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This game is a buggy peice of crap

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: December 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game has a serious stuttering issue and Valve has still not resolved it. You can read all about the bug. There is also an ungodly long thread on Valve's website called Audio Stuttering

You can read all about the problem. It plagues machines that are fast and slow. There is no ryhme or reason that it happens. It happens to me and makes the game completely unplayable.

The game would be near perfect if it was not for this huge technical glitch. It also appears that Valve knew about this problem.

I think this is a travesty. I have spent 50 bucks only to not be able to play the game in a satisfactory manner.

Software Nightmare/ Worst Customer Support Award

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: January 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I purchased this game and it took literally 2 days to install. Not because the computer is slow but because the registration process was such a nightmare to deal with. Why does this game INSIST on installing 2 additional applications when I only want to install the game. The additional apps monopolize desk top and system tray resources and are incredibly annoying to have to closed every time you boot up.

The serial number provided with the game will likely (85% chance) NOT work as you can see when you log into the STEAM customer support website as the serial keys are oversized purposely.

I had purchased a shiny new retail version from Best Buy and found out (MUCH, MUCH later) that it was assigned an OEM ATI special bundled edition serial key (available only when you bought a new Alienware gaming system).

When I entered the 6 part key the app said it was invalid. Luckily it only took a couple of hours to master the UN-user friendly steam web site to finally stumble across the issue (deep, deep inside the website) to correct the issue... which was to only use the first 4 parts of your offical issued software key silly.

On a last note the game is so bogged down with alot of your system resources being reserved for multiplayer option that single player users really take a back seat.

I use a P4 Extreme Edition, 1 GB DDR 3200, with 256MB ATI graphic card and the game takes about 2- 2.5 min just to open and load the basic menu. Then you have to close out the multiplayer option and wait an additional 2- 2.5 min for the single player game to load. And you can anticipate additional load times if you would like to load a saved game or if you have modified ANY setting within the game from it's default state.

The Instruction at 0x####### referenced memory at 0x#######

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 13 / 16
Date: February 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If you buy this game, look forward to at most 5 minutes at a time of actual game play, then this error.

'The Instruction at 0x####### referenced memory at 0x#######. The memory could not be 'read'

Valve/Source has acknowledged this problem, and has no clue how to fix it. They have no clue as to the cause, and you will be unable to get your money back if it happens to you. This is a useless game, unless you really want an expensive set of Half Life 2 coasters. In case you're wondering, its not my system. Here are my specs.

Athlon 64 3500+
1 GB Corsair XMS 2-2-2-5 RAM
eVGA GeForce 6800 Ultra
200GB 7200RPM w/NCQ Seagate SATA HDD
ZALMAN 7000-CU Heatsink/Fan (running at maximum speed)
Soltek K8TPro-939 Motherboard
Windows XP Pro SP2 with all updates
All drivers, bios, etc updated.

Again, Valve/Souce knows this is a problem, and is completely useless in resolving it. They are shipping a game which they know for a fact to be unplayable in a massive number of cases. This is borderline fraud. Don't waste your money, and don't buy anything from valve or source, developers like this don't deserve your cash.

Returned without a hitch

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 14 / 18
Date: November 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I just returned HL2. The internet authentication hassle and long term concerns were definitely not worth the $$$$ I spent on the retail collectors edition. This edition was extremely disappointing for the extra money required. I will likely purchase HL2 again at a more reasonable price once Valve has had a chance to correct some useability issues. At least they won't be getting as much of my money for this fiasco.

I returned HL2 since the game did not work as advertised. There is no mention of a product called STEAM being installed on the box or that an internet connection is required whenever I want to run HL2 (Sorry, OFFLINE mode absolutely does not work when configured as specified).

Very disappointing, but I am hoping some corrections will come out soon and then I will try to install and play HL2 again.

AHHHHHHH

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 15 / 20
Date: November 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Login to play single player?! give me a break.
Valve is seriously out of control if they think people are this stupid. I will never buy another valve game until they pull their head out of the sand. DONT BUY THIS GAME - YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Steamed Out

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: January 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The game seems great, unfortunately, the rigamorole one has to go through in order to play it is exhausting, frustrating, and, in the end, overwhelming. I have had HL2 for about a month and have played it for a total of about 5 hours, meanwhile I have spent approximately 15-20 hours setting it up, downloading updates, "scanning for games", etc., etc. The 1:4 ratio is inconceivable for a product that I shelled out 50 hard-earned dollars for. I understand the developers desire to squeeze out every last penny for their product, but, hey, I purchased it fair and square and am thus unwilling to put up with the kind of hassle the whole "Steam-concept" requires. I imagine that part of my problem is due to the fact that I have a very slow dial-up ISP (I am rural, sue me), but if that is the case, then "high-speed connection" should be listed as a mimimum requirement. REPEAT: HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION NECESSARY EVEN FOR SINGLE_PLAYER MODE!!! Feel free to disregard this advice as I did in my eagerness to to experience the new installment of what was once my favorite game, but, I warned you. . . (Oh, look, this time it only took Steam 53 minutes to scan and download updates. I guess I can stop griping and can finally play it tonight. . . Oh, wait, its time for bed).

Beware of this all time KLUGE

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 21 / 33
Date: November 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

take a look at the packaging when you purchase it:

1) Nothing about creating an internet account except in incredibly small lettering at the bottom of the box
2) The game takes forever to install (and you are installing compressed files), AND, you need to create an account which will likely error out on you. If you are successful - then you merely wait forever to have the files decompressed - just so you can play the game.
3) Customer Support is being swamped - all circuits are busy.

If you are interested in purchasing the ALL-TIME WORST CD GAME INSTALLATION WITH ACCOMPANYING SUPPORT - THIS IS FOR YOU.

Otherwise, purchase another game. You'll have a better experience.

"Steamed Up"

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 11 / 13
Date: December 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

While shopping, browsing or whatever on some Internet site, the site told you to make your PC wide-open to it, to grant it supreme access to do whatever it wants to do, wheneverit wants to. What would you think? What would you do? Well, that's what it takes to install and run Half Life2.

You might do the above to allow Microsoft LiveUpdate to patch your PC or Norton to upgrade your Anti-Virus software but a game site? Be warned to play this game you just about have to sell your soul to Valve and Steam. After loading the 5 software disks, you will be spending the next 1 to 8 hours (based on my and friends experience) creating a Steam account and having Steam set up hl2 - if you can. While this is all going on, your PC is sending God know what back to Steam and Steam is returning the favor to your PC. All this so you can finally play the game that you paid big $$$ for.

Here's some helpful hints from Steam and Steam forums to fix what is obviously your problem - you need to open ports.....through your firewall, you need to disable Norton Script Blocking, you need to grant Steam "GOD" rights to your PC, Anti-Virus software? Obviously that's the problem. Turn it off! These are being presented like they are your problems or Norton's or Zone Alarm. Worse, gamers are complaining how horrid it is that Norton should cause them all this trouble! Does anyone besides me see something terribly wrong here?

Do yourself favor - pass on this one. It's a good game but not a great game and certainly not good enough to warrant the trouble and risk you are going to take. You may be doing others a favor too. If the Half Life / Steam way of doing business becomes prevelant, PC Gaming is doomed. I absolutely will never purchase another game that forces me to go through all this again and expose my PC to the risk. If every game company starts doing this, I'm done with PC games. It's back to reading and music. I might even pay some attention to the wife who gets little now because I play too many PC games!

One last comment - I assume that all the folks giving Half Life2 4-5 stars are either 12 year kids or are completely computer illiterate or are gamming zombies who will put up with almost anything to play hl2. If your none of these, I can't say little enough about you. If I tried, Amazon probably wouldn't publish this. Any adult who bought this game and attempts to install it, will realize they have been had and try to get their money back if they can.

..............Uninstalling Steam
..............Uninstalling HalfLife2

You have to be connected to the internet for Single Player missions!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 16 / 23
Date: August 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

To begin with, this game made me extremely dizzy and nauseous. I have been playing pc games for many, many years and I have never had a game to do that to me. I had to quit playing for a while just not to literally throw up. There is so much quick spinning around to check for enemies and maybe it's the game engine too, but this game made me literally sick. The game itself is also very linear and scripted. You just follow along shooting at enemies until the next cutscene. Also, there are MANY load screens everywhere! And, the world of Half Life 2 is very depressing. I wouldn't want play it again to return to that world at all.

Next and the worst part of this game is:

STEAM!!!!

You have to be connected to the internet at all times to install the game and even play it in Single Player mode. I will never again purchase another game where this is a requirement. STEAM can also load any software it wants to onto your computer. How does that sound? That's what you agree to when you install the game after a long, arduous process.

And, you can't resell the game if you ever want to due to registering your computer with the ID# that comes with the game. Now I have a $50.00 game that I don't ever want to play. It comes on 5 Cds so I guess that's 5 coasters I can place around my house.

Steam should be banned

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 14 / 19
Date: May 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

My copy failed to register the first time I tried it (server crash) and then refused to register after that because it said I'd already registered. Their customer support is non existent (couple of email addresses nobody ever replies to) so I've not actually been able to play it. Would rate it 0 stars if that were possible. Copy protection that prevents people who've bought a game from playing it should illegal!

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