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| | Title:
Half-Life 2
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
First Person Shooter
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Publisher:
Electronic Arts
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Developer:
Valve, LLC
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Release:
11/15/2005
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Mature (M)
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It was an experience few could describe beyond the word “incredible.” It redefined how first-person games were created, and after being a year old still stands among the greats of gaming. No, I’m not talking about Halo 2. I’m referring to the game that gave Halo 2 a hearty competitor for “Game of The Year.” A game so perfectly crafted that it boggles the mind. I’m talking about Half-Life 2.
Released a year ago, Half-Life 2 was to the PC what Halo 2 was to the Xbox. It was the sequel to one of the most popular PC games, Half-Life, and set a new standard for how games are created. Shortly after the release of the PC game, a rumored Xbox conversion of Half-Life 2 was expected. Fast forward a year later, and Xbox gamers now have a chance to jump into the amazing game. While technologically inferior to the high end PCs of today, the Xbox still gives Half-Life 2 a worthy base to present itself on. In fact, there are a few areas where the Xbox version is better than the PC. It is just too bad Xbox owners had to wait this long to get their hands on such an amazing game.
From PC to Xbox
The transition from PC controls to console controls is never easy. There is always a button that doesn’t feel right, or complaints about the accuracy of a mouse when compared to an analog. This was a major concern for a lot of the fans of Half-Life 2 when they discovered that their beloved game was coming to the Xbox. After spending some time with the game on the S-Controller, I can safely say that the transition is great; there are actually some improvements.
One part of Half-Life 2 I found clumsy is the weapon selection tree mapped to the number buttons. Many times I would hit the wrong number, or hit the right number too many times. The scroll wheel was a good alternative, but during intense fights it was too clumsy. Weapon selection for Half-Life 2 on the Xbox has been reserved for the D-Pad. The trees have been set to each direction on the D-Pad; machine guns are accessed on the right, the pistols on the top to name a few. Switching between weapons with the D-Pad is not only easier, but quicker. Two fast presses on the top brings out Gordon’s Magnum, and you’re dealing out huge amounts of damage. There is never the feeling of “what gun am I getting out?” This is a huge boon for Xbox owners.
Valve also used a variation on the standard Halo face button map by making reloading on the B button, and jump Y. The flashlight, though, still finds its way to the white button. As a whole, the controls of Half-Life 2 are great. They take a few minutes to get used to, but like any other game quickly become second nature. No worries here.
The other big concern about the conversion from PC to Xbox was how inferior the Xbox was when compared to the PCs of today. Would it even be able to handle some of the more taxing scenarios that ran flawlessly on the high end PCs? For the most part, the answer is yes. At times when there is a large amount of enemies on screen, the frame rate does suffer, and can lead to some inexcusable and unwanted damage. But you have to give the guys at Valve credit; they did get one amazing game to work on lower-grade technology. As a whole, the game looks great on the Xbox. I don’t want to keep repeating myself, but it does not look as good as Half-Life 2 does on high end systems. But not every gamer out there owns the highest end PC on the market. For a lot of people who have had Half-Life 2 chugging away on their computer under minimal settings, Half-Life 2 on the Xbox will look just fine. Also, for those gamers out there who own an HDTV, the prospect of seeing Half-Life 2 on it is just too great to pass up. Don’t let the inferior graphics prevent you from buying this game. Many people play the original Halo that is graphically inferior to Halo 2 and have no qualms about it. It’s the gameplay that counts.
Unmatched
When it comes to gameplay, Half-Life 2 presents one of the most unique and engrossing experiences to be found on any of the current-gen platforms. At its core it is a first person shooter. Anyone who plays the game will quickly realize how different of an FPS it is, though. Each level introduces a new experience, making each moment of the game rewarding. Valve also seems to know just how long it takes for gamers to master a certain idea. Just as I mastered a specific weapon or understood how a certain enemy attacked, the game placed me in a new setting where the knowledge was obsolete. The result is every level feeling fresh, and gameplay that never gets old. It is something every game strives for, but few achieve.
The story of Half-Life 2 is a good one. Players take the role of Gordon Freeman, one of the few survivors of the Black Mesa incident. Something has happened on Earth since Freeman’s last adventure, and the G-Man has decided to send in Gordon to set things straight. While the story does suffer from one very old and obvious cliché, the rest of the narrative is solid. Players are going to look forward to progressing to the next level to see how the characters interact; Alex, Barney, and the rest of the cast of Half-Life 2 are amazing to watch. Even better is how the entire story is told to the player through Gordon. Gordon never speaks, which makes him all that cooler.
If only physics was like this in school...
One of the most important aspects in creating this experience is the physics engine. Quite simply, Half-Life 2 contains the most realistic and entertaining physics system seen in recent times. Rag dolls psychics are a thing of the past. Where the physics engine really stands out is how Gordon and the enemies affect the area they are in as a whole. Wood splinters from bullets (or a crow bar), exploding barrels are pushed down hills, and metal beams fall on enemies. Valve was smart in making the world itself a weapon for the gamer. How they did this was incorporating the Gravity Gun.
The Gravity Gun has two modes. The first picks up objects (of a certain weight) and by pushing the primary fire button will launch them at enemies. Some objects are obviously more effective than others. The other mode simply blows things out of the way (its use becomes more effective during the last level of the game). Using the Gravity Gun is a blast. The only drawback is a lack of vision due to the large objects being held in front of the gamer. Some of the physics puzzles are also slightly cumbersome due to some of the pieces being difficult to pick up and place with the Gravity Gun.
Players won’t always be using the Gravity Gun, though. Half-Life 2 arms Gordon with a fair amount of ammunition and allows him to carry every gun in the game at the same time. The firearms’ effectiveness varies. The standard pistol is fairly accurate and a great choice for any situation (except Striders). The submachine gun, however, is horribly inaccurate even at close range. Avoid this gun. The weapon that probably works the best in all situations is the famous Half-Life shotgun. Whether at close range or from afar, this gun hits the targets and will drop any enemy with three shots—max. It does reduce the amount of variety in the shooting portion of the game, though. I would have liked to have seen the guns effectiveness more balanced.
Level Design
Everyone knows that one of the biggest factors in creating a successful first person shooter is making the levels where the action occurs entertaining. The artists and level designers behind Half-Life 2 deserve a major round of applause; City 17 is one of the most impressive level designs I have seen. The sense of scale and amount of detail is staggering. The city feels real, and for quite a few moments during the opening level I forgot I was playing a game; the design is that good. This effort continues through the entire game, creating so many cool moments that I could not possibly list here. But by far the two best levels are the first and last. The trek through Half-Life 2’s 14-16 hour story is well worth it. The last level is an amazing accomplishment and will make many gamers utter, “Oh, my God.” The great soundtrack and amazing ambient sound of the levels add to the effect.
Overall
It is obvious why Half-Life 2 won Game of The Year awards, and is a favorite of some of our staff. The constantly new experiences—coupled with an amazing story, beautiful levels, and entertaining gameplay—make this a must-buy. Yes, on the Xbox Half-Life 2 is inferior in visuals and lacks a multiplayer component—but the single player is so much fun that it would be a crime not to experience it.
| The Core Score |
Overall
9.3 |
| Fun |
|
9.5 |
| Gameplay |
|
10 |
| Graphics |
|
9 |
| Audio |
|
9 |
| Replay |
|
8.5 |
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