aKula

Post your initial thoughts on Half Life 2.
I've been playing the game for around 2.5 hours and I'm really enjoying it. The pace of the game is great. The use of the physics engine in the puzzles is innovative. I really think the game has managed to stay true to the original as well as bringing in lots of new and fun gameplay elements. The graphics are also amazing . I recommend you get this game.

Destrox

I've got about an hours worth of play time into it, and so far I am absolutly loving it.
Facial expressions are somthing that has never been done this well, and what I've seen of the story has great potential.

I cant give it a rating yet since I havnt played it long enough but I'm sure it'll be up there in the 9's.

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rocinante2003

Destrox, the facial animation is what impressed me too. The other people in the game also seem to have a certain mass to them, they look like they have weight. I havent got far, in fact, I havent got anywhere lol

Aborted

Steam will apparently "notify (me) as soon as the transaction is complete". This annoys me. Was anyone else waiting a while before they could actually play? If so how long?

rocinante2003

I had to wait for the files to unlock, but I have had a steam account for a long time with the files preloaded. I would give them a little while, I am sure there servers are being bombarded right now.

Bonesaw

Well I've played for almost 2 1/2 hours. The game ROCKS!!!! I got goosebumps when I stepped into the HEV suit and the Valve theme started pump through my speakers. The only problem I can complain about (and it probably has more to do with my slowish processor) is the load time between maps.

The Facial animation is definitely the best.

Best line so far in the game is Dr. Kleiner. "Well Gordon, I see your Hazardous Environment suit still fits you like a glove....at least the glove part that is!" Fuckin' Hilarious!

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aberkok

I am at work right now and on the way I just picked up the game and a new hard disk to install it onto. I now have to wait until I get home in 10 hours to install the disk and the game. Let's also factor in that I have only an hour window from when I get home to install the disk and the game and play for a bit until my lady goes to sleep. This sucks. To quote the King of Town: "My life is a joke..."

-Ali

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kutulu

I can't believe this is finally out. I need to cash in that free copy that came with my vid card. I'll get the game but I probably won't play it for several months. San Andreas is my #1 gaming priority right now.

Xepidemic

im wondering if i got all the stuff in my box... it contained 5 cds and two little paper cards. is that it?

Munku

Now I know they were reducing the amount of things in game boxes, but not even a manual? Sheesh!

antisuck

Played it for almost 4 hours (west coast USA, midnight to 4am). I'm paying the price this morning but it was worth it.

This game defines the term "cinematic" as it applies to games; the environment is beautiful and oppressive, and the sense of tension is not derived from some silly expositional cut scene where the situation is laid out. You're just dropped into the world and left to discover what is going on. And there are things to play with right off the bat! Try picking up bottles and cans off the ground and throwing them at a random NPC, or better yet a guard. The results are much as you'd expect in real life...

The visuals are fantastic. This isn't a game world where every surface has a shiny metallic sheen just because they can; the city itself is beautiful, but things look realistically grungy and worn and there is trash everywhere. That said, the water is to die for in terms of hi-tech bling, while looking quite realistic.

The character models and facial animations are a few steps above anything I've ever seen in a game. And the dialogue fits wonderfully, whether it's the hopeless mumblings of the oppressed populace or the wry humor of your old friends from Black Mesa. There are some neat references to the original game, but nothing that will be particularly missed if you never played it.

The gameplay is interesting and the pace varied, and the puzzles do not seem especially contrived in the context of the action (although it's clear that many of them were constructed with showing off the physics engine in mind). You need to get somewhere, there's an obstacle, here's a way to get past it. And some of the more elaborate contraptions that help you on your way are consistent with the situation, with an underground resistance movement planning escape routes and such.

Anyway I didn't mean to write an essay on the subject, I just felt the need to gush a bit. Short version: this is a great game, it raises the bar for PC games in many areas, and the development problems and the extra year's wait don't seem important any more now that I've seen the result. I can't wait to play some more.

edit: Yay I'm tilted now! No more rookie for me!

Xepidemic

yeah seriously, no manual.. just a "quick reference card"

MahlerIsGod

Holy Mother Of God!!!!!! I have never really thought a game looked beautiful but I have seen the light. When I played Doom 3 I thought the graphics looked outstanding but this is a whole new ballpark. I thought maybe about getting this game a little later but I am so glad I did. This game makes Doom 3 look like Lode Runner. The Valve people should be very proud of themselves.

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Xepidemic

omfg! this whole steam bs is so fucking annoying!!!!!!!!>?!@#!@!@#!

its paused up on me while creating an account... then it locks up when i was validating my cd key... wtf!

man! now "unlocking steam files".. longest most boring process to play an fn game.. wtf

Mr.Deflok

This game is pretty impressive, especially like everyone is saying, the facial animations in particular.

After about an hour or so I have to say that I don't think it's all that amazing like the hype said it'd be but it's still very very good. Inevitably people will start saying it's better than Doom 3, they're different types of FPS games but I think that Doom 3 is better, that is, I enjoyed Doom 3 more in the first hour of play than I did HL2. Nevertheless I can't wait to get back home to go crazy on this one!

skinnymofo

so whats the story on number 2?
is he working for gman which i would think so considering the other option at the end of game 1?
im looking for like the booklet with the game story not plot
or do they have it on their site?

sailor

This game owns. I got about 2, 2.5 hours into it this morning... Absolutely incredible.

To everyone complaining about Steam, I feel you. Excellent idea, but still needs some more work. A hell of a lot better than it was when it was first introduced, though.

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antisuck

There's really nothing that explains things like that, and that's one of the reasons I like this game so much. There's a brief "dream sequence" type thing (or is it real?) with the Gman indicating it's time to go back to work, then you're on a train arriving at the first main location of the game, City 17. That's it, the rest is up to you to figure out as you go along. You kill monsters of course, and there are bad guys with guns, but it's not always clear who is working for who or what the Gman's motivations might be for placing you in the middle of it again (if he is in fact responsible).

Dashmonkey

Freak! I've been waiting forever to play it, and when I FINALY get it installed, Steam gives me some crap about "Failed to find Master AuthenticationServer"

Just let me play the freaking game!

Nikilidstrom

This is absolute bullshit!!!! I can't even log on to Steam. I've had this game preordered for it seems like almost a year with that deal that came with my 9600xt. I've waited through all the bullshit delays, push backs, and pre-installs, and now that the game is actually released, I can't even fucking get to it. I know my steam account works, I just played Counter Strike Source last night. Somebody's head is going to roll!!!

docbungle

"Updating Half life 2.....Ready to play in aproximately: 618 minutes...617 minutes...616 minutes..."

You've got to be fucking kidding me. Steam is a bad joke. My connection is blazing fast and this is just about unforgiveable. Fuck this game if this is the only way to play it.

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the_marq

Holey fuck...I went out and bought the fucking CD and I still have to wait for a fucking hour or play this fucking game?

fuckfuckfuck

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#3 in a series

sblime42

Yeah, I feel your pain the_marq,

I just got the game from EB and it's taking forever to "unlock" the game files. Honestly, wtf is wrong with these people? I paid $60 for this damn game, now let me play it!

Xepidemic

yeah, that whole creat account, validate cd-key, unlocking, then updating bs really pissed me off.. i just wanted to install and play bu the wait is worth it! the gravity gun is freaking amazing esp. in that forbidden city place.. cutting those things in half is so fun.

Hirare

If anyone gets error 1334 there is a known error in the standard edition. If you try to install the game and choose not to install counter strike the installation will crash.

So, install counter strike and half life 2 and then uninstall counter strike after the installation is complete.


I tried to install the game twice and got to disc 4 both times before it crashed on me. I went to the sierra website and found the answer. There's a hour of my life I'll never get back.

Here are some other problems they know about. Sierra Support

Rawrr

Bought it, installed it, couldn't register because apparently they are to busy to process that action so it is unlocking the files now..never ever had to go through this much to play one game.

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cockmonger

A few things to love:
1. I too have to say facial expressions. (Does anyone else see a resemblence in barney looking like Matthew Broderick?)
2. The Combine pushing you around...then later seeing thier blood splatter all over walls when you waste 'em.
3. The V-aliens voices
4. The Gravity Gun
5. It's completely different from Half-life 1. HL1 felt more like the trypical FPS. very little dialogue etc. This game has a personality...you feel more like a person in the game...less like a man with a floating weapon.
6. all the little things including the birds .

Things to hate:
1. That you have to be online to play (effing steam servers get too loaded)
2. Long Load times and jerky movement for about 2 seconds after

So far i give it a 9.3...it'll probibly be a 10 once i get some sort of shotgun .

P.S. does anyone know how to get out of the gravity room playground with alex and dog? Is there something special i have to do?

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Destrox

Spoiler: You have to play catch with the robot for a little while untill Alex says "Ok dog thats enough, try throwing somthing heavier" then somthing *special* happens and you leave that area.



Oh and to all of you complaining about waiting for file checking, and slow waiting and such...

ITS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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YaWhateva

thats weird that everyone is having these problems unlocking it. I unlocked it this morning at about 9 a.m. Mountain time and it unlocked just fine in like 2 minutes. And i downloaded the game off of steam yesterday at 1MB/s and I am just on a 1.5Mbs DSL line. I think Steam rocks.

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Hercules

Anyone else think the airboat levels took too long to finish?
After the first small bit I was ready for it to end... but it kept going forever.

MahlerIsGod

I heard that the unlocking of files, the problems with registration, etc. were all part of the security regime for Valve. A little late to jump on the security bandwagon aint it fellas? Live and learn, I guess.

__________________
"But a work of art is a conscious human effort that has to do with communication. It is that or its nothing. When an accident is applauded as a work of art, when a cult grows up around the deliciousness of inadvertent beauty, we are in the presence of the greatest decadence the West has known in its history."

Bonesaw

Yup! My friend picked up the Collectors Edition today and told me that at least the DVD came in a Jewel case and not the little paper condoms. The big beef though about the Collectors edition he had was that the "Strategy Guide" was just a mini teaser to both Raising the Bar and the actual Strategy guide.

Oh well. Glad I just paid for the Silver edition.

__________________
Q. What is the difference between erotic and kinky?

A. Erotic is using a feather... kinky is using the whole
chicken.

Bonesaw

Yeah the airboat was cool but definitely a bit longer that it probably needed to be. But at the same time I gotta ask....Whenever you hit a big ass jump and got some serious air did you ever find ourself shouting out the General Lee's horn?

Right now Ravenholm is kickin my ass. Freakin zombies from all sides. Sheesh. Some seriously creepy moments though.

__________________
Q. What is the difference between erotic and kinky?

A. Erotic is using a feather... kinky is using the whole
chicken.

aktornado

It's an amazing game, but I'm currently having a audio stuttering problem that's pretty much ruining it. A lot of people are having the same problem though, so hopefully they fix it soon.

Other than that, simply amazing.

DJMala

Three words: OH MY GOD

Hopefully they get the Steam stuff straightened out. I had no trouble, although I entered my ATI coupon code months ago, and I kept up with all the preloading stuff. It took about 10 minutes to authenticate the files and I was rockin'.

You have to hand it to Valve... they're 2 for 2. HL1 was revolutionary and HL2 makes a similar leap. I'm only about 30 minutes in, but I'm already blown away.

Mr.Deflok

I'm up to Section 5's gates being closed while I'm in that Fan-Boat... I'm actually incredibly bored by the game... mainly due to the fact that I have no idea what's going on nor where the heck Gordon is going. It just feels bland.

I'll keep on trucking though...

meepa

So far I think this game is great. Really my only complaint so far is how often it has to load between level-sections... I would rather it happen less often and have longer load times (à la Doom3) than happening as frequently as it does. It wouldn't bother me as much if it didn't happen during suspensful scenes too... Like at the start when you're running from the police guys or several times during the airboat sequence. I'm like "Weeee this is aweso... oh ffs LOADING NOW??"

But otherwise it is kicking my ass sideways for fun!

Gabbyness

Wait a second . . . So you're telling me I have to be "logged in" whenever I want to play a single-player game. You're kidding me, huh?

It put me on "unlock hold" for hours. Very obnoxious. Why are we complicating the simple?

portwineboy

What amazes me, as many others have said, is how great the game looks. And I have a Radeon 9600. Luckily I had no unlock issues, I did it around 8am EST the day it came out.The gameplay has been fun and fast paced, time for more.

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docbungle

Well, now that Steam seems to be working for me, and I've had a chance to play, I'm really impressed by this game. The level design and amount of environment interaction is amazing and unprecedented. Also, being left in the dark as to what exactly is happening ads a huge amount of realism to the game. Most games that attempt to do this end up bungling it badly and just leave you in mass confusion. Everything about this game is groundbreaking. Nothing I've played before can hold a candle to it.

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