Half-Life 2

"Not too bad."

Wow! That is all I have to say about Half-Life 2. Really, it's an experience you have to see to believe. Amazing physics, the facial technology is outstanding, the massive, wide open areas are a sight to behold. However, a few flaws mar an otherwise intense game. To the people who have the pc version this will be nothing new, but to those of us who don't have a tech hungry pc, will this be what you've been waiting for all of these years?

Pros:

The graphics are eye popping. The wide open vistas, to the tight corridors of Nove Prospekt, or the urban areas, the visuals will never fail to please. The fires really light up areas, as always though, the light source is outstanding. Valve have truly carved a magnificant game engine. You can actually see paint shavings in the walls, which is a nice touch. Wait till you see Ravenholme, it's truly one of the most immersive, dark, and moody areas ever created. The character models are insane, sporting some heavy detail, not to mention the faces. They move with so much believeability, like smiles, eyes blinking, etc. Very nice

The physics are in full effect here as well, boxes, crates, hell practically everything can be moved. It's made that much easier thanks to the Gravity Gun, a weapon that can pull and shoot whatever object you can get it's magnet on. The physics are so realistic that depending on what you grab, say a barrel, can actually hurt enemies too. But watch out, as they can fling objects just as hard at you. Some of the games barriers must be broken and puzzles must be solved with this weapon, so it has far more practical use than Doom 3: RoE's physics weapon.

Friendly and enemy AI is pretty good too, but thanks to the scripted nature of the single player game, you won't get to see the full capacity of the AI. However, whats there is pretty impressive, and in some cases can also disappoint. Most human and Combine forces will use cover, or will work in teams. Sometimes they'll wait for you to run through the dooor, of if they must, use grenades to flush you out. Definite plus in the AI category. But it will disappoint in some aspects. In Ravenholem where you fight nothing but Head crabs and Infected human, they'll use the old calvary charge at you while swinging or lunging at you blindly. Still, the AI works really well.

The sound is pretty decent too, the guns you acquire make that "pop" that makes you really think your weapons have that punch. There is very little music, but when you reach a pivatol point in the game, it'll kick in for a short time. The music really suits the action on screen. The voice acting is really superb, but once again you play a voiceless Gordon Freeman. Such voice acting by Robery Guillaume and Michelle Forbes are really outstanding. The clips of the Combine shouting at you while gunning for you can be repetitive, but suit them nicely. I might be sick, but when you light an Infected Human on fire, I love the screaming they let off. Muahahahahahaha!

Some levels are outstanding, for instance Highway 17 and Nova Prospekt. Highway 17 has you driving a dune buggy, armed with a machine gun, while fighting off crazy, blood thirsty hoardes of Antlions. On the way, you'll be breaking into houses fighting off the Combine while looking for supplies. You'll venture into dark tunnels, or driving past vast, open vistas. Nova Prospekt is truly a horrifying prison. Dark, empty corridors filled dead Combine soldiers in the first half give off a creepy vibe, then the second half kicks it up with lots of action. Not only that, but around this time you control small herds of Antlions that swarm over everything.

Valve have truly outdone themselves. However...

Cons:

The story, or lack thereof is truly disappointing. You begin with the mysterious G-Man saying a few words to you while you wake up on train. Your back in Gordon Freeman's boots, but you have no idea about how long it has been since the Black Mesa incident, or where you are for that matter. Nor does the game explain any of this. You arrive shortly at a city, that seems to be the last stronghold of humanity as they are now under rule of the ruthless races of aliens, the Combine. Also, you hear words of the mock governemnt spreading lies of peace with the aliens while wondering around the almsot empty city. Whats worse you ask? The fact that the game ends on the same note as Halo 2: Lots of questions, no answers. The game doesn't really reward you at all, the game just ends there. So thank you Valve, are we going to have to wait another eight or so years for Half-Life 3???

Most shooter games have one thing in common, Mulitplayer! Wether it's done properly is another story, but at least it's included. Usually multiplayer is thrown in to extend the life of the game. However, Valve didn't see this as fit idea. I'm still wondering what they were thinking. The PC version shipped with both Half-Life 2 Deathmatch and Counterstrike: Source, although to be fare, Counterstrike is already available for Xbox. But unless you've been playing Counterstrike since it's birth, you're going to have a hard time tangling with the expert/gods who've been playing the game since forever.

Another aspect is is the framerate and loading times. Whenever the game gets heavy on action, the rate goes down a lot. Almost to the point where the game stops then immediatly flickers back to life. The loading could be another problem for some people, as the game loads every new area. So while in action you could accidently step into an area, then the game pauses on you to load upo the area. This can be nasty and when driving a vehicle, this could throw you off the ramp you wanted to jump off.

This is a big issue with me: jumping puzzles, and whats worse is that this game is full of them. Wether jumping from railing to railing underneath a bridge or jumping from rock to rock in the Sandtraps area, they aren't fun no matter who you are. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Rundown:

+ Great graphics in every aspect
+ Awesome physics
+ Some decent AI
+ Great sound
+ Some levels are really, really fun
- Disappointing story
- Troubling framerate and loading issues
- No multiplayer
? STOP WITH THE JUMPING PUZZLES!!!! YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR FEET!THEY DON'T WORK!

Buy or rent? I'd rent to see if you can tolerate the many problems, although if you loved the original and you'd know you'd love the second one, then by all means, buy it. However, people looking to for their multiplayer fix, might want to steer clear and upgrade your pc.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/21/06