A physicist messes up an experiment ONE time and now the world is in a dystopian nightmare, so annoying when that happens.
"Half-Life 2" released in 2004 for Windows, 2005 for Xbox, 2010 for Mac, 2013 for Linux, and 2014 for Android. "Half-Life 2" was also released with "The Orange Box" compilation of games for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2007. The compilation also came with "Half-Life 2: Episode One," "Half-Life 2: Episode Two," "Portal," and "Team Fortress 2."
"Half-Life 2" is the sequel to the 1998 "Half-Life," revolutionizing first-person shooters by changing up the first-person shooter formula. "Half-Life" took little control away from the player, crafted a captivating narrative, used clever gameplay. and made physicists look awesome.
"Half-Life" and "Half-Life 2" sit in the top five for the most highly-rated PC game on Metacritic. Valve developed both titles, each game in "The Orange Box," and is most well-known today for their Steam storefront.
I originally played all three "Half-Life 2" entries sometime in the mid-2010s on the Xbox 360 release of the Orange Box. I remember liking all three entries, but I don't think they left much of an impression on me at the time. However, now I'm playing these games on Steam and I'm old enough to realize trees don't exist.
Note: Despite this being a spoiler review, I won't be analyzing or going into too many spoilers. Most spoilers come from having to explain the premises of "Episode 1" and "Episode 2."
Premise
In "Half-Life 2," the player controls Gordon Freeman, your average physicist.
I never claimed I knew the definition of average. After the events of "Half-Life," Gordon was put into stasis by the mysterious G-Man, being let out years after the Combine empire took over Earth. Now it's Gordon's mission to save the world with the help of his comrades from the first game and Alyx Vance... However, he's doing most of the work.
[Credit: SourceSpy91]
Immersion
The World
Despite the simple-sounding premise, the world of "Half-Life 2" is rich if depressing. When you first set foot in City 17, the oppression of the Combine is clear. Citizens all wear the same uniform, the Combine raid buildings, Combine Civil Protection soldiers are everywhere, and more.
There's more to discover by talking to NPCs or listening closely to some dialogue, or in my case, learn from watching Leadhead's video on the Combine. Breeding is impossible as the "Combine set up a suppression field that stops embryonic development, not just in the cities, but everywhere on Earth," as said in Leadhead's video. slowly killing humanity.
H*ck, some Civil Protection, Combine in City 17, are just human volunteers wanting better conditions like more-than-minimal rations. They aren't one-dimensional bad guys, they're humans you can understand and sympathize with.
Another example is when the Combine took over Earth, they only did so in seven hours, named the Seven Hour War. Think about it, Earth conquered in seven hours. Millions of soldiers, our weapons, our nukes, our towels... All defeated in seven hours. It shows how threatening the Combine are. This isn't even going into what happens to those that resist.
If a person resists, they become a Stalker. A mutilated shell, physical and mentally, of their former selves made to obediently obey the Combine. If a group resists, they get shelled with Headcrabs, which take over the host's body they hop onto.
The worst part is that... It's implied that the consciousness of the mutilated or zombified person is still intact. It's horrifying to think about, for one's body and existence to be a mindless slave to obey orders from another, while potentially being aware of it all.
However, this is all part of what makes the world so engaging. The Combine are naturally built up as this massive threat right from the beginning. The Civil Protection aren't just one-dimensional bad guys, neither are some Combine soldiers, they're people pushed into volunteering for better conditions or brainwashed.
I honestly love when games don't just give you one-dimensional grunts to face, but enemies that feel like actual people with understandable/sympathetic motives. I always have a soft spot for worlds that do that like in "Final Fantasy XIII," it makes the world feel more alive and I just like feeling bad about killing nameless soldiers.
I never realized just how bad the Combine was until I took it all in. Going back and paying attention to it all thanks to Leadhead's video opened my eyes.
Freedom
Apart from the times you interact with the G-Man and the one other time in the beginning, control is never taken away from the player. Story events are scripted instead of being cutscenes, meaning there's nothing stopping you from just hitting things with your crowbar while a character talks. It's all up to the player.
This creates an excellent flow for "Half-Life 2" that I haven't seen many games replicate, as you can always move around even during story scenes. It's immersive and you never feel pulled out of Gordon's shoes.
The fact that the G-Man is the only one to take away control from the player makes G-Man more intimidating, while adding salt to the wound that Gordon Freeman is far from a free man despite being free from the Combine. Like, is it even ironic or is it a last name with multiple layers of irony? Poor guy just wanted to be a physicist.
Source
"Half-Life 2" was the second game to use the revolutionary Source Engine, as nothing else was quite like it at the time. Unlike other games at the time, objects reacted realistically.
You can pick up a wooden crate, and it'll feel like you're carrying a wooden crate. You can knock the barrel into a stack of barrels, and they'll fall like barrels realistically would. Additionally, these objects would react the same way for NPCs too, although their A.I. isn't advanced enough to understand the pure joy of picking up a wooden crate.
Source is also capable of creating detailed character models with realistic eyes, Phong Shading for models, and more. While I'm no expert on the specifics of the Source engine, what I can say is that "Half-Life 2" looks incredible because of the engine, even today.
Keep in mind that "Half-Life 2" was released during the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube era. At the time, the realism "Half-Life 2" had was out of this world. The character models look wonderful, the environments look great, and looking at the game makes my eyes happy.
[Credit: SourceSpy91]
My only criticism with the presentation would be the environments themselves are a mix between memorable to forgettable. Although, it's hard to tell when it's intentional or not, given the Combine is draining Earth of its resources.
Granted, I haven't played every video game in the mid-2000s, but even if another game or multiple games surpassed "Half-Life 2" and its technology, the graphics and physics engine are still amazing. Even now, it's extremely fun to mess around with.
The physics engine is also used for many puzzles, working amazingly. The puzzle-solving is light, but still racks your brain enough to not be mind-numbingly boring.
Combat
The physics engine also allows plenty of variety in combat with both weapons and strategies. The most unique of the weapons/strategies being the Gravity Gun, letting Gordon lift and throw objects, including objects he can't lift without it. You can guess what most people do with it.
Okay, that might just be me. Either way, it's a terrific way to incorporate the physics engine into combat while being fun. Nothing feels more satisfying than cutting a Headcrab Zombie in half with a saw... J-Just ignore the part I said before about the consciousness of the zombified human potentially still being intact.
The upgraded Gravity Gun later in "Half-Life 2" even lets you pick up and throw enemies. That's right, PICK UP AND THROW ENEMIES!
[Credit for second screenshot: SourceSpy91]
No words can describe how much fun this is. This section alone is my favourite in "Half-Life 2" for this upgrade to the Gravity Gun alone.
Although don't sleep on the other weapons, they're all great. Gordon can go guns blazing with the shotgun or submachine gun, or carefully kill enemies with the crossbow or pistol.
The crowbar is especially a force to be reckoned with... For wooden crates... However, it makes smash crates a lot of fun instead of being a usually dull task.
Gordon Freeman also has plenty of maneuverability, being able to sprint and swim. He can also do unintended abilities like bunny hopping, which doesn't sound intimidating...
However, you try to imagine being the Combine soldier that must report that Gordon just flew above you, at the speed of a bullet.
The music—while rare and never loops—always pumps you up or sets the mood. The soundtrack always plays at the right time and is fantastic to boot.
The enemy variety also keeps battles fresh, requiring you to use Gordon's entire arsenal with their smart A.I.. Well, smart with the Combine, not so much the Antlions and Headcrab Zombies that just charge at you since they're more primal in nature, but they're trying their best.
[Credit: SourceSpy91]
However, the Combine weed you out of cover with grenades, kick explosive barrels towards you, and more. The Combine are easily the best enemies for their strategies and how they make you interact with the environment. While some Combines enemies like Striders are annoying, they still pose a fair challenge.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Alyx's A.I. in the few times she's involved in combat. I could've just been unlucky, but she charged into enemy fire and got in my way. I felt like a babysitter for a child with a gun, except this time virtually.
The vehicle sections are also heated in the best way, with fast-paced action as Gordon outruns a barrage of bullets while running over enemies in his way... If you ignore that some Civil Protection just want better living conditions... Later when he gets a mounted gun, driving around and shooting enemies just feels amazing.
The controls being smooth and responsive adds to the combat and gameplay in general too. It's night and day going from an Xbox 360 controller to a mouse & keyboard, well, after I adjusted the originally high mouse sensitivity.
Knowing more about the lore & world, paying attention to the intricate details, and the mouse & keyboard controls makes "Half-Life 2" such an immersive experience. I wish I noticed this stuff on the 360 version.
Characters
Thinking back, past me was right about one thing—the characters are mostly boring. I forgot what I even thought of the characters until now. Sure, characters like Judith Mossman and Father Grigori are cool.
Judith Mossman is one of those characters that plays 4D chess while everyone else plays Checkers. The game is vague on whether Mossman was playing Wallace Breen, the Administrator of Earth, to gain his trust & save humanity or was being manipulated by him. She oddly ended up being my favourite, and I'm only scratching the surface.
[Credit: SourceSpy91]
On the other hand, Father Grigori is just fun to be around. Look at this absolute mad lad go.
Then you have characters like Barney Calhoun, Eli Vance, Isaac Kleiner, and Alyx who are hard to feel anything for. This could be because I never played the original "Half-Life," but I just feel nothing for most of the characters. This is a severe problem for Alyx especially, given she's a main character, but nothing about her stands out except for her design.
I must give props to the character designs all being memorable though. The characters being designed after their voice actors is a fantastic detail.
Technical
With any game, there's bound to be glitches, and "Half-Life 2" is no exception. Going over just the glitches I went over, because trust me the general list of glitches is huge, they ranged from the weird but tolerable to the... More glaring.
[Credit for third screenshot: SourceSpy91]
Although ironically the lighting breaking made me appreciate just how much work lighting does in games. These glitches also aren't game-breaking or anything thankfully, simply weird.
Achievements
With 30 achievements ranging from completing story chapters to tasks like finding the HEV Suit faceplate in Black Mesa East, you'd expect a fun time. However, you end up uncovering an ugly flaw that reveals itself upon replaying the game... The NPC scripting.
You must wait so long since the cutscenes are scripted to have the NPCs talk to Gordon or each other. You can't skip them naturally, meaning the player must wait for some annoyingly long times. It's just boring sitting around, twiddling your thumbs, waiting to do the wacky Gravity Gun challenge in Ravenholm.
[Credits: SourceSpy91 (first image) and Kaisonic Productions (second image)]
The novelty of not having control taken away stops when you realize that because of the scripting of NPCs, you have no freedom. Not in the sense G-Man manipulates Gordon's freedom, but rather, the player's freedom that control is never taken away from them. In truth, the control being taken away from the player is disguised under a white sheet.
It's a shame since the achievements themselves are genuinely fun. Doing Ravenholm only using the Gravity Gun or killing a Combine with a toilet is so much fun while adding replay value.
Some achievements are even encouraged by the game's openness, such as finding lambda caches that reward exploration with health/ammo or a singing Vortigaunt, an ally alien species in "Half-Life 2."
Due to the Combine, this poor Vortigaunt can't have a singing career. Truly, the Combine are pure evil.
However, these can be a pain to get to unless the player has the fourth sense to save at just the right spots to get the achievements without waiting through the scripting. Unfortunately, I don't have that ability.
That's everything to touch on with "Half-Life 2," now it's time for "Episode One" and "Episode Two." Although, a lot of what I've already said applies to these two episodes unless I say otherwise.
Episode One (S)
"Half-Life 2: Episode One" released in 2006, continuing where "Half-Life 2" left off, with an explosion at the Citadel after Gordon & Alyx sabotage Breen's attempt to teleport and escape after being cornered by them. Now Gordon & Alyx must escape City 17 before the Citadel self-destructs, destroying all of City 17, and must also delay the explosion.
I'm abridging a lot here since a ton goes on before the escaping part begins, like Mossman finding the icebreaker Borealis that could be used as an advantage against the Combine. How she manages to get there so fast, I have no clue.
In "Episode One," you escort Alyx most of the time. While a continuous escort mission sounds awful, it's a lot of fun in execution. Alyx handles herself well in combat and never does anything frustrating like getting in the player's way or charging into the open. Her A.I. is a massive improvement over "Half-Life 2," she's genuinely great to have by my side.
At some points, the game cleverly incorporates Alyx. Some examples include when she takes control of a turret in a late section of the game or when you aim your flashlight at Headcrab Zombies in the dark, so Alyx shoots them.
Alyx Vance's presence even enhances some moments, such as the hospital combat section, my favourite part in the entire "Half-Life" Series. Both Gordon and Alyx pack shotguns as they shoot Combine and Headcrab Zombies while a sick rock tune plays. It's such a well-crafted and fun segment that highlights the best of "Half-Life 2" for me.
The satisfaction and joy of blasting enemies with shotguns with Alyx is a joy words can't accurately summarize. People should shoot zombies and alien soldiers with shotguns more, it's therapeutic.
Additionally, "Episode One" expands on Alyx's character as you see her optimism at play both in effect and when it breaks. She gives a much-needed soul to some rather empty areas before you get to the city streets. I genuinely cared about her this time. "Half-Life 2: Episode One" just wouldn't work as well without her.
The new enemies, such as the Zombines and Stalkers, are fun to fight too. The entire game is well-balanced, including the late escort mission where you lead groups of citizens/resistance members to the train to flee City 17.
If you make use of the infinite rocket crate, don't rush, and make use of your inner family guy, this escort mission is perfectly doable.
I also love that you get the crowbar back late in "Episode One." Realistically, you don't need the crowbar by the time you get it, but it fills me with so much joy since you go so long without it.
The only thing that's missing from "Episode One" is the more open level-design and vehicles. However, I think "Episode One" nails the more linear design while keeping what makes "Half-Life 2" so fantastic in a two-to-four-hour package.
Episode Two (A+)
Now it's time for the 2007 "Half-Life 2: Episode Two," releasing first for "The Orange Box." After escaping City 17, Alyx and Gordon head to White Forest to rejoin the resistance and give data they found in the Citadel. However, with old and new enemies on their tail, it'll be a fatal pain in the stomach-
WAIT, I WAS EXAGGERATING! ALYX NO!
Again, I'm also abridging here since there's a lot going on. An Advisor from "Episode One" continues chasing the duo alongside a newly awakened Advisor, the Combine are sending a message to start another attack on Earth, there's a new character named Arne Magnusson who's a poopy head, and then a gnome gets involved...
While "Episode 1" introduced Zombines and Stalkers as enemies, the new enemies in "Episode Two" include the neat to face Acid Antlions and intimidating Hunters that make for a tough & fun fight. Acid Antlions shoot acid; Hunters are agile, requiring you to use cover.
[Credit: Bolloxed]
Gordon even gets a new vehicle to drive. While there's no mounted gun, it still runs over enemies well, making Gordon a happy physicist.
Exclusive to "Episode Two," the flashlight has its own meter instead of sharing the same meter as Gordon's sprint/oxygen, which is a welcome quality-of-life change. While small, it does reduce the minor waiting times that lasted a few seconds.
The visuals also got a great upgrade, with the most memorable areas in the "Half-Life 2" trilogy with lush forests and Antlion caves. Each area just looks fantastic.
[Credit: Bolloxed]
Anything else I can say would, again, just be repeating myself. However, "Episode Two" has one segment that, while not poorly designed, I do dislike—The Strider Battle.
The final combat section in "Episode Two" is defending the White Forest base's rocket, to stop the Combine's message from waves of Striders. You use the Gravity Gun to launch sticky bombs at the Striders, and shoot the bomb to detonate them, killing the Strider. No, I'm not saying the bomb's official name. Yes, because Magnusson named them.
The Strider Battle comes with many annoyances. The area is huge with a lot of ground to cover, but bombs spawn in specific locations. If you miss a bomb, you must backtrack to that bomb spawn location. Even with the supplied car, which has a compartment to hold a bomb, it takes a while to get another bomb if you mess up.
Striders are also accompanied by Hunters, which are frustrating to face with little cover. The best strategy is to run them over, but objects like the—I don't know—HULKING STRIDER get in the way. Even worse, Hunters can shoot the sticky bomb off the Striders and even destroy it when you're holding it.
Not that the Hunters being able to shoot them off is well-explained, I had to figure that out through constant reloading of one save wondering why my bomb kept falling off a Strider, thinking it was a glitch. Turns out, I just couldn't see the Hunter's projectiles shooting the bomb the first... Several times.
Backtracking is bad enough, but the lack of conveyance is the worst part. "Half-Life 2" in general is fantastic at showing you things without explanation, but this battle is a weird exception. For example, you can use the logs to easily take care of the Hunters. Nothing made me think they would pack such a punch.
However, I can't call this section bad. There's plenty of health, energy, & ammo; the Striders are slow; and Gordon has a tracker on his car to detect bombs & enemies. It's aggravating, but not impossibly difficult. Although, I imagine I'd have an easier time if I were to replay it, knowing what to do now.
Overall (A+)
This ranking is for "Half-Life 2," excluding the other episodes, but each entry for "Half-Life 2" is excellent. The world is extensive, the story is captivating, the presentation is still impressive, the music is memorable, the physics are still beyond fun, and the combat is just as exhilarating. "Half-Life 2: Episode One" ended up being my favourite.
While "Half-Life 2" and its episodes aren't perfect, mainly with its characters, scripting upon replay, and the Strider Battle; they don't ruin the games in any way. However, the 15 year long cliff-hanger at the end of "Episode Two" does leave a sour taste as it's up in the air on whether it'll ever be resolved.
Okay, time for the obligatory "'Episode 3' still isn't out yet, let's laugh at Valve's inability to count up to three" joke. However, there's still hope the story will be concluded with 2020 "Half-Life: Alyx" Virtual Reality title and this 2020 article by Tom Marks at IGN on why "Half-Life 2: Episode 3" never happened.
Comments