine off HL for me.
If you're bored of Half Life 2, try the Synergy co-operative mod. It's most entertaining. As is Zombie Panic.
At least the game designer's innate need to insert a BIG STUPID YELLOW TELEPORTER PUZZLE was slapped down. That really took the shine off HL for me.
If you're bored of Half Life 2, try the Synergy co-operative mod. It's most entertaining. As is Zombie Panic.
Negative Creep said:
As much as I love them I wish they'd actually put some effort into the endings. HL1 was brilliant but then you got to the alien levels which were frankly terrible. Then Half Life 2, again brilliant but it ended in much a lame way I was rather annoyed. Will get the Orange Box as soon as I get paid
Thing is I think that HL2 was always intended to be open ended for the following Episodes.Each one adds to the story and follows straight from where the previous one left off.
They should really be played as one big game, hence why the orange box is great for bringing them all together.
Comparing HL2 to bioshock to me tells you how good HL2 is to be compared with a game about 4 years it's junior.
I liked bioshock, but really if you strip away the pretty graphics and the clutter (which is really what makes it look lived in) I don't think it offers the same depth of gameplay as HL2.
And you say don't like HL2 as it feels linear?? Did you play the same bioshock that I did? Was hardly open ended, and at least HL2 lasted longer
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