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In a word: Perfect!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 440 / 479
Date: November 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I stopped keeping time after 2am so I can't be sure what hour it is, nor can I tell you when I ran out of the cannister of Malt Balls and Peanut M&M's I brought as supplementation. What I can tell you however (in the humble opinion of a dedicated PC gamer for 15 years), is that Half Life 2 is the the most mind blowing game I've ever played.

I was at E3 with my pyscho gaming buddy cleaning the Pizza flavored drool off his chin when we got a preview of HL2. Like most, I counted the days, cursed Valve and Sierra for delay after delay, put all my faith and hope into Doom 3, was underwhelmed, went back to playing Desert Combat...basically went insane with anticipation.

In the brief moments before firing up HL2 for the first time, I was hopeful, but expecting to be dissapointed.

And I was.

Really, no multi-player! I'm one of those that have an absolute allergy to single-player games. Small beads of angry sweat began to form on my back...

But I soldiered on, and in:

10 minutes I was impressed,

at 30 minutes I was completely immersed,

at 1 hour chills were running up and down my spine, and occasional girlish yelps of horror began emanating from my pitch dark office...

...by the third hour I came to the conclusion that HL2 was/is the most impressive game software I've ever had the privilege of living in. Some highlights:

1. The engine is truly revolutionary. Doom 3 has a darn good engine, HL2 in my opinion is vastly better. Indoor AND outdoor environments are near photo-realistic (I have a 3.2GHZ w/ 1GB RAM), the physics are jaw-dropping AND deeply integrated into the play of the game, texture and lighting, faces, water, you name it, this engine is now The Standard.

2. Vehicles. Well, not only do they have them, they're really fun to operate (or be chased by as the case may be).

3. The Gravity Gun. This weapon comes later in the game, and in my humble opinion, is easily the most fun weapon I've ever used. Picking up and throwing items, using it to activate latent elements of the environment (often as weapons) is unbelievably fun. Which brings me to:

4. Humor. This game has some really funny moments. I almost busted a gut when I ran out of heavy/sharp things to fire at zombified creatures that were teaming up on me in close quarters. I desperately pulled over a large can of paint, fired, and splattered huge gobs of white paint all over their (now more upset) faces. I died, but I died laughing. And finally:

5. Immersion. The screams were obvious signs of immersion, but beyond that, I noticed myself making facial expressions of anger, empathy, anticipation...all throughout the game I found myself genuinely caring. That's a first for me.

I really could go on and on, but I can't, literally, I fear that dawn isn't far from my window and I'd like to pretend that I myself won't be a zombie tomorrow.

Enjoy,

Christian Hunter
Santa Barbara, California

Be prepared

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 60 / 137
Date: February 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The world of first-person shooting games was revolutionized in 1998 when Half-Life hit the mainstream. Featuring a slew of smooth graphics, a huge three-dimensional environment, and an interesting arsenal of weaponry, Half-Life was bound for greatness. Since its conception, several modifications have been created, including total game revamps like Counterstrike and Team Fortress Classic. Now, Sierra has decided enough time has passed since their original creation, and are onto bigger and better things.

I base this information from the 25-minute video shown from the debut at E3 of 2003 that showcased Half-Life 2 to the fullest. Graphically, no other first-person shooter has ever looked so good. The characters have "rag doll" physics, meaning when a body hits the ground, its arms and legs flail lifelessly. Barrels float in the water, and splinters fly from a section of wood that is shot by bullets. The realism is astonishing.

The opening sequence features the G-man from the last title that greets you in the end to offer you a position to work for him, or to face a fate "you have no chance of surviving." The programmers inform us that the G-man has over twenty separate "muscles" in his face that change when he talks, or has emotional responses.

The A.I. is revolutionary. During a street combat, you find yourself being bombarded by enemy fire, while several resistance fighters alongside you are trying to fight back. The computer-controlled characters wait for prime opportunities to move and counterattack when their opposition isn't attacking them. A.I. of this calibre has never been seen before.

In addition to the classic weapons we've seen (with updated graphics and sound effects, of course), new revolutionary ways of dispatching enemies await the classic hero Gordon Freeman.

So, whenever Sierra decides to release this game (if the actual date isn't pushed back again), we'll get to see the mystic wonders of the world of Half-Life once again. Only this time, it's personal.

The biggest secret in video game history revealed!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 52 / 141
Date: June 19, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The sequel to the monumental Half-Life game released in 1998 came out of nowhere to stun both hardcore fans and new gamers alike. Half-Life 2 will raise the stakes by providing a new cutting-edge graphics engine, as well as using highly-detailed character models and advanced facial muscle technology for movie-like realism never seen before in a game. The story is once again written by Marc Laidlaw, so you can be sure of a exchilirating (and frightening) experience.

The game takes place in a fictional city called City 17 in Eastern Europe. At the center of the city is the Citadel, a 200+ story structure whose purpose is unknown. The mysterious structure is closely guarded by an international police force which includes robotic drones, gas mask wearing soldiers, and semi-robotic creatures. And this time you are working for the G-Man. But have you worked for him before, and what is his true identity and mission? Is he an enemy or a friend? This game is sure to pose more questions then it answers, which is probably the most exciting part of it all!

Wow!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 43 / 59
Date: November 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

As far as I'm concerned, a game is nothing special unless it has a story.

The use of story was what made the original "Half-Life" revolutionary to the FPS world. The story was top priority, THEN the mass quantities of aliens to blow up and all the things that go with it. Compare this to, say, anything by Id Software or the "Serious Sam" series, which are fun games in their own right but have absolutely no substance to them. You get a bunch of ridiculous weapons and blow up wave upon wave of humanoid monsters ("Serious Sam" was better about making enemies unique, but still the same idea.)

"Halo" had a story, but.. I'll be honest. I thought it was boring, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I have no interest in its sequel, either.

Anyway. "Half-Life 2".

You see, the Source engine succeeds where "Doom 3" fails. Basically, Id Software has used the same engine for every single one of their games, and by the time we got to "Doom 3" it was so bloated that you can only barely run it on minimum graphics even on a computer that has double all of the minimum system requirements.

Trust me. That's my computer right there.

The Source engine is an entirely new, streamlined engine that means I can run it on absolute maximum graphics--which, by the way, are above and beyond anything "Doom 3" can give you--on the same computer that will only barely run "Doom 3". The physics system is incredible: anything and everything a normal human could pick up can be picked up. Anything and everything a normal human could change can be changed in ways that it could normally be changed--seriously, I giggled like a schoolgirl after finding out that I could break a cardboard box and it'll unfold, or that I could knock over a table.

Until "Far Cry", "Deus Ex" was the only game that had anything close to this level of interactivity, in which you aren't encouraged at all to simply play the game but to experience it--experiment, try things. Can I pick up that barrel and throw it at that soldier? Why, yes I can! Can I pick up that little wooden platform and throw it? Why, yes I can, and it even catches the wind like it should! Wow!

I will admit that installing the game was a bit of a hassle. Nevermind the fact that, because it's a whopping 4.5 gigs and spans five CDs, it took about thirty minutes simply to install. But then you have to go through what, I think, is Valve's way of avoiding another premature leak of the likes that delayed this game in the first place; you have to go online to register it, after which the Steam servers will unlock the files. All four and a half gigs of them. Because the server was so overloaded last night, it was about an hour before I could play the game.

I played it for about eight hours straight and the only reason I stopped was because I had to go to bed. It's that freakin' good.

This blows "Doom 3" and the original "Halo" clear out of the water. I don't know how it'll hold up against "Halo 2" because, well, I don't intend on playing it in the first place because I thought the original was boring.

"PC Gamers" gave this a 98%--the highest rating they have ever given any game, ever. It's being called "the best game ever made".

Why don't you buy it and find out why for yourself?

"Halo 2" fans, you've one heck of a game to beat here.

Five stars.

What is wrong with you people?...Seriously!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 37 / 59
Date: November 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I'm a "PC convert" going on 2 years now, and so didn't play the first Half Life. Still, though, I was quite excited about yesterday.

There's nothing more I can really add about the game itself that hasn't already been mentioned...it's awesome...fun...best graphics ever...blah blah blah.

After reading some of these reviews though I just had to chime in...and of course add my 5 stars to offset these 1 star people who reviewed the game solely based on their issues with Steam.

I picked up the game yesterday afternoon after work...and after installing the game, I did have some issues going through the Steam process. But, within an hour or so of arriving home, I was beginning the Half Life 2 experience, and have had no issues since. I can sympathize with those who are having major issues and haven't been able, for whatever reason, to have their experience yet, but come on. The game's only been out a day... Yeah, yeah, I know they had a lot of time to get this just right. But, if you do want to have one of the best gaming exeriences of your life...just suck it up and be patient a day or two longer. You'll thank yourself later...trust me...a point will come in the game...where you'll thank yourself dearly.

Lay a big steaming pile on STeam all you want, but don't review the game without actually playing it first.

System Specs:
Athlon 2800+ oc'd @ 2.3Ghz
Radeon 9800Pro 128MB oc'd @ 420/380
1 Gig Corsair XMS 3200

Game runs silky smooth...

Without question, a killer evolution in game technology.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 44
Date: July 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

In the beginning, half-life was regonized specifically for it's remarkable hollywood textured storyline and astonishing tension of immerse game-play, while combining a cutting-edge 3-D engine and a simple interface with a major mod community and a white knuckle efficient multiplayer mode. Precisely. Nobody anticipated a sequel, although there was indeed a rumor of one. The second after half-life shipped out the door in October 1998, Valve went straight to work on half-life 2. WOW. Now, during Spring 2003, Valve finally reveals what they've been isolated doing in their little offices with their computers and their nerdy but creative little minds. And the other decent thing is: I have a official release date: September 30th, 2003. Before DOOM III and long before DUKE NUKEM: FOREVER and other fan hyped up games will debut. Read on to find out what hl2 will offer and why it'll win game of the year of 2003 and recover what the original one offered, and more and then some.

Heh. I've seen many screenies, some video clips, and have read articles of first glimpses of hl2, and am I impressed? Yes, 100%. Am I satisified? Yes, 100%. Valve's close tight space coupleed developers and programmers and designers has spread out wored of hl2. Truly, hl2 will be a revolution, and looks amazing. I've never seen anything as, well, realistic as half-life 2. It's core logic stunning visuals, environment realism, rich sound effects, CD-quality professionally and nicely tuned music, A.I system, physics engine, and and more has simulatneously awed me when at the same time prooves to be the best show of E3 2003 and has prooved to leave the crowd speecheless, and staggered.

The game is powered by the source engine, which has certainly eaten major chuncks of developement cycle time. Alas, it features Advanced camera and monitor control, the next generation of bump-mapping, specularity, texture variety, reflective and refractive surfaces,(including water), detail props, bump-mapped displacement mapps, volumetric effects, an incredibly high level of detail, static props, particle effects, fresnel reflections, and more. The 3DSky, Volumetric effects, dynamic refrction, diffused shader models, raiodisty based specular bump mapping, texture resolution, texture variety, static props, dynamic props, dynamic shadows, specularity, water, cameras and monitors, and displacement maps powered by the latest Direct-X 9 video card and Pentium 4 with HT technology truly makes the game look stunning, and the sound engine is EAX 3 real-life quality. Whoa. But not only that, the facial animations and character animations is just totally mind boddling, and the engine's graphics, physics, and animation, and sound engine just isn't holded up for show, it's directly connected with game-play. THe story-line hasn't been revealed much by valve, so. The game is scalable from a dx-6 mid-range system tnt based rig, from the state of the art P4 3GHZ Direct-X 9 video card from ATI and NVIDIA based rig, which is perfectly fine with me. Thus, the game will look vastly different depending on what video card you run it on. Heh heh heh. There is a lot more to half-life 2, but i believe that is what is left up to you to be discovered. Take my advice: Half-life 2 is your next game, when it debuts. The game is more than just a worthy sequel to the original game. And more. Absolutely splendid. *

The Best Game for the PC... Ever!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 21
Date: October 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

when I got the 1st Half-Life, I thought to myself; Is this going to be another mediocre shooter?. Boy was I wrong. After hearing of a sequel, and there had to be, I was ecstatic. Looking at the game now, I'm glad that Valve and Sierra took their time with this game. The visuals are stunning and georgeous, even though you might not pay attention to detail with the ammount of action going on. The A.I. is very smart. Try to block a door and they'll try to break in a window to get to you. There are even more puzzles in this game than in the 1st one.
But if you don't believe me, See what popular gamer magazines had to say:
PC Gamer: 98% - "Surpasses Half-Life in every way. Arguably the best game ever made."
Game Informer: "Nothing will be the same."
CNN.com: "Blows away the competition."
2003 E3 Expo: "A marvel in the making."

Half-Life "Game of the year"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 10
Date: October 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

1998: Half-Life sends a shock through the game industry with its combination of pounding action and continuous, immersive storytelling. Valve's debut title wins more than 50 game-of-the-year awards on its way to being named "Best PC Game Ever" by PC Gamer, and launches a franchise with more than eight million retail units sold worldwide.

Now: Half-Life 2.

By taking the suspense, challenge and visceral charge of the original, and adding startling new realism and responsiveness, Half-Life 2 opens the door to a world where the player's presence affects everything around him, from the physical environment to the behaviors -- even the emotions -- of both friends and enemies.

The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. And a lot of people -- people he cares about -- are counting on him.

To all the HL2 cynics out there

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 37
Date: October 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

There are two points to my review: One is to counter M Lund's mistake of a 1-star review, and the other is to give my 2 cents about Half Life 2. M Lund complains that no one has played it so how can they review it. Even though I could easily counter that with "It's Half Life, come on now..." I won't. Read the specs on this game. Read the details that this game incorporates into it. Watch the dozen-plus Bink videos on the gameplay of HL2. Read the the multitude of reviews from people (experienced gamers) that give the game a 9/10 or 95%+ rating. Look at the screen shots. In my mind, all of the data that can be pulled from those sources give this game a freakin' 4 Star rating right off the bat. The 5th star will get tacked on come November 16th. This game will own any and every FPS out there to date. Everyone needs to realize and admit that. Yes, everyone has a different view on what is "fun" and "entertaining" but unless you are stuck on the original Doom and make no effort to update your personal gameplay requirements, you are going to like this game if you are a FPS fan. So I am giving it 5 Stars before I even play it... again, the first reason it to counter the dum dum 1 star ratings, and the second is so I don't have to return to resubmit my 5 star rating and I can concentrate on enjoying Half Life 2... Ponder peace and responsibilty... then buy this game. Or buy this game first, then ponder peace and responsibilty.

Quote from a professional editor

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 24
Date: October 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I have not got the game yet. But its hard to resist the review PC Gamer has given to HL2. Heres some unedited text from http://www.half-life2.com/news.php?id=332

"Half-Life 2 is arguably the best game ever made to date. It is a groundbreaking experience in interactive entertainment," states PC Gamer's Senior Editor, Chuck Osborn, "While some games have groundbreaking visuals, or intellectually-challenging gameplay, or perhaps a cinematic story with good voice acting, not one has ever delivered the complete package. Half-Life 2 nails it, surpassing the original in every way."

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