Half-Life 2 Review

[GameMaster]

9.5
*
Presentation
The story unfolds in a near flawless fashion. It's weird that Gordon never speaks, but easily forgotten. You'll be hooked by the storytelling and drawn into the action naturally.
*


*
10.0
*
Graphics
Half-Life 2 has usurped DOOM 3's place as the best-looking game on the PC. It's astounding from both a technical and an artistic standpoint.
*


*
9.5
*
Sound
Once again, simply top notch work. Gunfire, the sounds of Combine vehicles, the alertness of guards, voice acting, and all else can't be faulted in any significant way.
*


*
9.5
*
Gameplay
A near flawless implementation of a first-person shooter. A mix of intelligent and frantic combat, puzzles, driving, and squad control creates great variation and paces the game perfectly.
*


*
9.0
*
Lasting Appeal
I want to play Half-Life 2 again and again. It's just that much fun. I do wish there had been more HL specific multiplayer, though.
*


9.7


OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)


If you're a fan of Half-Life, action games in general, or are looking for a way to get into PC gaming, this is it. It'll hook you, reel you in, and hold you captive for serious hours of hardcore brilliance. This is gaming at its best and shows that the future holds no bounds when the might of technology, precision of design, and touch of artistry work in tandem.

Sounds like a good game for me to get. I've already started PC gaming but I never played the amazing original Half-Life.

Entire Review: http://pc.ign.com/articles/566/566202p1.html?fromint=1

[KillerGremlin]

Overall, it seems like Half-Life 2's gameplay is very similar to the originals. That is fine, as the original was so awesome, but it also means that I'm going to snap when a Half-Life 2 fanboy comes up to me and starts shooting down Metroid and Doom and Halo.

Graphically, I've heard that Half-Life 2 surpasses Doom at creating a realistic looking environment, but Doom 3 did a better job with the Lighting and Shadow affects.

Multiplayer, Half-Life 2 has CS, and CS has been around for something like 4 years. So if you're looking for a totally new and fresh multiplayer experience, look elsewhere. However, CS: Source's physic engine has received rave reviews, and it looks like it enhances the gameplay of CS by a little.

Overall, it seems like Half-Life 2 is a pretty sweet package. I'll invest in it once I get a PC that doesn't suck, but that won't be until sometime next year. Until then, I'll be playing Halo 2, Metroid 2 and CS 1.6.

[Null]

Actually, HL2 is the first big step for FPS games in a long time. The gameplay is enhanced GREATLY by the phisics engine. And The phisics engine is going to shape FPS gaming for years to come.

This is the phisics engine that you mention enhances CS. the reason it doest do as much for CS right now as its doing for the game, is that most of CS Source is a port. when maps start coming out that really begin to use what that phisics engine is capable of, the gameplay will change tremendously. It'll cause players to use thier mind much more with the objects and stuff.

Then the possibilities become endless and people start using this to make new mods for the game.

From what it sounds like, HL2 has the first truly innovative gamplay in a FPS game MAYBE since HL1.

[Happydude]

I WANT HL2!!!!! :baby:

i need money...and for that, i need a J.O.B...which is extremly hard to find right now, as i have been looking for the past 2 months...applied to about 10-15 different places...and none of them are calling...those bastards...*sigh*

[Jonbo298]

9 hours 42 minutes to go til I start playing it :D

[Professor S]

Does anyone have any idea what kind of machine you need to play this game? Here are my important stats and let me know if you think I can get it going:

ATI 256 MB Video Card
2.6 Ghz P4
512 RAMBUS (I know, I know... Rambua sucks... I listened to the wrong people and now I'm screwed)

[Null]

you're fine.

RECOMMENDED is like 2.4ghz,with a directX 9 gfx card. and thats to play it like its meant to be played.

REQUIRED is like 700mhz or 1.2ghz (one of the 2) with a directX 7 gfx card.

either way, you'll play it just fine.

then you only need a Di

[Jonbo298]

What kind of Ati card? Ati 256 is way too vague. A model number like 9200 or 9600/9800 helps more

[Null]

What kind of Ati card? Ati 256 is way too vague. A model number like 9200 or 9600/9800 helps more


as long as he doesnt have an SE he should be set to go.

[Jonbo298]

SE will still play HL2 but just more ****ty if he doesnt turn down alot of stuff. Hell, I could probably get it to run on my spare Matrox 32mb video card as its DX7 but then again, its 32mb so it may not run :p

[Professor S]

I have a 9600 series. I believe the name was Xstacy or something like that. Is that any help?

[Jonbo298]

9600 will be fine for it. Should be able to get medium settings pretty easy.

[KillerGremlin]

From what it sounds like, HL2 has the first truly innovative gamplay in a FPS game MAYBE since HL1.

We shall see, we shall see.

I'll reserve judgement until I play Half-Life 2 (Hopefuly on Thursday at my friends house), and then I'll start listing the names of games that have taken revolutionary steps in the FPS market.

The engine, as used by Source, is amazing. I played it at a friends house......and I like the way there is no hit box anymore the best. Now when you shoot someone in the head they get hit in the head. If you shoot them an inch above their head, they don't get shot in the head.

It will be cool to see new CS maps, yes, and I'm very excited. I want to see TFC: Source (Team Fortress 2 looks sooooooooooooo gay), and Natural Selection: Source.

[Canyarion]

I'll have to get this sooner or later. Probably later, I can wait.

[Blackmane]

This is getting me really excited for HL2.

Question: Do you have to buy it and download it through Steam or is it going to be sold in stores?

[DeathsHand]

*hopes his 3 gig, 512MB ram, 9800 Pro runs half-life fine*... *without having to set the graphics to super low*...

I'm sure it will... If it doesn't someone needs to smack valve upside the booty...

hopefully I can get my haaaands on it first thaaang when it hits storesssssss......

[Jonbo298]

You should be able to go to a wal mart or best buy and get it right now if its still in stock. A few days ago, the street date was broken and then they decided to start selling it also.

But you can either get it in store or download it.

and DH..your computer will run HL2 perfectly fine. Mine is an AthlonXP 3200 512 ram and a 9800Pro and I'm putting it on High settings at least.

The computer that Valve used for the reviewers was running a P4 3.2ghz, 2 gigs of ram (a little excessive :p ) and a 9800Pro and the reviewers said the game ran perfect on high.

[Null]

You should be able to go to a wal mart or best buy and get it right now if its still in stock. A few days ago, the street date was broken and then they decided to start selling it also.


Doesnt matter tho as you cant play it untill 12AM PST.

so all the people that got it early just get to stare at a box untill that time. Verendi (sp?) wont let valve activate the servers untill that time. and without activating the servers you cant register the game; meaning you cant install it.

[Jonbo298]

oops, forgot to mention the keyword that you can't play it yet :eyes:

[KillerGremlin]

Aren't all the insallation files on the Half-Life 2 CD? I'm sure you could get it to work, using unethical means, but then again, it comes out in 3 hours so you might as well just wait.

That's one of my complaints against STEAM. You need to connect to it to play all of the games.

[Jonbo298]

Not really. The ONLY time you have to connect to the Steam servers for HL2 is to authenticate your copy. After that you can play in offline mode all you want as long as save account info is checked and I think something.

But HL2 has been out on the market since about Friday/Saturday and the install files are the same that people have preloaded from starting back in October I believe (maybe earlier). So by now it would've been pirated but no one really knows how its authenticated (plus, I'm guessing it needs that last 2 or 3 megs to make it work properly which hackers are all but impossible to figure out that last 2 or 3 megs needed)

[thatmariolover]

God this game is going to own me forever. I'm way more excited for this than I was for Halo 2.

I had the leaked beta a while back, and am buying the game tomorrow (just one example of somebody's "pirated" early release convincing them to buy a game).

If the BETA of the game worked well on my system:

2.26GHZ P4
GeForce 4 MX420
512MB DDR

Then there's no way it won't work awesome on the aforementioned systems. I've gotta get a new graphics card, though. There are a number of things in the game that require a pixel shader - something my card is severely lacking in.

[Ginkasa]

Doesnt matter tho as you cant play it untill 12AM PST.

so all the people that got it early just get to stare at a box untill that time. Verendi (sp?) wont let valve activate the servers untill that time. and without activating the servers you cant register the game; meaning you cant install it.


That is the awesomest thing I have ever heard :lol: I sure hope someone didn't know about this and got home to find they couldn't install. I'd be on the floor after seeing their reaction ^_^


*shrugs and walks away*

[Jonbo298]

If the BETA of the game worked well on my system:

2.26GHZ P4
GeForce 4 MX420
512MB DDR

Yeah, it should run very well on your system. Valve will default it to probably DirectX 8.0/8.1 but you'll be able to run it smooth.

[Canyarion]

Not really. The ONLY time you have to connect to the Steam servers for HL2 is to authenticate your copy. After that you can play in offline mode all you want as long as save account info is checked and I think something.What if you don't have internet?

[Jonbo298]

Then your screwed unless you can get a cheap ass 56k modem, an AOL disk and have access to a phone.

I've heard alot of complaints about the system but unfortunately its the only way to try and curb piracy. Hell, HL2's preloads had been happening since awhile back and it has yet to be pirated but I know hackers are at work on trying to make a crack.

[Blackmane]

Steam pisses me off. I hate having to deal with it, but I understand how it helps deal with the hacker situation. The new project for hackers everywhere I bet is to crack Steam. The piece of....

By the way, I'm about to tap into my precious college savings to buy this game. It is exciting me to an orgasmic state in anticipation.

[Null]

*sits and stares at box, waits to get off work to go play*




*sighs...*

[Blackmane]

I just bought it and I'm waiting for it to update itself. It started saying that it would be ready to play in 830 minutes and I was like, "WTF!" But it keeps on going down like 2 minutes every second, so it shouldn't be too long.

ARG, I hate Steam!!!

[Bube]

OMG!... This is starting to scare me... I buy the game boxed, then I still have to wait hours so I can get it validated? F***ing Steam...

BTW, hacking/pirating games isn't so hard in Steam. I know because I've seen tutorials and patches for it. And I accidentally (I swear! I was just trying to get my old username back.) "bought" Opposing Force off Steam.

So, in short, Steam sucks!

[Jonbo298]

I didn't have to wait hours to get it validated. It took about 10-12 minutes or so but it still got through fine.

Now that I'm awake, time for more HL2 :D

[DeathsHand]

three cheers for crowded servers! Three cheers for not being able to connect to steam!!

HIP HIP!!...

[KillerGremlin]

Are you guys serious? I have seen just as many, if not more, hackers on STEAM then I have on 1.5. If you honestly think that STEAM is helping deal with the hacker situation, you are Valve's tool.

[Blackmane]

I finally connected and was able to play some CS:S. Wow, it looks so good. Too bad my bandwidth is so crappy. I wasn't able to do so well.

Still haven't gone back to try getting HL2 to work, but I absolutely love Source. The physics is so pretty.

And, Steam prevents people from cracking the game and gettting it for free. Steam sucks at stopping people from cheating, but they have to buy the game. That's all that matters to Valve anyways.

[Null]

Are you guys serious? I have seen just as many, if not more, hackers on STEAM then I have on 1.5. If you honestly think that STEAM is helping deal with the hacker situation, you are Valve's tool.


Key word there is HELPING. if you said stops it, then i'd agree with you. However my view is somewhat different.

the hardcore guys that make cheats and do hacks and such are going to do it no matter what, your not going to stop em. They dont bother me. what bothers me is the little kid wanna be ones who find easy ways to hack something and then run around using it like no tomorrow. and every little bit of somethign helps to stop thoes kind. and personally i like that.

but steam does suck. :p

[Jonbo298]

Your reference to little kiddie hackers is commonly referred to as myg0t. If you dont know who it is, google it and you'll see what I mean.

But CS:S's physics are pale in comparison to HL2. I finally got the gravity gun today and its just awesome. Nothing funner then throwing a barrel of fuel/explosives at enemies :D

[Canyarion]

... myg0t. If you dont know who it is, google it and you'll see what I mean.It's the guy from the funny Counter Strike flash movie? "OMG! YOU %$&*(^()_^&&( hacker!!" ???

[Jonbo298]

myg0t is a CS clan that their goal is to only make people's game experience suck, ie: cheat, hacks, etc..

A recent example is in the last month, an exploit was found where if you put %n in your name in CS:S and joined a game, when you get killed, the server crashes out (thus, everyone else does also). They used that exploit EVERYWHERE on CS:S until Valve fixed it.

[DeathsHand]

My only complaint about the game so far:

I can't pick up dead bodies and fling them down the stairs... Watching a combine soldier dude roll down them is so fun! Weeeeheheheeeeh!

[Null]

but you can pick up bodies with the gravity gun cant ya?

[Jonbo298]

I've tried with the gravity gun and you can't but I'm gonna wait for a mod that can let me pick up just about anything with it. it can pickup alot of stuff but not things like cars or semi trailers.

[DeathsHand]

I've run into an irritating problem (well, more like an annoyance of sorts)... Not having to do with the game itself, I guess...

When I pump up the graphics a bit, the game runs perfectly smooth 99% of the time... The only thing is, when something sudden happens such as me turning around quickly to reveal a new something-or-other, an enemy popping out, or me shooting my gun after not having shot it for awhile, the game pauses for a split second and the audio loops, which is extremely annoying... So I have to dumb down the overall settings of the game just for those instances...

It makes me cry...

[Jonbo298]

Other people are having the issue also. I've heard that lowering the sound quality a smidge can help without a noticeable loss in it and someone else mentioned that if you enable the console (options>keyboard>advanced>developers tool (i think thats the name) check that), bring it up with the ~ and type cl_rate 25000. I'm about to try it as I have the same issue here and there

[Null]

I've tried with the gravity gun and you can't but I'm gonna wait for a mod that can let me pick up just about anything with it. it can pickup alot of stuff but not things like cars or semi trailers.


thats odd, cuz in the demo they showed at E3 last year or the year before, they picked up a dead body by the guys foot and dragged him against the table.

but then again, the gravity gun looked different then too. it shot a beam out and grabed things. perhaps an upgrade later in the game? OR perhaps something they just never put in the game. interesting tho.


Anyone know a command to change crosshair colors?

[Jason1]

I've run into an irritating problem (well, more like an annoyance of sorts)... Not having to do with the game itself, I guess...

When I pump up the graphics a bit, the game runs perfectly smooth 99% of the time... The only thing is, when something sudden happens such as me turning around quickly to reveal a new something-or-other, an enemy popping out, or me shooting my gun after not having shot it for awhile, the game pauses for a split second and the audio loops, which is extremely annoying... So I have to dumb down the overall settings of the game just for those instances...

It makes me cry...

Yea same issue for me, as I said in the other thread. My only complaint so far though. Absolutley stunning game. The characters get me...they're so realistic, you really feel connected to them more than in other games because of it...

[Typhoid]

I know this is possibly the stupidest question asked, but meh.

So what about the multiplayer? Are their new Multi-games? Are the games such as CS and DoD revamped, such as graphics and gameplay?

Can someone please answer this, and If there are new things like this please post.

Thank you.

[Jonbo298]

thats odd, cuz in the demo they showed at E3 last year or the year before, they picked up a dead body by the guys foot and dragged him against the table.

but then again, the gravity gun looked different then too. it shot a beam out and grabed things. perhaps an upgrade later in the game? OR perhaps something they just never put in the game. interesting tho.


Anyone know a command to change crosshair colors?

Well, right now I can grab most things (except bodies and very large things) but I can shoot a beam of energy stuff at cars and whatnot. But a simple mod could make it so you can lift everything that you can shoot.

[thatmariolover]

thats odd, cuz in the demo they showed at E3 last year or the year before, they picked up a dead body by the guys foot and dragged him against the table.

but then again, the gravity gun looked different then too. it shot a beam out and grabed things. perhaps an upgrade later in the game? OR perhaps something they just never put in the game. interesting tho.


Anyone know a command to change crosshair colors?


You're confusing the gravity gun and the physics gun. The beta has both, perhaps the full game does as well. The physics gun will pick up anything and you can drag it around, push it out far, pull it towards you. And it's power was limited to a certain weight so if you tried to lift something very heavy you had to grab it and look straight up in the air and the "beam" would bend and may or may not pick up the item.

The gravity gun picks up stuff like barrels and lets you shoot them.

I can hardly wait to pick up this game as soon as I order my new graphics card.

[Jonbo298]

I know this is possibly the stupidest question asked, but meh.

So what about the multiplayer? Are their new Multi-games? Are the games such as CS and DoD revamped, such as graphics and gameplay?

Can someone please answer this, and If there are new things like this please post.

Thank you.

There is a DoD:Source but it hasn't been released yet (still in Coming Soon but its being done). CS:Source is the current multi but there will be Half Life 2 Deathmatch mod's, etc.. coming shortly. And Valve is supposed to be making a surprise or something like that, announcement about HL2 in the coming days so it may be an official DM mode for HL2 but no one is sure yet.