The Orange Box (PC/PS3/360)

[ascender]

Thanks for the feedback. I made it to the end without a single ant-lion appearing until the end. But I wasn't sure how to summon the queen ant-lion without stepping on the sand. I can go back and try it again later.

[Oscar]

Actually stepping on the sand doesn't always summon an ant-lion. A light brush will simply cause a slight rumble effect. The achievement however is only unlocked if you cross the sands up to the queen without even causing a rumble

- Oscar

[Charlie]

On top of Oscar's sound advice, around 2 thirds of the way between where you are first told to keep off the sand by the resistance guy on the rock and the antlion Queen fight you'll come to a ledgy section with 2 buildings not far apart and roughly in between the buildings down on the ground are 2 large wooden pallets which, if used, will make the final section much easier. Oh, and just to confirm, you don't need to kill the Antlion Queen without stepping on the sand, you only need to reach the rock that you drop down from to fight the Queen.

[ascender]

So that means I'll have to go back and re-play the level then!

[Charlie]

'Fraid so.

[Malc]

Did anyone manage to find all the secret locations in HL2? I thought I explored alot of the world when I went through. But having around 20 locations unfound at the end shows different.

O well, guess i'll have to play the game again. Thankfully not one part of HL2 is boring for me.

[ascender]

I'm on Nova Prospekt and have got about half the Lamda progress locations out of the 45 or so. The last couple of levels have been barren which makes me think I've missed a fair few.

[Charlie]

Can't say I concentrated much on finding the Lamda locations but, despite this, was still somewhat surprised on completing the game by how few I'd found. Oh well, as Malc alludes to, it's the perfect excuse to play through the game again.

[Yoshimax]

Is that when playing HL2 only ? I don't remember seeing many of them in ep1 .......

[Charlie]

Yeah, HL2 only.

[Jebus]

Think it's just HL2 only, I think there's 45 of them. Found one by accident right near the start, now can't stop smashing bloody crates open just in case.

[Plisken]

i've got 97% of achievements on HL2, 100% on Episode 1 and yet 78% on Ep2.
Ep2's are bloody hard, little rocket man is bat**** mental - you have to carry a garden gnome the entire game, and the neighbourhood watch one will drive you crazy, makes stay off the sand look like a walk in the park - you'll see what i mean when you get there!!

[Spatial]

I know Spatial warned of possibly experiencing burnout in playing all three Half-Life 2 games back to back, but it felt like one huge adventure to me. The end of Episode 2 emphasises it very well when you think to where you started in the train station all the way back in City 17. It's a feeling which is vaguely reminicent of the 'I started here, and I'm now all the way here' vibe you get from playing Shenmue I and II back to back.

There's certainly that side to it, but I think you're getting that kick out of it because you're a Half-Life nut (same as me)

The warning was more for people who haven't played the series before and are going through for the first time, perhaps not entirely captivated by it from it's humble beginnings in the confines of Black Mesa.

I've been blasting through HL2 and Ep1 again now that Ep2 has long bitten the dust and it really is an epic journey.

Thanks for the feedback. I made it to the end without a single ant-lion appearing until the end. But I wasn't sure how to summon the queen ant-lion without stepping on the sand. I can go back and try it again later.

As Oscar pointed out if you've done it right you get the achievement just before that bit with the Queen.

My top tip (if you haven't already done it) is to use doors. Lots and lots of doors. They're the longest objects and make traversing the section a bit quicker. Also you don't have to touch some sections of rock like the smashed up hut or the one on the outcrop by the pier. You can just bypass those to speed things along.

and the neighbourhood watch one will drive you crazy, makes stay off the sand look like a walk in the park

There's no way in hell I'm even attempting that one. I wasn't a fan of that section and I just know I'm going to end up loosing some teeth by trying to bite the joypad in half if I try it

[simon adebisi]

Go to Nova Prospekt last night. Thrashing the combine with the antlions is a pleasure. Fighting the 2 gunships right after is torture.

[rmoxon]

i've got 97% of achievements on HL2, 100% on Episode 1 and yet 78% on Ep2.
Ep2's are bloody hard, little rocket man is bat**** mental - you have to carry a garden gnome the entire game, and the neighbourhood watch one will drive you crazy, makes stay off the sand look like a walk in the park - you'll see what i mean when you get there!!

whats the neihbourhood watch achievment?