Half Life 2 Reviews

[Resvrgam]

Here's what I've been staring at for the past 2 hours:
http://www.resvrgam.com/files/invasive.jpg

Why, amongst only 6 other icons, do you keep a jpg of a steaming turd on your desktop?

That is really quite strange.

That's the image I captured for the "error" pic.  I thought I'd name it something that it reminded me of (it's been promptly removed now...and to Schild: the WoW scheme's been changed as well :P ).

[Liquidator]

Ok, does the regular $54 version of Half-Life 2 available at EB come with Half -Life: Source, DoD: Source and the rest of the back catalog like the Steam Silver version does?  I don't think I want to spend $80 on the retail collectors edition just to get the Half Life/DoD/back catalog crap.  So I guess what I want to know is if the regular (non CE) retail HL2 is equivalent to the Steam Silver package or if it's just like the Bronze package.  If it's not like the Silver package then I guess I'm going to go with Steam and will have to worry about picking up the box and original CD in a few years when the game is el-cheap-o.

[Big Gulp]

Ok, does the regular $54 version of Half-Life 2 available at EB come with Half -Life: Source, DoD: Source and the rest of the back catalog like the Steam Silver version does?  I don't think I want to spend $80 on the retail collectors edition just to get the Half Life/DoD/back catalog crap.  So I guess what I want to know is if the regular (non CE) retail HL2 is equivalent to the Steam Silver package or if it's just like the Bronze package.  If it's not like the Silver package then I guess I'm going to go with Steam and will have to worry about picking up the box and original CD in a few years when the game is el-cheap-o.

Or you could just torrent the fucker when a crack comes out because you refuse to submit to the Steam bullshit.

That's the route I'll be going...  Restrictive activation schemes?  Automatic piracy fo' me.

[Liquidator]

Ok, does the regular $54 version of Half-Life 2 available at EB come with Half -Life: Source, DoD: Source and the rest of the back catalog like the Steam Silver version does?  I don't think I want to spend $80 on the retail collectors edition just to get the Half Life/DoD/back catalog crap.  So I guess what I want to know is if the regular (non CE) retail HL2 is equivalent to the Steam Silver package or if it's just like the Bronze package.  If it's not like the Silver package then I guess I'm going to go with Steam and will have to worry about picking up the box and original CD in a few years when the game is el-cheap-o.

Or you could just torrent the fucker when a crack comes out because you refuse to submit to the Steam bullshit.

Nah, I don't pirate software anymore.

[schild]

I like the steam bullshit. Don't talk about piracy on my website. I think that covers it.

[Calantus]

Heh. I DID mention previously that I didn't trust steam. It's an abortion, and I'm glad some more people have become aware of that fact.

[schild]

Damn you people! Internet delivery is the future. Though, I still think Valve should have sent everyone a nice dvd case witha  dvd of halflife 2 in it. Everyone likes having something material to show for cash paid.

[MrHat]

Damn you people! Internet delivery is the future. Though, I still think Valve should have sent everyone a nice dvd case witha  dvd of halflife 2 in it. Everyone likes having something material to show for cash paid.

It's the future if Valve starts publishing software for distribution over Steam.  That will only happen if they release numbers on how many people acutally use that shit.

As for the dvd, can't we back it up and print up some nice dvd covers?

[ahoythematey]

There is little question in my mind that Team Fortress 2 will be delivered over Steam primarily, if not exclusively.  It's sort of the same concept the Phantom was embracing, but I guess with much less suck.  I do like the fact that more of my money will go directly to the people responsible for the game, but I am still unsure of how exactly I feel about steam itself.  It bothers me that they are requiring a steam connection to activate the retail version of the game, since the steam login has a habit of, umm, failing.  Oh well, wave of the future with speedbumps and all, or what have you.

[Soukyan]

As for the dvd, can't we back it up and print up some nice dvd covers?

Yes, at our own expense. I'd rather have them pay for the DVD and paper media and send it to me. After all, I did buy their game. ;)

[plangent]

Frothed at the mouth with the caps lock on.

I've had some experience with people who react to technical issues like this.  Nine times out of ten it's PEBCAK.

[Samwise]

Have to share this quote from Penny Arcade:

Apparently people who bought it at retail had some trouble getting their copies running right, it was fixed shortly thereafter. I'm given to understand that people who ride horses to work or in other ways live their lives discordant with science and reason also suffer because of their strict adherence to anachronism. Get with the fucking program. Stop mixing those specious folk remedies and download your games directly from the Intertron.

[Morfiend]

After a VERY frustrating time with my CD key, (Missleading fuckers), when you go to put in your cd-key it says:

Your CD key should look like this:
AAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC
        DDDDD-EEEEE-FFFFF

So I look on the back of my cd case (WTF paper CD case? cheap ass fuckers.) and I have a CD key that looks like this.

AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC
     DDDDDDD HALF LIFE 2

Now, this didnt work. After about 20 minutes of entering different versions of the code, I finally got it to work, by using:

AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC

VERY confusing. But I was in.


The graphics are really really good, and it runs like a charm on my machine, I mean it runs REALLY good. All settings on high with AAx4. Those are the settings it defaulted to at 1020x768. I cant believe how good it looks and runs. WAY better than Doom3 in both areas.

I played for a few hours, and got to a part where I get to drive a Swamp Craft Thingy. So far I am loving the game, but UGH, driving that craft really makes me seasick. I had to stop 3 times during that part cause it was rally making me nausious. Anyway past it now.

The gameplay is really cool, a lot of the time I cant tell if the mobs im fighting are doing a scripted sequence or just good AI. Good job.

Hope to play more tonight.

[Rasix]

While in the real world, I work towards getting our department and company away from delivering hard copy information sets, I do appreciate a good game manual.  This is extremely helpful in some games and the especially well done manual is often fun to read, pleasent to the eyes, and packed full of information.

Staring at a goddamn PDF or RTF file sucks.  Whenever I have something long like that to read at work I always print it.  I've yet to get used to having to stare intently at my screen and read large amount of information at the same time.  Until they can accompany a game release with a decent online help system or something similar to an Infocenter or Java help then I'd be more inclined.  More F1 help in games would be a start.

I just look at my nice Fallout manuals and find it hard to look toward the future of pure online delivery with any sort of fondness.  I'd like to just download my games in the future instead of having to deal with the brick and mortal places that reek of nerd stink, but, I feel we'll be missing something in the transition.

[MrHat]

Just thought I would share this:

~spoiler~spoiler~spoiler~spoiler~spoiler~spoiler~

It's in black, highlight to read.

I was running across the rooftops of buildings from these crazy leaping aliens firing backwards and running out of ammo fast.  I dodged into a rooftop room and closed the door.  Apparently, these zombies that can rip me apart into tiny little pieces don't know how to open doors.  Feeling safe, I proceed to crowbar my way into a few supply boxes hoping for ammo.  I hear the zombies start moving up along the walls.  Still feeling safe, I'm moving through the boxes 1 by 1.  Then I hear this terrible crash and there's 3 of the fuckers all around me w/ broken glass and everything.  The bastards climbed up the wall and crashed through the skylight.  Scare the living crap out of me.  Well, I bust my shotgun out and kill 2 of them while running around screaming like a little girl.  But then I ran out of shells.  So I bust out my grav gun and lift a radiator off it's hinges.  The leaping zombie leaps into the radiator I have suspended in front of me knocking it from my hands.  So I panic some more and throw boxes at him w/ the grav gun, finally beating him into submission.   I stopped playing after that, needed a God-damned breather.

~End~

[Kenrick]

You know you've got a good game on your hands when you love it SO MUCH that you have to share your experiences with other random posters, but you don't want to ruin the experience for them.  Whatever happened to teh hate?  :)

[Morfiend]

You know you've got a good game on your hands when you love it SO MUCH that you have to share your experiences with other random posters, but you don't want to ruin the experience for them.  Whatever happened to teh hate?  :)

Putting spoilers to games is a good way to get a ban if you dont announce it first.

[Riggswolfe]

Well, after a long install (6 hours, never seen anything like it in my life, makes me wonder if something is wrong with my dvd drive) I finally got to play about an hour this morning.

My first comments are it is lots of fun, though not alot different from HL1. The character models however look AMAZING.

I'm not to far into the game yet so I'm sure it'll get more impressive later on. Of course, I just bought Vampire so not sure which I'll play tonight.

Edit: One issue I am having is that sound sometimes stutters. Most of my NPCs at one point or another sound like they have a horrible stuttering problem. Once in awhile other sound effects stutter as well, usually accompanied by a second or two freeze of gameplay. Thinking I may upgrade my sound drivers.

[Ironwood]

Let me know how you get on with that.  Mine does the same thing, but I thought it was some kind of preloading going on, as it seems to happen at 'key' bits.   Maybe it just has a problem with my audigy 2 - I have the latest drivers...

[Ironwood]

Just thought I'd add - while waiting for another server to install - that my problems and objections are entirely to do with Steam.

Half Life 2 itself is a great game.  It's not as good as the original, of course, but it's a really good play so far.  I'd rate it up with Far Cry and WELL above Doom3.

It's problem, imo, is that it's not able to do anything new.  With the original half-life, they used the Quake 2 engine and went and shocked the world by doing some amazing stuff with it.  With this one, I feel they're doing more of a 'tech-demo' of Havok and Source, more than anything else.

Did anyone else feel that Ravencroft (or whatever) was simply a way for them to say to future developers - "Hey, you can base your gothic, vampirey or zombie game with this engine !!".  It really felt tacked on - even down to the priest character.  

And the story is STILL a little confusing.  Considering I'm fairly well into the game, I'm still a little non-plussed at all the shit that's going down.  I'm worried I'm going to meet 'exposition man' soon and half to listen to half an hour of bullshit.

Ah well.  It's a great game.  But Steam is the worst implementation of an idea I've seen in quite some time.

[Soukyan]

I thought Ravenholm was pretty cool, actually. But I'm into vampires and that sorta stuff so my opinion is a bit biased.

[Ironwood]

I thought Ravenholm was pretty cool, actually. But I'm into vampires and that sorta stuff so my opinion is a bit biased.

You misunderstand me - It WAS very cool.  I had a blast, no pun intended.  I also thought the maniac with the shotgun was great and when he laughed, I laughed.

But it didn't fit somehow.  Seemed jarring and out of place.

[eldaec]

I think it's fair to say the game is very episodic.

1984 -> Canals -> Ravenholm -> Mines and so on.

Partly it makes it look more like a tech demo.

Partly it gives a bit mroe variety than in HL1.

[Big Gulp]

What?  They threw vampires and castles into Half-Life?  Do I even have to go into how gay that is?

It's bad enough dealing with the fruity, Cure/Morrissey worshipping art fags of the Vampire games.  Those games I can avoid.  But throwing it into Half-Life is fucking stupid.

[Ironwood]

What?  They threw vampires and castles into Half-Life?  Do I even have to go into how gay that is?

It's bad enough dealing with the fruity, Cure/Morrissey worshipping art fags of the Vampire games.  Those games I can avoid.  But throwing it into Half-Life is fucking stupid.

Not Vampires as such - just a very dark and gothicky feel level.

Though werewolves were there.  Kinda.

Just play the game.  Play it at a mates tho - don't buy the abortion that is steam.

[eldaec]

What?  They threw vampires and castles into Half-Life?  Do I even have to go into how gay that is?

Not vampires.

Crazy ninja zombies outside at night in what looks like a small east european village.

The individual elements are all very much appropriate to Half life, and not all that different from fighting HL1 spec ops guys. It's just a new setting.

[trias_e]

So far it seems a very worthy sequal to half-life, and I'd easily rate it the same score.  It hasn't been perfect, but pretty damn close to it.  The engine is phenomenal, the level design is often brilliant, the AI is sometimes great...sometimes not.  I just don't want it to abruptly end like I'm thinking it will.  There are so many things that just impressed the crap out of me or got me excited, it really reminds me in that regard of half-life 1, but updated and improved upon for a game coming out 4 or 5 years after the first.

And yeah, the story at the moment still doesn't make too much sense, and I'm at least half way through the game I would guess.

[Samwise]

If you poke every Vortigaunt(sp?) you meet, repeatedly, you get more of the story than you might otherwise have.

[Ironwood]

If you poke every Vortigaunt(sp?) you meet, repeatedly, you get more of the story than you might otherwise have.

Goddamit.

I'm off home now to poke vortigaunts.

[Resvrgam]

Despite how many questions have been left unanswered by the conclusion, I'm actually impressed with the game's overall design and narrative.

Ravenholm was a great addition to the story IMO and deviated from the Orwellian City 17 quite nicely.

***spoiler in black below***
Fr. Gregory's character was a nice hint of tragic heroism that rarely makes its way into these types of games: you know after your departure, he's as good as dead...seemingly sacrificing himself to allow your escape while he "tends to his unruly flock" with a gleefully maniacal laugh and dwindling ammo. I really liked that.

By far, the vehicular scenarios have played out some of my favourite scenes though: nothing will beat a certain canal trek aboard the make-shift skiff (especially after the Vortigaunt works his magic on it).

The Buggy scenarios were a bit frustrating at times but were also fun once I managed to get where I needed to go with it.

***spoiler above***

All in all, Half-Life's sequel didn't disappoint (Beyond that complete BS with Valve's steam experiment/excrement).

Best....Graphics....Ever

[Morfiend]

Best....Graphics....Ever

Agreed.

On my 3.2 with 2gb DDR Ram and a GF 6800 GE it is absoulty amazing. I run it with all settings on high, with 4xAA. No slowdowns.

[Rasix]

Best....Graphics....Ever

Agreed.

On my 3.2 with 2gb DDR Ram and a GF 6800 GE it is absoulty amazing. I run it with all settings on high, with 4xAA. No slowdowns.

Car. Fire. Die.

[Shockeye]

Best....Graphics....Ever

Agreed.

On my 3.2 with 2gb DDR Ram and a GF 6800 GE it is absoulty amazing. I run it with all settings on high, with 4xAA. No slowdowns.

Car. Fire. Die.

Slowly.

[Morfiend]

If thats for my system specs. It wasnt that expensive.

I spent like $600 for the system with 1gb RAM. Upgraded to two gigs for another $100 (I made sure I got a mobo with lots of slots for ram).

I got the GF card for a gift, but I was in the proccess of saving up for it anyway. Put away $100 a month, no biggy.

[Rasix]

If thats for my system specs. It wasnt that expensive.

I spent like $600 for the system with 1gb RAM. Upgraded to two gigs for another $100 (I made sure I got a mobo with lots of slots for ram).

I got the GF card for a gift, but I was in the proccess of saving up for it anyway. Put away $100 a month, no biggy.

Ohh, if only it where that easy.  I could take a picture of this month's credit card bill to show you, but I'm not one to subject people to random acts of horror (god, I spent 600 dollars on a vacuum this month).