HL2 and NFSU2 Reader Reviews

Any reviews that the G3AR team publishes will go in here.
RuadRauFlessa
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HL2 and NFSU2 Reader Reviews

Post by RuadRauFlessa »

How about a couple of reviews by those that has already played HL2, NFSU2?
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Post by Rayne »

My HL2 review's coming sooooooooon... Just let me finish it tomorrow.
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Post by RuadRauFlessa »

Thanks Rayne I bet it will be appreciated by the PCFormat crew.
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Need for Speed Underground 2

Post by maxxis »

Right guys here is my first attempt at writing a game review.

Need for Speed Underground 2 (Herein after refered to as NFSU2) dropped into my lap about three weeks ago.

My first impression of the game was that the free roaming absolutely rocks and it does. It is a great improvement from the first underground since this adds quite a lot of extra time to the game. No more sitting aroung and just doing all the races one after the other. Another great feature of free roaming is the race mode called out run. The main objective here is to pick a victim at random and race like crazy through the city and on the highways in order to try and get away from him or her. Great fun and it gives you some extra cash and unlocks the unique items for your ride.

Before I get to the racing etc I want to look at the cars you get first. There are lots of cars from the first underground as well as some nice new ones like the RX8, 2005 Mustang GT and a few others including SUVs. At the end of the review i'll post the full car list. Each car needs to be moddified on its own unlike U1 where your mods where carried over to the next car. This can become a hassle if you cant stick to one car for a long period of time.

The modding to the cars is done through four different types of shops. The performance shop (engines etc), the body shop (kits & rims), paint & graphics shop (duh), and the speciality shop (hydrolics, sound systems, etc).

The nice thing about the racing is that you get to decide on which race you want to do when. Drive to it and race. Simple as that. The old U1 races are still here but with the addition of downhill drift, street x, URL, and showcase (however that works is beyond me). You will also find some SUV races if you have one.

A nice addition is the Dyno room where you can setup every single feature of the car. Think Porsche Unleashed type tuning on NFSU type cars. Even gives you the power readings of your car in KW. Nice. The engine tuning can make a huge difference to how your car accelerates out of turns etc.

Downhill drift is basically a sprint style track with lots of turns and a slippery surface. You drift through trafic which can be a little tricky as hitting the traffic is so much easier on the slippery road.
URL is nothing more than a lap race on a closed circuit ala GT3. This is in place of the tournament races in U1.
Street X is a cross between a URL race and a drift race. Take away the slippery surface and add three cars to the mix and you have some fast paced tight cornering fun.

The graphics engine seems to be nicer than U1 but you need to install a patch to get rid of the blocky textures in smoke and on the road. The cars handle pretty much the same as in U1 but the engine sounds are lots better. When you change the exhaust tip on a car it actually changes the sound of the car. Nice touch EA.

My gripes with the game is that it can feel pretty repetitive even if you choose your races differently.

On the easy setting the game is way too easy.

On the plus side though the game is a major improvement over U1. Free roaming bring that GTA kind of feel to the game and the addition of tuning shops, body shops etc makes it feel more realistic. Having to setup, modify and tune each car just adds to that.

The graphics are pretty good and quite a bit better than U1s. Take into consideration the fact that Im running at medium detail Im still pretty impressed since I ran U1 at max detail and U2 just looks better even at 50% detail.

A very addictive racing game that has evolved quite a bit from the original. A worthy sequal. Just too bad that it gets a little repetitive in the same way that U1 did.

My score. 89/100
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Post by NealeDeadlyAlien »

Hmm Maxxis sounds like the game is alot of fun, i got 2 invest in getting it :)
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Post by maxxis »

I would recommend it. I think I left out the car list. Oops. Cant seem to find it now. I'll update it later.
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Half-Life 2 Review

Post by Rayne »

My Half-Life 2 Impressions:

Disclaimer:
...There lies spoilers within. Without giving away too much direct references are there. If you are not playing this game yet I strongly suggest you give this topic a pass...


Lets start by saying that the introduction to this game demands your attention. The amazingly realistic G-Man awakens you from your slumber and quickly sets you afoot. Your reason for being here a mystery and your objective untold. Knowing where you come from obviously clarifies most your immediate questions. You'll once again be swinging your crowbar in your fight to rid earth of alien infestation, being a direct result of your prior actions at Black Mesa. Although a lot has changed since, the basics remain the same.

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...As you can see I missed a few.
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...Keep a reasonable distance between yourself and these guys. They are fast and mostly hunt in packs.

Coming out of the train station and stepping into the streets of City 17 for the first time is truly breathtaking. The attention to detail stands out everywhere. The intensity of the situation at hand is made perfectly clear though. Mankind is now an oppressed species quickly moving towards extinction. There's sadness and broken spirits all around. The few civilians brave enough to wander the streets do so evasively and quietly. Most of them walk away in opposite directions as soon as you near. They cannot be seen talking to you. Their afraid to draw attention. There's Combine on every corner, watching their every move. Not knowing exactly what to do you start roaming about yourself. You'll be able to pass most Combine as your identity's still unrevealed. Don't be looking for a fight just yet though, your suit and weaponry awaits you still. As most buildings and city streets are blocked by Combine energy beams and locks you'll soon be forced down a selected path guiding you to your next destination within this enormous city. This felt like a let-down to me. More exploration options could only have impressed me that much more. Alas I sadly had to endure this restriction in path throughout the game.

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...This is how you stop a zombie in his tracks.
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...An Antlion Guard. Even though I entered this battle with full health I sadly did not survive this encounter.

Although quiet thus far things shortly heat up a little bit onwards however and you'll soon have Combine testing your fitness. You can't sprint or exchange gunfire yet so your only option is trying to outrun them. Luckily a civilian sees your struggle and opens his home for you to assist in your getaway but, seeing he doesn't stock any weapons himself, your left with no other choice but run again. This to no avail though, because you'll soon be knocked down and cornered. Believe me when I tell you those stun baton's packs a heavy blow. But don't worry just yet. For this is the moment your introduced to one of the most advanced characters ever seen in gaming history. Whilst every character in this game's incredibly detailed, this one seems to stand head and shoulders above all else.

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...Meet Alyx Vance. The most advanced NPC in gaming history.
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...Not what you call a family reunion.

This is the moment you meet Alyx Vance. Daughter of professor Eli Vance, your co-scientist from the good old days back at Black Mesa, whom you'll meet a bit later on in the game. She's simply beautiful. Her eyes follows your every move in an almost uneasy kind of way and she shows perfect emotions complimenting the words she utters. From this point onwards she will be assisting, guiding and even fighting alongside you throughout the game. You will also be given the opportunity to look after her in one of the later levels whilst searching for her father. But again, don’t worry, for this girl knows how to handle a weapon and through a punch. Don’t believe me? Just look down at your feet right about now. There should be a couple of dead Combine she just took out single-handedly and unarmed. Might want to run ahead of her clearing the way when ever possible just in case though. This beauty taking too many hits results in a failed mission for you. But then again, trust me when I tell you she’s no stupid Far Cry chick. You’ll not see her or any other teammate fighting alongside you rushing into combat. They’ll all assess the situation at hand and proceed accordingly from there, even advising and shouting orders to you. I have to mention taking your team into a building causes a few problems though. They tend to get in the way on occasion.

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...You'll soon realize just how Alyx grew up to be such a babe within her dangerous surroundings. This is Dog. Her guardian robot. Incredible things happens whilst his around.

The game quickly unfolds into one the best fast paced action packed rides ever seen in the FPS genre hereon out. Your seemingly lone crusade will soon spark a revolution as tales of your adventure spreads throughout the city. Those in hiding will later join you in your fight for freedom. And what a fight that is… Your pressured to survive and perform at your best not only for your own personal well being, but also every civilian and rebel fighting with and alongside you. You are here to liberate humanity. You simply have to overcome this struggle. The sense of emotional attachment this implies seldom seen before. This game succeeds where others failed purely because of this.

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...The G-Man watches your every move. Watch out for him during play.

From a gameplay point of view this game definitely boasts to be one of the better ones out there. Your adventures will guide you straight through the dirtiest of sewers right through zombie infested territory and eventually into the heart of darkness itself. An array of weaponry and transport becoming available along the way. The sound of these also truly impressive. Clicking the mouse will quickly become a joy whilst realizing which weapon becomes best suited against the array of enemies you encounter. Don’t forget your still carrying that crowbar though. It’s very useful against headcrabs whilst not wasting any bullets at the same time. The addition of the gravity gun was pure brilliance on Valve’s part. This is simply the best useable gadget in games ever. A word of advice though, learn how to use it and learn it well. For this baby will proof to be a lifesaver on more than one occasion. As with most FPS’s, ammunition becomes scarce that moment you seem to be needing it most.

Graphically this games definitely a sight to behold but implying it looks better than Doom 3 or Far Cry seems ridiculous. Even though everything’s very detailed it just seemed like it lacked that certain shine most of us grew used to and came to expect whilst playing the latter. In my honest opinion Doom 3 still reigns king in the graphical department. The Source engine seems more scalable though, so it may be interesting to see which developer uses which in the months ahead.

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...A few indoor and outdoor scenes. You decide.

Now whilst comparing these three epic games I sadly have to mention that the AI your enemies challenge you with are still outgunned by the same Far Cry experience. Even though your adventure leads you straight through the Combine varieties right to their highly trained killing machines, the Combine Elite, you seldom feel impossibly challenged. They seem more than happy running right into your line of fire. Even when taking cover they pop-up like clockwork. I also found a few of them not even noticing me standing right next to them. My sprint could not have been that fast. Yes I did surround them where possible but still, I expected this game to blow everything out of the water. Running up close to the guards and soldiers and taking them out with a single headshot felt way too easy also. Note that they can and do melee you whenever you try this though. On this note, being able to melee attack might have been a good addition. Remember knocking down those Hunters in Halo? Alas they do try and flush you from cover using grenades but mastering the gravity gun again quickly turns the tables. I’m not rating it as bad overall but as I said before, I expected it to be perfect.

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...These soldiers were running straight into my line of fire. I even managed to walk straight up to one of them without being noticed.

Overall this game will impress even the most toughest of gamers. If your not playing it yet your only neglecting yourself. Battling the Gunship’s and Strider’s occurs on a scale never seen before and they can proof very hard to defeat. Even though the sudden ending comes as a surprise and sadly dampers your view after just finishing this brilliant game you should not allow it to hang over head like a dark cloud. Yes we now have more unanswered questions than ever before but still, this is that one gaming experience not to be missed. Don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself.

My score: 95%

Pro’s: Are you kidding me? This is Half-Life 2 people!
Con’s: - Visual and sound stuttering following saving points. - Unexplained storyline. - Steam activation.

My conclusion:
Not taking anything away form the masterpiece which is Half-Life 2 one’s sadly reminded that this is just another game. Did we expect too much? In my opinion yes, we did.
Last edited by Rayne on 02 Dec 2004, 00:30, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by RuadRauFlessa »

[off topic]
My mate maxxis just out of interest what do yo do for a living?
[/off topic]

Hey nicely done ppl. Hope we will see those in one of the upcoming mags but it may only be next year.
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Post by Nerevar »

Some nice review....
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Post by maxxis »

RuadRauFlessa wrote:[off topic]
My mate maxxis just out of interest what do yo do for a living?
[/off topic]
Im a graphic designer. Why do you ask?
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Post by D3PART3D »

Erm well EXCUSE me! The source engine's graphics were never meant to look 'Pretty' like Doom3 but rather more realistic! Anyway you're right on the AI, but it still beats the Doom3 AI anyday. Well, each to his own... I was rather dissapointed by how linear it was but it's still THE BEST GAME EVER. Nice review. (Other than comparing it to that twenty-hour tech demo mess)
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Post by Rayne »

G-Boy wrote:Erm well EXCUSE me! The source engine's graphics were never meant to look 'Pretty' like Doom3 but rather more realistic! Anyway you're right on the AI, but it still beats the Doom3 AI anyday. Well, each to his own... I was rather dissapointed by how linear it was but it's still THE BEST GAME EVER. Nice review. (Other than comparing it to that twenty-hour tech demo mess)
I take it you did not enjoy Doom 3 then.
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Post by RuadRauFlessa »

maxxis wrote:
RuadRauFlessa wrote:[off topic]
My mate maxxis just out of interest what do yo do for a living?
[/off topic]
Im a graphic designer. Why do you ask?
You started the thing off like you were writing a contract.
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Post by halo »

hi all, im also working on an HL2 review but i doubt it will be as good as Rayne's. anyway, i'll post it WHEN ITS DONE (dont worry ill finish it soon) :)
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Post by halo »

sorry guys, my first try wasnt good enough so i'm posting my new one. pls do tell me what you think of it :

Six years after the masterpiece, which was Half-life, mankind once again finds itself at the feet of yet another masterpiece of the art form. 2004 is without a doubt the year of the gamer. From Splinter Cell 2 to Doom 3 to The Sims 2, this year will go down in history as the year of the sequels. I am now honored to introduce not only the sequel of the greatest game ever made but also a game that has restored our faith in the quality of sequels.

It is a very well know fact that sequels are usually of a much lower caliber than its predecessor. Luckily, the guys at Valve have not read the script and have gone out and created an epic. Unlike the first Half-life, Half-life 2 (HL2) is broken down into different chapters, which then allows the player (after completing the chapter) to replay any of the completed chapters at a later stage.

HL2 starts with the infamous G-man introducing your new home. The opening chapter breathes life into a story that has been sleeping for six years and introduces a world that pictures cannot describe. The level of detail in the scenes is breath taking and the new source engine renders every scene with easy and amazing beauty. Doom 3 may have a great engine but nothing can compare to the power of Valve’s source engine.

After a tour of City 17, your new home, and a reintroduction to some old friends, you start an absorbing journey through City 17 and the surrounding area. From the train station to the town of Ravenholme to the picturesque countryside and long waterway canals, HL2 is engrossing and demands concentration from the player.

The story is seen through the eyes of Gordon Freeman, a physicist who was the saver of the human race in the first Half-Life. Gordon is the “strong, silent type” and he is never heard from throughout the game. He is guided through the game by many NPCs and through this; the story of HL2 is re-laid to the player.

As said at the start, HL2 has been six years in the making but these six years have not been carefree. Over the last twelve months, HL2 has been surrounded by controversy. From the theft of the source engine to the war over Steam, HL2 has taken the high road and has met many obstacles on the way. After the four or so delays and the constant changing of release dates, one could have safely presumed HL2 was becoming the next Duke Nukem Forever! Luckily, we were wrong and HL2 has safely arrived.

The game play is classic. Every scene in the game is legendary in every right. The introduction of physics play is truly revolutionary. Not only do crates and barrels fall and behave realistically, they can be used to your advantage! “See that brick on the floor? Why not pick it up with your trusty Gravity Gun and blast it at that zombie?” In HL2, that is possible and in Raveholme, you are forced to do exactly that!

Amazingly, HL2 is only half the story. Counter-Strike source (CS S) is included with every copy of HL2 and is truly a worthy sequel to the award-winning Counter-strike. CS S is a stand-alone game that allows two groups of players to go head to head for supremacy. CS S is made of the stuff that legends are made of (namely Half-life 2). Overall, HL2 is a must buy and the inclusion of CS S tips the scales heavily in its favor.

Amazingly, there are two drawbacks to this lethal combination, its activation and the slightly thin storyline of HL2. Valve has decided to use Steam, a distribution method that allows owners of software made by Valve to play their games anywhere there is an internet connection. To install HL2 and CS S you must first create a Steam account (Steam is included with HL2) and then proceed to decrypt the HL2 and CS S files. Assuming that you do not live in the States, Europe, or the Far East, you will have a problem. The process is long and many people have encountered problems with their Steam accounts. You have been warned!

The story on the other hand is not as solid as that of Half-life 1. Maybe this is due to the fact that HL2 has been tipped to be a middle chapter in a much larger story and that Valve has decided to ask more questions than they actually answer in the game. If the history of these to two great games is anything to go by, Half-Life 3 will be the game to end all games!

Other than these two drawbacks, Half-Life 2 is an amazing experience and truly deserves the many awards that have been bestowed upon it. This is an experience not to be missed!

98%

Pros: The most fun some one can have by themselves
Absorbing
Breathe taking graphics and physics
Amazing set pieces

Cons: Activation
AI is weak in some places
Some Issues with NVIDIA cards
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Post by OnlyOneKenobi »

Nice review, Halo :) - 98% score may be a little too high, but it's your review and your opinion, so go with it if you feel that's what HL 2 deserves.
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Post by RuadRauFlessa »

OnlyOneKenobi hang on for a moment. He will be posting a revised version in a short while. We did some collaboration ;)
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Post by halo »

YUP here is a revised reversion. tell me which one you like more and thats the one that stays:

This is the year 2004 and it is without a doubt the year of the gamer. With games like Splinter Cell 2, Doom 3 and The Sims 2, this year will go down in history as the year of the sequels. But hold on boy's and girl's because the much anticipated Half-Life 2 has just arrived. Over the last twelve months Half-Life 2 has been surrounded by controversy and it was feared that Half-Life 2 would become the next of Duke Nukem Forever. Six year after Valve gave us the original masterpiece, they started to fight hand and nail to once again bring something to the table which will be there to stay for at least another six years to come.

With the bad track record that sequels have, its was amazing to find that the guys at Valve have definitely neglected to read the script when they created Half-Life 2 and came out with something which, in most cases, can be said to exceed expectations. Unlike the first Half-life, Half-life 2 is broken down into different chapters, which then allows the player, after completing a chapter, to replay that chapter at a later stage.

HL2 starts with the infamous G-man introducing your new home. The opening chapter breathes life into a story that has been laying dormant for six years and introduces a world that a picture of a thousand words cannot describe. The level of detail is absolutely breathtaking and the new source engine draws every scene with easy and amazing beauty.

After a tour of City 17, your new home, and a reintroduction to some old friends, you start an absorbing journey through City 17 and the surrounding area. From the train station to the town of Ravenholme to the picturesque countryside and long waterway canals, Half-Life 2 is engrossing and demands your undivided attention.

The story is seen through the eyes of Gordon Freeman, a physicist who was the saver of the human race in the first episode of this gripping tale. Gordon is the “strong, silent type” and he is never heard from throughout the game. He is guided through the game by many non player characters and through this; the story of HL2 is re-laid to the player.

The game play is classic. Every scene in the game is legendary in every right. The introduction of physics play is truly revolutionary. Not only do crates and barrels fall and behave realistically, they can be used to your advantage! “See that brick on the floor? Why not pick it up with your trusty Gravity Gun and blast it at that zombie?” In Half-Life 2, that is possible and in Raveholme, you are forced to do exactly that!

Amazingly, Half-Life 2 is only half of what lies beneath the calm waters. Counter-Strike Source is included with every copy of Half-Life 2 and is truly a worthy sequel to the award-winning Counter-Strike. Counter-Strike Source is a stand-alone game that allows two groups of players to go head to head for supremacy.

Amazingly, there are two drawbacks to this lethal combination, its activation and the slightly thin storyline of Half-Life 2. Valve has decided to use Steam, a distribution method that allows owners of software made by Valve to play their games anywhere there is an Internet connection. To install Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike Source you must first create a Steam account and then proceed to decrypt the Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike Source files. Assuming that you are living is Southern Africa you are guaranteed to have a problem with this activation process. It is long and many people have encountered problems with their Steam accounts. You have been warned!

The story on the other hand is not as solid as that of Half-life 1. Maybe this is due to the fact that Half-Life 2 has been tipped to be a middle chapter in a much larger story and that Valve has decided to ask more questions than they actually answer in the game. If the history of these two great games is anything to go by, Half-Life 3 will be the game to end all games!

Other than these two drawbacks, Half-Life 2 is an amazing experience and truly deserves the many awards that have been bestowed upon it. This is an experience not to be missed.
same score and pros and cons

by the way i need a site to host my pix, do you know here i can find one?
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Post by RuadRauFlessa »

Imageshack???
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Post by halo »

okay, i hope this works :

http://img30.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img30&im ... 0510_s.jpg

the pix below is just a thumbnail of the one at the above URL. ill have to post the rest tomorrow.

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Post by halo »

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Post by Elwe_Singollo »

I might write a review later but I thought I would just post some of my thoughts about the game:

Steam - Instant -10%. Steam sucks, and activating the game took me 2.5 hours on a 56k connection. Good in theory, in our country not practical.

I got the collectors edition, which includes a little hint book, Half Life 1 Source, and a t shirt. Litte hint book is excerpts from 2 other books about HL2, why? Why not just give the books? Half Life 1 Source isnt really that much different from Half Life 1 anyway. All in all I think the collectors edition is underwhelming considering its cost.

It has some brilliant moments, truly one of the most outstanding games ever made, and if it was possible at all, it manages to stay well on the heels of half life 1. But the ending sucks, really sucks. Doesnt explain anything. (By the way, I think that the whole of Half Life 2 was just a job performed for the GMan, meaning someone else hired you to sort this mess out).

I hate that you never have any contact with any truly alien combine creatures, I suppose the Synths (Striders and gunships) could be considered alien.

Even with all this I give it 80-85 %
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Post by FrozenFish »

that's cool halo
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Post by NealeDeadlyAlien »

HL2-60%
NFSU2-92%
LOTR Battle 4 middle earth-94%
Doom 3-96%
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Post by MrG »

http://www.mrg.za.net/hl2review.html

Half Life 2 Review at Link Above with screen shots etc

Good morning and welcome to the black mesa research facility. This train is… We have all been in that train once in our lifetime, if you have not, well I can’t say much for you.

Half Life 2 takes you further in the steps of scientist Gordon Freeman. After the events of Half Life, the world has been on the verge of collapse. The combine a force that you originally stopped from taking control of Xen (which you actually never see in the original title) has returned, but this time focused on Earth as their primary target. Half Life 2 takes place in City 17, one of the only remaining urban centers where humans can survive. This city 17 is however under combine control.

Gordon Freeman quickly realizes that there is something that is no right with this place and begins to try and escape. His adventure starts again. He meets with some old friends from Black Mesa, and some new faces also come to greet the one free man.

Graphically is it beautiful. AI works really well and physics are not of this century. Everything reacts the way it should. Level design is flawless. Halo’s cut and past design is not present in Half Life 2. This game uses the Direct X 9.0 effects to the full. The water shines and shimmers it is a masterpiece. Older hardware can also play this game, but you will lose all the wonderful effects the Source engine delivers.

There is enough of everything in this game. Story takes you deep into the game, while sometime there is no story and all and just plain fighting which is a great mix. The guns handle very well, and are extremely entertaining. I run a Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz and GeForce FX 5900, which handled it perfectly. I would recommend having 1GB ram as the game is really heavy on the ram at the higher settings. The gravity gun is one of the best guns in the game. You can have a lot of fun with this gun. At the end, well let me just say its just evil!!! Half Life 2 does not even need to be reviewed; the consumer should know that Half Life 2 is always going to be a leading brand. Get out there and buy it!

94%


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