Half-Life 2

When Half-Life came out on the PC in 1998, it became an instant classic, redefining the genre. Valve certainly took their time to make a sequel to the award-winning game, and in 2004 Half-Life 2 was released for the PC, and it was worth the wait.

To better understand this game, it would be wise to play through the first game, but not necessary. In Half-life 2, you play as Gordon Freeman, a physicist who becomes a pawn to a mysterious figure named the G-Man. The G-Man calls upon Gordon to liberate Earth from an invading alien force known as the Combine, and starts his adventure on a train to City 17. Gordon is quickly put into a plan to save humanity from the Combine, but along the way things go wrong and it’s up to Gordon to make things right. In Half-life 2, you start the game with nothing but a crowbar, and as you advance, you will collect more and more new weapons to use, from pistols to shotguns to rocket launchers. About a quarter way into the game, you are given one of the most innovative weapons of all time…. the gravity gun. This gun is a blast to use. Using the primary and second attack buttons, you can pick up and/or punt nearly anything in the environment at your enemies. Even people later in the game. The gravity gun is also more than a weapon, it’s a tool. Using this weapon, you can grab items you normally couldn’t reach, or stack crates as platforms, etc. And to add to the fun, Half-life 2 has an awesome physics engine. Shoot a barrel and everything around it will break, and the shrapnel will be sent flying. Land a grenade beside a window and glass shards will be propelled in all directions.

The physics engine also allows for some really clever puzzles. For instance, place a plank of wood on top of a barrel to make a teeter-totter. Then you can place heavy objects such as bricks and crates on the other end to weigh it down. Now you have a ramp to higher ledges. These puzzles provide a nice break from the intense action, but remain fun. The AI in Half-life 2 is impressive and makes for some really crazy shootouts. Hide behind cover for too long and you will be bombarded by grenades or flanked. Combine the puzzles and action, and you got yourself some fast-paced and incredibly fun gameplay. Also in Half-life 2 are vehicle sections, and levels with horror elements full of suspense and gruesome visuals that break up the regular run and gun gameplay, but are fun to play. Throughout the game you will also arrive at checkpoints where you can interact with other freedom fighters, be given objectives, and stock up on supplies.

The graphics and sound are also outstanding. Half-life 2 has some of the smoothest character animations seen in a video game. The models are extremely detailed and sometimes look like real people. This really draws you into the experience. The environments are extremely detailed as well, with good draw distance and plenty of debris. The only bad thing is that some of the textures are very blurry and pixelated, which can make you remember that you’re only playing a video game.

Conclusion – Extremely, fast-paced and innovative gameplay, with nice puzzles and quiet sections to give you a break from the action. Great graphics, but some blurry textures here and there. Any fan of the FPS genre with a decent computer should definitely get this game. I give it a 95/100.

Rating: 95 / 100

Reviewed by Robert