The Orange Box (PC/PS3/360)

[Dogg Thang]

Well I played through Halo 3 and never once noticed an invisible wall. Now I don't doubt they are there, but I was able to make it through the game without being aware of them. My problem with HL2 and the reason I would see it as a far bigger issue is that this character is the person that is supposed to take me through 'one of gaming's finest experiences' and people react to him like he's a person when in fact he's a telekinetic floating eye. I am with him constantly and am all too aware of his true nature.

You can say what you like about Halo 3 but when it came to feeling like I was playing someone who actually exists in his game world, it works. Half-Life 2 doesn't. As you say, if I can get past that flaw, I'll likely enjoy it all the more. But it is a flaw.

[Charlie]

I don't disagree, it is a flaw. It just didn't bother me much.

[Bada Bing!]

I've never really played a Half Life game before, and was impressed to begin with. The baddies look like those angry blokes off Deep Space 9 towards the end when everyone gave up watching it. The graphics in the initial cut-scenes don't look like a warmed over PC game either.

However, I must take issue with the lack of cut-scenes in the game. I don't even know what my bloody character looks like. I haven't seen him yet. Is he the bloke on the front cover? I like stepping outside my character every couple of hours of play to watch them do something cool. It feels too constricted.

I also have no idea what's going on in the game. No one's told me yet. I'm just playing for the sake of it. Where is the plot, what are those tripod things, why are men walking about with jellyfish on their heads.

I'm stuck in an alleyway and some cock of a priest keeps talking a load of rubbish. he did throw me a shotgun which was nice of him.

[Dogg Thang]

Well with a bit of luck and with a bit more play time, I'll hopefully get used to it and it won't bother me either.

But, man, Portal is wonderful. It is just sublime. And I'd say it was a tricky concept to implement but it works so well. That alone already makes this Orange Box worth getting. Haven't even tried the Team Fortress thing so there's loads here.

Edit: On Bada Bing's post, well actually I commend Valve on the lack of cut scenes. The in-game scripting in HL1 was a revelation to me and, although some of the coversations are slightly odd at times with my guy being a mute, most events had much more impact because I was right in there rather than being a passive observer. The story I don't know about as I'm early on.

[rmoxon]

Bada Bing: How can you not know what he looks like when hes on front of the box? and does it matter what he looks like if you never see him? The game plays out like you ARE him, not just controling him, I always thought that was one of the things that defined the HL games. This is even worse than someone complaining about no hands!

By the way Dogg Thangg you say you love Portal, you do realise the girl in Portal has no hands too right?

Halo 3 had invisible walls but yeah you would have only ever noticed them if you tried to climb up mountains that you shouldnt have and stuff. I onlly really noticed them while looking for the skulls, theres no reason to explore otherwise. Whoever originaly mentioned the Invisible walls just said so becuase someone was stating the restrictions of HL2, so someone else stated the restrictions of Halo 3 for a comparison.

[Dogg Thang]

By the way Dogg Thangg you say you love portal, you do realise the girl in Portal has no hands too right?

Yes and I've already said that bothers me. The nature of the game concept doesn't require immersion and so is far easier to get past.

[Charlie]

I'm stuck in an alleyway and some cock of a priest keeps talking a load of rubbish. he did throw me a shotgun which was nice of him.

Solution:

->Open Spoiler<-

on the roof where the priest gives you the shotgun you need to jump into the large water tank below.

[Freddo]

am I the only person who sometimes talks back to the other characters myself because gordon is a mute? I always thought that was kind of the point.

[MJ]

BioShock's character had hands but no feet. Half-Life 2 does feel a bit floaty though after playing recent FPSs.

[Soi]

I also have no idea what's going on in the game. No one's told me yet. I'm just playing for the sake of it. Where is the plot, what are those tripod things, why are men walking about with jellyfish on their heads.

As far as I'm aware there is no plot. At least, not that you are told of for the first 5 of so hours of the game (sure you are told what to do, but the player has no idea why he is doing this). So, as you suggest, at the start you are playing simply for the sake of it. But the combat is simplistic (the AI just stands there waiting to be shot) and the driving sections drag on.

So, my point is, don't worry. Keep playing and it will make more sense as you go along.

[Dogg Thang]

I'm guessing I shouldn't have abandoned my hovercraft about half an hour ago. Looks like I need it now...

[Kotatsu Neko]

As far as I'm aware there is no plot. At least, not that you are told of for the first 5 of so hours of the game (sure you are told what to do, but the player has no idea why he is doing this). So, as you suggest, at the start you are playing simply for the sake of it. But the combat is simplistic (the AI just stands there waiting to be shot) and the driving sections drag on.

So, my point is, don't worry. Keep playing and it will make more sense as you go along.

I remember people saying this kind of thing years back when HL2 first came out. The game is the plot, that's the story. Observe the world, particularly when you are with the main NPCs and you will see the history of the world in newspaper clippings and through what they say to you.

Valve story telling is very subtle compared to most games, but they do have stories all the same.

[crocky-chocky]

BioShock's character had hands but no feet. Half-Life 2 does feel a bit floaty though after playing recent FPSs.

Aye.

One thing The Darkness did really well was making it feel like your a fully blown human in the environment...not just a gun and a hand.

That said, I don't mind the lack of hands in HL2, if anything they would obscure your view and judgement when placing objects.

Also, the lack of cut-scenes is a stroke of genius if you ask me, and part of why it's such an awesome game.

I AM a bit stuck though,

->Open Spoiler<-

I'm pinned on a roof by a coupla snipers, and my buddy is at the other side of the roof. He keeps telling me to lob some grenades, but lord knows I'm no good at getting them in windows.

[SuperBeatBoy]

I AM a bit stuck though,

->Open Spoiler<-

I'm pinned on a roof by a coupla snipers, and my buddy is at the other side of the roof. He keeps telling me to lob some grenades, but lord knows I'm no good at getting them in windows.

Thats exactly what you have to do. Its preety easy.

[Soi]

I remember people saying this kind of thing years back when HL2 first came out. The game is the plot, that's the story. Observe the world, particularly when you are with the main NPCs and you will see the history of the world in newspaper clippings and through what they say to you.

Valve story telling is very subtle compared to most games, but they do have stories all the same.

No, I disagree. Valve's story telling isn't subtle at all. It is minimalistic, yes, but it isn't subtle. It is minimalism that is completely ramed down your throat in a very non-sublte way.

Valve don't give you an explicit context for the story, and leave that for you to infer from the world at large. But they don't give you any freedom at all. You have to progress along their narrow story path, and have no choice at all.

I found this quite grating. I really wanted to ask the people around me what was going on. I wanted to know why the combine were after me. I wanted a good reason why I was a this linear, long, lonely trek accross a world I knew nothing about. But I wasn't given one.