Half-Life 2

 PC
User Score
9.2

Universal acclaim- based on 12734 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11,541 out of 12734
  2. Mixed: 635 out of 12734
  3. Negative: 558 out of 12734
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  1. cercisyusuf
    Sep 8, 2023
    1
    everyone like this becease of populer cultur but i play the game and that was boring mostly people like bc this is childhood game i guess
  2. TruthSeaker
    Aug 15, 2023
    0
    Fanboys of this game rating every other as zero.
    Well - you get what you asked for.
  3. IniciusV
    Feb 4, 2023
    0
    FPS É UMA MERDA, SHOOTER É UMA MERDA, PRIMEIRA PESSOA É UMA MERDA, SÓ TEM FPS/SHOOTER/PRIMEIRA PESSOA NESSA MERDA
  4. ILIKETHEGAME
    Jan 18, 2023
    4
    the game may be revolutionary, but that doesn't mean the game is good idk why but, this game is boring i just walk and shoot all the time
    like, this game isnt funny dont have humor etc...
    u just walk and shoot al the time, is basically a cod with a diferent gameplay and old
    but, i could be wrong, maybe i played too little of the game, tell me if it starts to get good towards the end
  5. Black_S
    Jan 12, 2023
    0
    Most overrated game of all time. Same way people overrate nonsensical art, they overrate this "game" only to show their own superiority and ego. No surprise. The Bussiness of valve stands on those people.

    - boring story - go to one location, do something, go to another location, do another thing in boring way - shalow enemies, dead in one hit - shalow ways of killing enemies - easy    Most overrated game of all time. Same way people overrate nonsensical art, they overrate this "game" only to show their own superiority and ego. No surprise. The Bussiness of valve stands on those people.

    - boring story
    - go to one location, do something, go to another location, do another thing in boring way
    - shalow enemies, dead in one hit
    - shalow ways of killing enemies
    - easy to play/win gameplay
    - "Gabe" man as image of what gabe tumor newell wanna be, but never be.
    Especially: "rather than offer you the illusion of free choice, i will take the liberty choosing for you" is an exact tear of his thinking with steam and his parasitic business.

    No reason to play this, what keeps it alive is nostalgia.    … Expand
  6. Eniskirazuglum
    Nov 14, 2021
    1
    Çöp?! oynamaya değmez vakit kaybı . Sizlere tavsiyem diğer oyunlara göz atın.
  7. ThePimpIsHere
    Nov 12, 2021
    0
    Best. Source Game. Ever. Very rich and enjoyable story and likeable characters, easy to learn mechanics and cool level designs so this gets a 10/10!
  8. saeedgamer16
    Oct 26, 2021
    0
    The game is my best game forever.its graphic,gameplay,story and also its level design are in the highest level.Also its length its good and doesn't make the game boring.
    I will wait for half life 3.
    Thanks for your great game!
  9. EsteticBomzh
    Jun 23, 2020
    4
    Неплохая графика и отличная физика не спасли игру от того, что она невыносимо скучная. Тебя заставляют постоянно ползать по каким-то вонючим канализациям. Я понимаю что кому-то это может нравится, но игра реально скучна.Неплохая графика и отличная физика не спасли игру от того, что она невыносимо скучная. Тебя заставляют постоянно ползать по каким-то вонючим канализациям. Я понимаю что кому-то это может нравится, но игра реально скучна.
  10. Garybaldo
    Jun 2, 2020
    4
    Look, I get that the main thing with this game is its story, but how can you make an fps game in which shooting the guns sounds, looks like (animation-wise), and overall feels like **** I really wanted to like this game but I can't get through how awful it feels to shoot in this game.
  11. DuckTearPopper
    Feb 15, 2020
    0
    Very boring game. Too much exposition and sitting around waiting for scripts to trigger. Also, no friendly fire like in the first game.
  12. Padre-Sirius
    Apr 10, 2019
    3
    Advantages:
    1) Pretty nice graphics. Unfortunately, from 2019 it is difficult to evaluate the 2004 schedule, but it seemed decent to me and without soap.
    2) Simple control. No need to think for hours on what button to put this or that action. 3) If that the author and managed to convey, so is the atmosphere of the game. The gray world in which pressure is literally felt. Although I    Advantages:
    1) Pretty nice graphics. Unfortunately, from 2019 it is difficult to evaluate the 2004 schedule, but it seemed decent to me and without soap.
    2) Simple control. No need to think for hours on what button to put this or that action.
    3) If that the author and managed to convey, so is the atmosphere of the game. The gray world in which pressure is literally felt. Although I personally did not have enough contrast. Any scene where all the protagonist and his friends get together and just chat or something.
    4) Good Russian localization. Professional voice without stupid mistakes.
    Disadvantages:
    1) Unfortunately, I did not play the first Half-Life and therefore I cannot soberly and correctly evaluate the plot of this game. I didn’t play because I didn’t want it, but because of the devilish attitude of Valve to my fan base. Nevertheless, he seemed to me very bland and boring. A bad uncle installs totalitarianism in the city and another good uncle decided to stop him. Straight plot for the new film "The Expendables."
    2) Characters. They are all very cliché. Faddish professor, brave, fighting girlfriend, cowardly traitor and faithful, but an old "soldier." Where is originality, where are great ideas?
    3) The physics of shooting seemed to me unconvincing. I understand that the authors wanted to depict the future and the corresponding weapons, but the practice of shooting from the “stick” I went through in Call of Duty.
    4) AI, in my opinion, is also a sore subject for this game. They do not try to bypass you, but simply go right through, taking quantity, not quality.
    5) The gameplay is monotonous and boring. The authors tried to diversify it with various puzzles, but I think it did not help.
    6) For me personally, the variety of weapons seemed very small. I understand that this is not Battlefield, but nevertheless, this is a shooter, whose main goal is shooting. Therefore, I would like the assortment of tools for this purpose to be larger.
    7) It is a pity that the game is completely absent variability passing. Perhaps this is a niggle, since the game is quite old, but I would like to be able to go through missions in different ways, and not just running and going through.    … Expand
  13. MillersWeeb
    Nov 17, 2018
    0
    Zero. This game is too overrated, stubpid 1984 parody with blend characters and retarded gameplay.
  14. karelpica99
    Dec 21, 2017
    0
    Bad graphics, bad story line, not even close to realistic, just plain sucked.
  15. User3
    Aug 8, 2017
    0
    A poor follow-up to the original. By today's standards it's very dated with bad graphics and ancient gameplay. Has been surpassed many times by more modern titles.
  16. Preidon
    Oct 26, 2015
    0
    Guys just admit it,this game is overrated,It has a boring story,characters look awful,little enemies,nothing to see here. I was really dissapointed that this game is so bad. Such a shame for PC.
  17. BlackVoid
    Sep 25, 2015
    2
    The most overhyped game ever. Much worse than the original, instead of the varied aliens, you will mostly face human soldiers. Boring. On top of this, levels are counter-intuitive, easy to get lost and not find the way forward. Black Mesa in HL1 was an exciting place, compared to that, the levels are bland and uninteresting. Play the original instead, that is much better.
  18. halflifeistrash
    Apr 17, 2015
    0
    The gameplay was completely ruined by the fact it's only single player. How can you truly enjoy a game with your friends all by yourself? Let your friends WATCH you play? Absurd. Need same room multiplayer!
  19. Alpacalypse
    Mar 22, 2015
    0
    This game has aged horribly. The story is rather decent, but the gameplay is just pathetic. Shoot your peashooter weaponry at guards and zombies, and then use your gravity gun to pick up a saw and throw it at people.
    You will then take the saw with you on your entire game and use it exclusively.
    Sure, you can argue that a game that has a good story is all that matters. But, a sandwich    This game has aged horribly. The story is rather decent, but the gameplay is just pathetic. Shoot your peashooter weaponry at guards and zombies, and then use your gravity gun to pick up a saw and throw it at people.
    You will then take the saw with you on your entire game and use it exclusively.

    Sure, you can argue that a game that has a good story is all that matters. But, a sandwich with the world's best bread (the story) is still a horrible sandwich is the meat is made out of a dead dog's **** (the gameplay)

    As it stands, Half Life 2 is a prime example that gamers will reach to the bottom of their fanboy purses to make anything Valve makes overrated.

    This game would be better fitted as a book, to be honest. It tells a great story, but the gameplay is just so agonizing that I couldn't get past 40 minutes. If you want a good first person shooter, go play Far Cry or Call of Juarez: Gunslinger.
    By the way, this review is going to get a lot of flak for not worshipping a game this overrated. Just some foresight.    … Expand
  20. Superficiality
    Feb 7, 2015
    3
    A nauseating first person shooter in an unrealistic and dull environment. You have to do everything the way the game wants you to, so all you do is shoot up men in masks hundreds of times using the same weapons. Story was sort of interesting, but it bored me.
  21. ShawnD
    Dec 29, 2014
    3
    I'm giving this game a low rating because it does most of the things I hate:
    -Unskippable cut scenes.
    -Acting like I care about any of these dumb characters. -Half the game is driving. Rage pulled the same stunt in 2011 and that too was a disaster. All it does is make the game painfully slow. -Does this game even have a plot? It was so boring that I didn't care to find out. A good game    I'm giving this game a low rating because it does most of the things I hate:
    -Unskippable cut scenes.
    -Acting like I care about any of these dumb characters.
    -Half the game is driving. Rage pulled the same stunt in 2011 and that too was a disaster. All it does is make the game painfully slow.
    -Does this game even have a plot? It was so boring that I didn't care to find out. A good game tells you very little so you're left wanting to know what the story is. HL2 does the exact opposite. Unskippable cut scene after unskippable cut scene. Instead of googling to find what the story is, I'm googling to see if there is some console command to skip the stupid cut scenes. I can't believe someone at Valve actually thought it was a good idea to force players to watch the same crap every time they play the game. Start a new game - hey I wonder if that face hugger is going to screw up the teleportation this time. I'll need to watch the 5 minute cut scene to find out!
    -It seems like large segments of the game are unfinished. Half of the game is driving or walking, but there's nothing going on. There's nothing to shoot and there's nothing shooting at me. Why was this left in the game? It's like they forgot to add monsters and nobody in beta testing noticed how boring those sections of the game are.
    -Physics are completely broken. You can run 100mph in reverse just by running backward and jumping. At least bunny hopping from quake took some practice.
    -The guns seem a lot crappier than they were in HL1. The amount of ammo one can hold has also been greatly reduced.
    -HL1 was awesome because it was straight forward. It told a story without telling you anything. An experiment goes wrong, monsters appear, military try to cover the whole thing up, etc. HL2 is about.... what exactly? it's about running through water canals because a guy in a turtle neck sweater is the leader of some people who wear gas masks. This is Metal Gear Solid level of bad story telling. Snake, you have nanobots inside you because blah blah clones Big Boss blah blah The Combine blah blah turtle neck sweaters.

    You can't truly grasp how boring this game is until you watch someone do a speed run of it. Then watch someone do a speed run of Quake. Which one looks more like a game and which looks more like a tech demo?    … Expand
  22. infinitePUGZ
    Dec 4, 2014
    3
    This game is way overrated, there are so many better games out there. People always praise it for its story and rich dialogue, but unlike Portal (which had me excited to progress through the story and listen to ALL of its witty, funny and overall extremely well acted characters) Half Life 2 was less than mediocre. Good dialogue was few and far between, with most of the speech just beingThis game is way overrated, there are so many better games out there. People always praise it for its story and rich dialogue, but unlike Portal (which had me excited to progress through the story and listen to ALL of its witty, funny and overall extremely well acted characters) Half Life 2 was less than mediocre. Good dialogue was few and far between, with most of the speech just being "look its Gordon Freeman!" or "are you Gordon Freeman?!".... its disappointing to say the least. I'm not counting the graphics because my pc isn't great and the game probably looks amazing on ultra settings but I wouldn't know.

    Secondly, the story isn't at all innovative or different, I couldn't care for the characters or the world. I wasn't interested enough to who, what, where, why, when or how for any of the story's components - it's nothing new.

    However much anyone says about the gravity gun, to me it will always be a glorified hand - it picks things up and throws them. Apart form that the combat is just like a typical fps although they did a good job with the weapons.

    Finally, the gameplay isn't too great: linear level design, empty landscapes, dull environments. I just wanted this game to be over, I didn't enjoy playing it. If you want a gaming masterpiece, check out Portal and Portal 2.    … Expand
  23. CoreyintheHouse
    Nov 8, 2014
    0
    The graphics are clunky and absolutely disgusting, the guns are unrealistic and disproportionate. Its lame I do not recommend this game to anyone who calls themselves a lover of games. This game is a classic, a classic piece of ****
  24. dandul9
    Sep 2, 2014
    0
    I saw on the internet all the hype and reviews that say that this game is the best game ever so i bought it
    it was soooo boring; lame puzzles story ehh average and the gameplay horrible so overrated
  25. usedsoap
    Aug 22, 2014
    2
    **** for its time and **** now... not an immersive story, first half of the game you do boring tasks and then when you start to shoot things and run away from that its still boring.
  26. monkeyditachi
    Aug 16, 2014
    0
    I will never understand why this game gets as much hype as it does . It makes you do silly puzzles randomly to show off its engine . I heard this was one of the best games if not the best so i was expecting a lot more then this .
  27. thisSuckz
    Jul 11, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the most pointless game ever.you spend the first 30-40 mins doing pointless menial tasks that are not fun to do and are incredibly boring. This game has to be one of the worst games ever created. I f i wanted to watch a film that takes 30 mins to get to any action i would have done so instead of playing the first half of this pointless game. To top it all off valve after 7 years still have not released the sequel to this stupid game.… Expand
  28. T0G
    Dec 14, 2013
    4
    Maybe my expectations were set too high by the first game and all the hype but Half-Life2 is so linear it may as well be an arcade game. One of the few games I have uninstalled immediately after finishing. Very disappointed. I will avoid the 3rd outing.
  29. Conner428
    Nov 10, 2013
    3
    Here's the problem with giving an overrated game a bad score: people will ignore what it says and just say that that person is wrong. First of all, I am not hating this game just to hate (hell, at least I gave it a 3). Second, I am taking all the hype for this game out of the equation. Graphics: I honestly felt like I got a beta version of the game when I started it and saw the very basicHere's the problem with giving an overrated game a bad score: people will ignore what it says and just say that that person is wrong. First of all, I am not hating this game just to hate (hell, at least I gave it a 3). Second, I am taking all the hype for this game out of the equation. Graphics: I honestly felt like I got a beta version of the game when I started it and saw the very basic (borderline texture starter kit) and dry textures. The guns didn't look too bad but everything else looked like it hadn't even started rendering (yes I played the game on Ultra settings). Concept: put a gun in front of the screen, give an invisible entity a name, and have people tell it to do stuff only to always be interrupted mid sentence by enemies and never find out what they were going to say. Valve tried to give Freeman no personality or dialog so that the player could relate with him but the outcome was the exact opposite. It felt like just controlling a floating gun with zero personality. Story: The biggest confusion for me was how much people praised this game's story line. You literally start the game with many questions from the last game and are only given more questions. The G-Man spouts off nonsense and makes it seem like it's important and you wake up in god knows where in the future (no clue as to how many years because the game never specifies). No one is shocked in the least to see you after so many years looking the exact same you did when they last saw you and they ask you to go from point A to point B for no good reason. That last sentence is literally the entire story. One full game and two 3 hour episodes with absolutely no story progression except for the end of episode 2, and even that isn't that great because you had no emotion ties to the character who dies. People will constantly defend this and say "Valve will eventually explain the story. Just give them time". Why? Why judge a games story based on what your assumptions are? That's not innovative, that's sloppy writing. AI: I never even knew this was something that was seen as something great about this game until after I beat it........ so I have no idea why it's praised. Enemies act like enemies (in annoyingly low numbers and way too weak (even on hard)). Alyx is uncomfortable with how she acts with a guy who is probably twice her age and is actually quite annoying pointing out everything that happens in front of you. Replay Value: None. The game is linear with nothing on the side to keep it entertaining. Physics Engine: similar to the AI, I didn't even know this was something that was looked at as innovative. A physics engine should not determine a games worth especially when it's only used to have you "solve" kindergarten puzzles or to encourage you to use a weapon (Gravity Gun) that was boring and useless right after its tutorial. Conclusion: this entire game felt like a students project for an indie game. No story, no atmosphere, bad dialog, slow paced, confusing for the sake of being confusing, and has a complete lack of feeling like any work was done with it. This game was very underground when it came out (mostly because pc gaming wasn't as big in 2004) and so most of its original praise is from the, for the lack of a better word, hipsters that played this game. In essence, this game is a hipster game. It's a hipster game because it's full of things that normally wouldn't be seen as good but it's praised for those things so people jump on the bandwagon (similar with Stanley Parable). This actually only a small fraction of what I can say about this game but I am not about to write three reviews for one game.… Expand
  30. mortabunt
    Oct 4, 2013
    1
    Half-Life 2... Often proclaimed one of the best, if not one of the greatest first person shooters, if not video games of all time. Released in 2004 to great fame and accolades, I was but then an 11 year old devotee of Sonic, Metroid, Zelda, and Star Wars. I hardly knew or cared. But as I grew older, and the internet became more prominent in my life, I began to hear of this wonderful thingHalf-Life 2... Often proclaimed one of the best, if not one of the greatest first person shooters, if not video games of all time. Released in 2004 to great fame and accolades, I was but then an 11 year old devotee of Sonic, Metroid, Zelda, and Star Wars. I hardly knew or cared. But as I grew older, and the internet became more prominent in my life, I began to hear of this wonderful thing called Half-Life 2, starring this great hero, a nuclear physicist named Gordon Freeman, who battled against the evil Combine to save humanity from its position under the jackboots of a tyrannical alien regime. When I discovered TvTropes, I got exposed to many more references to this game. I was told of the epic journey of the great hero fighting all alone against the future straight out of Nineteen Eighty-Four. I read that I was supposed to be a critical piece whose actions and choices would decide the fates of billions. I read about leading the citizens in rebellion against their alien oppressors in a climatic battle in City Seventeen. I heard about the awesome Gravity Gun. I read about the fearsome striders. I read about turning the antlions on the invaders. I read about the horror of Ravenholm. I heard about great and memorable characters, an engaging story, and so many other things which sounded like heralds of greatness.
    I first got my hands on a valve game, Left 4 Dead, in '08. And I loved it. I still do, just as I do Left 4 Dead 2. I got The Orange Box in 2010. I got it more or less for Portal. Portal, damn, that game is fantastic. As you would expect, having consecutively played three superb games from Valve, I was very much looking forward to the next game in my sights: Half-Life 2. So I selected it from the main menu of The Orange Box on my Xbox360 and began a new campaign on the medium difficulty setting. I as already an FPS veteran at the time, having played through games like Metroid Prime 1 & 2, Bioshock, Metro 2033, Goldeneye 007, the Halo series, F.E.A.R., Doom, Doom 3, and Quake 4. With everything begun, I was prepared to be blown away. I was eager for the greatest FPS ever made.

    It sucks.

    I personally rate games mainly on story, gameplay, and characters, with all of these being roughly equivalent. For me to approve of a game, it has to do well enough in these three categories. However, I ultimately pass judgement based on whether or not the game was fun to me. I can forgive quite a lot of if a game is an entertaining experience. Do I think Half-Life 2 is fun? NO! I think it's awful. I had to force myself to finish this game. It failed in story, gameplay, and characters. It wasn't even something that I could enjoy taking the piss out of.
    I know, you're probably frothing with rage and confusion over why I think Half-Life 2 is an overrated piece of crap. I've heard the arguments from the fans, but I just don't see it like they do. I respect their opinions, but I disagree. Truth be told, I feel like this game was always very close to being the great experience I was told about. Of course, realistically, nothing could have lived up to the hype. Even though I habitually make a note to deliberately not buy into hype, it was impossible to go in with anything other than great expectations. I could argue that it had to end in disappointment, but I disagree. I've played other great games, like Call of Duty 4, Bioshock, Far Cry 3, Metroid Prime 2, Metro: Last Light, and Portal, and felt that they deserved the praise they got. Perhaps not the extravagant fanboy praise, but plenty of praise and accolades nevertheless. Half-Life 2 got so many elements right and had a lot of good ideas, but the execution was so often feeble. If maybe just only a few elements were different, then perhaps I would be raving about how I love this game. And I think that, had I played it when it first came out, or at least within two years of its release rather than six, then I could very well have been much more favorably impressed. I could I personally actually quite like Half-Life 2: Episode 1, which was a much tighter game with a much more interesting and dynamic plotline where the player character actually seems to accomplish things.
    The story is irritatingly impenetrable while being of only vague concern, and yet still managing to hang constantly over the player while constantly keeping them in the dark.
    The gameplay is the worst part, given how it fails to make combat fun in a first person shooter while bloating the game to excessive length with vehicles and puzzles.
    The characters are mostly forgettable with a few good exceptions. Gordon Freeman is the worst possible kind of protagonist for this game. Alex Vance should have been it.
    The game is not fun except in small doses and in certain parts. Your experience may vary. I would recommend watching a walkthrough or LP rather than spend money on it.    … Expand
  31. SeriousKir
    Sep 28, 2013
    1
    The first Half-Life was a brilliant game that turned the once and for all the FPS genre. What we offer Half-Life 2? Well, it's a real benchmark! benchmark samy as games from сrytek! Developers simply spoiled masterpiece of all time! Multiplayer missing weapon was half that of the previous game, the enemies are very stupid, and the game Will pass for 4 hours!Game of the year?!You reThe first Half-Life was a brilliant game that turned the once and for all the FPS genre. What we offer Half-Life 2? Well, it's a real benchmark! benchmark samy as games from сrytek! Developers simply spoiled masterpiece of all time! Multiplayer missing weapon was half that of the previous game, the enemies are very stupid, and the game Will pass for 4 hours!Game of the year?!You re seriously?Doom 3 was MORE BETTER than this "masterpiece".Yuk!… Expand
  32. hansen1981
    Sep 14, 2013
    2
    Long empty rooms. Long empty landscapes. Easy tasks. Uninteresting story. Plastic heroes. Lack of narrative. Only Oh! Doctor Freeman! Ah! Doctor Freeman! Wow! This is you Doctor Freeman?
    Blah! Boring game. Cure for insomnia. I dont recommend this game.
  33. DanMcMan
    Apr 15, 2013
    3
    Lack of story telling; leaves you with a mindless fast paced shooter that gets old after a few hours of gameplay. Cutscenes are non existent as well which only enforces the lack of story this game has, which is unfortunate because with a simple google search you can discover how in depth it truly is.
  34. rapidrack
    Sep 25, 2012
    2
    The first Half Life was and remains one of my all time favorite games. It's so great to me that it defies explanation. The short of it is that Half Life 2 just tried to copy the first game, and it came across as a very cheap copy. The only improvements are in things that don't matter. Graphics and animations, guns, sounds, physics. If you're not wowed by those things, and I'm not,The first Half Life was and remains one of my all time favorite games. It's so great to me that it defies explanation. The short of it is that Half Life 2 just tried to copy the first game, and it came across as a very cheap copy. The only improvements are in things that don't matter. Graphics and animations, guns, sounds, physics. If you're not wowed by those things, and I'm not, Half Life 2 has very little to offer… Expand
  35. Dremord
    Aug 18, 2012
    3
    I got to the speed boat part and that's when I had to stop. It was miserable. The monsters were boring, cold boring environment... everything bad. Very disappointing game.
  36. kenozoik
    Dec 22, 2011
    1
    Very disappointing. Personally, I consider HL1 one of the best games ever made, and everything I liked about HL1 is missing in this game. Boring and linear. The story itself is poor. There's no time left to explore the levels because you're constantly being chased, and when you do find the time to look around, it's only to find that the beautiful scenery is in most cases just a cardboardVery disappointing. Personally, I consider HL1 one of the best games ever made, and everything I liked about HL1 is missing in this game. Boring and linear. The story itself is poor. There's no time left to explore the levels because you're constantly being chased, and when you do find the time to look around, it's only to find that the beautiful scenery is in most cases just a cardboard scene placed around a small, single path level, designed so that you don't even think about stepping of the predefined path. I had a feeling as if being a cow which is ran into desired direction through ever narrower paths in a slaughterhouse. It was so repetitive, boring and frustrating that I didn't even finish the game. The only thing I had fun with in this game was the gravity gun.… Expand
  37. PsiCat
    Dec 5, 2011
    4
    Flat and mediocre sequel to one of the most innovative shooters ever made. Half Life had a depth that is definitely missing from it's overrated sequel.
  38. Oookeeek
    Nov 14, 2011
    4
    Most overrated game ever made. Half-Life 2 is not just disappointing, it's really boring. The first one was much better than this. Of course HL2 has some interesting things such as the Source engine (although many really poor textures), the gravity gun or pheropod, but this isn't enough to keep the game alive. And, as this wasn't enough, the game doesn't have a decent ending. I'll neverMost overrated game ever made. Half-Life 2 is not just disappointing, it's really boring. The first one was much better than this. Of course HL2 has some interesting things such as the Source engine (although many really poor textures), the gravity gun or pheropod, but this isn't enough to keep the game alive. And, as this wasn't enough, the game doesn't have a decent ending. I'll never understand why Half Life 2 is so praised.… Expand
  39. CC
    Jul 1, 2010
    4
    Good start and much potential. Needs some balance tweaking, but overall is very fun. Minor issues are dwarfed by moments of brilliance. If you like GTA, and wished, "Hey, I wish I could play this online with my friends with an MMO twist (leveling, gear, etc..)" then you will be very pleased!
  40. CraigC
    Apr 17, 2010
    4
    Very overrated game. Was a glorified tech demo when it first came out, now its just an incredibly mediocre game. It did nothing all that well, story wasn't really there, gameplay consisted of very bland FPS play and gratuitous physics puzzles. I still can't understand to this day why so many hold it so high when it's really nothing special, and an insult to the first which Very overrated game. Was a glorified tech demo when it first came out, now its just an incredibly mediocre game. It did nothing all that well, story wasn't really there, gameplay consisted of very bland FPS play and gratuitous physics puzzles. I still can't understand to this day why so many hold it so high when it's really nothing special, and an insult to the first which was a great game.… Expand
  41. VeraF
    Mar 22, 2010
    0
    My brother in law recommended this game, unfortunately I thought the main of the point of the game, to tell a story and immerse you in it failed miserably due to disatrous story telling. The pacing is flawed, the gameplay looses grip soon. The experience, just isn't the experience everyone thought it to be. I played Uncharted 2 recently and I think that game will be forgotten soon My brother in law recommended this game, unfortunately I thought the main of the point of the game, to tell a story and immerse you in it failed miserably due to disatrous story telling. The pacing is flawed, the gameplay looses grip soon. The experience, just isn't the experience everyone thought it to be. I played Uncharted 2 recently and I think that game will be forgotten soon once graphics become better. Half Life 2 is technically stunning, painfully a bore. I was happy to see Alyx Vance represented so well, too bad the rest of the cast and the storytelling ruins it all.… Expand
  42. ViliL.
    Mar 12, 2010
    0
    This game is even worse than Rogue Warrior, theres no plot and theres no aim down the sights as in call of duty series. And discusting ai and no game music at all. I can honestly say that this game is a very biggest flop in the game industry. Valve isnt good game developer and their games are all such a crap (no tf2). I always laugh when i check page of game that valve is developed and This game is even worse than Rogue Warrior, theres no plot and theres no aim down the sights as in call of duty series. And discusting ai and no game music at all. I can honestly say that this game is a very biggest flop in the game industry. Valve isnt good game developer and their games are all such a crap (no tf2). I always laugh when i check page of game that valve is developed and theres a text what says HDR support. It is old tech ya know about 5 years old and they are fancy about that their game uses that tech. Losers i say, overrated and bad company.… Expand
  43. dsgvedvadt
    Jan 19, 2010
    0
    Awful, disgusting game,without somefing new.This is not a real komputer game,only a simulation.
  44. JohanG
    Jan 8, 2010
    2
    Overate and boring. Stupid game. Its like lets buy the valve rate team. So we can pwnd all other games. This game is bugged like shit unbalance and you can cheat.
  45. BiosaberB
    Jan 4, 2010
    3
    Overrated garbage, the most boring and depressing game i've played in my entire life. The environments such as city 17 (boring), ravenholm (disgusting village), highway 17 (ugly ass beach), and nova prospekt (nothing but corridors) are just depressing and horrible. The main character is...well, there is no main character, just a floating crowbar, gun, gravity gun named gordan. The Overrated garbage, the most boring and depressing game i've played in my entire life. The environments such as city 17 (boring), ravenholm (disgusting village), highway 17 (ugly ass beach), and nova prospekt (nothing but corridors) are just depressing and horrible. The main character is...well, there is no main character, just a floating crowbar, gun, gravity gun named gordan. The ONLY good thing valve ever did was make left 4 dead 1 & 2, every other game they made sucked major balls, ecept portal which is average at most). Critics only gave this game good scores because of the gravity gun and the storyline, which is slightly above average. Besides, normal and casual gamers don't play games like these: a game for computer nerds or pc geeks: the only ppl who obsess, or even like this game, or think it's the best, which is NOT. This game is below average, average at the most. It would be an ok game if the environments didn't blow ass. The character development was pretty good though (especially Eli and Dr. Mossman, which were the most likeable characters). The only good part about this game is near the end, in the Citadel. Overall, this game is below average, avoid it and play epic games like San Andreas, Max Payne series, Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, Metal Gear Solid series, Halo 3, Modern Warfare series. Just not this, unless ur an obsessive nerd. That's why there were a lot of copes sold, because there are so many nerds that want an alien hunting game with science themes.… Expand
  46. PataC
    Dec 21, 2009
    3
    Even though it was six years ago that this game was released, it is still as much crap as it was back then. Definitely not a worthy sequel to the mighty Half-Life.
  47. FPSverylongtime
    Nov 4, 2009
    3
    Moves too slow (game engine + your character) Weapon repload too slow weapon damage too poor weapon switching is to slow the weapons are rubbish ID Software do it faster better and more hectic valve do it slow paced and lame
  48. UberGamer101
    Oct 25, 2009
    0
    This game was ok at best, however i may have just got it and yet it is already beaten, this game may have had alright graphics when it first came out but now it deserves to be knocked down a peg because it should not have a score higher than such games as left 4 dead and team fortress 2 because it is unimaginable boring and has a long storyline which may keep you distracted from the This game was ok at best, however i may have just got it and yet it is already beaten, this game may have had alright graphics when it first came out but now it deserves to be knocked down a peg because it should not have a score higher than such games as left 4 dead and team fortress 2 because it is unimaginable boring and has a long storyline which may keep you distracted from the lacking interface department..… Expand
  49. AkseliP
    Jun 5, 2009
    3
    Okay. I'm giving game rating 3 because enemies could be harder, AI was doing crazy things sometimes , zombies weren't scary and story wasn't always told well. Few good things were actors, rare fighting spots and it was fun to find G-man.
  50. AnonymousMC
    Mar 19, 2009
    3
    HL1/HL2 marked a time when masses were just catching up on the joys of PC gaming. The ratings entirely reflect this. Put into perspective from having played most of the notable FPS before these two came out, they both were at most an 8 at the time of release. Now I'm giving 3 just to make this point visible in the crowd of undeserved 10's.
  51. AnonymousMC
    Feb 21, 2009
    2
    When I first bought this game, Steam bit me. It locked me out of the game after install, and Valve was so swamped with support complaints and fixes that I was forgotten for almost 2 weeks. After finding out another recent purchase was "Steamed," I had to re-install Steam. I figured I'd give it another go, as they're supposed to have worked the bugs out of Steam by now.When I first bought this game, Steam bit me. It locked me out of the game after install, and Valve was so swamped with support complaints and fixes that I was forgotten for almost 2 weeks. After finding out another recent purchase was "Steamed," I had to re-install Steam. I figured I'd give it another go, as they're supposed to have worked the bugs out of Steam by now. Nope. Locked out again. As I legally purchased the game via retail, I shouldn't have to ask, and await permission from Valve's support team to play the game.… Expand
  52. AnonymousMC
    Nov 29, 2008
    1
    i dont agree with this game because the rebels(team) just look the same the graohics are good thats all the only good wep is ar2 and i just dont get how you get so much blood out of one body its like resi2 but much worse cutting people in half its more like a horror game then anything and im not even gonna talk about ravenholm the loading in game takes to long luckily my pc didnt freeze :(i dont agree with this game because the rebels(team) just look the same the graohics are good thats all the only good wep is ar2 and i just dont get how you get so much blood out of one body its like resi2 but much worse cutting people in half its more like a horror game then anything and im not even gonna talk about ravenholm the loading in game takes to long luckily my pc didnt freeze :( im rating 1 because its utter crap… Expand
  53. rarrghgarble
    Oct 15, 2008
    0
    Game is annoying. Starting out with people shooting at you from far away and being given no direction whatsoever as to where to go, only to be on a time limit in areas that are difficult to navigate is annoying. Puzzles within a first-person shooter meant to be a shooter are annoying. Enemies that are killing you from outside of the area where you have to go is annoying. Nothing about Game is annoying. Starting out with people shooting at you from far away and being given no direction whatsoever as to where to go, only to be on a time limit in areas that are difficult to navigate is annoying. Puzzles within a first-person shooter meant to be a shooter are annoying. Enemies that are killing you from outside of the area where you have to go is annoying. Nothing about this game is fun. Leave it on the shelves… Expand
  54. RyanL
    Oct 1, 2008
    4
    How this game got a good score? no really how? this is prob one of my least favourate games ever made. the bad guys cant shoot u even if they were standing next 2 u and the weapons in it suck. what were they thinking.
  55. Someguy?
    Sep 12, 2008
    4
    I bought this game with very high expectations due to it's predecessor, I was horribly ashamed when I started playing Half Life 2. I gave it a 4 because of the graphics, which even now are a little lame and out-dated. Let me tell you why this game is a overrated piece of crap. First of all everyone is pissing out things like "wow the ai are so intelligent and realistic, and wow there I bought this game with very high expectations due to it's predecessor, I was horribly ashamed when I started playing Half Life 2. I gave it a 4 because of the graphics, which even now are a little lame and out-dated. Let me tell you why this game is a overrated piece of crap. First of all everyone is pissing out things like "wow the ai are so intelligent and realistic, and wow there is so much interactions with levels." Bullshit, even on hard I had to laugh at the pathetic ai as they stumbled around like retards. They don't try to flank you, they don't try to circle you they just stand there shooting at you with the occasional strafe, and you can take your time killing them as their aim is terrible. As for your team mates, the most pathetic bunch I've ever seen. They do a good job at blocking you, always annoying you with stupid dialogue and always dieing as they are retarded. As for interaction with levels, I think anyone who says anything about it needs some toilet paper to wipe away the shit they are dribbling. You can pick up a box with a gravity gun, uh... so? If you want examples of interactivity with levels try stalker or maybe even crysis. As for level design, it's always the same, complete some stupid puzzle a newly born infant could solve, kill about 6000000 stalkers and shoot at some retarded ai and go through some stupid scenery and lame secrets. As for your weapon choices, the most generic array of weapony i've ever seen, I was bored to tears having to use boring guns with lame animations. As for dying, it's practically impossible to die as every metre there is a health pack or a health thingy on the wall. Another thing on level design it's just cliche move into this area kill everything there whilst using your crate of unlimited ammo and to many health packs then move on to the next area and do the exact same thing, get any more lamer or boring?? This game is overall an over-rated game that is just using all the credit from half-life 1 to make it seem like a good game. Use your damned head man, it's just another cliche to sit and rot on the benches or to be bought by stupid and gullible people who happily ride hype train to idiot vile. This game is a waste of money I suggest sticking to half-life 1, the true guru of games.… Expand
  56. AlyxF.
    Jul 25, 2008
    4
    Pretty good graphics although it could be a lot better, bad ai. and the game is one of the just play once games. When i did play the game i took a lot of time exploring as much as the game allowed me to do, and that isn't pretty much. the game is designed for a just rush through session.
  57. ReysanD
    Jul 24, 2008
    4
    Linear play, cliche/unnecessary zombies and physics fetish; this game soils what could have been an interesting setting. Frankly, it's boring.
  58. ToniN.
    Jul 6, 2008
    0
    The Technic is realy good and it is worth to play it once (I played it till the end). Why the bad rating. Few things. 1)To much puzzles. 2) To much "Exit-seeking". 3) Steam, why I cant play it without internetconnection? 4) Linear gameplay. 5) To much "Perfect" rating here.
  59. nickc
    Jun 28, 2008
    2
    The most disgusting, sickening game I have ever played in my life. The gore is unessacary. No one needs to make or see what is in the game. People getting sawed in half... with their eyes bulging out of their head is not what makes a good game. Though the classic FPS and gun fighting is still there, this game is not for the faint of heart. I was 5 years old and could stand up to Half-Life The most disgusting, sickening game I have ever played in my life. The gore is unessacary. No one needs to make or see what is in the game. People getting sawed in half... with their eyes bulging out of their head is not what makes a good game. Though the classic FPS and gun fighting is still there, this game is not for the faint of heart. I was 5 years old and could stand up to Half-Life 1. Here I am now, 13 and can barely look at the screen while playing this game. I regret ever purchasing it.… Expand
  60. AlexeyI.
    Jun 4, 2008
    3
    hi i'm newbie too hard for me, but looks beauty.. sorry.
  61. JayG
    Apr 26, 2008
    4
    I fail to see how this game warrants so many "Perfect" scores. This is not a game, Its a tech Demo for a very beautiful, very versatile engine but entertaining to play... Half life 2 is not, unless you enjoy repeating the same puzzle every 30 seconds and navigating some of the worst level design that I have seen in any game. What could be a very thrilling and engrossing game, is broken up I fail to see how this game warrants so many "Perfect" scores. This is not a game, Its a tech Demo for a very beautiful, very versatile engine but entertaining to play... Half life 2 is not, unless you enjoy repeating the same puzzle every 30 seconds and navigating some of the worst level design that I have seen in any game. What could be a very thrilling and engrossing game, is broken up by a repetitive string of physics puzzles with no purpose other than to show off the physics engine. Which would have its own charm, were the puzzles not repeated every 5 mins with an identically puzzle. This is demonstrated best in any level that contains a vehicle for the player to drive, where you will have to move an obstacle out of your way every 30 seconds with the "Gravity gun." Top that off with 90% of the plot being as in depth as Mario's "The Princess is in the next castle, navigate your way to the next location" and you are left with a game that left me "Blue" for a decent story and some thrilling action. Half life 2 is a monumental technical achievement, and the mods that have come out for this game make it well worth the price of purchase, but I would rather pull out and eat my own intestines like spaghetti than call this a "reviting good time."… Expand
  62. FrozenSpirit
    Jan 30, 2008
    0
    One of the worst games I have ever played. The only good thing about the game is the Physics Engine, which was taken from a company named Havok, this game was made by a bunch of overweight lazy developers who wouldn't know how to make a real game if it bit them in the arse. Regardless of story line, which deserves some credit, the technology behind the game is not advanced or One of the worst games I have ever played. The only good thing about the game is the Physics Engine, which was taken from a company named Havok, this game was made by a bunch of overweight lazy developers who wouldn't know how to make a real game if it bit them in the arse. Regardless of story line, which deserves some credit, the technology behind the game is not advanced or original, or even comes close to pushing the boundaries of what was out in 2005. Cheaply made game.… Expand
  63. Sami
    Nov 23, 2007
    2
    Boring, stupid lineup, exactly the same game as Half-Life was, only better graphics, and so annoying Static envirement, stupid AI, ARGH.
  64. MarshJ.
    Nov 8, 2007
    0
    Wow the main character is retarded. His name is Morgan Freeman and hes black! how pathetic!
  65. ErikK.
    Oct 11, 2007
    0
    Well.. this game sucks... what more to say?
  66. MarcelO.
    Oct 10, 2007
    0
    Great Game, wonderful Gamplay. You become a lot for your Money.
  67. THunt
    Sep 23, 2007
    4
    Over-rated. Too much filler and defineately not the game it thinks it is.
  68. AnonymousMC
    Sep 14, 2007
    0
    Total and utter garbage! Everything we were promised by this game is an absolute lie.
    It is still just an overglorified, badly modified Quake 1 engine with no AI, no plot, the worlds worst control mechanism and no diversity of play.
    An utter shambles that shames the good name Half Life one rightfully made for itself.
    Avoid like th plague!
  69. DougYount
    Sep 11, 2007
    0
    Steam is stupid and unwieldy. What could be a fun game is marred by the fact that it won't run on a system (even though it ran yesterday and nothing has changed with the computer) that it has every right to run on.
  70. DavidQ.
    May 10, 2007
    3
    A made it up as they went along storyline coupled with absent artificial intelligence, a gimmicky physics engine license and the most linear level design ever does not justify the price tag of this overdue sequel.
  71. SimS.
    Apr 10, 2007
    0
    The games takes too much time to load and Steam is the worst platform i ever saw. Also the producer states that it works with all directx 9 and above video card but i tried the game with many pc and definitively works only with ati powered pc at best and not in all cases. Suppor inexistent. A real waste of money if you do not have a system configuration wich likes the game.
  72. GNUGamer
    Apr 9, 2007
    3
    Great game, gripping storyline, excellent graphics and just all around fun, the reason I'm giving it such a low score is no cross platform support. Linux and Mac are viable desktop alternatives to windows for gamers Epic Games took notice and so did ID software so why haven't the creators of this game? Seems like money lost to me.
  73. MinOh
    Apr 1, 2007
    1
    It was awesome!!!
  74. LordC.
    Mar 15, 2007
    1
    A bug riddled average game with problems still outstanding from its release date. Support is poor at best and Steam is beyond irritating.
  75. ChristopherS.
    Feb 25, 2007
    0
    Half Life 2 is a marvelous technological achievement. It is beautiful to look at and for the most part enjoyable to play. So why the lousy rating? In one word: Steam. This service is without a doubt the worst thing to ever happen to computer gaming. Implemented as a tool in the war on piracy and as a means of efficient game distribution and praised by such magazines as PC Gamer, Steam is Half Life 2 is a marvelous technological achievement. It is beautiful to look at and for the most part enjoyable to play. So why the lousy rating? In one word: Steam. This service is without a doubt the worst thing to ever happen to computer gaming. Implemented as a tool in the war on piracy and as a means of efficient game distribution and praised by such magazines as PC Gamer, Steam is in reality a bloated, poorly conceived and overly intrusive internet portal whose required installation is used for updating and registering games. If you don't have a broadband connection you can literally spend 4 to 6 hours waiting for this ridiculous process to conclude. Even with broadband the hit or miss nature of the overly complex and unreliable installation procedure may require repeated downloading of large files and that can be particularly painful for those of us with limited bandwith usage restrictions. As a result I no longer buy games made by Valve or ones that use the Steam service for activation purposes. In my opinion this is just another example of corporate insensitivity to its customers and a cynical means by which to maximize its profits.… Expand
  76. AnonymousMC
    Jan 25, 2007
    0
    This game will not perform well at all on my computer. 1.4G Pentium Processor with 1.2G of Ram. I wouldn't waste another dollar on anything this company makes. The steam engine is a joke. If I wanted another browser on my computer I would have downloaded a new one. The steam engine is a resource hog and very unnecessary. Just provide updates for games at your damn website, we willThis game will not perform well at all on my computer. 1.4G Pentium Processor with 1.2G of Ram. I wouldn't waste another dollar on anything this company makes. The steam engine is a joke. If I wanted another browser on my computer I would have downloaded a new one. The steam engine is a resource hog and very unnecessary. Just provide updates for games at your damn website, we will go get them if we want them. Just like the media today, once again we are spoon-fed everything someone else thinks we need. Socialism disguised as Democracy.… Expand
  77. JD
    Jan 24, 2007
    2
    Game play is pretty good, graphics are what i would expect of a game this long in the making. but my biggest gripe is Steam. I hate this program with a passion. It tells me when I can and can't play my own games, it makes me sign in to play my games and if my internet connection is down then I cannot play anything at all! Whoever concocted this idea should be shot. Period.
  78. ShinsFortress
    Jan 20, 2007
    3
    It's good, but not great, and certainly not enough of an evolution from one that is purported to be.
  79. JenjaN.
    Jan 9, 2007
    4
    I played the game and win the hole game, but I didin't like it soo much becuse chapter 4-5 are boring when you only playing around with airboat! and even more boring is 7-9 when you playing with a jeep that's not fun either! but the start was good and the end that's why I gave it 4.
  80. AlS
    Jan 1, 2007
    0
    The last decent game I've played in early '06 was Far Cry. I decided to ask around gaming forums for neat games akin to Far Cry. I was told to get F.E.A.R. and the Half-Life series. F.E.A.R. was an awesome recommendation, bar none. Unfortunately, I feel naive upon spending $60 for the Holiday Half-Life pack. I tried about 15mins. of the original Half-Life and couldn't The last decent game I've played in early '06 was Far Cry. I decided to ask around gaming forums for neat games akin to Far Cry. I was told to get F.E.A.R. and the Half-Life series. F.E.A.R. was an awesome recommendation, bar none. Unfortunately, I feel naive upon spending $60 for the Holiday Half-Life pack. I tried about 15mins. of the original Half-Life and couldn't stomach the graphics. Anyways, I tried Half-Life 2 and I thought the game was getting hung up during loading from escaping the civil police building. I had to do two reboots. I thought if I would re-download the game, maybe some corrupt files would be repaired or what not. Now, I haven't tried it again as of yet. The point of my low rating is this STEAM thing. Firstly, when I pay hard earned money... I do not want to install some 'third party' unknown program onto my computer(-5). Secondly, when I purchase a game... I want all files to be perverbially mine(-2). Thirdly, if I purchase a game... I want the right to have the installation on a separate machine(strickly gaming-no Internet) so I can play regardless of Internet connection or possible connection failure(-2). I am deeply upset about this set-up with STEAM, I had no idea prior and I don't like this what-so-ever(-1). I guess I'm one of many that reviewed the game upset by the STEAM installation. I thought it over and came to the conclusion that it's my right as STEAM is part of the package that I never wanted. As with many game makers, Valve could have joined with GameSpy for online extras. Not all gamers are onliners. Many of us are satisfied and prefer single player games vs dealing with petty drama and idiots over the Internet. All in all, I will not purchase any game that is inbedded with STEAM. STEAM ruined my gaming experience with Half-Life, hence the poor rating. Nice work, Valve... but, the buck stops here.… Expand
  81. MadelineV.
    Nov 28, 2006
    0
    Characters are boring and uninteresting and pretty unattractive. There is no finesse with the weapons like most fps shooters. AI is poor. Storyline isn't too great. Too much physics gimmicks. It's cool at first, gets old very quick and really in most action films or horror, the killing doesn't exactly revolve around this. It's just unrealistic. Despite your so called Characters are boring and uninteresting and pretty unattractive. There is no finesse with the weapons like most fps shooters. AI is poor. Storyline isn't too great. Too much physics gimmicks. It's cool at first, gets old very quick and really in most action films or horror, the killing doesn't exactly revolve around this. It's just unrealistic. Despite your so called cheat free environment, i found cheaters in multiplayer and many people called out the same people I saw cheating. Nothing is done. The unreal 3.0 engine even the 2.5, far exceeds this engine and characters. Who wants to play a 4 eyes ugly dude who never talks anyway? The only thing I liked were a few of the maps though when looking at them closer in the editor, again the unreal editor FAR exceeds this game.… Expand
  82. SheepDip
    Oct 27, 2006
    3
    An average shooter at best. Nice graphics, good texture work and good use of physics...at the start. I'm not sure what everyone loves so much about HL2, and I am left angry and frustrated by the fact it repeatedly gets good scores. The game itself is intensely linear, the playtime is about average for a fps these days, which in my opinion is too short, especially if you're going An average shooter at best. Nice graphics, good texture work and good use of physics...at the start. I'm not sure what everyone loves so much about HL2, and I am left angry and frustrated by the fact it repeatedly gets good scores. The game itself is intensely linear, the playtime is about average for a fps these days, which in my opinion is too short, especially if you're going for the "holding your hand" gameplay, as valve have done. At the start of the game there are some physics puzzles, but they seem to drop the idea after about an hours play. The enemy AI is practically non-existant, that includes the NPC's who "help" you later on. Nothing like any of the video's valve released of combat in late 2003. The weapons in the game also frustrated me. They do little or no damage to the enemies, and any powerful, or accurate weapon is restricted by the fact you can only hold 12 rounds for each (crossbow, magnum). The grenades in the game have a little red light on, and click very loudly making it painfully obvious when one is near you. I do wonder how the combine managed to take over earth using such poor weaponry. Most of the weapons left me with the feeling the player is to always be drawn into always having to engage the enemies at close range. Probably because if you encountered them at range, they'd just run at you and you'd kill them easily. There's a part later on in the game where you have to go down an alley towards a road at the end of the street, naturally there's a sniper watching the street. But, if you thought "Ah, its ok, I'll get out my trusty scoped crossbow and take him down" you would be suprised to find the ONLY way you can defeat this enemy is by manouvering your way up the street, and throwing a grenade into of the window. Again, an example of the "holding your hand" gameplay, and dictating the style of combat. The story too is non-existant, valve decided to go for the overly vague mysterious story, probably because they couldn't be bothered to think of one. My main beef with the game however, is how completely different it is, from what it was supposed to be. A 20 minute video was released at the end of 2003, showing all aspects of the source engine, and gameplay in HL2. Enemy AI ducked to cover, found alternative routes, and did not just run at the player and fire their guns. Friendly AI used cover, moved up and outflanked the enemy. And the area known as Ravenholm was filled with traps and combine, not zombies (something which I believe was introduced into the game just to offer "a scary bit") The whole presentation gave the impression HL2 was going to be something special. Intelligent, variable gameplay. There's nothing new about HL2, it's not realism, and it's not intelligent, in fact to an experience fps player, it's an insult. The source engine is good (even if the game has far too frequent, and too lengthy save & load times), and has enormous potential. Offering nothing upon the original this game seems destined to greatness purely because it is the sequel to one of the best fps ever.… Expand
  83. AnonymousMC
    Aug 25, 2006
    1
    Quite frankly this game is shit... The whole game is a load of boring nonesense mixed with some pretty graphics, its boring, the AI is stupid, where are the marines??? and the combine arent enemies, they just piss you off. Long scenes of driving vehicles and doing nothing. Boring, easy, shit. Nothing compared to hl1
  84. JacekI.
    Aug 5, 2006
    4
    Games are not about graphics and physics engine but fun*. I confirm some oppinions expressed so far - it is tedious, predictible, it is a repetitive sequel. * Compare some desktop java games on www.java.com with HL2 - then it is obvious you do not need realistic graphics, expensive harware and so on to enjoy computer games. That is true that the industry including Valve misses the point.
  85. AnonymousMC
    Jul 16, 2006
    0
    This is a good game dont get me wrong. But what kills this game for me, and makes me want to throw it out the window is, in a word: Steam. Steam kills this game and any other game that uses it. In my opinion Steam is the worst thing to hapen to gaming since E.T. for the atari. Im a Marine who is on deployment right now. I dont make alot of money so it was a choice between picking upThis is a good game dont get me wrong. But what kills this game for me, and makes me want to throw it out the window is, in a word: Steam. Steam kills this game and any other game that uses it. In my opinion Steam is the worst thing to hapen to gaming since E.T. for the atari. Im a Marine who is on deployment right now. I dont make alot of money so it was a choice between picking up F.E.A.R. or Halflife 2. I had played HL 1 and loved it, and only a demo of F.E.A.R. I chose HL 2 and have had a game that i could not play for 4 months because i dont have access to internet on a navy ship. What Valve didnt realize, or just didnt give a .... about what that not everyone has internet. Yes 'most' gammers do, but not 'all'. Also 'most' gamers that i have talked too or seen on forums are angry or scared about what this means for the future of computer gaming. If someone dosnt have internet access he cant play games on his computer? That right there is reason enough for this game to get a 0. Its not like it helps fight piracy, in my eyes it makes it worse. There are cracks for this game everywhere, it took less time to find a crack then to register the game with Steam. Someone like me who has no problem paying for a game and registering it Is forced to go get a crack because he cant get his laptop to an internet source for the hours it takes to do the initial update, but its easy to take a flash drive and get a 30 second download of the crack. Valve has alienated so many gamers with Steam, and agin in my opinion has given pirates a major victory, by forcing someone who would normaly never download a crack to get one just to play the game he bought. Basicly, I will never buy another Valve game after this. They have lost me as a customer and i will recomend to all my friends who come to me for game advise to stay away from this company and any games they make. I shoulda got F.E.A.R.… Expand
  86. KevinT.
    Jul 10, 2006
    0
    Absolute trash, this game is nothing more then your standard made FPS with some flashy graphics and trashy glitchy physics. The AI are horrible, the story is exactly the same as every other "hero" FPS, unlikely hero fights his way to the top with his beautiful cohort and win victory. Give me a break. This games only saving grace are its mods but most of them fall apart or take years Absolute trash, this game is nothing more then your standard made FPS with some flashy graphics and trashy glitchy physics. The AI are horrible, the story is exactly the same as every other "hero" FPS, unlikely hero fights his way to the top with his beautiful cohort and win victory. Give me a break. This games only saving grace are its mods but most of them fall apart or take years before they even come out.… Expand
  87. AnonymousMC
    Jul 3, 2006
    3
    Simply put, I think Half-Life 2 was one of the most over-hyped, over-rated games this year with frequent long load times, which break the flow of the game, over extended vehicle scenes, and the complete LACK of a plot line. I
  88. DevinP.
    Jun 20, 2006
    3
    Demo's awsome but when it comes to technical support, you'd have better luck talking to a brick wall, none of the numbers work if you acually get one. If they do work they point to the website were you get to suffer in agony to find a way to get your god damn cd key to work... thanks valve.
  89. EvanT.
    Jun 14, 2006
    0
    The worst game ever it is all fake and the guns are crap. do not get this game!
  90. CWilson
    Jun 13, 2006
    1
    Brilliant game, until I hit the buggy final two levels. It went from fun entertainment, to annoyance and frustration and anger. It took over 50 relaunches, and numerous saves, just to get anywhere near the end. If the purpose of this product is entertainment, then it is most certainly unfit for purpose!
  91. B.A.
    Jun 4, 2006
    0
    No story happened. You shoot in a tower, then you get a credit roll. The physics was bad. Walk towards a chair, get stuck, then the chair launches across the room. Realism. The gravity gun was cool, but all it did was make people dangle from your crosshair. In unrealistic ways. That's it.
  92. AnonymousMC
    May 30, 2006
    3
    Buy this game for the mods that may or may not come out. The game sucks, but hopefully like Half-Life 1, the mods will be worth it. I bought Half-Life for the mods. Half-Life and as always any farther Half-Life including the not yet released Half-life Episode One (WTF were they thinking, this isn't Star Wars) will suck. If a good mod comes out, then perhaps get this game. If notBuy this game for the mods that may or may not come out. The game sucks, but hopefully like Half-Life 1, the mods will be worth it. I bought Half-Life for the mods. Half-Life and as always any farther Half-Life including the not yet released Half-life Episode One (WTF were they thinking, this isn't Star Wars) will suck. If a good mod comes out, then perhaps get this game. If not don't waste your money. Also EBAY may be cheaper so don't buy inflated prices from greedy untalented developers, k?… Expand
  93. KlausF.
    May 15, 2006
    0
    Let me see I have Half life check installed it check played it nope. The reason why i'm givinh HL2 as zero is because of steam. I'm sure Half life 2 = 10 but steam = minus ten. What kind of a idiots tick people off by making the go through a living hell but never make it to the other side oh yeah Valve ! I mean what were they thinking or not thinking if I get Half life 2 to work Let me see I have Half life check installed it check played it nope. The reason why i'm givinh HL2 as zero is because of steam. I'm sure Half life 2 = 10 but steam = minus ten. What kind of a idiots tick people off by making the go through a living hell but never make it to the other side oh yeah Valve ! I mean what were they thinking or not thinking if I get Half life 2 to work i'll maybe give it a 10.… Expand
  94. AnonymousMC
    May 8, 2006
    1
    The game itself is great! It would even be my favorite of all time, if it weren't for all of the bugs. There are almost 20 pages of help topics on various subjects. My personal problem is that all of the updates hang at 99 percent. I've had more than enough time to try everything discussed in the help topics, some twice.
    What makes this especially annoying, is that it will    The game itself is great! It would even be my favorite of all time, if it weren't for all of the bugs. There are almost 20 pages of help topics on various subjects. My personal problem is that all of the updates hang at 99 percent. I've had more than enough time to try everything discussed in the help topics, some twice.
    What makes this especially annoying, is that it will not let me get past a certain part of the game because of this. I even tried updating the other games include, while my update for HL2 was paused, and they updated with no problem... until they reached 99%, then they stopped. I updated Steam with no problem, to 100%.
    Personally, I will never buy another game with Steam on the box again. Not until they start offering their downloads through other sites like Cnet download or filefront. I've had this game for 3 months and I've only been able to play it for 2 weeks. A complete rip-off and total waste of time.
    It does offer the feature of backing up your files for you (so maybe you could save your progress), but, you guessed it, it won't let you do that because the game isn't updated.
    The good part is, if you do get desperate, you can use the box for toilet paper. I tried using the disk, but I couldn't download anything to it! A game is no good if you can't play it.    … Expand
  95. TimG
    May 7, 2006
    4
    After about 10 minutes the wow wears off. It does not live up to its predecessor, the only redeeming facts are its graphical system and the ending leavings questions and a want to find out what happens next.
  96. AnonymousMC
    May 6, 2006
    1
    Würg...Story is the worst i ever experienced for such an overhyped game. Nice graphics and poor physic with an awful stupid ending dont make this game worth spending the time playing it. Ist nice too; to play a silent hero <--sarcasm. by the way halo2 has a equal stupid ending & story;) everyone please buy this game and help industrie create more borring games with best graphics ever.
  97. LeeCalder
    May 5, 2006
    1
    Tedious. Boring.
  98. MikeA.
    May 5, 2006
    0
    Steam is terrible. Why reconfigure a high end pc to play one game? I wasn't impressed, should've saved the money.
  99. AnonymousMC
    Dec 20, 2005
    0
    Disgusting Half-Life(1) was great and they turned around and made this piece of BS! Everyone seems to just concentrate on Alecs ( correct me if spelled wrong.If the game was more like nIntendo games with the originalaty maby i would of given it a 10 but choice is final.0 out of 5
  100. IanF.
    Oct 20, 2005
    0
    Garbage. What's all the hype about. This game was BORING. The weapons were boring, the enemies were boring, but most of all the story was BORING. The whole game all you do is try to rescue one person or meet up with another person, in very cramped environments. That might've been forgivable if this game was fun or challenging, but the fact of the matter is it isn't. Also, Garbage. What's all the hype about. This game was BORING. The weapons were boring, the enemies were boring, but most of all the story was BORING. The whole game all you do is try to rescue one person or meet up with another person, in very cramped environments. That might've been forgivable if this game was fun or challenging, but the fact of the matter is it isn't. Also, the ending is AWFUL. Could it have been worse? What really happened? it felt like they didn't know how to end it so the developers just took a dump and modeled it after that. Half-life is supposed to be about story and this game had very little. If you want to play a good FPS play Far-Cry (for those of you recommending Doom 3 instead of this pile, I'll have you know that Doom 3 was trash too). Far-Cry had great action, audio, gameplay, and a decent story (not great by any means, but definitely better than this connect the dots junk). If you haven't played it you are doing yourself a great disservice. Far-Cry = 10, half-life 2 = (they don't have negative scores) 0.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 81
  3. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. CPUGamer
    100
    Nothing less than a revolution in the gaming industry that will keep gamers busy for years to come, just as the original did.
    Read full review
  2. Play.tm
    95
    An ephemeral and controversial ending, along with the few issues described above, means that for me, Half-Life 2, while a compelling and highly enjoyable game, falls short of the size of impact that the first title had on the gaming world.
    Read full review
  3. Playboy
    100
    A graphics overhaul delivers detailed facial animations and sophisticated physics that leave battle zones strewn with debris after intense shootouts with shuffling corpses, overfed curstaceans and other assorted foes. [October, p.37]
See all critic reviews »