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[The Librarian]

The Half life games are bloated, boring, and bland they are severely overrated to me

noooooo

 

[clutch.as.it.gets.]

For me HL 2 is the best shooter experience i have ever made.

 

[Nome]

Agreed.

Complaining that the game loses its impact once you're privy to where and when the scripted events will occur is like complaining that the Sixth Sense is stupid once you know the twist. In both cases the game was designed to be experienced fresh, to take you to a new and amazingly realized world where engrossing events were happening. Scripted events worked magnificently to create this. The fact that you now know how they'll play out is irrelevant. The "problem" is your memory, and I dare say that City 17 is among the most convincing and cohesive worlds in all of gaming. That definitely hasn't changed one bit.

If you evaluate games as art, then yes; it's about the lasting impact.
If you evaluate games as entertainment, then no. There are far better shooters out there.

 

[FACE]

The most overrated creation in human history.

That'd be Uncharted 2, Half-Life 2 is the second most overrated creation in human history.

Terrible AI, terrible encounter design, terrible gunplay, incredibly boring vehicle sections and a bunch of "look, we have a physics engine!" puzzles.

 

[EatChildren]

The Combine usually stay in the city limits because of the rest of Earth is infested with Xen creatures that have destroyed the ecosystem. That's why Breen welcomes people to the Cities; it's safe there. It's why the only place they appear in in the wilderness (outside of being forced to in Ep. 2) they have tons of those thumpers to keep Antlions away.

Yes. Earth is fucked. Portal storms from Xen have ravaged most of the country side with xenos, and the Combine are sapping the planet of its resources. It's just as dangerous for them to wander the wilderness as it is people.

 

[Xpliskin]

a.k.a I play 9 year old games whose influences have become industry standards and think they're underwhelming

 

[MvmntInGrn]

I found HL2 pretty enjoyable but I have no desire to go back to it. I started episode 1 but never got into it. Haven't tried episode 2 yet.

The levels are open which lets you take on some fights from more than one angle but these larger fights are pretty rare and most abundant in the second half I think. Generally unsatisfying gunplay hurts these sections. There is a lot of variety in the different sections or acts in the game with entirely new mechanics given to the player but I think I'd prefer less variety and instead taking a few core ideas and expanding on them throughout the game. HL2 is easily a game that could be broken into episodes with its current format.

The eventual HL3 would probably be best suited to an episodic game where they can present new gimmicks that may only be around for that episode

 

[Timedog]

It's really not that great at all. Also the story was made for someone who played half-life 1. The whole time I was like, what's going on? who are these characters? why should I care?

 

[CornBurrito]

It tells it's story the exact way a game should. Not with cutscenes, but with the living background and atmosphere of the world.

It's one of the best stories in gaming.

I never got why people have to lie about the game and say it doesn't have cutscenes. I guess because I can move my character in a tiny fucking space while the characters speak to me it somehow isn't a cutscene. Sorry, but those were cutscenes.

 

[RedSwirl]

The Half-Life 2, Episode 1, Episode 2 arc is still one of if not my favourite shooters. I can go back, play, and enjoy it effortlessly. For me, I do like the gunplay and encounter design, and the linearity does not bother me. Most importantly, and where I think Valve's shooter design has always excelled, to me every room, encounter, and progression through environments feels like one unique area after the other. I feel the game is almost completely devoid of monotonous stretches through truly samey environments and set pieces, and instead always seems to introduce some quirk to the level design (even if it's simply the navigation of a structure or spawn points of enemies) and interesting vista worth investigating and interacting with.

Where other shooters feel like stretch->awesome set piece->stretch->awesome set piece, Half-Life to me is one big long awesome set piece, numerous memorable scenarios, encounters, and levels chained together back-to-back with no slump in between.

I get that people won't share that opinion, but that's honestly why I love the series so much, and why I still think Half-Life 2 + Episodes remains one of the most brilliantly designed and executed single player first person shooters ever made.

*shrug*

This basically. What makes HL2 great is its pacing and level design. Same as RE4 really.

 

[The Librarian]

I never got why people have to lie about the game and say it doesn't have cutscenes. I guess because I can move my character in a tiny fucking space while the characters speak to me it somehow isn't a cutscene. Sorry, but those were cutscenes.

It has scripted story points, but they aren't cutscenes. Cutscenes employ cinematic means to tell its story. Half-Life isn't so movie-like.

 

[Lingitiz]

I never got why people have to lie about the game and say it doesn't have cutscenes. I guess because I can move my character in a tiny fucking space while the characters speak to me it somehow isn't a cutscene. Sorry, but those were cutscenes.

There's a big difference when characters act like you're in the room versus just sitting and watching a scene play out.

 

[NaM]

HL1 is miles better.

Yes, but the OP didn't ask that.

Also:

 

[EatChildren]

Also, haters step aside, because Episode 1 owns.

 

[CornBurrito]

It has scripted story points, but they aren't cutscenes. Cutscenes employ cinematic means to tell its story. Half-Life isn't so movie-like.

So basically a non-cinematic cutscene?

It is a point in the game where my freedom to actually play the game is limited where characters talk to me and explain story bits to me. I call that a cutscene. If someone were to ask me to describe a cutscene I would not say it has to employ cinematic means.

There's a big difference when characters act like you're in the room versus just sitting and watching a scene play out.

The characters didn't act like I was in the room, unless real people don't pay any mind to the famous mercenary running around like a child and throwing cans at their heads with a gravity gun.

It is still a shitty "sit down and wait to actually play the fucking game" sequence, which most people I think would call a cutscene.

 

[Scrabble]

I still don't understand why people say the narrative is strong. The story is very minimal and not interesting at all IMO.

It's the storytelling that's strong.

 

[The Librarian]

So basically a non-cinematic cutscene?

It is a point in the game where my freedom to actually play the game is limited where characters talk to me and explain story bits to me. I call that a cutscene. If someone were to ask me to describe a cutscene I would not say it has to employ cinematic means.

That's a very nontraditional definition of a cutscene.

Also, haters step aside, because Episode 1 owns.

"Urban Flight" is one of the best levels of Half-Life 2, Episode 1, and Episode 2. It's my favorite City 17 level. It alone makes the episode worth playing.

 

[intheinbetween]

The game is doing you a favour. No, really: finishing Episode Two will only make the wait for Half-Life 3 worse.

Edit: Try this. (Uninstall all Half-Life 2 games from your library and then reinstall Episode Two; there's no need to install both it and HL2.)

what if I only have EP2? :lol

 

[CornBurrito]

That's a very nontraditional definition of a cutscene.

I always considered parts of the game where I have to sit down and wait to actually play the game again to fall under three categories: Cutscene, pause menu, loading screen.

I don't see what is inherently wrong with cutscenes if the problem with them isn't the "lol just sit here while we rob you of the ability to play the game" bit.

 

[Lingitiz]

So basically a non-cinematic cutscene?

It is a point in the game where my freedom to actually play the game is limited where characters talk to me and explain story bits to me. I call that a cutscene. If someone were to ask me to describe a cutscene I would not say it has to employ cinematic means.



The characters didn't act like I was in the room, unless real people don't pay any mind to the famous mercenary running around like a child and throwing cans at their heads with a gravity gun.

I'm not saying the characters are incredibly reactive or anything, but at least you feel like a participant in the scene rather than just watching it unfold. Cutscenes are basically ripped straight out of film and cinematic scenes with zero interactivity. At least Valve has characters making eye contact with you and talking directly to you.

I always considered parts of the game where I have to sit down and wait to actually play the game again to fall under three categories: Cutscene, pause menu, loading screen.

I don't see what is inherently wrong with cutscenes if the problem with them isn't the "lol just sit here while we rob you of the ability to play the game" bit.

So basically any form of storytelling. Would the entire Walking Dead be considered all cutscenes to you?

 

[diffusionx]

Half-Life 2 is not that good, no.

Episode 1 is total crap. One of the worst FPS games I've finished. It's a four hour game that felt like twice that.

Episode 2 is pretty good. That last boss section is a barnburner and the hunter dudes bring some much, much needed variety and depth into the combat.

Half-life has cutscenes and they're the worst kind: unskippable. Half-life is absolutely built on and driven by setpieces and said cutscenes - these are "the only purpose of said gameplay" in Half-life just as it is in those games by developers you rattled off and described as producing bullshit. Is simply never leaving the first person perspective enough to make it very novel for you and make you forget you're playing an extremely cinematic, extremely linear, and extremely set-piece driven game? Huh.

All of this. I'm amazed at how easily people are hoodwinked. There are many, many parts of these games where you stand around while the characters talk to you. It is no different from Uncharted 2 - actually it might be worse, since I'm supposed to believe that everyone talks to Gordon and tells him what to do while he stands around saying nothing. At least Drake is, you know, saying and doing stuff in these scenes.

The game is also as linear and scripted as any COD. There's no way you can be against the trend towards linear FPS games and be a Half-Life fan.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Also, haters step aside, because Episode 1 owns.

I thought it was better than the main game.

"Urban Flight" is one of the best levels of Half-Life 2, Episode 1, and Episode 2. It's my favorite City 17 level. It alone makes the episode worth playing.

Heh, I thought that was the weakest level of the episode.

 

[CornBurrito]

I'm not saying the characters are incredibly reactive or anything, but at least you feel like a participant in the scene rather than just watching it unfold. Cutscenes are basically ripped straight out of film and cinematic scenes with zero interactivity. At least Valve has characters making eye contact with you and talking directly to you.

I didn't feel like a participant. Imagine in real life if everyone around you would ignore everything you were doing while talking at you. Not to you, at you. That's what I got out of it. Immersion was broken very easily in those cutscenes because I could move around and the AI wouldnt even acknowledge it.

ISo basically any form of storytelling. Would the entire Walking Dead be considered all cutscenes to you?

I actually don't mind cutscenes. I don't see how letting me walk around during it makes it any better though. Oh yipee I can move the joystick a bit. It isn't any better than zero interactivity, to me at least.

Oh and Bioshock audiologs gave story without putting the game to a stop.

 

[JaseC]

If there's one bit of news I want to hear regarding Half-Life 3, it's that Kelly Bailey, despite leaving Valve of his own accord, will be composing the soundtrack, because god damn.

 

[The Librarian]

Heh, I thought that was the weakest level of the episode.

It's a lot better than depending on Alyx to see.

 

[Lingitiz]

I didn't feel like a participant. Imagine in real life if everyone around you would ignore everything you were doing while talking at you. Not to you, at you. That's what I got out of it. Immersion was broken very easily in those cutscenes because I could move around and the AI wouldnt even acknowledge it.

Like I said, it's not super reactive or anything and I would fault it for that. I'm saying it at the very least takes advantage of the medium rather than forcing you into a scene where you literally put down the controller and watching a film scene.

Can it be better? Of course. What they did is 10 years old now and was way ahead of what we had at the time.

 

[TheVoidDragon]

To me, it's not just the graphics or the actual gameplay that makes a game good or bad. Half life 2 is one of my favorite games, but it's not for those things - it's because of the story, the world, the characters, the atmosphere etc. It is a very detailed in-depth world and there are many things that you could easily miss, not everything is just given straight to you.

It being linear doesn't affect matter to me at all, it doesn't interfere with anything.

 

[Etnos]

Love DOTA, Love Steam, Like TF2 but.. I just never understood the Half LIfe 2 Cult.

-The fiction feels half baked, and vanilla
-Shooting is kinda OK, I guess.. really nothing spectacular
-Most of the Puzzles are boring and unintuitive
-Linear and kind of predictable
-Way longer that it needed to be.

 

[DeBurgo]

I always considered parts of the game where I have to sit down and wait to actually play the game again to fall under three categories: Cutscene, pause menu, loading screen.

I don't see what is inherently wrong with cutscenes if the problem with them isn't the "lol just sit here while we rob you of the ability to play the game" bit.

That's pretty reductive, don't you think?

Maybe you should tell us about high scores and cheat codes, next.

 

[chemicals]

These people who play Half Life 2 NOW and say "oh it didn't hold up over time"... phssst

It's one of the best games ever made. Just accept it.

 

[CornBurrito]

Like I said, it's not super reactive or anything and I would fault it for that. I'm saying it at the very least takes advantage of the medium rather than forcing you into a scene where you literally put down the controller and watching a film scene.

Since the AI doesnt even care if I move around, why not put the controller down during the Half Life "totally not a cutscenes"?

 

[kodt]

The game was awesome in 2004. If you didn't play it then, just don't post. We don't care if it doesn't hold up by your standards today.

 

[jtb]

I'm not saying the characters are incredibly reactive or anything, but at least you feel like a participant in the scene rather than just watching it unfold. Cutscenes are basically ripped straight out of film and cinematic scenes with zero interactivity. At least Valve has characters making eye contact with you and talking directly to you.



So basically any form of storytelling. Don't play The Walking Dead.

linear storytelling is at odds with video games anyways. there is zero interactivity in most of the "narrative" bits in HL2 (and I'm not talking about the incredibly atmosphere, world-building, etc. which are all part of the general narrative) and I think that would classify as a cutscene. video games are about interactivity. those scenes aren't interactive. there's nothing wrong with that but I too would classify them as cutscenes.

there are games that give you interactivity with regards to storytelling though. HL2 just isn't one of them (and it doesn't have to be one of them).

 

[Coxswain]

I never got why people have to lie about the game and say it doesn't have cutscenes. I guess because I can move my character in a tiny fucking space while the characters speak to me it somehow isn't a cutscene. Sorry, but those were cutscenes.

Yeah, if there's one trend that HL2 popularized that is definitely a huge fucking negative for video games as a whole, it's the "Not a cutscene" cutscene. There's no functional difference between a cutscene and a sequence where the player's role is reduced to looking at things with no meaningful interaction*, but the "It's not a cutscene" excuse continues to be seen as a justification for not letting the player just fucking skip the non-interactive parts of the game.

The environmental design and telling-the-story-through-the-world elements always completely failed to resonate with me, and I think a big part of the reason why is that the method they used for the telling-the-story-through-unskippable-cutscenes parts annoyed me so much that I never developed any sort of attachment to or connection with the characters or the world, and in fact ended up more or less actively disliking them by association.


What made it worse is that eventually it bled over and spawned its little cousin, the "Stand by a closed door and wait for someone to finish talking and then open it for you", which is everywhere in modern games and has never become less annoying.




*(Plugging a machine into a wall socket when an NPC tells you to doesn't count as 'meaningful')

 

[Andrew.]

Also, haters step aside, because Episode 1 owns.

Especially when you go for "The One Free Bullet" cheev.

 

[The Librarian]

Especially when you go for "The One Free Bullet" cheev.

SO MUCH FUUUUUUN

 

[JaseC]

Little Rocket Man is the best achievement ever.

 

[LAMBO]

It was a very creative game, it did so much with physics that no toher game was doing well at the time. I can see if you played it for the first time now you may not be floored, but if you played it then and liked the genre you were impressed.

 

[The Librarian]

Little Rocket Man is the best achievement ever.

Man, fuck that gnome.

 

[CornBurrito]

That's pretty reductive, don't you think?

Maybe you should tell us about high scores and cheat codes, next.

Sorry, but I'm not alone in thinking that non-interactive bits of a game are cutscenes even if you can -technically- interact by being ignored by the NPCs as you run around a 2x4 box.

 

[Andrew.]

Man, fuck that Gnome.

Seriously. Somehow every single time I always lost it. The gnome can go fuck itself.

 

[Woody Invincible]

I am the complete opposite and yearn for superbly yarned linear experiences. I often get quite bored of open-world type environments. Vice City was the last open type game that I was able to complete.

 

[SkyOdin]

I played Half-Life 2 for the first time last year. I wasn't very impressed. The game just wasn't that fun. Individual sections of the game over-stay their welcome dramatically. Sections such as the boat and buggy sections were two or three times longer than they should have been. The combat wasn't particularly inspired, and I don't think the drawn-out scripted sequences were very interesting.

More than anything, the story was clear as mud to someone who hasn't played Half-Life 1. Who are these people? Who am I? Why do people fawn over my every action like that? The game made no attempt at filling people in or establishing context.

The game really felt like an elongated tech-demo riding on the coat-tails of its predecessor.

Good thing the Orange Box came with Portal. Now that is a game that will be remembered as a timeless classic.

 

[Kareha]

HL2 is the best FPS ever made, nothing has come close to eclipsing it after all this time.

 

[ZeroRay]

Also, haters step aside, because Episode 1 owns.

Episode 1 feels like Half-Life 1 with HL2 assets, of course it owns.

 

[Andrew.]

I played Half-Life 2 for the first time last year. I wasn't very impressed. The game just wasn't that fun. Individual sections of the game over-stay their welcome dramatically. Sections such as the boat and buggy sections were two or three times longer than they should have been. The combat wasn't particularly inspired, and I don't think the drawn-out scripted sequences were very interesting.

Had you played in 2004 your opinion would be quite different

No surprise the newbies that get into HL2 nowadays find it "overrated", underwhelming and beat.

 

[Phinal Phantasy]

Half-Life 2 is pretty dated imo.

Agreed.

 

[DyTonic]

HL is boring as hell.

 

[Andrew.]

Agreed.

So is Phantasy Star

 

[I H8 Memes]

The Half life games are bloated, boring, and bland they are severely overrated to me

Well no game is going to appeal to everybody so your opinion is valid.

But Half Life and Half Life 2 are two of the top rated games of all time. That should tell you that the games are not over rated and bloated but that the games just dont appeal to you.