Poll: The half life series

[ExplosiveSheds]

Hello all.
I was just wondering what the community thinks of the half life series.
It appears that the general idea is that the original half life dragged the FPS genre into the future somewhat, a bit like an evolutionary leap from DOOM style level orientated game-play to.. well... Half life... And the series carried on as such.
But as much as I admire what the game(s) obviously did for the genre, I cant help but feel that it isn't actually that amazing. Its reasonably enjoyable, but the weapons aren't particularly exciting/interesting (to look at or listen to), the enemies are (mostly) unimaginative and the protagonist is a mute (which does make it harder to empathise with him). But then again, this is only my opinion, perhaps I just need to play them more to enjoy them properly, my experience being limited to an hour or two on HL 1 and around 6 hours or so on HL2.
So what do we all think? I'm curious to know what makes the games legendary.

 

[Armored Prayer]

Thought Half-Life 2 while pretty damn good and interesting, I never got really into it.

Don't get me wrong. I loved that game, but I'm not 'in' love with it.

 

[ExplosiveSheds]

Thats pretty much the problem I have with it. While its a decent game in its own right, Im finding it hard to get into. Not really sure why.

 

[Kritical Mass]

HL1 was revolutionary for how it implemented AI. Before that, most games just had the enemies rush you in a straight line with guns a blazin'. HL1 introduced an AI that actually used squad tactics to outmaneuver the player.

 

[acklumos]

I really enjoyed Half Life, Blue Shift and Opposing Force, but I just can't get into Half-Life 2 and its episodes. Although I have heard Half-life 2 gets better once you get to Ravenholme, but it just doesn't hold the same appeal as the original game and its spin-offs did.

 

[Layz92]

Yeah I find it pretty average. Not bad by any means, but average none the less. HL2 deathmatch was fun though.

 

[ffs-dontcare]

Love it. Absolutely love it.

HL1 and Opposing Force were a blast to play through. The AI was amazing and it was awesome playing it seeing from Gordon Freeman's perspective, then playing the expansion and seeing it through the eyes of Corporal Adrian Shephard. Plus the combat was fast and frenetic - the military soldiers are heavily-armed hard-asses and they will coordinate their movements to surround you and fill you with lead and shrapnel, but as good as they are, the Black Ops are even harder. They are fast, unbelievably fast. You try fighting the Black Ops and then get back to me.

HL2 was good, and the episodes were good as well, but now I want to see Adrian Shephard return. I'd love to see him take on the Combine in his own way - the U.S. Marines way. Race X didn't stand a chance against him in Opposing Force, and the Combine sure as hell won't either. If they keep getting thwarted by a bespectacled man in a scientific power-suit, imagine how badly they'd fare against a hardened military corporal.

tl;dr Half-life universe kicks ass and I hope to play as Adrian Shephard again soon.

 

[Travis Austin]

I've never played it myself. In fact I've never even seen a video of any part of it.

But from what I've heard(or read) it is a gift from God,The scum of the Earth, or somewhere in the middle depending on who I ask.

 

[Thwarted]

I just finished half life 1 (12 years after everyone else) and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

I played HL2 and enjoyed it. I played it again and still enjoyed it. It's not a super revolution or anything, but I want to see how the plot turns out. I wish I could play HL1 and the Episodes. (I'm not one to fuss over graphics, but HL1 is gonna look like turd if I ever get my hands on it. KOTOR 2 is kinda off putting when I look at it, and I already realized how messy it looked years ago)

 

[ethaninja]

I love it. Although I prefer the first one to the second one, but Its the Scrubs to my gaming. Meaning I can play it over and over and over again. The whole series

 

[Skops]

Problem is that everytime somebody brings up a thread like this, they're only playing it NOW. The game was made when? 2004 maybe? People that are only starting to play Half-Life 2 or Half-Life just can't realize how special these games were back when they came out.

 

[Ch@Z]

I love HL2 but I can see why people will not like it since the guns suck and the AI is ok.

 

[War Penguin]

I only played the second one and it's episodes but I loved it. I didn't care for the graphics, or the physics engine, or how "revolutionary" it is or isn't. I loved it because it's fun, the main reason to love a game.

 

[Bajaraja]

I've played the whole series...twice.
Man, I just can't get enough of the Freeman... and that Corporal Shepard.


Giggity.

 

[blankedboy]

I've never played it myself. In fact I've never even seen a video of any part of it.

But from what I've heard(or read) it is a gift from God,The scum of the Earth, or somewhere in the middle depending on who I ask.

What else is it gonna be?

OT, I liked HL1, HL2E1, and HL2E2. They were great fun. HL2DM, not so good. I haven't played the original HL2, so I wouldn't know about that. I have OF, TFC and the original CS, but they don't work. I also have CS:S and TF2, but they don't quite count.

 

[Ekonk]

I freakin' LOVE Half-Life. Sure, the weapons are a bit unimaginative, but I don't care.

What you said about uninspired and mediocre enemies is simply not true. I have yet to see another alien race that is portrayed so menacing and ambiguous as the combine.
I never really felt empathy towards Gordon Freeman, but that's because I play him. It's almost an RPG in that way. You feel empathy towards Alyx, Eli, hate towards Mossman, etc, because you are Freeman. You're not supposed to feel empathy towards him, you're supposed to project yourself on him.

I sound like a real fanboy, and I am.

 

[Timbydude]

I'm not the biggest fan of Valve's other games, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED both Half-Life games, and Episode 2 had possibly the best ending I've seen in a game.

The protagonist is mute, but you're supposed to fill in the role. The storytelling is excellent in that it's realistic; if you were really there, you wouldn't stop moving so a cutscene would roll. The story is expertly weaved right into the game itself, which is one of the things that makes the series so compelling.

 

[Turbulenssi]

To me its a game series with lots of high points, where atmosphere is through the roof and its just pure awesomeness, and low points, where it just feels a bit dull. Character are very well done and feel very human. In overall the whole series is great and very well done and thought through.

GIVF Episode 3!

 

[BlindMessiah94]

Thats pretty much the problem I have with it. While its a decent game in its own right, Im finding it hard to get into. Not really sure why.

Can I ask are you playing the 360 version or the PC version?

I know I had played HL on the PC and loved it.
Then I played HL2 on the 360 because I bought the orange box. I never even finished it.
Maybe its just me but something about the PC version (maybe its the controls) just seems to work better. I find the game to be really boring on the console.