Half Life 2, why?

[UltraXan]

*sigh* ok, I'm just gonna start this by saying that I am very disappointed with you. It seems like your main gripe is that you have no idea why you're doing what you're doing. You do everything in the game for a REASON. You don't just wander around aimlessly, shooting things, people tell you why you're going somewhere and what needs to be done. For example, you try to teleport out to the new BlackMesa because you need to get to the rebel base of operations, and as Freeman, you're their big hero so it's imperative you get there. Fastest way? Teleport. Something goes wrong, the combine are onto you, and you need to get the fuck out of there.

Look, I can go on and on about this, but simply put, if you want to enjoy the game, then listen to what the fuck is going on. If you don't, then you get a dull experience since there's no cutscenes to grab your attention.

The half life games are great if you pay fucking attention, you know, like anyone would in a life or death situation?

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

Is it ever explained why Gordon is doing all this stuff?

I never played the original Half-Life either, but it was very clear to me after about 1 minute of Half-Life 2 that Earth was taken over by oppressive alien conquerors. Does any given action hero require more reason to fight than "oppressive alien conquerors?"

 

[Exile714]

Is it ever explained why Gordon is doing all this stuff?

I never played the original Half-Life either, but it was very clear to me after about 1 minute of Half-Life 2 that Earth was taken over by oppressive alien conquerors. Does any given action hero require more reason to fight than "oppressive alien conquerors?"

To add to this point, I hate it when games tell me why "I" am doing what I'm doing. In Half Life 2, I can make up my reasons. I can pay attention to their conversations or I can ignore them. Of course, if I want to experience the "plot" (which, by the way, DOES NOT require "character progression" to be a "plot"), then I have to listen and look around.

But the real reason I liked Half Life 2 is that I enjoyed it. Sound circular, right? Well, it's not. I like the game because it was enjoyable TO ME. Who cares what "you" think about it? When I'm playing, it's enjoyable to me. What made it enjoyable? I felt immersed in a dystopian, post-alien invasion world with believable characters.

 

[Nfritzappa]

And once again "portal fans" are bashing Half-Life 2 because they "gave it a try" when they got the orange box specifically for PORTAL. Of course expectations and impressions are going to be skewed if you don't even know what its about and/or haven't played Half-Life 1. Half-Life 2 is awesome, and I guess the "magic" of it doesn't translate well from generation to generation. It resonates really well with "old style" fps lovers like myself.

 

[Ara69]

Oookay so yea did not actually try looking for posts that said the same, sorry about that, my bad.

But this was not meant as flame bait (though now that I look at it i suppose that theory is very much justified)

I mean, I apriciate the small quirks that Half life has, the gravity gun, the puzzles, the variation in pace, the jumps just happen too quickly and without point. Like the whole run through Darkholm 5min after being told never to go there...
I figure that might be fanservice, so gonna try out the first one, as most of you point out that explains a lot more.

Thank you for your responces.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Oh God. We literally had this thread once Yesterday, and once the day before.

May I suggest someone open a "I hate Half-Life so much, I feel the need to open the 5 billionth thread about it!" User group?

AHAHAHAHA!! Well done man! Thanks, I shall use this to great effect......or, Hopefully, I won't NEED to.....

 

[Mastercylinder]

It's really cinematic, it's a little more than a few fire fights everywhere, Dog kicks ass, Gravity-Gun kicks ass, oh and tons of narrative and cool enviroments.

Yeah I said it, the Gravity gun is cool.

 

[JET1971]

Why aren't they attacking me while I place these bricks on this ramp? I'm literally just in here. Are you telling me these fearsome invaders can't navigate a ramp?

I didnt do that. you have 2 bricks only needed to get past there. and no ramp needed.

That wasn't the point. The point was while I was busy tossing bricks about haphazardly in there, I felt no danger whatsoever. It broke the intense chase scene for no apparent reason.

I know that wasnt the point. as in snipped everything irelelavant to what i said. also you dont need he ramp. just 2 of the bricks. you can stack em and run in all of 30 seconds.

in places like that consider the AI too scared to enter and it works.

but realy theres not a whole lot that can be changed aside from completly changing the AI to wave based instead of scripted. but that would be just like COD2, 2x more linear and wave based AI. and you would still have places AI wont go into. in this instance even modern games fail realy unless you consider random spawning ai a good thing.

 

[Dogstile]

Why aren't they attacking me while I place these bricks on this ramp? I'm literally just in here. Are you telling me these fearsome invaders can't navigate a ramp?

I didnt do that. you have 2 bricks only needed to get past there. and no ramp needed.

That wasn't the point. The point was while I was busy tossing bricks about haphazardly in there, I felt no danger whatsoever. It broke the intense chase scene for no apparent reason.

I know that wasnt the point. as in snipped everything irelelavant to what i said. also you dont need he ramp. just 2 of the bricks. you can stack em and run in all of 30 seconds.

in places like that consider the AI too scared to enter and it works.

but realy theres not a whole lot that can be changed aside from completly changing the AI to wave based instead of scripted. but that would be just like COD2, 2x more linear and wave based AI. and you would still have places AI wont go into. in this instance even modern games fail realy unless you consider random spawning ai a good thing.

I'm not considering putting randomly spawning AI in. They're the goddamn combine. Why can't they just roll a bomb in if you take to long?

You're thinking inside the box my friend This is the combine. They fire headcrabs at people they can't be arsed to kill themselves for crying out loud

 

[JET1971]

Like the whole run through Darkholm 5min after being told never to go there...

Thank you for your responces.

Thats Ravenholm, and the dont go there is a classic lead up to drama. its been done many many times in movies and many more times in books. Shakespeare did the same thing as well as Mark Twain. even classic greek lit has that cheap and very effective plot twist/environment change.

Maybe thats the issue? we that love it can read and understand classic litterature to a point, and you that dont get it can understand american comic books to a point?

anway welx about the responces lol...

 

[DaHero]

Oh look it's this thread again.

Grabbin a pipe

Come at me bro

OT: Because shut up

(yes those are all quotes from a certain web series)

 

[JET1971]

You're thinking inside the box my friend This is the combine. They fire headcrabs at people they can't be arsed to kill themselves for crying out loud

No I was being lametarded. yes they could but they dont.. eff it submit suggestion to valve!!! we all know they do add good suggestions to later games and even higher modders.

Anywho I agree that issues like that do break the flow, but not a whole lot that can be done without making the game too cheap with constant attacks. COD already did that with COD1 and COD2.

*edit

many games back then did have action fast paced parts and a break spot where shit calmed down, in respect to HL2 that was one of them. maybe thats why i didnt mind the ramp/brick section much because i always took that time to pee and grab another drink?

 

[DEAD34345]

Wait until you get to the boat section: longest, most incredibly boring time I have ever spent with a game. I just kept telling myself that this MUST be the end, but no, it just carried on. Then you get a SECOND boat level, this time with a gun on the boat.

I forced myself through it, and was eventually awarded with a brief moment of controlling some cool sand creatures with a weird goo ball, the one fun moment I had with the game.

To be followed by the boat level all over again, except with a car.

DO NOT try to force yourself through the game because of all the hype. It DOES NOT get better.

I loved the hell out off the boat level. In fact, I loved the every moment of Half-Life 1, it's expansions, Half-Life 2 and the episodes.

Ok, now I'm intrigued. I do not understand what you could possibly enjoy about that boat level. This isn't an insult, it's just that I honestly found nothing enjoyable within that level, and I really want to know what you, and presumably others did enjoy about it. I understand why people enjoyed the game as a whole, though I definitely did not. I just hated that boat level with a passion.

So, please tell me, what was good about the Boat level(s)?

 

[bombadilillo]

Complex motivations, mysterious goals, tenuous ally? Enemy of my emeny?

Sounds pretty awesome to me. Hes not Killzones boring Hitler clone villains if thats what your into. I guess.

Not villain in the most basic sense, but he's some sort of a formidable force, his motivations and goals are unclear, manipulation, yadda yadda yadda. He could be a villain, but the aura of mystique around the character is what makes him unique.

I wasn't saying I didn't like the character or thought he was boring, no I think he's probably one of the most interesting characters in gaming, yet, I don't, hell, I can't believe he's a bad guy. Conversely, can't really feel he's a good guy either. I'm simply curious as to why everyone is so certain he is evil, and I said he's mysterious... I'm sure where either of you were going with your posts, but it definitely didn't answer my question... Why is the general opinion that he's evil?

Edit: I think the bad guys are the combine, and in the first game, the vortigaunts.. just saying.

Dude, its not . WHO IS THE BAG GUY. ---> DIS GUY ---> KILL HIM LOLZ!
I don't understand people (not you specificly Snowalker) complaining about the story when every AAA shooters sory is freaking stupid. G-man is an unknown. Earth is fighting the Combine while G-man represents a mysterious 3rd faction we know very little about. He manipulates multiple people not just Gordon into basicly fighting his battles for him. Sherpherd anyone?

Why is that evil when his goal are our own? Because of his shady actions. He traps Gordon in another demension between HL1 and HL2 after offeing a sweet and LITERAL work for me or die choice. He treis to do the same thing later but the Vorts save Freeman, so at least they recognize him as an enemy.

Heres the deal, each game has its own villian and plot, G-man represents a Meta plot almost, and between portal and HL being in the same universe it might soon become Meta for realsies.

Back to your main question why is he evil? He might not be "evil" and i said hes not a Hitler clone if thats what your looking for. We don't know where hes coming from yet, only that many of his actions are objectionable. Thats a good Villian, or character if you want. The unknown quality at least is why he gets a lot of discussion. I cant think of a videogame villian better represented and intriging for the handfull of times he's seen.

 

[Thaliur]

There is no talking, no story, it keeps swapping between dull shooting and a zombie game.
Now, I am only at the prison level thing, and am so bored I doubt I´ll be finishing this. But does it get better? Is it ever explained why Gordon is doing all this stuff?

You should probably check your soundcard then, because actually there's a lot of story in HL2, delivered by a lot of talking, including many references to previous events (from HL1) to tie the story of both games.

 

[Lt. Vinciti]

Not sure the hate on HL2

I didnt like HL1 or those other games Blue Shift/Opposing Force

suppose because I did HL2 > HL

Only level I didnt like was damn well Ravenholm... Episode 2 was...meh and I didnt understand the story for the price of a can of beans....

 

[bombadilillo]

I actually like HL1 better. The story is great, the game is LOOOOONNNNGGGGG, the enemies are varied and challanging, the situations are different hour to hour, actual health. Its everything modern games wish they could be. 1998. 13 years old. Better then most modern shooters. I love fps's and it saddens me that modern games are mostly crap.

Edit, I should say modern fps genre are mostly crap.

 

[Snowalker]

Dude, its not . WHO IS THE BAG GUY. ---> DIS GUY ---> KILL HIM LOLZ!
I don't understand people (not you specificly Snowalker) complaining about the story when every AAA shooters sory is freaking stupid. G-man is an unknown. Earth is fighting the Combine while G-man represents a mysterious 3rd faction we know very little about. He manipulates multiple people not just Gordon into basicly fighting his battles for him. Sherpherd anyone?

Why is that evil when his goal are our own? Because of his shady actions. He traps Gordon in another demension between HL1 and HL2 after offeing a sweet and LITERAL work for me or die choice. He treis to do the same thing later but the Vorts save Freeman, so at least they recognize him as an enemy.

Heres the deal, each game has its own villian and plot, G-man represents a Meta plot almost, and between portal and HL being in the same universe it might soon become Meta for realsies.

Back to your main question why is he evil? He might not be "evil" and i said hes not a Hitler clone if thats what your looking for. We don't know where hes coming from yet, only that many of his actions are objectionable. Thats a good Villian, or character if you want. The unknown quality at least is why he gets a lot of discussion. I cant think of a videogame villian better represented and intriging for the handfull of times he's seen.

But you see, you're falling into the DUDE'S SCAREH -> MUST BE EVIL trap. I mean, sure the vortigaunts see him as an enemy, but I don't trust them, cause I know they tried to kill me before, and I feel the only reason they're helping me now is because of the Combine being a greater threat. The story is far from basic, and has many levels, so to me, it definitely seems that the simplest answers can't be the right one. I mean, sure his actions are shady and he isn't very fair, but I've yet to see anything he's done turn out for the bad. It seems to be, he knows the best possible outcome and is stopping at nothing to make it happen. Vortgaunts, like humans, want to be dominant, and they too have foresight, and thats why they make G-man an enemy, because as long he succeeds in his plans, they won't be dominant, humans will. Now explain to me why I'm being a stupid AAA gamer.

 

[Treblaine]

There is no talking, no story, it keeps swapping between dull shooting and a zombie game.

WTFamireading.jpg

Seriously, jsut because a game doesn't have cinematic cutscenes, that doesn't mean there is no story. FUUUUUU...

The story is easy to follow if you actually listen to the TALKING!

Also it would help to play the previous games but basic synopsis:

-Gordon Freeman works at Black Mesa research facility
-They conduct experiment into teleportation but portal opens into parallel dimension that aliens invade through
-Freeman fights to save scientists, also meets mysterious "G Man" several times, always observing.
-US Marines arrive to start fighting aliens also killing all scientists, including Freeman who is however able to fight back.
-Freeman succeeds in opening a portal to alien dimension that he travels through to Xen, the alien world.
-Progresses through Xen and kills the leader of the alien race.
-G-man abducts Freeman and holds him in stasis revealing himself as a chief manipulator supposedly on side of humans.
-G Man is the person tellign you to "wake up" at beginning of Half Life 2

If you listen in Half Life 2 you'd be told that the Aliens have still invaded earth and taken over Earth using the portals. The story is NOT spelled out to you, you have to intelligently figure it out from the clues presented to you.

Look around in the lab at the newspaper clipings and the NPCs will fill you in on what has happened, particularly Dr Breen's involvement.

You have to recognise that "Barney" is the security guard you played in Half Life 1 expansion: "Blue Shift" and apparently you knew each other as friends. He escaped and went "out of range" and explains to you a lot that has happened in the mean time, if you listen.

Remember, there are several clues you have been ins statis for the past decade or so:

"My goodness Gordon, you don't seem to have changed a bit"

They also talk assuming you have been wandering around for the past several years and have only just re-united, assuming you know about the combine. Remember, Gordan is a mute, and his friends talk to him accordingly to communicate you must look at things to prompt their interest.

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

Wait until you get to the boat section: longest, most incredibly boring time I have ever spent with a game. I just kept telling myself that this MUST be the end, but no, it just carried on. Then you get a SECOND boat level, this time with a gun on the boat.

I forced myself through it, and was eventually awarded with a brief moment of controlling some cool sand creatures with a weird goo ball, the one fun moment I had with the game.

To be followed by the boat level all over again, except with a car.

DO NOT try to force yourself through the game because of all the hype. It DOES NOT get better.

I loved the hell out off the boat level. In fact, I loved the every moment of Half-Life 1, it's expansions, Half-Life 2 and the episodes.

Ok, now I'm intrigued. I do not understand what you could possibly enjoy about that boat level. This isn't an insult, it's just that I honestly found nothing enjoyable within that level, and I really want to know what you, and presumably others did enjoy about it. I understand why people enjoyed the game as a whole, though I definitely did not. I just hated that boat level with a passion.

So, please tell me, what was good about the Boat level(s)?

I found the look and feel landscape, the lighting and the chopper battle to be right up my alley. I think trying to explain why I liked it so much would be like trying to explain Minecraft's appeal to a Renaissance painter.