The Orange Box (PC/PS3/360)

[ascender]

Not for one minute do I feel like I'm being rail-roaded down a one way path in HL2, nor suffering because of the obvious scripting. If the game was more free-form then I don't think the experience would be half as immersive and atmospheric as it is. You just couldn't get the amazing moments which have been mentioned numerous times which give you goose-bumps or make you smile and appreciate just how much you feel a part of the world your character is in. I think the fact that the game has stood the test of time so well is evidence enough for just how good it actually is.

I suppose it is such a different gaming experience when compared to Oblivion, but then they are very different games. I'm sure an Oblivion-style game set in the HL universe would work, but it would be a totally different beast to HL2. I'm just pleased that with HL2 on the consoles, a whole new set of people will get to enjoy it and that can only be a good thing.

[Concept]

Agreed. Take this and Portal, and I think Valve can be comfortable as one of the few game companies out there for whom women are just another character in their games, and not a butt and breasts on legs to be served up for teenager titillation.

Dhabih Eng said around Half-Life 2's launch that originally Valve did have Alyx in a two tone bodysuit and heels, but a few weeks before they showcased the game at E3 they went back to the drawing board to re-design her character and give it something unique. Probably one of the best decisions Valve have made.

Completed Episode 2 last night and, wow, what a game. Didn't quite match the dizzy heights of HL2's closing two or three levels but brilliant nonetheless. Looking back over the entire series, I think the characters and dialogue are the best I've come across. It's difficult to explain but there's a certain human quality to the way they react to everything. Their gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, little shows of emotion, it's all incredibly well done and, unlike 95% of game I've played, completely believable and identifiable. For example, I love the way, especially in Episodes 1 & 2, you come across resistance fighters who, while happy to see you, know that trouble has a habit of following you around and can't quite hide their fear that you're bringing trouble with you.

In short, easily the best game I've played all year, and quite possibly the best I've played since Resident Evil 4.

Episode 2 is indeed great. The end battle in particular

->Open Spoiler<-

was incredibly tense towards its climax. I literally had one strider about two seconds away from my base, and being fifty feet away had to get the aiming just spot on as it was moving to plant the bomb on to its hull and fire in the correct spot. I got it right at the last second - it was just an awesome feeling. And as for the cliffhanger... well, all I can say is that I hope Episode 3 makes Christmas 2008 instead of Summer 2009. ><

This is something both Portal and Episode 2 feature - incredibly strong final hours which introduce something new and also expect you to use everything you've gotten used to previously in conjunction with it.

[Concept]

Actually, I tell a lie. My very favourite moment is at the beginning when you pass that little playground, and you hear historic echoes of children playing. That sends chills through me.

That's an interesting point about a very subtle touch, particularly in light of what we were earlier talking about on how the game defines certain aspects of its atmosphere. Ravenholm uses sound in a manner which isn't too dissimilar (the cries and the low growls you don't see coming from), and there's a really odd, but very effective ambience underneath the bridge when you're working your way to take down the combine field to gain access to the train tracks.

I have trouble picking from a bunch of favourite moments.

->Open Spoiler<-

Ravenholm as a whole would probably stand out simply for the crazy **** you can mess about with in terms of the gravity gun, and obviously the first full on strider battle is absolutely jaw dropping when you're having to hide in the tunnels and carefully sneak around using rockets and secondary grenades at them. It just feels as though the whole city is falling apart. I really like the return to the sewer in City 17 just before you rescue Barney too, because you're heavily involved in urban warfare with a bunch of resistence fighters and then all of a sudden you're back on your own having to more or less make your way up a huge vertical chamber. It feels like you're resurfacing into a city that's in complete ruin, especially when as soon as you're up the snipers are staring right down at you and a bunch of civilians.

I suppose it is such a different gaming experience when compared to Oblivion, but then they are very different games. I'm sure an Oblivion-style game set in the HL universe would work, but it would be a totally different beast to HL2. I'm just pleased that with HL2 on the consoles, a whole new set of people will get to enjoy it and that can only be a good thing.

Yeah, I apologise about that. I wasn't comparing them - the conversation just drifted on to examples of the way gameplay appeals to different types of experiences.

As for Wools point on atmosphere - both games have plenty. It's just handled in different measures.

[rmoxon]

I'd disagree. The pre-determined story in Oblivion is secondary to the story you make on your own via the choices available to you, and as for Crackdown, since when has the world, your interactions within it, the structure and your available powers not been a part of gameplay?

Not really arguing with you becuase I mainly agree with what youve said about different types of games, but Im just pointing out that there is nothing really that great about the core gameplay of Oblivion , the combat isnt very riverting for instance. Yes it was great becuase you could choose what to do next in your quest, it was open ended, but then I use to love choose your own adventure books as a kid and at its heart Oblivion actualy dosent require much more interaction than reading text/listening to dialogue and choosing what to do next, you dont even have to travel to towns if you want, you can just teleport there.

I'm not saying any of that is bad mind, im just saying oblivion dosent have very deep gameplay. Its still fun to play, which is more than I can say about somthing such as Meal Gear Solid and its sequels, which bar the ocasional peice of ingenious oddness don't play very well at all and are just held togther by cutscenes that are admitedly fantastic and worth playing the games for, but I still dont belive those are good games, becuase I think everything about the way they play is poor.

[Dogg Thang]

I started this today with HL2. I've never played HL2 but heard great things about it. Well, it doesn't impress immediately, that's for sure. The first thing that strikes me is that the x button interaction mechanic is hideous. It's like playing Elebits. Does Freeman have some sort of telekinetic ability? Not sure why I bother holding the crowbar in my hand when I could move it with my mind and it would have a far longer reach. So it has a fancy lift and drop mechanic with no graphics to back it up and yet I can't lift myself to a window that's at eye level? Yikes. Not sure how this got away with it three years ago, never mind today.

Worst part about it is the constant beep 'game' noise that kicks in every time you try to interact with something.

Does Gordon grow hands by Ep2?

Graphics are flat. Like a DC game with a higher poly count. Colours are unrealistic. What does work really well, however, is the atmosphere of the world created here. I can see now how Children of Men had people referencing HL2. The game world seems really fleshed out and what little music there has been so far has been perfect.

Though I can already see what Brats was talking about. That very first chase sequence is already just too handy. Someone kindly put a ramp on the roof for me? Oh that was nice of them. And a couple of planks too. Wonderful. This sort of thing often isn't a problem. After all, all games are contrived by their very nature. But at the risk of repeating what I wrote on Metroid 3, this feels like a game world with realistic textures over the top rather than a game set in a real world. It's all the more highlighted by what seems to be an expansive city.

Frame rate's not great but, hey, I've seen worse.

Hoping this grabs me as I continue, and continue I will. It does very much remind me of Half-Life, which is probably due to it being a sequel and all. Nice to see Barney back. I guess I'm a slight victim of the hype that was around several years ago when the game came out.

[Ciaran]

Does Freeman have some sort of telekinetic ability? Not sure why I bother holding the crowbar in my hand when I could move it with my mind and it would have a far longer reach. So it has a fancy lift and drop mechanic with no graphics to back it up and yet I can't lift myself to a window that's at eye level? Yikes. Not sure how this got away with it three years ago, never mind today.

Worst part about it is the constant beep 'game' noise that kicks in every time you try to interact with something.

Does Gordon grow hands by Ep2?

I can't think of any game that has managed to accurately and convincingly modelled someone hands when picking up such widely varied objects. Its a near impossible task without doing each individually.

Colours are unrealistic.

And the rest of the world is so realistic

[Dogg Thang]

I can't think of any game that has managed to accurately and convincingly modelled someone hands when picking up such widely varied objects. Its a near impossible task without doing each individually.

They could have at least made an effort. Like, if I'm close enough, have t move into my hand. Frank in Dead Rising could pick up just about anything and he never once relied on telekinesis. I feel like I'm playing as Paul Daniels.

And the rest of the world is so realistic

Yes. So far it seems they are trying to create a very realistic setting. It isn't stylised in any way. That's only going by the first locations of course so if it turns all Bugs Bunny or something I'll happily eat my words.

[Ajay1986]

I

Graphics are flat. Like a DC game with a higher poly count. .

God i want the DC games that you were playing

[dogen]

So far it seems they are trying to create a very realistic setting. It isn't stylised in any way. That's only going by the first locations of course so if it turns all Bugs Bunny or something I'll happily eat my words.

The chosen palette in Half Life2 I think is it's stylizing, or that's how I view it. The use of colour reminds me of Shadow of the Colossus. Though in the videogame timeline, perhaps it should be the other way around.

But like you I'm still early on the game, so it could go all Psychonauts soon.

[Dogg Thang]

Just had a go at Portal and, though the telekinetic lifting still bugs me, man this is fun and very clever. A fantastic concept and really well done. I love it.

[Kotatsu Neko]

They could have at least made an effort. Like, if I'm close enough, have t move into my hand. Frank in Dead Rising could pick up just about anything and he never once relied on telekinesis. I feel like I'm playing as Paul Daniels.

Just wait until you get to the vehicle sections. The way Gordon turns the steering wheel purely with his mind is impressive stuff.

Try looking down too, he doesn't even have any feet.

Gordon is a strange video game character, as he is nothing more than a ghost. He never makes a sound, and is never seen in game, and yet people talk to him as if he's an old friend. He could at least say hello to them.

[rmoxon]

I started this today with HL2. I've never played HL2 but heard great things about it. Well, it doesn't impress immediately, that's for sure. The first thing that strikes me is that the x button interaction mechanic is hideous. It's like playing Elebits. Does Freeman have some sort of telekinetic ability? Not sure why I bother holding the crowbar in my hand when I could move it with my mind and it would have a far longer reach. So it has a fancy lift and drop mechanic with no graphics to back it up and yet I can't lift myself to a window that's at eye level? Yikes. Not sure how this got away with it three years ago, never mind today.

This is quite a harsh statment, but then if youre worrying about this and not actualy enjoying whats good about the game then perhapse you deserve to suffer? Perhapse you should continue by telling us all know how Marios overalls original didnt work untill they changed coulour and oh how it changed the core gameplay of that series so very much.

Seriously though, it is amazing to think though that when this game was made most first person games didnt feature feet or hands, technology eh?. Yeah, who cares about gameplay?.

[hudson]

plz remove

[hudson]

Got woken up last night about 3:30am by music saying "I'm still alive..." in a robotic voice. Turns out, it was coming from next door neighbour (who I don't know), sounded like a party and playing that song.

Confused me somewhat as I had finished Portal earlier that day

[Dogg Thang]

This is quite a harsh statment, but then if youre worrying about this and not actualy enjoying whats good about the game then perhapse you deserve to suffer?

I deserve to suffer? And my statement was harsh?

Perhapse you should continue by telling us all know how Marios overalls original didnt work untill they changed coulour and oh how it changed the core gameplay of that series so very much.

What?

Seriously though, it is amazing to think though that when this game was made most first person games didnt feature feet or hands, technology eh?. Yeah, who cares about gameplay?.

Well your sarcasm aside, I'm still early on in the game so gameplay could well get much better. So far, I'm just seeing a plain old fps. Where the game really seems to succeed for me is atmosphere and I could see m getting really immersed in this game. But Gordon's Yuri Gellar tricks and the loading every two minutes work totally against that.

It was only made three years ago and I never really got an answer on Ep2 - does Gordon actually use his hands in that one? Because that one does not carry the 'when this game was made' excuse.