Just how good was Half Life 2 ?

[Razorback0z]

I just reloaded HL2 on my PC and started replaying it.

How good was this game ? How good is this game ?

Well in my opinion it is stunning and stil ahead of the curve.

When I first got HL2 I had a pretty good system but as you will no doubt remember, very few people could crank it all up to 100% and get a decent framerate when it was released.

So here we are almost 5 years down the track (scary how fast that went) and there is no shooter on the market now, nor has there been one released, that is as detailed, in depth and graphically stunning as HL2 still looks now. I have a PC now that doesnt even break a sweat running it at full detail and it really was worth the wait to see it in all its intended glory.

What a great shame on the industry for this to be the case. No wonder developers of games like Duke Nukem Forever just gave up.... they couldnt touch HL2 even if they had been working flat out all this time. Surely the best they would have managed is something not quite as good.

So the up side is, Im playing right back through HL2, Ep1, Ep2 and Lost Coast (which I never played) and I feel like Im playing a game released last week. Im having more fun from the $29.95 Orange Box download than I have had from my last 5 full priced games combined.

The down side... where are the shooters to challenge this product ? 5 YEARS!! and not a whimper from the competition...

Sad sad sad....

 

[Shepard's Shadow]

I thought it was pretty average. I thought Portal was better. It didn't reinvent or redefine what a FPS was or is; I just thought it had a better story then most FPS's.

 

[rockingnic]

It's ok... There's alot of other FPSs that kept me playing it for longer than an hour...

 

[HardRockSamurai]

Along with being a good FPS, the game had depth, not just in the story, but in the world the game created.

Plus, you have a gun which controls gravity. You can kill policemen with urinals.

So in other words, Half Life 2 was AWESOME!

 

[MasterSqueak]

The novelty of HL2 wore off quickly for me, when I realized the story was rather sub-par and the gameplay was tedious. I know most people on this site worship Half Life and Valve, but I fail to see what was so ground breaking about it.

*Hides behind anti flame shield*

 

[The_Prophet]

I agree, half-life 2 has to be one of the best FPSes I have ever played.

 

[Vrex360]

It's fun I guess, some of the puzzles are a little hard but it's nice to use your noggin a bit. But ultimatley the fun I had doesn't distract from the faults, like the dumb AI. And the fact that the gunfights are pretty boring and that the story is confusing and improperly handled. I say it is by no means bad, it is quite decent but I wouldn't say it's AMAZING. Worth praise for sure but not the insane level of praise it gets these days. I can see why people like it, i just can't see why people worship it and kiss the ground that Valve walks on because they made it. I mean I liked the Vortigaunts and Alyx Vance but other than that it wasn't the most amazing shooter I've ever played. My own opinion at least, I can see how it's fun but I didn't think it was the greatest thing ever, but I respect the opinons of those who loved it.

*Joins Mastersqueak behind flame shield*

 

[MasterSqueak]

*Joins Mastersqueak behind flame shield*

Next time I'm bringing a anti flame bunker.

 

[haruvister]

I thought it was pretty average.

Woohoo! That didn't take long.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.119704?page=2#2329968

 

[Erana]

Just how good?
The game itself is superb craftmenship, no one can rationally deny that Valve is one of the more competent developers in the industry. Did I enjoy it that much? It was an experience, but not quite to my taste. Still, I'm very glad that I've had the privilege to play it.
This is purely a matter of opinion. Are you asking ours? If not, (and even if you are) there are few opportunities for discussions that wouldn't erupt into a flame war. Why did you make this thread?

 

[Harlemura]

It's because of both Gordon Freeman and Dog. They're the ultimate in cool in my opinion, and you can't get better than ultimate.
But yeah, it was alright. I wasn't very good at it, but I still enjoyed it.

 

[JakBandit2208]

as far as a shooter Half Life 2 was above average at best, but what keeps me coming back is that the story is exellent and I actually gave a damn about what happened to Alex.

 

[MercurySteam]

I liked it enough to try it but it just doesn't do it for me. Ever since 2007 I've held a certain standard for the graphics in a game. Dawn of War 1/2 and Fable: The Lost Chapters are where I draw the line. So in simple terms I think the lack of graphics turn me off it, but if I had played it a few years back I would have felt spoilt.

 

[Strong Intelligent]

Is it bad I did enjoy the gameplay? Anyway. The srtory and universe was great. You can sympathyse with Gordon, even if he wasn't there.

 

[Razorback0z]

I guess for me it goes back to the "redundant detail" topic I started in another thread the other day.

I am just blown away by your options in HL2, I mean name another shooter where you can launch a broken bicycle at someone to kill them LOL. One where you can take a break from shooting enemies to take pot shots at distant seagulls that actually fall out the sky if you hit them.

You had standard single player, boat, speedy car, squad combat, squad combat with insectoids as squaddies.... the list goes on.

The level of detail in the environments at max detail is embarrasing... for other developers that is...

Really my main point is that with the possible exception of Crysis (but not in my opinion) nothing else has come close.

Fallout 3 should have totally eclipsed HL2 in all aspects I have mentioned, instead it barely challenged in some of them and didnt even come close in others.

I sure hope we dont have to wait another 5 years to see a better game.

An Erana... Why did I make this thread ? Great question.

Because I continue to despair at how slowly these games are progressing. I find it perplexing that I am getting more enjoyment from a 5 year old game that I actuallly didnt think was that hot when I first played it on release, than I am from the last 5 new ones I have purchased.

I was genuinely wondering if anyone else had noticed that the level of "craftsmanship" (thanks to whoever said that it is spot on) seems to be totally missing from more recent and similar games. I wondered if anyone else agreed with that premise basically.

 

[mjhhiv]

I liked it enough to try it but it just doesn't do it for me. Ever since 2007 I've held a certain standard for the graphics in a game. Dawn of War 1/2 and Fable: The Lost Chapters are where I draw the line. So in simple terms I think the lack of graphics turn me off it, but if I had played it a few years back I would have felt spoilt.

Am I reading this right? Half-Life 2, from where I'm sitting, looks just like a next-gen game. Maybe the Source Engine is showing a little age now, but judging a game on its graphics is pretty ridiculous to being with -- especially when the game still looks fine.

Now, if you were talking about the original Half Life, then... No, actually I'd still say that the graphics aren't a deal breaker. I do love the Half Life games, so take this for what it's worth. I just don't how someone can be so picky with graphics of such a new game.

Anyways, Half Life has always had some "it" factor, something that just automatically drew me in. The gameplay is fun, the story is pleasant, the graphics are good (they were great), and etc. The pair of Half Life games are definitely amongst my favorites.

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

Story was good, gameplay was tedious (a little shake up but not much), really all in all the game to me is sub-par. I found Half-Life 2 to be boring and too long. The episodes on the other hand were much better because they weren't too long and they weren't too short.

no one can rationally deny that Valve is one of the more competent developers in the industry.

Can they make a compelling story with good enough game play to keep me going, yes. I judge their competence also on their ability to program for other systems besides the PC and 360. To put it in a Guitar Hero analogy, VALVe is plucking away on easy, and medium while if they just went up to hard or expert they could achieve so much more.

 

[JakBandit2208]

I liked it enough to try it but it just doesn't do it for me. Ever since 2007 I've held a certain standard for the graphics in a game. Dawn of War 1/2 and Fable: The Lost Chapters are where I draw the line. So in simple terms I think the lack of graphics turn me off it, but if I had played it a few years back I would have felt spoilt.

Am I reading this right? Half-Life 2, from where I'm sitting, looks just like a next-gen game. Maybe the Source Engine is showing a little age now, but judging a game on its graphics is pretty ridiculous to being with -- especially when the game still looks fine.

Now, if you were talking about the original Half Life, then... No, actually I'd still say that the graphics aren't a deal breaker. I do love the Half Life games, so take this for what it's worth. I just don't how someone can be so picky with graphics of such a new game.

I can see graphics being a big deal to some people. I mean hell it might take certain people out of the immersion of the game if the graphics arent up to par with thier expectations.

 

[Kelthurin]

The novelty of HL2 wore off quickly for me, when I realized the story was rather sub-par and the gameplay was tedious. I know most people on this site worship Half Life and Valve, but I fail to see what was so ground breaking about it.

*Hides behind anti flame shield*

/Cast Firaga



I have yet to see 1 pure FPS game that rivals HL2. And Fallout 3 can't be compared to it, because it's not a pure FPS, and thus doesn't really focus solely on the FPS bit.