Half-Life 2

[awillan86]

If was called by many the most anticipated sequal this year. I could go on with all the hype and all, but I'm tired, so I will cut to the chase... Now that it has hit the shelves, and going into the holiday season... What do ya'll think of this highly anticipated and well reviewed game?

[BigBunny]

Borrowed it from a mate, and started to play a bit ...

I can't see what's the hype all about. I'm not generally a fan of this kinda games tho.

[awillan86]

I'm not really a fan of linear storyline type FPS... But I was pretty impressed with HL2. What I have played so far.

[Patricia]

I quite like it.. the story is interesting, it's not in your face, and has alot of ties with the first one, and the physics from what i know about fps's and how they work is quite amazing...

for instance, we've all heard about the see saw where you had to weigh down the other side enough to climb a ledge, or other types of those kind of puzzles, that was neat but what i really liked was that the ground slanted or flat would work as you'd expect it too (ie: lie something round on a slant it'd go down right? not in most fps's i've come across) and can use that to your advantage in places you least expect it ie: roll an explosive barrel for instance, that and you can use the medipacks as weapons :P hehe. i thought that was neat...

anyways.. it's pretty, something new, and neat.. not something i'd get addicted too though.

[awillan86]

I didn't know you could use med-packs as explosives... But I do like throwing the explosive barrels at stuff then shooting them.

[TheElf]

My oppinion is a bit less positive. When the FPS games born, we had story in all of them, now most of them are multiplayer, and a fewof them focus on the story. The later group has titles like Unreal II where they just want to use and sell and engine, and the story isn't so great, and they don't throw in many new ideas, and there are others where the story based FPS is something unique. What you get from FPS: You can play many different games in almost the same way, and it is easy to learn. But for a game you expect more than just new and nice graphics (which they need for mods, etc) you expect new ideas, and new story. A few games delivered this. It includes Half Life, and also other titles like No One Lives Forver, and its sequel: No One Lives Forever 2: Spy in the H.A.R.M.s way. Yet the next title for NOLF series wasn't so successfull. Where Half Life 2 stands in this picture?

Imho, when in Half Life 1, we got an interactive world, where we had to use mundane tools, etc. we got something new, and this idea was used in other games as well, which added to it. Including more items in it, and slopes, etc. is essentially just using the resources you have now, in the very same way: You add a few new tricks, but it is just the same everywhere.

I loved when in NOLF series it was because I distracted the enemies in many different ways, the ways how alarms worked, stealth, abilities, etc. The game added something new to the interaction with the environment. And I think you would like to see it in other games. The interaction can gain new and new depth, with each title, we expected to see it in HL2 but we got many cases where you can use a nearby object to get past some obstacle, but nothing realy new and doesn't use many good ideas we seen elsewhere. It does what it has to do, and it looks nice, but I doubt if it is a game that will be as big change as say Half Life was.

Has it continued the first bay's spell? I haven't tried it yet.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by TheElf

I loved when in NOLF series it was because I distracted the enemies in many different ways, the ways how alarms worked, stealth, abilities, etc. The game added something new to the interaction with the environment. And I think you would like to see it in other games. The interaction can gain new and new depth, with each title, we expected to see it in HL2 but we got many cases where you can use a nearby object to get past some obstacle, but nothing realy new and doesn't use many good ideas we seen elsewhere. It does what it has to do, and it looks nice, but I doubt if it is a game that will be as big change as say Half Life was.

I agree with you there, i loved NOLF's stealth, same with Thief, but hl2 is still a good game.

[Patricia]

and hl2 is a little linear, in comparison to a few other games.. but i do still like it. it's something new.

[Polyron]

I like half-life 2 much more than doom 3. Doom 3 introduced nothing new imho and I didn't have much expectations for HL2. Then I went to a cyber-cafe and tried it. I played the first one and I really like the number of levels as well that they spend 4 levels on atmosphere. Its the first time I left the cyber-cafe angry at a game because of this *censored* arrogant guard I wanted to cheats and kill that *censored* so much but couldnt at the cyber cafe.

Anyway, I also liked the "puzzles" thats not something you expect from FPS. Sure some might say it just artificially boost the game life, but so does raising your skills in a game like morrowind. I liked that they were logical, they would usually be solved if you used logic or took the time to look for clue. Like looking at the power lines would lead at a power station that would shut down a field blocking you. I think the vehicles are not just mobile statue like in half-life 1 either (ie: using a vehicle is a "level" in itself its not just transportation you have to approach challenge from a different way). I can't comment on graphics and sounds because my computer sucks at this and the cyber-cafe have outdated equipment. * still hearing the sound of a zombie being caught in fire in ravenholm or the sounds of a headcrab cooking.... *
I also really like the physics engine