Halflife 2 REview

[Worm]

Okay, lets do this.

It has a physics engine. That is to say the game uses physics, If you throw wood into water it floats, if you throat a brick in there, it won't float. Now buckets won't fill with water, but soldiers will roll up the "hood" of your "car" and over your "windshield area". It has a physics engine. Now you can't use anything as a weapon ala Trespasser, you cannot use things to distract people like Garret. Though you can pick anything up and throw it. Now throwing that stuff doesn't do damage like in Farcry.

I'd like to be using anything as a weapon, but frankly that'd require better bullets. The physics engine is perfect as far as I'm concerned. I can understand not doing a Trespasser type thing because picking up a decent long object was like super powered. This physics engine that the game has is perfect. Where Halflife 1 had pushing crates, jumping, jumping with hazards puzzles HL2 has all that, but with a physics engine. Some things you have to work a lever and fill one thing up with other crap, but ultimately you're just moving crates, instead of pushing them you are moving them.

The physics engine out of ten is a twenty. It's basically all you could want, enemies lean over bars when killed, they sprawl out, everything seems very concrete and real. It's not only that there is a physics engine but the ability to pick up almost anything in your hands (and later on with the gravity gun) really let's you use the physics engine if you want as opposed to simply witnessing it in action when you kill people. When I couldn't find a way around something I could make a bridge, ladder, or even my own crate fort to protect me when I was informed troops were on the way. It takes anything previous physics engines have given you and smashes it, that shit doesn't matter. I don't know who did the physics engine, but he is one hardcore motherfucking gangsta in my book.

Physics 20/10

Okay, now as for dialogue.

Wait, this is a FPS and it has dialogue which is good, right?
Unprecedented7/10
The facial expressions and dialogue really help the game along. Granted Gordon's last name might as well be tight lips. Maybe they do that because people realize that gamers don't have personalities and would be overridden by Gordon's, though responses during the times of pure dialogue would have been a nice addition. The scripting for these encounters are all really good too, facial animations, inflections, and such all add to it. Many of the things are really for people who've played the first one, though even in inaction the game is very enjoyable, albeit, breif.

Story
It was a good story. It continues from the first game and even you have played the first you probably need it explained to you unless you've played Blueshift, Halflife, Opposing Force, and still I don't even know the aliens names or any of that shit. It's a wierd story, but it's satisfying and I think I'd like it if I was reading a novella, so that's good right?
9/10

Graphics
Really, really, really great. Not just for how they look, but for facial structures, lip sync, skin pallettes, tones, gait, body langauge, something about breasts (not that anyone in the game really has any >_<), and the shine on eyes. Every model is not simply high-res, but they are also detailed and very well skinned and drawn.
10/10

Gameplay
Unlike the first this eliminates what Metriod, Megaman, and The Japanese baby eaters have taught us about boss fights. In G.I. Joe you may have faced a Cobra that was twice your height, but in HL2 there are no real bosses, with the exception of one tough motherfucking helicopter. There is Military hardware like gunships, helicopters that you have to take down, enemies flooding your posistion, striders (Think of the strider things from Morrowind, but robotic). All the combat feels very insurgentish, and I might submit a "KILL WHITE DEVILMEN IN OUR COUNTRY" mod to MODDB later today. The normal combat is very good. I feel that one level does what Doom 3 attempted, another does was squad based games have been attempting, another does what army games have been attempting. The driving is very arcade like and fluid.
11/10

Multiplayer
DON'T GOT NONE CEPT COUNTER STRIKE
5/10



Of course this isn't including the horribly disc install

[Worm]

Okay, let's boil this down.

It's a great game, built on an amazing engine.

I think much more could have been done. But right now, right here, this is the best thing I've played as far as FPSs.

I think applying better ideas to this engine will hopefully create some great games.

Halflife 2 was really great. Ultimately I'm upset that it angled for a sequel, and ended in a familar manner. I wish it had been less of a Halflife fan's sequel.

Multiplayer would be nice, but Gamespot and all the other gaming press having been handing out fine scores to Arena games like Quake 3, Tribes, and Unreal Tournament regardless of their lack of single player. So fuck that double standard.

I miss the horribly obvious "I AM A BOSS CHARACTER" types of bosses. Now I guess. I'm waiting for Halflife 3.

[Jack Straw]

slurp slurp slurp.

[Worm]

Hell, maybe it is a blowjob. But HL2 has earned it motherfucker. So I can proudly say "SLURP SLURP SLURP" until you play the game and try to hamfistedly denounce my review.

[Jack Straw]

hey man, you were slurping well prior to the release.

Hell, maybe it is a blowjob. But HL2 has earned it motherfucker. So I can proudly say "SLURP SLURP SLURP" until you play the game and try to hamfistedly denounce my review.

Not gonna happen. Wouldn't be prudent.

[Worm]

hey man, you were slurping well prior to the release.

Yes and rightly so. I mean fuck, do you think I just know absolute shit about games? I knew it was going to be good and I was right.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Sorry, man, but Half-Life 2 sucks. I can't believe people thought it was better than Doom 3.

I'm stuck on "Water Hazard." There is a helicopter -- that I can't damage! -- shooting at me. And I've killed everyone in the warehouse by the water. No place further to go. Remember that level "On a Rail"? This piece of shit is completely on rails, worse than Doom 3.

I wouldn't DREAM of playing further except that literally everyone I know who has played it can't stop slobbing its grob. No idea what they're seeing in this overblown sack of garbage. THIS is the most expensive PC game of all time?

I mean, it had to do a lot of things to get me to forgive the install. It hasn't done anything interesting yet.

What a piece of crap.

So, I'm stuck and have to find a walkthrough. It takes 15 minutes, combined, to exit the game and enter it again. Thanks maggots.

[Worm]

Sorry, man, but Half-Life 2 sucks. I can't believe people thought it was better than Doom 3.

PSH, I dare you to utter this shit on Caltrops.

I'm stuck on "Water Hazard." There is a helicopter -- that I can't damage! -- shooting at me. And I've killed everyone in the warehouse by the water. No place further to go. Remember that level "On a Rail"? This piece of shit is completely on rails, worse than Doom 3.

Christ, I don't even get why people sob about shit being on rails. The best we can get is a track switch, but open ended is a fucking lie. You're in a warehouse with a helicopter shooting at you, you have absolutely no anti-air weaponry, I'm sorry that you can't create a flash bang out of some kids chemistry set MacGuyver.

I wouldn't DREAM of playing further except that literally everyone I know who has played it can't stop slobbing its grob. No idea what they're seeing in this overblown sack of garbage. THIS is the most expensive PC game of all time?

Look, fuck you. I can't believe this shit is coming from a fellow Daggerfall fan, what the fuck happened to you? Somewhere along the line you became to interested with life, girls(eww gross >_<), and all that other shit. That's your problem.

I mean, it had to do a lot of things to get me to forgive the install. It hasn't done anything interesting yet.

Dude, do you even like games anymore? Remember when we could accept the install and game as seperate entities, do you remember those times, Robb?

What a piece of crap.

So, I'm stuck and have to find a walkthrough. It takes 15 minutes, combined, to exit the game and enter it again. Thanks maggots.

You're stuck in a game that is on rails? What are you fucking retarded?

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Sorry, man, but Half-Life 2 sucks. I can't believe people thought it was better than Doom 3.

PSH, I dare you to utter this shit on Caltrops.

Let's focus on the game at hand, shall we, Worm?

I'm stuck on "Water Hazard." There is a helicopter -- that I can't damage! -- shooting at me. And I've killed everyone in the warehouse by the water. No place further to go. Remember that level "On a Rail"? This piece of shit is completely on rails, worse than Doom 3.

Christ, I don't even get why people sob about shit being on rails. The best we can get is a track switch, but open ended is a fucking lie. You're in a warehouse with a helicopter shooting at you, you have absolutely no anti-air weaponry, I'm sorry that you can't create a flash bang out of some kids chemistry set MacGuyver.[/quote]

You know what I meant. Yes, games are on rails -- but this game makes me FEEL like I'm on a rail. That's the part I object to.

As it turns out, I had not need a ladder that I needed to see and it led to some anti-aircraft weaponry. There were two fags sitting up in that guard tower bored as a hill on an ox, too -- which is stupid. Have them chuck a grenade at me or something.

Look, fuck you. I can't believe this shit is coming from a fellow Daggerfall fan, what the fuck happened to you? Somewhere along the line you became to interested with life, girls(eww gross >_<), and all that other shit. That's your problem.

At least when the quests were broken in Daggerfall there were another billion available! If it weren't for the fact that all Daggerfall games require you to bust out of that stupid dungeon to start, it'd be the best game ever. Whenever you were sick of your life or had created a seemingly all-encompasingly poor reputation amongst everyone, everywhere you just went to a new town. It was like "Ben Parrish: The Game."

Daggerfall's about a billion times better than HL2 so far.

Dude, do you even like games anymore? Remember when we could accept the install and game as seperate entities, do you remember those times, Robb?

I will grant you that it's possible I don't like games any more.

You're stuck in a game that is on rails? What are you fucking retarded?

Ah-hahaha! See, this is why we cultvated you all these years. That is possibly the best line you've ever written. I tip my hat to that one.

HL2 got fun again when I took out the helicopter. It then became a rail shooter. Don't get me wrong, I was KICKING ASS with my jet ski and having a blast, but come on. (I quit for the night only because three of those rocket launching tanks got me.)

[Worm]

HL2 got fun again when I took out the helicopter. It then became a rail shooter. Don't get me wrong, I was KICKING ASS with my jet ski and having a blast, but come on. (I quit for the night only because three of those rocket launching tanks got me.)

Maybe sequel fury blinded me, maybe I'm lying to myself, but it really didn't feel like a rail shooter. Shooters that attempt to cover up the rails piss me off, let's all accept the limitations of the technology, the Industry, and the people. Let's get real motherfucker. You aren't going to see terrain deform, you won't see true A.I., and you won't get true open ended gaming, and companies trying to emulate all the twinkle in your eye bullshit are what is producing shitty games. I never gave a shit about my Ostrich's motivation, I didn't care where Vaus came from, or where he was going, and I sure didn't give a shit if my Karate Champ fufilled his dreams. That is why I liked HL2, it had some honest arcade fun in it, something the world forgot, and something the world doesn't have the fucking reflexes for.

I loved the thing, though those fuckers at Valve can do so much better. Really I believe the modding community is what is going to make the game a real blast. It's almost like a version of Codewarrior that comes with a pretty decent premade game, and that's why I love Halflife, it doesn't stand for company games, it stands for maggot who lives in his mothers basement games. I'd really like for you to try something with the SDK, because the game is just an engine.

12/10, given the current limitations of people, technology, and industry.

[Worm]

I'm stuck on "Water Hazard." There is a helicopter -- that I can't damage! -- shooting at me. And I've killed everyone in the warehouse by the water. No place further to go. Remember that level "On a Rail"? This piece of shit is completely on rails, worse than Doom 3.

Christ, I don't even get why people sob about shit being on rails. The best we can get is a track switch, but open ended is a fucking lie. You're in a warehouse with a helicopter shooting at you, you have absolutely no anti-air weaponry, I'm sorry that you can't create a flash bang out of some kids chemistry set MacGuyver.

You know what I meant. Yes, games are on rails -- but this game makes me FEEL like I'm on a rail. That's the part I object to.

As it turns out, I had not need a ladder that I needed to see and it led to some anti-aircraft weaponry. There were two fags sitting up in that guard tower bored as a hill on an ox, too -- which is stupid. Have them chuck a grenade at me or something.

Also, I don't even get what you were doing here, I couldn't drop copters until my hover craft got a new gun, so I was running from them.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

A HAPPY ENDING?

Well, I got a hold of the gravity gun. Finally.

I don't think you get as much fun out of this game if you play it an hour a night like I was doing. I see why Valve wanted reviewers to come to their offices to play it straight through. Aside from the lack of the laughable start times, you're never really doing anything through the first four chapters to get TRULY pissed off if you're not stopping for anything longer than a bathroom break.

I'm in Ravenholm.

There are only zombies, spiders and head crabs and yet this feels fresh because the guys at Valve put together an environment (a creepy city) that is going to allow them to do whatever the hell they want and chalk it up to some crazy Russian guy putting traps for zombies. There are two cars that I can deploy to crush zombies with. Setup as all hell ... but man. Satisfying.

Additionally, Valve is able to match Doom 3's creep factor without completely turning the lights off. These guys are good. In fact -- I knew that with Doom 3 I'd see a bunch of "Hell on Earth" stuff and their little Spook House simulator would ultimately be bounded by the lack of creativity that id employs. They're an engine company. I saw disturbing stuff in Doom 3, but nothing that was going to really affect me years from now. And when the term "monster closet" got termed -- well, sometimes words can help us control our environments and it just didn't seem the same after that.

Gabe Valve WOULD employ people talented enough to scare the living shit out of us, however. I played the majority of HL1 with the lights off and it really was terrifying at times. This thing, with all the new tech they have... well, I shudder with anticipation. I SHUDDER!!!

(Best of all, there hasn't been any cheap shit, either. Nobody taking pot shots at me while I'm climbing a ladder... nobody immediately swarming into the room the minute I grab some health. I don't mean to rag on Doom 3 -- I was entertained -- but Half-Life 2 seems decidedly less juvenile. That's a good thing.)

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Using the gravity gun and the machine shop saw blades, I just chopped one of those jumping zombies in mid-air. That is the best thing anyone has ever done with computers since the first one was invented.

Another nice touch was the room right before it. A bunch of head crabs were upstairs. I sent a machine saw up in there to try to kill one of them. After I sniped away the headcrabs from below, I went up into the room to look for my sawblade -- the one that I ultimate chopped a zombie in two with. I looked all around and couldn't find it... then looked up. It was embedded in the ceiling.

THIS is what people were talking about when they said how good it was.

If you get this game, keep playing it until you get to Ravenholm at least. It's fucking awesome.

[Worm]

Using the gravity gun and the machine shop saw blades, I just chopped one of those jumping zombies in mid-air. That is the best thing anyone has ever done with computers since the first one was invented.

Sadly Valve only coded that for zombies, so don't expect to see them ever again.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Using the gravity gun and the machine shop saw blades, I just chopped one of those jumping zombies in mid-air. That is the best thing anyone has ever done with computers since the first one was invented.

Sadly Valve only coded that for zombies, so don't expect to see them ever again.

Is this you making a joke? Because the Soviet guy (who I didn't trust initially because he was a trapster and Russian -- two things that normally spell disaster) brought me to a graveyard where there were some more saw blades, and I cut through an enormous number of regular zombies with it. At one point the Russian gave me "cover" while I went into the mess of zombies, got my blade back, ran a good distance away and threw it at them again.

The saw blade in HL2 is the FINEST weapon ever made, and the fact that you have to go get it once you throw it makes it even more special.

[Worm]

Using the gravity gun and the machine shop saw blades, I just chopped one of those jumping zombies in mid-air. That is the best thing anyone has ever done with computers since the first one was invented.

Sadly Valve only coded that for zombies, so don't expect to see them ever again.

Is this you making a joke? Because the Soviet guy (who I didn't trust initially because he was a trapster and Russian -- two things that normally spell disaster) brought me to a graveyard where there were some more saw blades, and I cut through an enormous number of regular zombies with it. At one point the Russian gave me "cover" while I went into the mess of zombies, got my blade back, ran a good distance away and threw it at them again.

Seriously, out of Ravenholm you aren't expressly surrounded by zombies. So you'll never see a sawblade again; because, all it probably would do is bludgeon anyone it isn't coded to cut; like it does the headcrab. I'm trying to make a Multiplayer level that is remniscent of that one lightgun game with the people being tortured and stuff; so, I'm planning on testing this when I get home.

The saw blade in HL2 is the FINEST weapon ever made, and the fact that you have to go get it once you throw it makes it even more special.

Yeah, they definitely should do AVP3 in this engine, just without the multiplayer "alien growth" horseshit. Has anyone played AVP2 Multiplayer? I played through some of single player on an "econo" copy and got too dissapointed by the Alien bossfight; though, the one predator netting his friend is possibly the best moment in gaming I've had. Even if it ended with the other jumping down and kicking my ass.

[Worm]

SHIT

If you don't know me, or have seen too much to care; I've been deepthroating this game like nothing else. Maybe sequel fury blinded me, maybe I'm lying to myself, but it really didn't feel like a rail shooter at all. Shooters that attempt to cover up the rails piss me off, let's all accept the limitations of the technology, the Industry, and the people. You aren't going to see terrain deform, you won't see true A.I., and you won't get true open ended gaming, and companies trying to emulate all the twinkle in your eye bullshit are what are producing shitty games. I never gave a shit about my ostrich's motivation, I didn't care where Vaus came from, or where he was going, and I sure didn't give a shit if my Karate Champ fulfilled his dreams. That is why I liked HL2, it had some honest arcade fun in it; something the world forgot, and something the world doesn't have the fucking reflexes for anymore.

I always liked Freeman as a character. He’s not this cliché action hero “Give me a weapon” Master Chief, and he’s not some introspective emotrooper talking about Hall & Oates on the battlefield. He is just an empty canvas; the kind of character more games could use. He isn’t saving the world. He’s probably fucking it up more. He’s a tool. He’s the coolest tool ever.

The other characters have satisfying interactions and dialogue. The faces look great. The dialogue was "action packed" enough to make anyone but the most methed out Quaker enjoy them. The facial reactions, a wink here, buttons to press(Dr. Vance actually points one out, just so you don't get bored), bulletin boards littered with headlines, and just a real rich enviroment with a conversation going on in it.

I want the painfully obvious bosses back; complete with the glowing red weak spot. I had fun dropping the striders, and gunships; but, I had more fun fighting the big ball sack crab in Halflife 1. This is a big point with me. I hope that the token add-ons feature some sort of boss characters; even if it is a huge combine solder throwing barrels at me.

I loved the game, though those fuckers at Valve can do so much better. I believe the modding community is what is going to make the game a real blast. It's like a version of Codewarrior that comes with a pretty decent premade game. That's why I love Halflife, it doesn't stand for company games. It stands for random douchebags’ games. I'd really like for some of the people here to try something with the SDK. I’d like to see ICJ’s A Crimson Spring in source. I’d love to see Creexul’s fairy mod. I think the major fault in the way everyone is gauging this game is that they are not right not rating the SDK and trying to make their own game; I mean, Troika did it. Hell, I am even; the game uses C++, my clases are coming in handy.

As for HL2DM, with two levels (there is a pack of 52 up on the steam forums now, that I'll try tonight) it feels like the Quake 3 Arena demo (or was that a beta?). Though the gravity gun is fun enough to counter most problems. The weapons really aren’t multiplay balanced, which is refreshing. I would rather not get immediately killed from looking at another guy who has a Magnum; but it's fun, and it's a death match -- you're supposed to die. Both of the maps really cannot suit over 8-10 players very well; any server with 14 people will be hectic. All it needs are a few more maps, few more models, half damage .357, and some saw blades to launch around.


EDIT: This is going here; because FAWK CALTROPS. They have all the content they need, and don't even give a shit about it. They've got some great kids in their play pen all with hall of fame plaques down at brawl hall and shit. Us? We've got a fucking clown, a depressed guy, and a fucking EURO.

[bruce]

he’s not some introspective emotrooper talking about Hall & Oates on the battlefield.

Zing!

Bruce

[Worm]

He's winking, winking at you.


Here's Eli Vance giving me some buttons to keep me busy.


Is this real science? It sounds good enough, DURR.


MEOW! Doom 3 didn't have any cat fights.


Halflife 2 is destined for a nude patch. The best one ever.


DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD >_<


Another touch worth mentioning is that everyone is shabby chic.

[Worm]

I tried a few of the 101 and one levels. Well, two that is. The first one was a garage, which was basically the same level design copy and pasted three times as to truly emulate how unfun parking garages are. Then there was a one that is a little fort in a hole, that one has too few spawn points to support many people so you will constantly get telefragged. You can see through the damn ground in some parts also.