Poll: Half-Life 2

[Kif]

If you played Half Life 1 you were already familiar with head crabs and the hangy things that suck you up, so they weren't such an issue.

I think for the time the level design was brilliant and I never had any issues that you've mentioned but I've never found myself especially baffled by an FPS level design... As a testament to their design you can listen to developer commentaries which explain the designs. If anything it was vastly superior to corridor shooters and also more varied in design and locales than some other games around the same time.

The story; I was eager to pick up where HL 1 left off... but I wonder how long they spent connecting it to the original cause it seemed almost a completely separate story to anything which occured in HL 1 to me, however, it up to now has been a good self contained story... could use an ending though.

The characters were compelling and actually had character unlike a lot of other supporting cast in games, the only other special mention from around that time I can think of is the A.I. from Halo.

All in all, in my opinion, at the time it was the best game I owned for my money.

 

[vivalahelvig]

The thing is the game is suspossed to be a challenge....and you have to use your head....not your anus/scrotum like SOME gamers....altho at first i thought those headcrab guys threw explosive crabs...oh wells

 

[Sephychu]

If it needs explaining, you just don't like it. Simple as.

 

[Beryl77]

Ahh, I remember the first time I played this game. I just couldn't stop playing it until I was finished. For me it's truly one of the best games ever.
I really don't know why you think it's too difficult. One of the most complains I hear about Half-Life 2 is that it's too easy. I really think they could have made it a bit more difficult. The level design too, I think, is great. I never had really any problems finding the way (except one or two times).
But the part that makes this game truly the best FPS for is its story. I love the way the story is being told. it's not only what the charakters say but the world itself tells a story. Just walk around in City 17 or the highway and then use your brain and you'll get some more parts of the story. Thats the biggest point of the story telling. It's not enough to just listen to what the charakters say but you have to think on your own. The story isn't just being fed to you like you're a little child (which most games do nowadays).

Of couse I know that not anyone likes that game. You have your opinion and I have mine. I just wanted to show you why I and many other people like it so much.

 

[Counterwise]

You start off with no explanation...

The explanation is from Half-Life 1, and you need to actually pick out the bits that seem odd (i.e. Alyx being in her twenties, yet she said she was a young child during the Black mesa incident; Eli being really old compafred to how he looked in the last game (generic black scientist model being around his 40s/early 50s, Eli's model being around his late 50s/60s)

The depth of the story is what makes the story special, a lot like Portal (if you've seen Shamus' Thing About Stuff about story quantity vs. quality, you'll know what I mean)

Still, Alyx, a totally new character was completely unsympathetic, I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters. The story was told by in-game dialogue, interaction with the character was impossible, it all felt as a kiddie ride in an amusement park, slowly crawling to the end with a few gimmicks along the way, like the physics engine. I know what happened in Half-Life, it still doesn't explain the new regime, the friendly aliens anything!
Also the mute character does nothing for the game, he seems like an outlander in the game, everyone praises him, jet his unable to do anything to interact with them, he has no ideas, no strategies, he only follows other peoples command. It all feels just, boring, emotionless, cold, sterile. Don't compare this to portal, portal's story had a clear beginning and end. It explained everything needed. Whereas Half-Life throws you into an informational vacuum, at first I though I need to let the game unfold, as the story becomes more clear. Then it ended.

Half Life 2 in a nutshell:
Hi, I'm g-man.
Cool.
Go there.
We're the symbol of a police-state and corrupt law-enforcement
Go there.
Go there.
Irrelevant exposition.
Teleport.
Go there.
Go there.
Hello, I'm the bad guy.
Go there.
Gravity gun!
Go there.
***** betrayed the faction who worked for the benefit of... something.
Go there.
Hello to my quarters, I'm evil you know. Did I tell you I'm the bad guy?
Super gravity gun.
Gaah! And I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling scientists with their unconventional weapons.
Congratulations, you beat the game

 

[thatstheguy]

What's with all the "I dislike Half-Life 2" threads lately?

OT: I like it.

The Escapist has at least 5 or 6 a minute. I've gotten used to it.

 

[Zhukov]

*looks at poll*

99 positive votes vs 10 negative. With 17 neutral.

Y'know, I love it when somebody makes a post on these forums seeking confirmation about how much they hate popular game X and gets a slap in the face.

 

[internetzealot1]

Alex can die?

 

[AWAR]

If you don't like it, try it on a PC. The console version is lame, end of story.

And what the hell? I found the game super easy, having problems with finding stuff is your own issue not the game's..

 

[irrelevantnugget]

Gave it a shot 5 times. 4 times I didn't get far. Last time was 2 weeks ago, and I actually got somewhere. And it still didn't amaze me in any single way. The gameplay changes, sure. From narrow corridors, to driving a hovercraft from point A to B to C to D to E to F to G... and then I lost count of how many more loading screens I came across whilst driving that piece of crap around. Disappointing bossfight after that, then Ravenholm, and then I got lost in the city.

Uninstalled earlier today because I can't be arsed finding my way in this dull game.

 

[imaloony]

You're complaining about being hit by the enemies that broadcast their attacks and are easily dodged? I haven't heard very many people complain about the game being too hard, and in fact the specific instances you mentioned are fairly straightforward enemies. I don't see why the engineering of the striders has anything to do with his health limit; would you be less frustrated if it was just shaped differently? It's the time of the game where you get into boss fights, so a challenge is sort of expected.

The plot doesn't ever need to be "explained" because what you need to know is very apparent. Aliens have taken over from another world and turned the place into a 1984-esque dystopia. People have high expectations of you being able to help, and your antagonist is Dr. Breen. You can read a bit more into EXACTLY what's happening if you like by paying a bit more attention during "plot sequences" like Kleiner's lab, but no BS story about experiments and portals is stuffed down your throat because they realize, not everyone really cares. Instead there's more a focus on the individual characters, and what's important right now. (ie, finding Eli, helping the rebels, etc)

I would also like to note to you that headcrabs were in fact invented BEFORE the Flood. Thus, you can only call the Flood "headcrabs on prozac"

I really don't see how a waypoint system would help. I in fact absolutely hate it when a game grants me a very obvious pattern of "Go Here Then Here"; it's much more interesting when they guide you into where to go using subtle hints, so you more or less "figure it out" on your own. Otherwise you're just going through the motions as it instructs you. I worry that you're perhaps just a bit too used to games that focus on the linear sequences of enemies rather than the exploration/problemsolving systems.

Obviously, I can't affect your opinion as you play; if it's not your kind of game, that's fine. Games have certainly changed more than we realize since 2004, so that could be part of it.

I don't know if I'd call the game "Hard". I did get stuck at a particular checkpoint with 13 HP and death if I didn't move the instant the game loaded, and there are some segments when the enemy has a ridiculous hight advantage on you and I had no idea where they were. While the enemies weren't really "Hard" (I most often get killed by stray explosives) they were pretty bullshitty, especially when some take multiple grenades and explosive barrels and still come back for more.

I guess that makes sense, although I sort of wish they'd explain the setting a little better in HL2 to at least give me an idea of what I'm dealing with.

Yeah, well the headcrabs are still annoying as hell. They move around like the floor is buttered up, they jump like their legs are made of springs, and unless you use the crowbar, they can take WAY too many bullets without dying.

It doesn't have to be a waypoint system like literally an arrow where you need to go, but look how Portal did it. Once you finished the experiment rooms, you would often see graffiti on the wall pointing you in the right direction.
I'll tell you, at the friggin' section where you fight the Striders for the first time, it took me AGES to find the rocket crate (Because it was hidden, and the game made me think I couldn't get over to the overhand) and then it still took me a while to find the staircase after it because the staircase was tucked away in the corner of the level. They could have had an NPC lead you there, or have graffiti telling you to go that way, or hell, someone could TELL you to go there, but when the way forward is hidden, you need to tell the player where it is!

I respect your opinion as well, and I don't think it's fair to say that I "Hate" the game (Although I certainly screamed that at the game around minute 15 of being lost), I can certainly see the appeal, but it seems like there are a few glaring game design flaws and a few really annoying parts of the game, and it doesn't ever feel like I know what I'm supposed to be doing. I just feel like Gordon Freeman just shrugged and said "Eh, I've got nothing better do, I guess I'll just walk forward, hoping something interesting happens to me".

 

[SovietSecrets]

Fun game, fun shooter, best FPS ever? No, but ill be damned if it isn't close.

 

[AlphaEcho]

Boring, played half life 2, never considered buying episodes 1 or 2. You start off with no explanation, you meet some guys you're supposed to know from the last game, something happens, you run around, kill a bunch of guys with crappy shooting mechanics, and before you know it, it ends. I was like, wtf? And this is supposed to be one of the greatest games of the decade? Didn't get attached to anyone, gameplay was boring. I got more attached to jar-jar than anyone in that game. Storytelling was awful and there wasn't even any significant story to be told.
I said bonk this Shakespeare and never looked back.
Oh, and the gravity gun didn't live up to the hype or it's potential.

Everything you said was down right idiotic, if you listened to some one half of the time then you would know most of the story, the shooting mechanics are great and like most games, it ends because you finished it to quick instead of actually paying attention, the characters had great design and personality, and the storytelling was great, and the gravity gun was amazing.

 

[across15]

it sucks on the console since the controls are kinda hard to get used to but in the PC, its pretty good

 

[Angryman101]

You had trouble with it? The fuck? That was the first computer game I ever played and I was able to finish it up in one or two gaming sessions with no problem. And it only takes three shots with the rocket launcher to take down a strider, if it takes more you're doing it wrong.
I loved Half-Life 2. The atmosphere, the subtleties of the story, and the good, complex characters that had a lot of hidden depth were things that stood out to me that almost no other game I've ever played has ever been able to replicate.
I thought the information vacuum was actually very appropriate and helped with the immersion, as you WERE Gordon Freeman, someone who had not gone through any of the events of the past twenty years, and, as such, you knew almost nothing about what was going on around you.

 

[onewheeled]

Though I hate to sound typical, Half-Life 2 is the best shooter I've ever played.

I admit, though, there are annoying parts. Ravenholm, the airboat bit, Nova Prospekt, they all get on my nerves. But it's still so well made, so genuinely fun that I'm willing to play through it all again and again.

And with the OP's problem with AI characters, the only time I ever had Alyx die was in Episode 1, and I had my back turned to her when there were like five zombies all over her, so it was totally my fault. I don't understand how it can be a huge problem, unless you're completely ignoring her.

 

[USSR]

Call of Duty 4

Possibly my favorite Fps to date.
I found that multiplayer to be the most enjoyable
Campaign was rather fun and easy too.

Not sure if I can compare it to Half-Life, but I certainly enjoyed it more.

 

[imaloony]

*looks at poll*

99 positive votes vs 10 negative. With 17 neutral.

Y'know, I love it when somebody makes a post on these forums seeking confirmation about how much they hate popular game X and gets a slap in the face.

I wasn't seeking confirmation about how I hate the game. Why would I do that when Half-Life is one of the most popular franchises in gaming, and Valve is one of the most popular developers out there?

I simply wanted to know what the fans of it saw that made it more enjoyable for them.

Also, I didn't "Hate" the game, I just found it very annoying at certain parts.

 

[Cody211282]

It was ok, just amazing average, not to mention the story was very bland.

 

[Captain Pancake]

It's a damn awesome game. Any and all of the problems that you've identified I didn't recognise in the slightest. I never had trouble wandering around for 20 mins to find something, and you don't need to have played the first half life to understand the game at all. That's my opinion, anyway.