Experienced Half-Life 2 before Half-Life...

Half-Life Series
#21

I love both HL2 and HL1, but overall I think HL1 is my favorite. I loved the creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere of Black Mesa and it’s hugeness. I also think that HL2 lacked some of the awesome chapter-long puzzles that HL had (think Blast Pit and Power Up, and I guess WGH to an extent).

#22

Wow, so many of you played the series in the wrong order! :fffuuu:

I played HL1 the day it came out when I was 8…have loved it ever since. I also bought HL2 the day it was released - probably my most anticipated game ever. I really can’t wait to see where the series goes in Episode 3. :slight_smile:

#23

Played HL1 first, always liked the first one better than it’s sequel. IMO, it’s got better atmosphere and setting. I’m always eating up any HL1 mods that take place in Black Mesa just because I love the setting so much, it’s been a dream of mine to take all the official games and all the good mods that take place in Black Mesa and make a giant “map” of the whole place just to see the facility in it’s entirety. But, I lack the patients and time to do so.

#24
#25

true

…and true. But of course, to be fair, different strokes for different folks, so I guess theres no real correct answer.

but HL > HL2 lol

#26

I played HL1 and its expansions before HL2. HL2 was a great game, but it definitely didn’t have the same impact has HL1 did. I still enjoy HL1 more to this day. I think it has to do with the atmosphere…

#27

Totally agree with the OP, just adding some more fuel to the fire. :fffuuu:

Grew up on HL, Opp force and Blue shift. Unfortunately I still haven’t even seen Decay, other than a few youtube videos. But from the looks of it, I wouldn’t be able to effectively play it solo.

Anyway, HL >>>>>> HL2, any day.

Originally wrote a long-ass rant here to explain the above statement, but decided this short list can do justice as well.

Half Life 2 lacks:

  • killable vorts!
  • bullsquid, controller, grunt, houndeye, ichtyosaur, snark …
  • innovative bossfights
  • killable vorts!!
  • atmoshpere (something teleporting right in front of you was a kicker)
  • killable vorts

/hides

#28

I wanted to be a baker, but I didn’t have the dough.

#29

I played Half-Life 2 first and personally enjoyed playing Half-Life 1 more. I thought the gameplay was stronger and the length was nice for the cheap price it is today. Half-Life 2, however, does have the better storyline and keeps me wanting more with each installment.

And to be honest, the only reason I bought Half-Life 2 in the first place was because it came with Portal in the Orange Box and I had a lot of friends playing online mods at the time. Half-Life 2 really never sold itself to me.

#30
  • but vorts are so awesome on our side now (ant lion killing awesomeness)
  • i agree that when i completed the game i was hopeing for a proper boss fight (scripted strider fight sort of made up for it in episode 1)
  • for creatures teleporting in front of you play doom 3, then tell me u still want it in hl2… :fffuuu:
  • I also agree on wanting to see some stray half life 1 creatures, especially a gargantua!
#31

Personally I hate the ant lions, but it is true that they are in place of the vorts. I prefer fighting vorts more than ant lions due to the types of attack and “strategy”. Also, like I posted ealier, this isn’t starship troopers lol. City 17 is still supposedly on Earth…right?

HL2 definitely lacked the innovative boss fights and overall puzzles of HL. It did, however, have the gravity gun…although it’s too bad they didn’t make better use of it with regards to puzzles, IMO.

I didn’t mind the teleporting in HL, it wasn’t overdone and certainly wasn’t the only way to encounter enemies.

#32

I played HL2 first. Then my cousin and my dad introduced me to HL1. And then as I played through HL2 again after that, I began to understand all the HL1 references. :slight_smile:

#33

I played Half-Life 2 and the episodes first… then i went and watched Freemans Mind, then I bought Half-Life: Source.
I think I enjoy the atmosphere of Half-Life 2 more though Black Mesa as a setting, even viewing it with fresh eyes in the 21st century that had gazed upon the likes of Dead Space and STALKER before HL1, Black Mesa has incredible potential for atmosphere as a setting. Which is another reason i’m anxiously awaiting this mod >.<

Where the standard enemies are concerned I prefer the gunplay in HL1 by far. The soldiers were as satisfying to fight as the ones in FEAR which, in a game as old as Half-Life, was a phenominal experience. And don’t get me wrong I loved the atmosphere in Black Mesa, though it had lost me a bit once it got to the alien world. runs for cover

#34

Come on guys, I was tired when I wrote that.

#35

:smiley: don’t worry i was just screwing around , strangely though , the first time i added the quote the letters got changed and it spelled pantties not patients

#36

I agree. I think it is due to Xen being a bit of a let down compared to the action that the black mesa funhouse, er facility, threw at you. The relatively peaceful Xen homeworld is difficult to pull off. Unless really creative, by that point in the game you basically have to remove HECU, npc interactions, and puzzles from the formula, leaving you with creatures and platforming for obstacles. That can get a little repetitive (I think that is the reason for both the Gonarch and Nihilanth). You than have to rely on great level and environment design to really keep the player interested so far into the game. I feel this is where the original game faltered, maybe it was due to engine limitations, but I was not impressed with the art and texture design. Overall, Xen was a pretty dull experience IMO.

#37

I agree with about HL, I played the original, then HL-Source, what I loved about it was like you said, I still play OF and Blueshift, storylines were perfect.

#38

I found half-life when the original game disc fell out of my best friend’s backpack, junior year of highschool… That was about 3 or 4 years ago. Played that, thought it was awesome, then ran into a random “DOWNLOAD HALF-LIFE 2 FOR FREE!” ad, looked up half-life 2, found Steam, downloaded steam (became an avid Steam user), preordered the Orange Box, and proceeded to enjoy Half-Life 2.

#39

You stole Half-Life from your best friend?

Man, that’s hardcore :expressionless:

#40

I’ve been a firm Half-Life player since back in '99. It was the best FPS I had ever played, and I didn’t get past inbound untill Good old '02. A few years later, I got Half-Life 2 for my X-box, played it, and though it had pretty much none of the Half-Life 1 feeling. I then bought the Orange Box in late '07, where I mainly got it for Portal… But the other games were fun too. Except for TF2.

Also, I kinda feel like punching anyone that thinks HL2>HL1 in the mouth.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.