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[cackhyena]

Fuck the vehicle sections

I honestly can't recall vehicle sections I've hated more in any other game.

 

[Random17]

The first time I played it, the vehicular sections stood out as padding more than anything else. Especially Water Hazard. Other franchises do vehicular sections better.

When I replay the game I generally replay certain sections, instead of the whole game, and the vehicular sections are the primary reason for this choice. That's quite unlike Half Life 1 (aside from Xen!), so it is quite disappointing.

 

[AKingNamedPaul]

Nope its length is just right I loved every minute of it.

yes yes yes

 

[ChawlieTheFair]

I'd say that the sewers dragged on far too long, and maybe ravenholm as well. But other than that I think it's great.

 

[m00h]

I didn't mind the vehicle stuff. I liked the feeling of going on a long, long journey. Sometimes I dream about cheese playing through Half Life 2 as it was initially imagined. Twice the length with all those cut concepts and locations.

If you ever want to lose an afternoon:

http://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Half-Life_2_original_storyline

http://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Category:Cut_content

That's how I felt about the game, like it was a long journey across the country. That even adds authenticity to the game for me, so I had zero problems with the pacing. I also loved to leave the track in the car driving section, just to look around if there may be any shortcuts.

 

[GravityMan]

Water Hazard is the only area in the game that's a bit iffy pacing-wise, but the end of that area made up for it. I was happy with the length of the rest of the areas in the game, including the other vehicle sections.

 

[Rembrandt]

I agree with people saying the vehicle sections. They seem to drag longer than any other part of the game.

 

[staticneuron]

The vehicle sections are way too long, yes.

I agree. This is one of the thing that killed my enjoyment the very first time I played it. I think the end was strong but most of the game imo doesn't have a strong narrative because it is basically about getting from Point A to Point B for most of it.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Fuck the vehicle sections

I agree. They're far too many and too long.

Because of those and other things is that I roll my eyes every time someone claims Half Life 2 is "the best videogame ever". Please! Yes it's good. No the story wasn't that enthralling, yes it was a game changer, yes it stood the test of time. But best game ever? God no!

 

[TMWNN35]

The part in the car and the part dropping phys objects on the ground to walk across both really overstayed their welcome for me.

 

[Sub_Level]

Not really. You can play through that game in a few hours, even without any tricks.

Entanglement does drag on too long.

 

[Malcolm9]

The hovercraft section was definitely too long, but I felt the rest of the game was just right, as mentioned before it felt like you were on a long journey.

 

[Phediuk]

I honestly loved the entire game including the vehicle sections.

One of my most memorable experiences with a video game.

 

[BrainZEROX]

No I don't think so. And I really liked the vehicule sections too. I have fantastic memories of Ravenholm... What a game.

 

[HariKari]

Probably drags by modern whizzbang standards but it was perfectly enchanting on the first playthrough.

 

[pottuvoi]

Not really, but I'm always sour due to the way how they

Spoiler

ruined the gravity gun

and thus the last part of the game.

Spoiler

It would have been lot more fun and challenging without the instant kill ability.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

Probably drags by modern whizzbang standards but it was perfectly enchanting on the first playthrough.

I hate modern whizzbang standards. Believe me. There hasn't been a FPS since HL2 that enraptured me the same way HL2 did on release. So many things about its design and mechanics are just perfection.

Thinking back on it though, I don't think I'd any desire to replay the game even back in the day right once I finished. I loved it, but once I beat it the first time I felt like that was enough. No need to return to that well for at least a few years.

 

[Ionic]

Driving along the coastline and discovering a completely optional house to explore or being chased through the aqueducts for what seems like miles. It's all very good to me.

I just don't understand how people can say they hate all of the vehicle sections of Half-Life 2 when there is the coastline buggy sequence. It's one of the most perfect stretches in FPS games.

 

[MomoPufflet]

Fuck the vehicle sections

.

Especially the boat.

 

[abracadaver]

Worst part for me is the last chapter (citadel) where you only have the gravity gun. I like the vehicle sections.

 

[Deleted member 102362]

The vehicle sections are great. I will stand by that statement until the day I die. You can put that on my tombstone: "Here lies En Ex. He died knowing that the vehicle sections in Half-Life 2 are great."

Half-Life 2 is the greatest single player video game ever made.

 

[Yoda]

I think the vehicle sections are different enough from most games where people will take longer than intended w/them. I felt the pacing was fine for the most part.

 

[daninthemix]

I just think you need to be in the right frame of mind for it.

Relax, take in the long-haul journey and the amazing sights on the way.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Like others have said, the vehicle sections are way too long. But at it's best it's amazingly paced.

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

I like that they tried to make everything cohesive. I thought the vehicle sections were weak and there's parts of the game that mean I will never play it again.

 

[misho8723]

Water Hazard.

Hmmm.. I loved that section.. HL2 has maybe the best vehicle sections when it comes to FPS games

 

[MillionVolts]

Yes, it does. I vastly prefer Episode One and Episode Two for this very reason.

 

[Vintage]

Fuck the vehicle sections

I loved them. Seriously. Their pacing was good because you weren't just driving vehicles, you had to constantly stop to fight/solve puzzles. Gameplay was constantly mixed, you were never doing the same thing for too long.

I heard some people had motion sickness during these parts, so it sucks for them. I was ok, so I enjoyed these very much.

 

[Kosma]

Yes I never finished it and I got it at launch.

And god knows I gave it a few tries.

 

[LOLDSFAN]

I didn't think so.

HL1 dragged on too long though.

 

[Fjordson]

I've always thought Half-Life 2 was boring, or at least that a number of sections are, and that overall it just feels like a drag.

Actually enjoyed both episodes way more than the base game.

 

[Dicer]

Nope, aside from the vehicle parts that some have mentioned, the pacing is pretty much spot-on...

 

[ashecitism]

Never had huge problems with the vehicle sections, though Water Hazard is defo among the weakest sections of the game. Highway 17 is one of my favorites though. But yeah, Episode 2 has better pacing.

And it just hit me, the next one is bound to start with one. You were supposed to go to the arctic with a helicopter, remember.

 

[RandomExpletive]

Fuck the vehicle sections

Boy have I got a video for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9x5Sc05K4o#t=2917

 

[Valnen]

Fuck the vehicle sections

This part with a hovercraft (I think?) made me quit the game. So annoying.

 

[EGM1966]

No.

The sections are well paced and flow together nicely.

It only drags for people who want to skip exposition scenes that are delivered in game rather than via cut scenes (for example the early transmission scene in Kleiner's lab) or those who want to cut from location A to B and don't get the vehicle sections are supposed to take a while as they are meant to imply you're covering a fair bit of territory as well as serve as providing a number of vignettes into the state of the world under the combine.

I suspect the punchier, more movie style Episodes resonate better with general gamer but pacing of Half Life 2 is perfect. It's just not designed thinking of multiple play throughs but instead designed to be right for your first play through.

Best SP campaign in an FPS for me with no cut scenes, clever variety in gameplay and a clear and focused narrative at all times.

 

[Dryk]

I think the designers wanted to prove they could create a game world on a realistic scale and have a game that took place entirely in real-time within it. That doesn't really excuse the vehicle sections but...

 

[Upinsmoke]

I don't think there was a particular chapter which dragged on, I reckon the game was probably an hour or two longer than it needed to be though.

 

[EatChildren]

No. Half-Life 2 is perfect from start to finish.

 

[Outcome]

No, the game is perfect for 1-3 playthroughs. But if you want to play it 100 times it will get boring. Just like any single player game.

 

[ashecitism]

I'd definitely say the traversal, feel of journey is better in this than most openworld games. You actually travel a huge distance.

 

[adamsapple]

The vehicles, and ant lion sections .. kinda needlessly long.

 

[Morfeo]

I think the length is pretty good, but yeah, the game would probably have been even better if some sections were cut short a bit. However, this is a much bigger with the episodes, were basically the only two memorable things is the skirmish at the small village in the hills and the last boss (and that one wasnt really memorable for the right reasons imo). So yeah, those episodes were pretty bad - but the main game is still a masterpiece and among the best shooters ever.

 

[Morfeo]

I didn't think so.

HL1 dragged on too long though.

Yeah definitely. This game is waaaay too long for its own good. Especially those alien worlds at the end just feel like some leftovers from another game that they throwed in there without a good reason.

 

[Markitron]

I never managed to finish it, so yea probably. Not liking Half Life 2 is probably my weirdest gaming opinion, I am surprised I found it to be so boring.

 

[Kuroyume]

I felt that about the original which I played through for the first time around 2 years ago. Got really bored with it by the end.

H2 kept me hooked in all the way through. And I was able to dive into both the other episodes right away.

 

[ConanTheKing]

Fuck the vehicle sections

That was perhaps the most atmospheric part for me. Driving around in a buggy by the coast, stopping by the occasional decrepit house on the way and taking out the odd pack of back guys. You could almost feel the cold chill of the sea winds and there was something calming about the isolated atmosphere away from the main fighting and rebel hideouts.

 

[Gaogaogao]

I miss the hl2 shotgun, it feels great. that is all.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Yes, like many Valve games the pacing is all over the place and several sections drag on far too long. You're best off playing Episode 2 for a condensed HL2 experience.

 

[Nevadatan]

In my opinion HL2 has only two flaws : one is technical the other is pure pacing.
- the loading. It kills it really. Even by today's rig, having to stop the action for a couple of seconds is anoying as hell.
- the pacing. Some portion do drag for too long (the buggy part in the sand, the overcraft) but not all. Nova Prospekt or Ravenholm were amazingly paced for example.

i heard you love hl2 loading times.. play the xbox version. (the original xbox i say, yeah that forgotten black box with a green xbox logo on it)

as for the pacing, the vehicle sections were awesome back then, now its a bit stale but i still enjoy them nonetheless. ravenholm was great for its atmosphere. man i remember being stuck there for days trying to evade the creepy black headcrab zombies.

That was perhaps the most atmospheric part for me. Driving around in a buggy by the coast, stopping by the occasional decrepit house on the way and taking out the odd pack of back guys. You could almost feel the cold chill of the sea winds and there was something calming about the isolated atmosphere away from the main fighting and rebel hideouts.

i believe the coast section was made to show us the toll the earth has taken in your absence

Spoiler

the plot included something about the combine draining resources from the planet, mainly its water, but not sure if it was cut

, the abandoned feeling, the receding coastline with all the ships now resting on the former seabed. truly it has a great atmosphere.