18 out of 18 people found this review helpful.
The next generation in computer games
Date of Review: Mar 4, 2005
The Bottom Line: This is by far the best game ever created. It is more advanced than any game out there and it is extremely fun. Read the review to find out more.
If you are looking for a comprehensive review of the game, you have come to the right place.
Half life 2 is the next edition of the award winning game half life, created by valve. Truthfully, this is the most amazing game that i have ever played in my life. Everything about it surpases all other games that have been created.
The first thing to be noted in half life 2 is its amazingly realistic graphics. Even though these graphics require a slightly more advanced graphics card for good gameplay, they are the best i have ever seen. The world of half life 2 is incredibly detailed. The characters are so realistic that they could be real... Every persons facial expressions are different. Their movement is fluid and lifelike. When they talk, their mouthes move accurately. Even the hundreds of posters on the walls, which may seem insignificant, can be read and have something to say. An incredible amount of time was put into mastering this part of the game.If you are not completely convinced that the graphics are amazing, go to this website and look at screenshots taken from the game:
http://www.planethalflife.com/half-life2/screenshots/
Almost completely interactive environment. Mostly everything in this world can be picked up, thrown, blown up, pushed and pulled. The world becomes your playground. Everything from trash cans to pieces of paper littered on the ground can be interacted with. Obviously, the characters in the game have great AI.
Amazing Physics engine. This is one of the first games to accurately imitate the physics in our world. From bouyancy to gravity, this game has it all. This contributes to the splendor of the game. When you pick up a piece of paper and drop it, it will slowly drift to the ground. When you pick up a box and through it, it will act according to the surface that it hits. For instance, if i lands in water, chances are that it will just float. If it is thrown against the wall, it will shatter into a thousand little pieces.
Great gameplay. Along with the great graphics and great physics, this game has an awesome storyline and almost non-stop action. You fight a huge range of enemies, from aliens to humans. When a human dies, he will fall over and remain a twisted corpse. It is very accurate to what a person would look like when he gets shot. Also, the weapons in the game are amazing. You can take your pick from different kinds of pistols to rifles, sniper guns, rocket launchers and even a flaming crossbow! The most impressive and original weapon/tool in this game is the gravity gun. Using the amazing physics engine, you can pick up virtually anything in the game (within limits) and hurl it. This can be used to clear objects out of your way or to hurtle a tire or chair at your enemies. With the advent of this gun, the number of ways you can kill your enemy is virtually limitless.
Amazing Soundtrack. What better to complement fast paced action that a fast paced soundtrack. The music in this game perfectly suits the environment that you are in. There is also a wide selection of songs that are played.
Sounds and voices. The sounds in this game are amazingly realistic. From the footsteps of an enemy to the slowing of a waterfall, the sounds of this game will immerse you into this fantasy world. Also, one of my favorite parts of this game is that when the story line is being told, they do not go into cinematics. You can still move around when the characters are talking to you. This makes it 100% interactive, and unlike any other game I have played. There is a HUGE amount of dialogue in this game which reveals the mysterious but exciting story line.
A LONG game. This game seems like it can never end. THis, if you were wondering, is a good thing. The best part about this is the places you go to are completely diverse. You will always find new things to see and new places to explore. The world of half life 2 is HUGE, infact the biggest I have ever seen. It is so big that it takes up 5 discs of information...
As we can tell, the game is pretty amazing... But what can be gained from buying the collector's edition. Well, the collectors edition is more for the fans who wish to have posters and an insiders look at the game. With a game this great, it is recomended that you check out how the game was made etc... Overall this is a great buy.
Well, I think that i have pretty muched covered most aspects of the game without giving away too much of the suspense. The bad thing about this game is that it will not be as good if your computer is not up to date. Some of the graphics will be worse and it will be a bit slower. That doesn't stop it from being a great game...In conclusion, this is the best game ever. Buy it and I promise that no one will regret it.
