Valve: Everything We Do Competes Against Half-Life 2

[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".

 

[Jsnoopy]

meh, tf2 is still better imo...

 

[Wakefield]

I hate to reiterate what's already been said, but this raises a point: if everything you're doing is competing against one game, wouldn't it make sense to finish the last part of that game so you can move on?

Listen to him, for he is a smart man.

 

[HT_Black]

I'm hardly surprised-- that game is this industry's answer to God. Of course you'd end up competing against it.

 

[Pearwood]

Valve - "All of our games are compared to our flagship game".

... When did Valve hire Captain Obvious as a spokesman?

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

WELL THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD RELEASE HALF-LIFE FUCKING 3! BLAAAAAARRRRG!!!

"takes rage pills"

"ahem"

That is fairly obvious Valve since the same thing happens to every company.

 

[duchaked]

*insert comment about the continuing absence of any information about Half Life 2 Episode 3 Half Life 3 here*.

I'm still making my way through the Half Life 2s...but yes ^that's basically what I was thinking xD

 

[GiantRedButton]

Name me one shooter that was better then half life 2 and came out before it.

 

[Grigori361]

[small]Speaking of Left 4 Dead in comparison to their sales, I wonder when they will be releasing Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 for Mac...[/small]

Just as soon as Mac's can handle the graphical demands put on the system by those games. Integrated video card/motherboards just won't cut it.

I understand your concern, but my Macbook Pro that I am presently typing on can handle the entire Orange Box on max settings. In the past, I used a Windows 7 partition on my hard drive and played Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 on there without any problems, all on this Macbook Pro.

That kind of blows the whole "Macs can't handle it" aspect right out of the water.

[small]I can also right click, I use a real mouse...[/small]

I can second that I run the whole orange box on a mac too with a windows partition.

 

[Grigori361]

Name me one shooter that was better then half life 2 and came out before it.

Half life 1 ?