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LTTP: Half -Life 2

R

Relix

he's Virgin Tight™
I am sure there are quite many LTTP's about HL2 out there, but I just had to share my thoughts. Altogether Andrews gave me the chance to experience HL2 for the first time some weeks ago, when he gave it to me as a gift. First all, I had played Half Life because I bought it, but my old PC was so shitty I didn't get too far (hence why I am waiting for Black Mesa source). Now about HL2...

WOW. This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It simply is amazing. I am glad I actually waited, since my PC can run this game with AF2X and MSAA2X and everything maxed out at 1280x1020 (or something like that) at an amazing 60FPS with some dips there and here. I can experience the game at its fullest now.

I have heard some complaints about the gunfights, and yes, some of them are a bit too static, but I just love them. Then there's the Gravity Gun, that must be one of the greatest gaming inventions ever. I love playing with that shit up. The puzzles are very good and I really enjoy figuring out to them and messing with the physics. The storytelling is also another great point since you are ALWAYS playing, not watching some cutscene (mind you, I like cutscenes).

I haven't beaten the game yet, since I am about to enter the Citadel, but my favorite missions must be Water Hazard. Nova Prospekt and the one before that where you control the Antilons, and also the one where you are in that car, it was a hell to drive but it was fun.

Also, I loved when I learned how to actually use the Laser Rocket thing. I hadn't figured out that I needed to keep aiming at the ship after I shot the rocket =P. I learned that... yeah like a few days ago (I didn't pay attention to the instructions).

So far this game has been a 'revelation' to me, an experience I don't want to end. Thankfull, AA also gave me Episode 1 =P. If its as good as I hope it to be I'll just buy Orange Box from Steam. Aaah.... Steam, I am loving that little thing too.

The mods to HL2 are also amazing. The thread that was made some days ago for HL2 has me hooked with them all.

So... yeah, I am very impressed with this game. Any opinions on it? Complaints? Easter Eggs?

BTW, is Half Life 2 Deathmatch good? The fact that you have the Gravity Gun must make it a VERY original game. =p
 
If you thought HL2 was awesome, wait until you play Ep1 and Ep2. They expand on the story and the battles are a lot better than HL2. Theres also a greater sense of exploration even though some of the levels are bottlenecked, especially in Ep2.
 
Holy crap, dude. This is playing on my 360 right now. I'm on Anticitizen One (towards the end, I hope - Alyx
has been kidnapped
after the
generator standoff
).

Nova Prospekt was awesome.
 
The contents of Orange Box are even better, by a lot. TF2, Portal and Ep2 are absolutely awesome. If you think hl2 was fun, just wait until you play them.
 
Congratulations, you have discovered a glorious world.


And to be quite honest, HL2: DM isn't that great. Because your targets are humans with all of the weapons you have, instead of stupid Combine, it's not nearly as convenient or easy to kill people by throwing shit at them.

TemplaerDude said:
hl2 is pretty good. episode one kind of sucks. episode two is great.
Click to expand...

Well, being a third correct isn't bad. The two totally wrong parts are, though.
 
See, now you know why us PC guys find it funny when console guys hail games like Halo as some kind of revolution in FPSs. :lol

TemplaerDude said:
hl2 is pretty good. episode one kind of sucks. episode two is great.
Click to expand...

I disagree when it comes to Episode one. The reason why people shit on it all the time is imo because it doesn't let you run in guns ablazing through most of it, which doesn't make it bad, just different. I enjoyed ep. 1 quite a bit despite that fact.

Also, it has the best final battle out of the three parts.
 
Jaded Alyx said:
HL2 Deathmatch isn't all that great. Getting killed by a flying filing cabinet or worse, a toilet, can be annoying :)
Click to expand...

The trick is to kill someone else with the toilet. Or the radiator. Radiator is probably the best. The most annoying thing about HL2 Deathmatch is the damn rocket "Free Kill" launcher.

It is good fun, but not very deep or lasting. If you want to mess around with the gravity gun online, feel free to try it out.
 
Aaah, then HL Deathmatch is out. I still wanted to kill someone with a toilet... that sounded fun =P.

I stopped playing because this is FINALS week for me (had to cap it... like 6 exams and one presentation in 4 days). But I plan on beating this game next weekend. Can anyone illuminate me on Team Fortress 2? I love the graphic style, but I am not sure about it gameplay wise. Yes, it's class based, but what else?

I originally wanted to buy Orange for 360, but AA gave me the chance to play this on PC. I am not much of a PC gamer, but the game has pulled me in, and HARD. Consider me a Console/PC Game Hybrid now =P.

*Currently downloading over a gig of HL2 mods*
 
I did the whole Orange box. Played HL2 back in the day, thought it was boring. This time i still thought it was boring, but i cannot deny how impressive it is that the game still holds up to this day visually. In all, i simply can't understand the love this game gets, gameplay wise.

Episode 1 has alot of action but, it's pretty weak imo, really forgeatable.

Episode 2 however...now that's an awesome game, i LOOOOVE episode 2, and definitily gets me very excited for Episode 3, one of my my favs this year.
 
Relix said:
I have heard some complaints about the gunfights, and yes, some of them are a bit too static, but I just love them. Then there's the Gravity Gun, that must be one of the greatest gaming inventions ever. I love playing with that shit up. The puzzles are very good and I really enjoy figuring out to them and messing with the physics.
Click to expand...
heres my biggest complaints with the game. I thought the gameplay was far from great. The shooting just feels generic. What I find weird is HL1 had all of these weird new weapons, like snarks and that bee-shooter and stuff like that. In this game you get pistols, shotguns, smgs, and explosives. The only interesting gun is the rocket launcher, and that laser-guided ability was in the first game.

I also expected a lot more would be done with the gravity gun, up until
it becomes super charged
I never found myself surprised by how i was having to implement it. I was never required to use it in any way I couldnt have predicted if I had just been told what the gun did without first trying it out (as opposed to something like portal where theres always new, exciting ways to use the mechanics)

Also, where were the puzzles? I remember getting stuck in HL1 all the time. In HL2 the hardest puzzle was "wheres the ladder". I just think the puzzles were a little too intuitive, Id walk into a room and immediately have a good idea about what I had to do.

Keep in mind, I did still enjoy this game and its expansions (well episode 1 was alright and episode 2 would have been spectactular without the bug parts). I think the design is fantastic and really something that sets it apart from anything else in the medium. I just have a few qualms with gameplay.
 
Funny this thread should come up, I just finished my first run through of HL2 (360 version) almost an hour ago. :) Awesome stuff, immediately started up a game of ep 1 when I was finished.
 
Relix said:
I am sure there are quite many LTTP's about HL2 out there, but I just had to share my thoughts. Altogether Andrews gave me the chance to experience HL2 for the first time some weeks ago, when he gave it to me as a gift. First all, I had played Half Life because I bought it, but my old PC was so shitty I didn't get too far (hence why I am waiting for Black Mesa source). Now about HL2...

WOW. This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It simply is amazing. I am glad I actually waited, since my PC can run this game with AF2X and MSAA2X and everything maxed out at 1280x1020 (or something like that) at an amazing 60FPS with some dips there and here. I can experience the game at its fullest now.

I have heard some complaints about the gunfights, and yes, some of them are a bit too static, but I just love them. Then there's the Gravity Gun, that must be one of the greatest gaming inventions ever. I love playing with that shit up. The puzzles are very good and I really enjoy figuring out to them and messing with the physics. The storytelling is also another great point since you are ALWAYS playing, not watching some cutscene (mind you, I like cutscenes).

I haven't beaten the game yet, since I am about to enter the Citadel, but my favorite missions must be Water Hazard. Nova Prospekt and the one before that where you control the Antilons, and also the one where you are in that car, it was a hell to drive but it was fun.

Also, I loved when I learned how to actually use the Laser Rocket thing. I hadn't figured out that I needed to keep aiming at the ship after I shot the rocket =P. I learned that... yeah like a few days ago (I didn't pay attention to the instructions).

So far this game has been a 'revelation' to me, an experience I don't want to end. Thankfull, AA also gave me Episode 1 =P. If its as good as I hope it to be I'll just buy Orange Box from Steam. Aaah.... Steam, I am loving that little thing too.

The mods to HL2 are also amazing. The thread that was made some days ago for HL2 has me hooked with them all.

So... yeah, I am very impressed with this game. Any opinions on it? Complaints? Easter Eggs?

BTW, is Half Life 2 Deathmatch good? The fact that you have the Gravity Gun must make it a VERY original game. =p
Click to expand...


Huh? Is this new? I know they released Half-Life 1 on Steam a few years ago with slightly cleaned up graphics and better water effects, but overall it barely looked any better than the original.

Are they completely remaking the game with Source?
 
Witchfinder General said:
Huh? Is this new? I know they released Half-Life 1 on Steam a few years ago with slightly cleaned up graphics and better water effects, but overall it barely looked any better than the original.

Are they completely remaking the game with Source?
Click to expand...

It's a mod.
 
Witchfinder General said:
Huh? Is this new? I know they released Half-Life 1 on Steam a few years ago with slightly cleaned up graphics and better water effects, but overall it barely looked any better than the original.

Are they completely remaking the game with Source?
Click to expand...
It's a mod remake of HL1.
 
You liked Water Hazard? Maybe it was the fact that I played it on the 360, but I found the waterboat sections to be disasterous - the controls are so awful. And then, when they give you a gun, it just becomes worse. Put that shit in third person, Valve.
 
Witchfinder General said:
Huh? Is this new? I know they released Half-Life 1 on Steam a few years ago with slightly cleaned up graphics and better water effects, but overall it barely looked any better than the original.

Are they completely remaking the game with Source?
Click to expand...
A mod team is. Or was. Who knows. Mammoth amount of work and I wouldn't be surprised if they called it quits.

HL2 is amazing. It's not a great FPS, because of lots of gimpy weapons and dumb enemies, but it is an astounding game, and some of the action set pieces just shame everything else out there.
 
Dez said:
You liked Water Hazard? Maybe it was the fact that I played it on the 360, but I found the waterboat sections to be disasterous - the controls are so awful. And then, when they give you a gun, it just becomes worse. Put that shit in third person, Valve.
Click to expand...


I think keyboard and mouse make a great difference then =P.

EDIT: And the fact that Black Mesa Source has been "stuck" for so much time saddens me. I really wanna play HL1 with the "power" of source.
 
Draft said:
A mod team is. Or was. Who knows. Mammoth amount of work and I wouldn't be surprised if they called it quits.

HL2 is amazing. It's not a great FPS, because of lots of gimpy weapons and dumb enemies, but it is an astounding game, and some of the action set pieces just shame everything else out there.
Click to expand...


Ah, cool.

I wonder if there's any screen shots floating around?
 
I thought the vehicle sections were easily the weakest part of HL2.

The driving at the end of Ep2 felt a lot tighter. Much improved.

edit: Just GIS "Black Mesa Source" Tons of screens.
 
I played on both Pc and 360.

The driving sections are horrible regardless, to me at least. Episode 2 does very well in comparison.
 
If you're looking for an action game, you should not be playing Half-Life 2. I made this mistake and didn't enjoy the first part of the game as a result. HL2 is more about exploration, physics puzzles, and the story/characters.
 
Honestly don't get the complaints about the driving sections. And I must be crazy but I've always thought the vehicles controlled fine. I mean, it's a a buggy, not a Lexus with ABS and traction control.
 
Would I be missing much if I didn't play Episode 1 and just read about the story and went on to play Episode 2. For some reason some textures and areas aren't loading correctly which is making Episode 1 unplayable for me. I really want to play Episode 2 though.
 
The Theme song on the Black Mesa:Source site is amazing. It's also a very sad song, or maybe it just makes me sad because I look over and see the last update to the main page was 25 May 2007.

Here's hoping this mod doesn't die out like so many others have. I'd love to re-experience the original Half Life on the Source engine. Just wondering, did something snag their progress, like copyright issues or something? I know that a long while back, a lot of their works-in-progress were stolen and distributed around the 'net and that set them back a bit.

Valve is a pretty user-based company but I'm not sure how gung-ho they are about this third party project. If it's a problem, why not just hire 'em like they do all other good mods and distribute it over Steam for $10 or something.
 
I'm curious, in the PC version, during the waterboat gun sections, how does the aiming work? In the 360 version, the gun crosshair can go all over the screen, then tends to stick to objects that can be shot. It's just a really awful implementation.
 
Dez said:
I'm curious, in the PC version, during the waterboat gun sections, how does the aiming work? In the 360 version, the gun crosshair can go all over the screen, then tends to stick to objects that can be shot. It's just a really awful implementation.
Click to expand...

Must be to make it easier for the joystick, because with a mouse you can aim anyplace you want.
 
NameGenerated said:
Would I be missing much if I didn't play Episode 1
Click to expand...
ya just skip it, its kinda lame. I believe this is all that happens story wise:

Alyx finds a data packet that has the coordinates of the alien world.
Mossman sends out a video message that gets cut short (shes in danger).
Alyx and Gordon escape on a train

I think thats about it
 
medze said:
Here's hoping this mod doesn't die out like so many others have. I'd love to re-experience the original Half Life on the Source engine. Just wondering, did something snag their progress, like copyright issues or something? I know that a long while back, a lot of their works-in-progress were stolen and distributed around the 'net and that set them back a bit.

Valve is a pretty user-based company but I'm not sure how gung-ho they are about this third party project. If it's a problem, why not just hire 'em like they do all other good mods and distribute it over Steam for $10 or something.
Click to expand...
I imagine what's snagged their progress is the ridiculous amount of work it takes to re-create the entirety of HL's single player content in the source engine.
 
. Then there's the Gravity Gun, that must be one of the greatest gaming inventions ever.
Click to expand...

Just wait.

Bio-Gravity gun > *. That is when the game became truly special for me. The whole sequence when your gun gets jacked from you only to return souped up beyond belief was just amazing.
 
Suburban Cowboy said:
ya just skip it, its kinda lame. I believe this is all that happens story wise:

Alyx finds a data packet that has the coordinates of the alien world.
Mossman sends out a video message that gets cut short (shes in danger).
Alyx and Gordon escape on a train

I think thats about it
Click to expand...

Its still better than 95% of games out there. Just play it.
 
Episode 1 was my favourite of the three, and it pretty much boils down to Alyx (and a lack of vehicles- sorry, Highway 17).
 
I just finished HL2 for the first time as well, on 360. I never bothered playing it on PC because I didn't like the first HL game. I got about a third of the way through and got really bored of the gun play. But I ended up buying Orange Box because people wouldn't stop talking about HL2 and how awesome it was, so I thought I'd better experience it.

I'm glad I did. It is a really amazing game and 50 billion times better than the first. I had a good time from beginning to end, and currently playing to get the rest of the achievements (2 more to go). While these days it's nothing phenomenal, as it's pretty linear, scripted, and the physics puzzles are obvious. But back when this was released I can understand how people would have gone bat shit crazy over it. To be in control of most of the objects in the game must have been a revolution in gameplay and simply mind blowing. I'd even say that to this day it stands up as probably the best implementation of physics in a game. The story is done incredibly well, the voice acting some of the best I've heard, and the graphics still stand up today.

There were frustrating parts though. The engine HL uses shits me up the wall controls wise. You get stuck on so many things. In other games such as Quake, you can skim a doorway and slide through. But in HL you have to walk precisely through the door or you'll get stuck, and you can't 'slide' your way around. You have to back pedal and then walk through again. Sure, it's more realistic, but that doesn't make it fun. If you're in a heated battle just the act of walking backwards whilst firing can be incredibly frustrating because you'll get stuck on a wall, barrel, or something else lying around. The buggy also seemed to get stuck in a lot of places.

This gets worse when you get the bug ball, and the later levels where you have guys following you around. Getting stuck on the environment is one thing, but getting stuck on that AND the 20 guys following you is maddening. Throwing a grenade then trying to run back from the blast is very difficult in those sections. Setting a way point doesn't seem to help either because once you're about 4 metres away from your team they come following you anyway.

Regardless, I was hooked all the way to the end and I never felt bored. Which is a rarity for me when it comes to games. There's usually a point I'll reach where I'm sick of it and had wished it ended. Even my GOTY for this year, Bioshock, I wished ended sooner than it did. But HL2 just got more and more interesting. In saying that though, Bioshock for me is still the better game simply because of certain things that happened throughout that blew me away.

As far as single player FPS games are concerned. I'd place HL2 third on my list. DOOM 3 being first and Bioshock second.

I'll finish up the last few achievements in HL2, then I'm going to start playing COD4. Once done with that I'll go back to Orange Box and finish Ep 1 and 2. I'm looking forward to it.
 
So I'm in Follow Freeman and I just killed the solo Strider from inside the broken building (after you fight the four). And I died like ten or fifteen times because I didn't know there was a
crate of rockets
. And then I kill it and find out that
this was an optional battle aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 
hotsauceiswack said:
How can i catch up on the story of HL1 before playing HL2?

thanks
Click to expand...

Do what I did and watch the speed run. It's almost like playing the game yourself...

"Hello Gor........" *Voice trails off into the distance as Gordon bunny hops down the corridor.
 
hotsauceiswack said:
How can i catch up on the story of HL1 before playing HL2?

thanks
Click to expand...

I played hl1, but I read the wikipedia stuff about it in order to remember the details. Or you could just wait for the Black Mesa Source mod to come out.
 
The
ride up the citadel and looking out the windows
at the end of Our Benefactors. WOW. So pretty <3 On Dark Energy now, hope to beat it tonight.

(thanks Relix for making this thread so I can liveblog my very LTTP HL2 experience :lol)
 
Half-Life 2 is a smart game. The characters, the dialogue, the settings, the story... it all has a clever, updated feel to it. Makes it fun to interact with the world.

Gameplay-wise the game isn't perfect. The tedium of clear the room, progress, clear the next room, etc. can get a little old. Also, as somebody already pointed out, the guns aren't that great. Not all the enemies are equally compelling. But that's just nitpicking.

I guess I find the dialogue and characters very memorable, especially compared with what's on offer in most games today. Compare for instance the cheeseball pulp dialogue from Resident Evil 4 with Alix's lines from Half-Life 2. Night and day.
 
Dark Energy was short and sweet. Awesome game. The parts that were awesome (Sandtraps, Nova Prospekt, Our Benefactors, Dark Energy) more than made up for the parts that really weren't (Anticitizen One, Follow Freeman - GET OUT OF MY WAY).

So do the people who've beaten the first game know anything about
G-Man and his relationship with Freeman
or is this an ongoing mystery?
 
I thought the game was great. When I think of Half Life 2 I think roller coaster. In good and bad ways that is what it reminds me of.
 
hotsauceiswack said:
How can i catch up on the story of HL1 before playing HL2?

thanks
Click to expand...

HL1 in three sentences:

Theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman, who works at research laboratory Black Mesa, goes to work one day only for his experiment to poke a bunch of holes in space-time that start warping aliens into the facility. The place gets torn apart between the aliens, the portals, and Gordon, and the government sends special ops forces in to kill everyone and cover up the incident. Gordon kicks marine and alien ass on his way through the facility, travels to the alien world Xen, and kills the leader only to get "hired" by a creepy guy in a suit and stuffed into stasis until HL2.

You could probably start HL2 without knowing any of that and be fine, since you're still only going to end up with nothing but questions no matter how much of the series you've played.
 
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