Yes, and it’s the storytelling and characterization that gives it its deserved reputation, so it’s not overrated. Half-Life has a way of making you care about the story despite the fact that it’s a fairly generic sci-fi premise, by letting you experience it instead of just telling you. Most of the story comes from observing the environment and piecing it together on your own.
I’m not a fan of stories that insert unplanned “mysteries” just to suck people in, but I don’t think that’s what Valve had in mind with G-man. I might suspect that if they had introduced him in Episode 1 (back when they were supposedly going to release episodes regularly), but I doubt they had such ambitions in 1998. They’re just expanding on the early ideas, not relying on them.
A good story doesn’t mean jack shit if your story telling methods suck shriveling saggy donkey balls.
Yeah, maybe HL2’s weapons aren’t as satisfying as HL1’s, and it might be a little more linear, but it’s still a pretty excellent game, and the HL series tells it’s story in a much better way then most which is why it’s so much better then those other games with basic stories. On top of that it’s brimming with backstory which the game doesn’t force feed you which makes the game world even more immersive.
One of the neatest things about HL2 and the episodes is that there’s a lot of story in the game that’s conveyed without dialogue, audio diaries, or anything. Much the backstory is only there if you poke around a lot and pay attention.
At virtually no point in EP1 or EP2 does Alyx just look at a building or anything and inexplicably rattle off exposition about it.
Yeah, many things aren’t even stated in game but in the manuals instead or websites as well. It’s good to puzzle it together, but still, a person has to look even outside of the games to get it all.
^not really, they just have to pay attention. Dropping little story points off to the side visually or otherwise is a great way to open up a linear experience.
Also, everyone who uses the word “overrated” and means it is a fucking idiot.
Definitely interested in what they try to do with hl3.
I mean, hl2 was the same basic concept of the first (going through levels and shooting stuff) except a lot…nicer, with physics and better graphics and all that.
Yeah, story is a bit jumbled.
I feel like the story goal of half life 1 was just to a bit sci fi, whereas with hl2 they had to make it in the same world as hl1 but wanted real storytelling too.
So with hl3, I’m wondering if they will just try to make a nicer sequel, with new weapons and characters and better graphics and stuff, or try to do something really different with the series.
Seems likely, after all, they’ve made a whole new engine.
Maybe they’ve gotten rid of loading screens.
Could even be open world like that rumor said.
Sadly, I must agree, less is sometimes more. If I had to replay HL2 right now, then only Episode Two… while I managed to finish Black Mesa 3 times the following days after release.
Going by chapters, HL2 is nowhere near 10/10
-The introduction drags on for too long, it gets boring before the player picks up a gun and takes some action.
-Water Hazard, well… easily one of the worst parts.
-Black Mesa East is fun once in a while, to play with a robotic dog using the gravity gun ""
-Ravenholm is okay, it’s cool to slice zombies in half using those gears/discs or what’s that. And finally at least a part without Combine ^^
-Highway 17 is passable, tho too much vehicle ride again and kinda drags as well.
-I actually like Sandtraps.
-Nova Prospekt is good only till the part “protect yourself from xxx waves of combine”
-The rest of the game is basically squad based play, not that interesting after a while.
-The worst part of the game is easily the ending, killing enemies instantly sucks, denies the whole purpose of fighting those Overwatch Elites.
All in all, HL2 is inferior in terms of gameplay pacing in comparison to the original.
There’s not that much story to compensate, the most important stuff happens in the episodes anyways.
So yeah, HL2 8.5/10 and yes, it’s kinda overrated but not bad. I think it deserves “game of the decade” due to innovation and technical advancements, but barely, it’s a lucky bastard… Black Mesa 9/10, except those damn loadings and bad AI.
In short, the less HL3 plays like the 2nd game (episode 0) the better, and Black Mesa is easily above Valve quality.
Come at me bros, and Merry Xmas everyone
Mr. Tard, why do you concern your self with thoughts that HL or HL2 is or that Episode3/HL3 will be bad or somehow less than totally awesome? This is effin’ VALVE that we’re talking about here. They have always been cutting edge. They innovate. They listen to their fans. They don’t buy up and then butcher other peoples game titles, They aren’t beholden to shareholders and they don’t take no crap from nobody. Have faith young man, for when adulthood finally blooms within you, valve will be there to lift your gaming experience. While the graphics of HL2 may be lacking by the standards of 8 years later, the story is still top notch. the characters are awesome and the game play rules. Have faith son, Gaben and crew will not let you down
Portal 2 is a great example of how, without even introducing anything particularly new, (except for the paint), Valve managed to make an amazingly high quality game.
Because I’m not blind, it’s one thing being a fan and having faith, and an other to consider Valve deities that make no mistakes.
Yes, they innovate, but it’s harder to innovate as each year passes, I honestly can’t even imagine anything new and groundbreaking they could introduce, but okay, prepared to be surprised/proven wrong if anything.
I will take the adulthood part as sarcasm. And again, reading comprehension folks, I never said that HL2 has bad graphics, I was quoting people who did.
My own opinion as stated actually is that the gameplay isn’t good anymore and the story is confusing and mediocre, only the storytelling methods and characterizations stand out as above-average and unique. Valve failed before, what about: Ricochet, Left 4 Dead 2 too early, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Episode Three more than likely cancelled and now being remade into HL3, while it should have been here for years already… I have faith old man, I’m just a realist.
Yes, I loved Portal 2, even dropped a tear in the end, while excellent, it doesn’t have that much replay value, sadly. I already know all the puzzles and solutions, if I were to replay it, then for the story, characters, humors, music, environments and dat Moon :jizz:
You can have good, even great games without needing to innovate. That being said, I’m sure valve will come up with something for HL3 because if they aren’t going to try they might as well stick to making HL2 expansions on source, and there are plenty of ideas and concepts yet to be tried successfully in games. Just because developers aren’t innovating with their new releases doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to try.
I do kinda wish there were more types of weapons in HL2 (kinda missed the ‘creature’ based weapons from HL1), and that some areas/parts didn’t really allow enough exploring.
Overall loved all of them, immersive and fun.
As for HL3, I can’t wait for it to exist, esp. since EP2 ended on such a tense cliffhanger, and everyone and their grandmother (incl. me) wants some closure.
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.
