#HALF LIFE 2 EPISODE 1 MANUAL#

I knew Eli was going to die and yet, when it actually happened, I was in shock for a good couple hours. Let's see how I feel once I complete this sucker :)ДЇinished the game Friday night. I even liked the whole Combine Cannon sequence because it gave me something new to play with, having to avoid getting blown to bits while dealing with Combine soldiers and those sneaky zombies. I would either shoot too high or too low, taking longer to get through the battle. (when the car broke down, I thought 'Shit, the whole car thing was shorter than I expected!' It was a nice surprise to know it was going to be fixed) Is it so hard to assign accelerate to right trigger, brake to left trigger and turbo to A? Driving the car never feels 'right' and it took away from the whole chase sequence, which was fun in itself. I only wish Valve would have adopted PROPER CAR CONTROLS. I also enjoyed the whole Advisor introduction tremendously, from its deafening noise (turning the screen sepia for a moment) to the discovery of the 'nest.' That whole sequence when it almost kills Gordon was masterful.ДЇinally, running away from the helicopter was really fun as well. My favorite strategy to deal with them is running them over with the car. It was fun to meet the Hunters for the first time.

No more dark corners and creepy crawlies - it feels real again. Suddenly the games makes a 180 (sorry about the car metaphors, I'm a car nut) and becomes much more expansive. I think EP2 really gets into high-gear right before the bridge - and using the car to jump over broken segments. It cracks me up every time I hear 'The Freeman.' They have a calming effect on the game, a multitude of Yodas helping you out along the way. Highlights so far: running away from the Guardian, being with the Vorts. In the first half of EP2 though, it's all about going underground, dealing with toxic waste, etc. Traversing those buildings, meeting people along the way, felt like something that could actually happen. The reason I liked EP1 so much is that City 17 feels REAL.

I like the open-world feel of EP2 but Valve keeps putting the player in dark environments. I wonder if I feel like that because of Halo. At least until you're stuck in a dark building again.

Once you're out of the cave, things improve greatly. It dragged so bad I would have stopped playing right there if this was not a Half-Life game. I think that cave sequence in the beginning was way too long. My thoughts: I'm torn between EP1 and EP2. Just got past the Combine Cannon area, which takes place right after the helicopter. If you own the Orange Box (one of the best values in gaming, ever) prepare to be amazed.ДЄ question remains, however: where is Half Life 3 / Episode 3 Valve? :) In short, EP1 was over too soon, whetting my appetite for Episode 2. I'm still amazed at what Source can achieve. Lighting was improved as well - it definitely felt more natural. Everything looks sharper and more detailed. I couldn't believe how much I missed it :) I emoted loudly, drawing my wife's attention. Getting the crowbar back actually got me teary. Not having any weapons other than the Gravity Gun in the beginning freaked me out a bit, but I got through the first chapter and soon I had my weapons again. At the same time, EP1 is polished as hell. It was made even better by the Xbox 360, booming surround sound and a 61-inch TV.

#HALF LIFE 2 EPISODE 1 MANUAL#

Re: checkpoints, autosaves were few and far between, requiring lots of manual saves so I wouldn't lose progress. I didn't get a nice 'three-act' feel from it, which I got from other games like The Darkness and most Halos. As for the pacing, the game literally tired me, physically, which is surprising. The story is not that interesting when compared to the first game and the storytelling is lacking, with plenty of missing details and/or background. What I didn't like about HL2: the plot, pacing and autosave/checkpoint system. It felt more real, as if I WERE Gordon Freeman. The different environments, the tense soundtrack (a little sporadic, which is a good thing) and voice acting made HL2 more of a 'movie-like' experience than most games. It's a game cut above the rest in so many ways. But what really made it worthwhile for me was the writing, the graphics and the SOUND. Yes, it's one of the best games I've ever played. After many, many years I finally completed Half Life 2 on Saturday.

Half life 2 episode 1