Valve: Everything We Do Competes Against Half-Life 2

[Freemon]

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

This. And it wouldn't have sold so well if they didn't package it together with games like Team Fortress 2 and Portal... I know that I personally didn't care much for HL2 in that package, nor was I a big fan of it at any point.

half Life 2 was release a long time before the orange box. It was release in 2004 and back then it was considered by many as the greatest game of all times.

The orange box was released in 2007. Most of those who didn't know the Half life series and bought the orange box thought, and still think, the game was being released for the first time on the orange box, in 2007. That's why they say the game is mediocre, slow paced and with bad graphics. They compare it to more recent games.

 

[Enigmers]

I think Portal 2 probably will do better than Half-Life 2, not just because of the simultaneous release, but because I think Portal is a simpler game and appeals to a lot of people, even if they're not into shooters.

 

[Woodsey]

I find it hilarious that everything they announce - despite the brilliance of everything they've released - immediately loses standing in people's eyes because it's not Episode 3.

And it wouldn't have sold so well if they didn't package it together with games like Team Fortress 2 and Portal

6 million copies in it's first year and it was a platform exclusive. There's then ~3 years until the release of The Orange Box. To say much of it's success rides off of TF2 and Portal is ridiculous; people forget how much of a surprise Portal was when the OB was released.

I believe they're also talking retail copies only, not Steam sales of the game.

 

[McShizzle]

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

heh. Troll much?

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

Troll much?

Disagreeing with you is trolling? Also look at the number of people who agreed with me. I'm not trolling.

Making unqualified inflammatory statements is trolling.

To those who state that Half-life 2 is overated/not very good, I'd be curious to hear exactly, which title it is that you hold as the pinnacle of FPS gaming. Also the comparison between TF2 and HL2 is fairly ludicrous. Other than the source engine, they don't share much in common. One is a singleplayer, narrative driven, FPS. While the other is a multiplayer, online, arena based shooter. It's the whole apples & oranges thing.

Lastly, To Valve: If HL2 is your special baby, hurry up and fix it already. Your big engine change messed it up and it's still not fixed! Get on it.

 

[InsanityBaronOfAtrocity]

I..didn't..think it was that good. I mean it was alright and that but it was just a bog standard shooter. And I had no idea what was going on at the time. Much prefer left 4 dead. I think.

 

[Eri]

snip

I'm pretty sure calling me a troll falls under unsubstantiated inflammatory comments as that is your opinion not fact. Just like my previous comments about HL and FF.

 

[Burningsok]

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

heh. Troll much?

No no, he isn't trolling he stating his opinion and nothing else. Trolling is basically doing this and then adding in a bunch of pointless hate rambling with complete made up and untrue crap to make it look horrible.

Also I personally like Half-Life 2. It just felt right, the characters, flow of the game as you travel from one place to another, ect. FF7, I haven't played that game in about 8 years. It was great at the time.

 

[tehroc]

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

I agree, I found it pretty damn boring myself. The engine looked great but it was nothing really special and didnt ever push any envelopes.

...and really guys anyone who call someone a troll for stating an opinion are most likely the real trolls just trying to bait someone into hurling insults.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Oh good, they remember they made a Half Life series.

 

[felixader]

Pro-Tip: make the Goddamn Successor!

It kinda sucks big time how the Story is left hanging in nowhere. No matter how awesome the game is deemed THIS JUST FUCKING SUCKS.
It is the worst kind of thing you can do between games and on this successor we wait now since ever!

 

[slightly evil]

Yeha, but [however the hell you do italics] everything [end italics] is competing with HL2. Well, if anything can over throw it it'll be Portal 2, which I'm still naively hoping will be the greatest thing ever
Aditionally, you know, since HL2-and-a-bit was pretty much more of the same, why not make the fricking 3rd one? you're using the same engine, hell, some of us could design the levels for you if that's what it takes

 

[Tom Phoenix]

Half Life 2 wasn't even that great. It's as overrated as FF7.

To be honest, considering how many people have said the same thing about FF7, I would say it almost qualifies as underrated at this point. I am not saying you are not entitled to your opinion, just that hating on FF7 has become as much of a fad as blindly praising it.

Anyway, while Portal was a great game and I am sure that both Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress are good in their own right, I will always consider the Half-Life series to be the pinnacle of Valve's creativity and game design.

Of course, people are entitled to their own tastes, but I personally enjoyed Half-Life 2. While the story was a bit on the cliché side (invasion from aliens? NO WAY! ), it had strong characterisation, great variety in environments and enemies and an excellent soundtrack. Also, while the graphics aren't necessarilly the most important thing in a game, Half-Life 2's graphical presentation is excellent and holds up very well even to this day.

Overall, Half-Life 2 was a worthy successor to the original (although, I wouldn't call it superior necessarilly; there are enough differences between the two that they can stand side-by-side as equals)) and I am immensely looking forward to what Valve will do with the last part of the trilogy (whenever that happens).

 

[Digikid]

That explains it then.

Half Life 2 was NOT that good.

 

[mandrilltiger]

Half Life 2 is to "FPS"'s as Mario 64 is to "Platformers"

 

[KCL]

Slow =/= bad pacing.

Pacing is how you create the sense of slowness or speed that gives shape to a narrative. Half-Life 2 is an absolute mess from a narratological standpoint.

Regardless of whether or not you liked the game though, all I'm saying is that stating your opinion as fact is egotistical; that's all I'm trying to get across here.

All I'm saying is that stating your opinion that stating my opinion as fact is egotistical as fact is egotistical.

 

[Denizen]

I built my computer rig around all of the recommended settings for HL2 back when it came out. Before i moved onto a newer rig, it's performance exceeded many others (friend's computers) almost in the same spirit as Valve has said here.

It's just hard to compete with careful design and care.

 

[SimuLord]

I'm not a shooter guy. When I think Valve I don't think Half-Life. I think Steam. And I LOVE them.

 

[LockeDown]

Half Life 2 is to "FPS"'s as Mario 64 is to "Platformers"

If you mean that both are incorrectly credited with radically-changing or defining their respective genre, then you are correct, and I say this as a fan of Mario 64.

Half-Life 2 is a good FPS (not my personal cup of tea due to a few technical issues with the game, and its ludicrously slow pace). But you know what else is a good FPS? Quake, Wolfenstein, Doom (I have to mention it), Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (the one for the 64), Goldeneye 007, and even Halo (despite all the flak it gets).

But why is it only okay to rant and rave about how good HL2 is? Why is it immune to the same criticism of, say, Halo: Combat Evolved? They both have their good and bad, and yet anyone who prefers the silent protagonist of Gordan Freeman is welcomed here with open arms, while anyone who dares to claim that Halo might actually be a halfway decent series is immediately alienated and harassed by the community.

Just because a game was good, and happened to be for the PC, does not mean it's the greatest game ever. It also does not mean that any games released in that genre that comes out for a competing platform is inferior (at least not solely by virtue of being released on a different platform).

 

[JeanLuc761]

All I'm saying is that stating your opinion that stating my opinion as fact is egotistical as fact is egotistical.

And I said you were stating your opinion as fact...when?

 

[Irridium]

Makes sense. Considering the game is mentioned and loved everywhere on the internet.

Not me. I totally loved the Machinma regarding the Gordan Freeman mind series. It made the series much more appealing because:

1. The voice fits him perfectly.
2. I love observing the game but not play it myself.
3. The game is mediocore.

AM I A HERETIC NOA!!? - Cried. -

I forgot to finish my post.

I meant to say its "mentioned and loved/hated everywhere on the internet".