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Halflife 2 REview (Screenshots coming once someone makes an Alex nude patch) by Worm 12/02/2004, 8:02pm PST
There are three stages of any game.

AFTERGLOW:

Okay, lets do this.

It has a physics engine. That is to say the game uses physics, If you throw wood into water it floats, if you throat a brick in there, it won't float. Now buckets won't fill with water, but soldiers will roll up the "hood" of your "car" and over your "windshield area". It has a physics engine. Now you can't use anything as a weapon ala Trespasser, you cannot use things to distract people like Garret. Though you can pick anything up and throw it. Now throwing that stuff doesn't do damage like in Farcry.

I'd like to be using anything as a weapon, but frankly that'd require better bullets. The physics engine is perfect as far as I'm concerned. I can understand not doing a Trespasser type thing because picking up a decent long object was like super powered. This physics engine that the game has is perfect. Where Halflife 1 had pushing crates, jumping, jumping with hazards puzzles HL2 has all that, but with a physics engine. Some things you have to work a lever and fill one thing up with other crap, but ultimately you're just moving crates, instead of pushing them you are moving them.

The physics engine out of ten is a twenty. It's basically all you could want, enemies lean over bars when killed, they sprawl out, everything seems very concrete and real. It's not only that there is a physics engine but the ability to pick up almost anything in your hands (and later on with the gravity gun) really let's you use the physics engine if you want as opposed to simply witnessing it in action when you kill people. When I couldn't find a way around something I could make a bridge, ladder, or even my own crate fort to protect me when I was informed troops were on the way. It takes anything previous physics engines have given you and smashes it, that shit doesn't matter. I don't know who did the physics engine, but he is one hardcore motherfucking gangsta in my book.
Physics 20/10

Okay, now as for dialogue.

Wait, this is a FPS and it has dialogue which is good, right?
The facial expressions and dialogue really help the game along. Granted Gordon's last name might as well be tight lips. Maybe they do that because people realize that gamers don't have personalities and would be overridden by Gordon's, though responses during the times of pure dialogue would have been a nice addition. The scripting for these encounters are all really good too, facial animations, inflections, and such all add to it. Many of the things are really for people who've played the first one, though even in inaction the game is very enjoyable, albeit, breif.
Unprecedented 7/10

Story
It was a good story. It continues from the first game and even you have played the first you probably need it explained to you unless you've played Blueshift, Halflife, Opposing Force, and still I don't even know the aliens names or any of that shit. It's a wierd story, but it's satisfying and I think I'd like it if I was reading a net novella, so that's good right?
9/10

Graphics
Really, really, really great. Not just for how they look, but for facial structures, lip sync, skin palettes, tones, gait, body language, something about breasts (not that anyone in the game really has any), and the shine on eyes. Every model is not simply high-res, but they are also detailed and very well skinned and drawn.
10/10

Gameplay
Unlike the first this eliminates what Metriod, Megaman, and The Japanese baby eaters have taught us about boss fights. In G.I. Joe you may have faced a Cobra that was twice your height, but in HL2 there are no real bosses, with the exception of one tough motherfucking helicopter. There is Military hardware like gunships, helicopters that you have to take down, enemies flooding your position, striders (Think of the strider things from Morrowind, but robotic). All the combat feels very insurgentish, and I might submit a "KILL WHITE DEVILMEN IN OUR COUNTRY" mod to MODDB later today. The normal combat is very good. I feel that one level does what Doom 3 attempted, another does was squad based games have been attempting, another does what army games have been attempting. The driving is very arcade like and fluid.
11/10

Multiplayer
DON'T GOT NONE CEPT COUNTER STRIKE
5/10

Of course this isn't including the horrible disc install

AFTER THE AFTERGLOW
Okay, let's boil this down.

It's a great game, built on an amazing engine.

I think much more could have been done. But right now, right here, this is the best thing I've played as far as FPSs.

I think applying better ideas to this engine will hopefully create some great games.

Halflife 2 was really great. Ultimately I'm upset that it angled for a sequel, and ended in a familiar manner. I wish it had been less of a Halflife fan's sequel.

Multiplayer would be nice, but Gamespot and all the other gaming press having been handing out fine scores to Arena games like Quake 3, Tribes, and Unreal Tournament regardless of their lack of single player. So fuck that double standard.

I miss the horribly obvious "I AM A BOSS CHARACTER" types of bosses. Now, I guess I'm waiting for Halflife 3.

AFTER THE AFTERGLOW AND DURING AN INTERNET FIGHT:

Christ, I don't even get why people sob about shit being on rails. The best we can get is a track switch, but open ended is a fucking lie. I'm sorry that you can't create a flash bang out of some kids chemistry set MacGuyver. Also, you're stuck in a game that is on rails? What are you fucking retarded?

DURING REALITY

Maybe sequel fury blinded me, maybe I'm lying to myself, but it really didn't feel like a rail shooter. Shooters that attempt to cover up the rails piss me off, let's all accept the limitations of the technology, the Industry, and the people. Let's get real motherfucker. You aren't going to see terrain deform, you won't see true A.I., and you won't get true open ended gaming, and companies trying to emulate all the twinkle in your eye bullshit are what is producing shitty games. I never gave a shit about my Ostrich's motivation, I didn't care where Vaus came from, or where he was going, and I sure didn't give a shit if my Karate Champ fufilled his dreams. That is why I liked HL2, it had some honest arcade fun in it, something the world forgot, and something the world doesn't have the fucking reflexes for.

I loved the thing, though those fuckers at Valve can do so much better. Really I believe the modding community is what is going to make the game a real blast. It's almost like a version of Codewarrior that comes with a pretty decent premade game, and that's why I love Halflife, it doesn't stand for company games, it stands for faggot who lives in his mothers basement games. I'd really like for you to try something with the SDK, because the game is just an engine.

12/10, given the current limitations of people, technology, and industry.

DURING REALITY AFTER THEY PUT IN HL2DM

With two levels it feels very Quake 3 Arena demo (or was that a beta?). Though the gravity gun is fun enough to counter anything. The weapons really don't feel multiplay balanced, which is refreshing. I would rather not give immediately killed from looking at another guy who has a Magnum but it's fun, and it's a death match, you're supposed to die.
NEXT REPLY QUOTE
 
Halflife 2 REview (Screenshots coming once someone makes an Alex nude patch) by Worm 12/02/2004, 8:02pm PST NEW
    Your review makes Pinback's almost bearable NT by Oiretsym 12/02/2004, 10:24pm PST NEW
    Unreadable. by conflictNo 12/02/2004, 11:00pm PST NEW
        Re: Unreadable. by Worm 12/03/2004, 12:51am PST NEW
            Re: Unreadable. by Quentin Beck 09/25/2005, 4:19am PDT NEW
                Re: Unreadable. by Worm 09/25/2005, 7:07am PDT NEW
        Re: Unreadable. by Quentin Beck 06/04/2006, 7:42pm PDT NEW
        Re: Unreadable. by alyx vance porn 06/16/2006, 8:16am PDT NEW
    Edit. by Bill Dungsroman 12/02/2004, 11:26pm PST NEW
        Why do I want a hyphen between kid and s? Got your funny macros mixed up? by Worm 12/03/2004, 12:47am PST NEW
            Also by What village do you live in? 12/03/2004, 2:02am PST NEW
                Re: Also by Worm 12/03/2004, 6:45am PST NEW
                Re: Also by Bill Dungsroman 12/03/2004, 10:46am PST NEW
            Oh good, another fag who's touchy about his "work." by Bill Dungsroman 12/03/2004, 10:50am PST NEW
                QUESTION MARK. by Worm 12/03/2004, 11:52am PST NEW
                    Re: QUESTION MARK. by Bill Dungsroman 12/03/2004, 12:42pm PST NEW
                        Re: QUESTION MARK. by Worm 12/03/2004, 1:01pm PST NEW
                            Re: QUESTION MARK. by Bill Dungsroman 12/03/2004, 1:19pm PST NEW
                    It's the new mrs. johnson by Choson 12/03/2004, 4:45pm PST NEW
                        Scientific! by Choson 12/03/2004, 4:47pm PST NEW
                Re: Oh good, another fag who's touchy about his "work." by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/03/2004, 11:54am PST NEW
                    Do I give off the "drying up tears" vibe constantly? by Worm 12/03/2004, 1:05pm PST NEW
                    Re: Oh good, another fag who's touchy about his "work." by I need clarification 12/04/2004, 11:54am PST NEW
                        Actually by Worm 12/04/2004, 12:50pm PST NEW
                            Everyone knows you were set up, fucking retard. by Mysterio 12/04/2004, 1:32pm PST NEW
                                Wait. by Worm 12/04/2004, 1:49pm PST NEW
                                    Re: Wait. by Mysterio 12/04/2004, 2:10pm PST NEW
                                        Re: Wait. by Worm 12/04/2004, 2:16pm PST NEW
                                            Re: Wait. by Bill Dungsroman 12/04/2004, 2:20pm PST NEW
    Stop saying "physics engine" so much plzthxbye NT by Mysterio 12/03/2004, 8:23am PST NEW
        PS: the review sucks. by Mysterio 12/03/2004, 8:28am PST NEW
            Snippy little shit by Mysterio 12/03/2004, 5:23pm PST NEW
    ICJ, don't post this. It's terrible. Thanks. NT by I need clarification 12/03/2004, 6:35pm PST NEW
    HONING MY CRAFT by Worm 12/03/2004, 9:56pm PST NEW
        Re: HONING MY CRAFT by Mysterio 12/03/2004, 10:09pm PST NEW
        Edit. by Bill Dungsroman 12/03/2004, 10:50pm PST NEW
            I will take this under consideration. NT by Worm 12/03/2004, 10:52pm PST NEW
                OK by Worm 12/03/2004, 11:34pm PST NEW
                    Re: OK by Bill Dungsroman 12/04/2004, 1:02pm PST NEW
    Boomp NT by So it's not the second coming? 01/30/2006, 9:36pm PST NEW
        Okay. Now what? NT by Worm 01/30/2006, 10:14pm PST NEW
 
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