The Orange Box (PC/PS3/360)

[huxley]

Same here, not one crash, the whole disc has been amazing, no glitches or slow downs or anything like that!

Same here with a US version on my pal 360, Only problem is the console makes more noise than a dyson!

[HaHaUK]

I was sat in a lecture today and was thinking of ways to get out by creating portals.

[ezee ryder]

I was sat in a lecture today and was thinking of ways to get out by creating portals.

I will do the same at work tomorrow

[MartyG]

Hmm - the controls on HL2 are dire They don't work well with the 360 pad at all.

And TF2 keeps dropping at the end of rounds - bargain maybe - impressed not really.

Portal is ace, I can't really see me perservering with TF2 though, not due to the problems I've had with it this evening ( too much time invested in R6 too, first impressions count )

[Kotatsu Neko]

Hmm - the controls on HL2 are dire They don't work well with the 360 pad at all.

I got used to them after a while. The gravity gun shortcut on RB is very useful, particularly in the later parts of episode 2.

And speaking of which, the last chapter of episode 2.... just awesome stuff. Valve really pulled out all the stops for that one, it's easily the best bit of Half Life to date. Then comes the ending...!

Too bad there's no preview vid for episode 3, but it may have lessened the impact of the ending had there been one.

[Spatial]

That and apparently they said that they weren't happy that the trailer they bundled first time around for Ep2 showed lots of stuff that they ended up cutting like

->Open Spoiler<-

Alyx hanging off the bridge, the player being on the bridge when it collapsed etc)

Big props to Ep2's music also - I'm listening to it right now and some of the tracks on there are excellent when they kick in, particularly the ones from the trailers with

->Open Spoiler<-

Dog

and the

->Open Spoiler<-

Combine bridge march

.

Marty - apparently there's a patch coming next week which is supposed to resolve drop out and lag problems.

[rmoxon]

Hmm - the controls on HL2 are dire They don't work well with the 360 pad at all.

And TF2 keeps dropping at the end of rounds - bargain maybe - impressed not really.

Portal is ace, I can't really see me perservering with TF2 though, not due to the problems I've had with it this evening ( too much time invested in R6 too, first impressions count )

HL2 works fine with the 360 besides when swimming at which point it gets fiddly, but then shooting and swimming at the same time wouldnt be as easy as pushing buttons on a mouse and keyboard comfertabley in your own bedroom so whos to complain?.

I think Youre being a bit of a grumpy sod though it is nice to see the brilliance of Portal even makes grumpy sods smile. Just completed the game, brilliant, all i can say really, everythings just right, even the length as I know i'll probabaly play it another couple of times just for a laugh.

Was Never a fan of the original Team Fortress so whenever i do try it not really expecting much. I did try a local game on my own though just to test it out and it does look pretty incredable visualy, i love the way it looks.

The guys who work for valve seem like complete geniuses, it makes you wonder wether portal isnt actualy inspired by the true story of the tests they use to find of their incredably witty, talented and oh so smart employees.

[Roddie]

^ Portal was made a bunch of people who Valve then employed.

[rmoxon]

which strangley enough makes my point even more valid....

Regardless though, the whole thing reeks of the company, even if gamplay ideas orginaly came from somewhere else.

[FreelancePolice]

Besides the obvious gameplay mechanic portal is very different to Narbacular Drop. So if the result of valve hiring them is portal then extreme kudos for bringing out the best in those guys

[rmoxon]

Yeah exactly, I havent played that game but like I said its quite obvious this is a valve game, and thats where the credit should mostly lie IMO

[cavalcade]

Portal - Not quite as funny as it thinks it is, but genuinely charming. And a great little game. Gave me a gamers glow every time I solved a puzzle. On the penultimate level after an hours play though, so I'm hoping for some DLC, or I might stump up for the PC version. Great game.

Team Fortress 2 - "It'll be just another online FPS" I said. After 3 hours solid play I can confirm, some minor lag issues aside, a work of frikkin genius. The classes make it such a lovely game to play - even though you can enjoy the game playing a soldier, or other killing class, if you're a bit cak handed on traditional FPS'es you can still contribute with the other classes. Not many maps, all clear and concise, makes it fantastically focused and enjoyable. Absolutely blown away by this to be honest.

Half Life 2 - The only let down. Graphically very shabby compared to the PC version (at least my PC version). Grubby textures, unspectacular frame rate, and a number of issues with the pad control. You can *tell* this is a converted PC game, you often hitch on doors and the like as they're designed for the fine mouse control as you pass through. The combat is also laughable on a pad, playing like an FPS from 1999. But underneath it all it still has a fantastic art style, great music, and tells a good story. So I can see someone who hadn't experienced it on PC being satisfied.

[Brats]

I played a bit of Portal and it isn't quite grabbing me like I thought it would. It's solid, but the puzzles seem to be moving forward slower than I liked and there's a bit too much repetition. Still want to play more of it though.

I've never been a massive HL2 fan, but I was looking forward to this because of the pad controls which feel a lot more satisfying than a mouse. Plus the game is so easy (even on Hard) that I don't feel like I should be playing this on a M+K.

All was going really well, until I hit the crappy sewer sections in Route Kanal . Why do Valve games move so damn slowly before you get the good stuff? I can't wait to get the Gravity Gun but it's a chore slogging though these janky early levels to get there. I've never forgiven Valve for tempting me with the glorious looking City 17 and then dumping me in the sewers. With rubbish swimming controls. And the ability to get stuck in th scenery and die. Cheers.

Time hasn't been kind to the gameplay. The physics puzzles seem even more forced now and the scripting is even more obvious. Maybe I should have started with Episode 2 as from the videos it looks a lo more freeform from the start.

[Dazzyman]

I started abit of HL2 on 360 on Thursday and I cant see any difference between it and high res PC apart from frame rate dips occasionally, their seems to be some improved lighting on 360 version over PC in some areas what got added to PC for Ep 1. Only thing I can see is the odd texture is better on PC like at the start the seats are slightly better textured on PC over 360 but flip side is the hand rails are jaggy on PC but fine on 360. Their really is a tiny amount in it when you compare them some of the wall textures are even better on 360 (face clock in 360 for example in train station is more defined with hours).

I for one was worried about getting it on 360 as I bought 360 for HL2 as Im sick of playing on PC with keyboard and mouse at moment but for me its fantastic. I have a uber PC and it really isnt that different on 360. If your whinging about the controls alter the analog sticks as their set by default much more slower than TF2 for some reason (which ends up being better than on PC due to being able to get into rooms easier). I bought this on PC early for TF2 and now for me its even better as a package on 360. PC game gets a beating from the console version who would have thought

[Ish]

Started playing Portal a little while ago - apart from the really irritating voice what an excellent idea. Feels really fresh.