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. AnonymousMC
    Mar 27, 2006
    10
    This is the absolute best game ever created. Even if the graphics are slightly dated by now, the game is beautiful. The story is awesome, the sound is incredible in the gameplay is just amazing. Anyone who owns a PC that can play HL2 has to buy this game, I will Chuck Norris karate kick you if you don't. Peace out nuks.
  2. AnonymousMC
    Mar 26, 2006
    10
    i gave it a ten, this is my opinion (i'm not just saying it to follow the crowd). I look beyond the fact that steam screwed most of you into giving it a 0, this game had alot of outstanding realism and a great puzzle style of game play but i guess that some of you may be a little to ignorant or dumb to actually spend time playing a game you cant beat in an hour. it deserves a ten andi gave it a ten, this is my opinion (i'm not just saying it to follow the crowd). I look beyond the fact that steam screwed most of you into giving it a 0, this game had alot of outstanding realism and a great puzzle style of game play but i guess that some of you may be a little to ignorant or dumb to actually spend time playing a game you cant beat in an hour. it deserves a ten and you know it so quit acting like its not that great just because it wont work on your PC… Expand
  3. TadL.
    Mar 26, 2006
    10
    Great atmosphere. Innovative use of physics. Fun.
  4. SamJ.
    Mar 26, 2006
    10
    LOVE it!
  5. JoergS.
    Mar 26, 2006
    10
    The best PC game I`ve ever played.
  6. ArthurP.
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    Fantastic; the the best game ever made, I enjoy a lot playing it.
  7. HughM.
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    This is the best game I have ever played.
  8. AnthonyN.
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    Really good game!
  9. RafalK.
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    Best game ever. Source pwnz all.
  10. SeanT.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    This game rocks.
  11. ChristopherH.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    Absolutely the best fps ever released..
  12. KevinK.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    I have yet to see anything come close to the source engine.
  13. MikeB.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    Best game you'll ever play, Valve makes their games worth buying for sure. Everyone owns a copy of it. Keep up the good work Valve
  14. SergeB.
    Mar 24, 2006
    9
    Excellent, HDR excellent, storyline excellent, gameplay and graphics just superb... i guess what's next ey..lol :D
  15. NickP.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    The best game i have ever played. and the best game to date kicking halos ass
  16. GilbertM.
    Feb 22, 2006
    10
    Dune 2. Doom. Command and Conquer. Monkey Island 2. Deus Ex. Every so often a game comes along that redefines the very concept of gaming, that goes beyond "a new benchmark for the genre" to become one of the greatest achievements in the history of the field of sick virtual reality video games. Rise and shine, Mr Freeman, rise and shine. Ignore anyone who's given this game a yellow Dune 2. Doom. Command and Conquer. Monkey Island 2. Deus Ex. Every so often a game comes along that redefines the very concept of gaming, that goes beyond "a new benchmark for the genre" to become one of the greatest achievements in the history of the field of sick virtual reality video games. Rise and shine, Mr Freeman, rise and shine. Ignore anyone who's given this game a yellow score, pour scorn on those who have given it red. This is, quite simply, the best game ever made up to this point. And I'm saying that with 512k of RAM, which makes the key responses occasionally act like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. If you thought the Aliens Vs Predator games were scary...you were right, but ten minutes in Ravenholm and you'll be begging for the chapter to end. The graphics are, of course, to die for - you can turn the detail down and it still looks like Jesus himself created the characters. The voice acting is brilliant - I have to give a quick nod to Valve for the subtitles and closed-captions...finally the deaf can enjoy Half-Life as much as the hearing can. Thanks for that. There is one, only one, downside, and it begins with S. There really is no way around it, but once you've got the game, you can apparently switch Steam off without downloading something claiming to be a crack which actually eats your computer from the inside like a tapeworm - have a look on Google for the tweak. Steam is the archetype of good intentions paving the road to Hell. But I choose not to mark the game down because of the ill-thought out delivery system. Half Life 2 is a landmark. It is to gaming what the Godfather Part II was to film. Wake up and smell the ashes.… Expand
  17. ChrisW.
    Feb 1, 2006
    10
    This is the best game i have ever played. It starts you in a gritty city-without hope kinda scenario and keeps you locked in. The combat is amazing, and it REALLY steps up once you get the gravity gun. I would recommend this game to anyone, and if somone would pass the game up, they should be shot.
  18. ShawnH.
    Jan 20, 2006
    9
    I'm not going to say anything that hasn't already been said, so I'll make it short and sweet. Great graphics, great sound, great game. The gravity gun is tons of fun. My son loved it when I "starfished" Combine soldiers by shooting them straight up in the air and watching them spin like a top. Also, shooting soldiers into energy streams and watching them somersault in slow I'm not going to say anything that hasn't already been said, so I'll make it short and sweet. Great graphics, great sound, great game. The gravity gun is tons of fun. My son loved it when I "starfished" Combine soldiers by shooting them straight up in the air and watching them spin like a top. Also, shooting soldiers into energy streams and watching them somersault in slow motion was endlessly entertaining. The game ran fine on my system, which surprised me considering how detailed the graphics were. The ending was disappointing and was obviously designed to leave the door open for Half-Life 3.… Expand
  19. JonathanC.
    Jan 16, 2006
    10
    Half Life 2 is a great game, but it is in no way the best FPS ever. Friendly AI is poor, as your fellow soldiers will die quickly; ant lions are more effective than humans. There is no sniper rifle (sorry, the crossbow doesn't count) so you end up wasting lots of ammo on enemies at even a medium distance. Even a Halo-style battle rifle would have been nice. There is no compass or Half Life 2 is a great game, but it is in no way the best FPS ever. Friendly AI is poor, as your fellow soldiers will die quickly; ant lions are more effective than humans. There is no sniper rifle (sorry, the crossbow doesn't count) so you end up wasting lots of ammo on enemies at even a medium distance. Even a Halo-style battle rifle would have been nice. There is no compass or map, so you can get disoriented, even though the game is very linear. However, the game does tons of stuff right. Great graphics, great sound. Firefights are varied and fun. Environments are highly detailed and the physics bring it to life like no other game can do (possible exceptions being FEAR and Far Cry). Fun vehicles. Solid characters and thought-provoking story. Overall, a must-play for action fans, and a big bright feather in Valve's cap.… Expand
  20. 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
  21. AndrewB.
    Dec 1, 2005
    9
    Arguably the single most immersive game ever made. The story line was a fabulous continuation of the original and the game managed to use its spectacular physics engine without becoming overly gimmicky. In an article by PC Gamer it was stated that EA was trying to make the citizen cane of gaming, but considering this game i think you need look no further than valve. My one beef with this Arguably the single most immersive game ever made. The story line was a fabulous continuation of the original and the game managed to use its spectacular physics engine without becoming overly gimmicky. In an article by PC Gamer it was stated that EA was trying to make the citizen cane of gaming, but considering this game i think you need look no further than valve. My one beef with this game is that the ending was a complete dissapointment, total cliff hanger.… Expand
  22. AnonymousMC
    Nov 28, 2005
    9
    Even a year after release, no other game has attempted to use physics in such an integral and ingenious way. It excels in every area. It did seem short to me however. Which leads to my complaint.
    The reason for a 9 score is that I really wanted TFC2, just as much as the single-player part. It should've shipped with HL2 instead of CS:S, which I couldn't care less about. I    Even a year after release, no other game has attempted to use physics in such an integral and ingenious way. It excels in every area. It did seem short to me however. Which leads to my complaint.
    The reason for a 9 score is that I really wanted TFC2, just as much as the single-player part. It should've shipped with HL2 instead of CS:S, which I couldn't care less about. I spent more time playing TFC back in the day than any game before or since. Making the sequel a standalone product is unwise, IMO. Valve's generosity has declined over the years it seems.    … Expand
  23. MartyH.
    Nov 15, 2005
    10
    Best FPS ever! Beautiful Graphics, impressive physics, good storyline, brilliant level design, and fun vehicles. Half-Life 2 has it all.
  24. ms
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    Do you know why I give this game a ten..because I played it front to back as much as I could on each difficulty level with as many different stradegies and as many different opinions on how to play as possible. each time proved better than the last..but what I don't understand is..why ones? why twos? why zeros? What is the point to giving a game that obviously has some of the Do you know why I give this game a ten..because I played it front to back as much as I could on each difficulty level with as many different stradegies and as many different opinions on how to play as possible. each time proved better than the last..but what I don't understand is..why ones? why twos? why zeros? What is the point to giving a game that obviously has some of the strongest points in gaming such a low score...I'll tell you why..BIAS! The people who give this game a bad review are either too obsessed with just one FPS (Far Cry, Doom, Quake etc...) or don't like FPS games in the first place. Either that or there are way too many opinions based on positive bias such as those who give it a ten simply because its half-life..both are wrong ways to judge and I can definately say as an all around game fan that this game has earned this 10..do you know why? Because I'm NOT biased..do you think the game critics upstairs are thinking about Doom, Quake, or Far Cry when they give this game a review..absolutely not, which is why they work for their publications! You guys aren't even close to fair or reasonable so get real and actually play the game for all its worth and then we'll see how terrible it is.… Expand
  25. GregW.
    Nov 3, 2005
    9
    Awesome game. Builds on the original in terms of rivalling movies and books in character depth, a story that can enthrall you if you take the time to actually listen to what the AI says (Looking at you Ian F). Why a 9 and not a 10? Linear, although that seems to be par for the course in terms of FPS's (excluding Far Cry), and steam, which although it proved no problem to me, was a Awesome game. Builds on the original in terms of rivalling movies and books in character depth, a story that can enthrall you if you take the time to actually listen to what the AI says (Looking at you Ian F). Why a 9 and not a 10? Linear, although that seems to be par for the course in terms of FPS's (excluding Far Cry), and steam, which although it proved no problem to me, was a pain in the rear for a dial up friend of mine.… Expand
  26. MattN.
    Nov 3, 2005
    8
    There were parts of this game that I thought were brilliant unfortunately these just served to highlight the parts which were substandard. It does have great graphics but they lacked the wow factor of Far Cry or FEAR. The A.I was strictly average more like the A.I in Quake4 (though for some reason in Quake4 this doesn't detract at all from the game) and your own guys do nothing but There were parts of this game that I thought were brilliant unfortunately these just served to highlight the parts which were substandard. It does have great graphics but they lacked the wow factor of Far Cry or FEAR. The A.I was strictly average more like the A.I in Quake4 (though for some reason in Quake4 this doesn't detract at all from the game) and your own guys do nothing but get in your way. The puzzles seemed little pointless and added nothing as they were so simple. I did like the main characters and enjoyed the story overall particularly the last quarter of the game. I didn't experience any technical problems at all with game nor did I have any trouble with steam and apart from initial conatct to set up my steam account and verify my copy was genuine I have never needed a internet connection again to play this game. I didn't love it (it's no Far Cry) but I would definitely recommended it.… Expand
  27. NateW.
    Oct 26, 2005
    10
    This just in: Ian F. is an idiot of epic proportions.
  28. GuillermoS.
    Oct 25, 2005
    10
    An instant classic. One of the best sequels ever made. A perfect recreation of a distopic future. Truly fun to play complete with an interesting story. What else do we need?
  29. 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
  30. BrendanK.
    Oct 14, 2005
    10
    I loved this game - even more than the originial. It has one of the best atmospheres ever, with lots of action and puzzles etc.
  31. AnonymousMC
    Oct 6, 2005
    9
    I love this game - It's got a great atmosphere! I love how even my-non gamer friends watch the opening scenes in silence, drawn into the story.
    It's just a pity that STEAM sucks **so much** The AI didn't bug me to be honest, but, good lord - Steam? why.. why would they do that to us?! 2 days it took me the first time, nowadays a freakin' hour to install... This kind    I love this game - It's got a great atmosphere! I love how even my-non gamer friends watch the opening scenes in silence, drawn into the story.
    It's just a pity that STEAM sucks **so much** The AI didn't bug me to be honest, but, good lord - Steam? why.. why would they do that to us?! 2 days it took me the first time, nowadays a freakin' hour to install... This kind of drawback is UNACCEPTABLE - game developers take note - we won't pay for products with this kind of drawback unless the game itself is REALLY good! It just shows how good the actual *game* part of HL2 really is.    … Expand
  32. PRF
    Sep 29, 2005
    4
    Very Poor AI for a start laughable I am not sold by graphics and or the amazing physics I never have been and never will be. What does catch me is what I have to do and this as with all FPS is the same old collect weapons 1-8 (8 being the best weapon) which you get near the end then be lead around the game although what makes HL2 poor is the restricted linear way it shoved me about. Non Very Poor AI for a start laughable I am not sold by graphics and or the amazing physics I never have been and never will be. What does catch me is what I have to do and this as with all FPS is the same old collect weapons 1-8 (8 being the best weapon) which you get near the end then be lead around the game although what makes HL2 poor is the restricted linear way it shoved me about. Non access to certain map parts that could and would have been interesting if valve coudl have been bothered.… Expand
  33. GiancarloB.
    Sep 26, 2005
    10
    game is the best. o ya and mr Sean War who said "gave it a0: Really repetitive, nothing changes, doesnt come close to doom 3 when it comes to graghics" doom 3 was the worst game ever it was just simply tarible. lacked a story ulike this one. unlike any other sequal to a game this one just blows ur mind away. game is great. the AI is great and the story contines to amaze me.
  34. RoberioM.
    Sep 23, 2005
    10
    Eu não to aqui para falar de Half-Life, só vim aqui para fazer minha visita e deixar o voto pois ninguém vai entender porra nenhuma que eu to falando, é isso ae! Todos que postaram são americanos e gosto muito de deixar eles verem uma língua diferente ! =PP
  35. RamiarH.
    Sep 14, 2005
    10
    Perfect is the right word.
  36. AlanH>
    Sep 9, 2005
    10
    Fantastic game. I've had it installed on my system for a year now, been preoccupied with CounterStrike:S, and finally forced myself to sit down and play it. While I'm typically not all that into FPSs... select few if any, I absolutely loved HL2. Graphics are awesome (ok on my PCI... yes regular PCI vid card, but my 3.4ht makes up for it). Sound is phenomenal. Gameplay is superb. Fantastic game. I've had it installed on my system for a year now, been preoccupied with CounterStrike:S, and finally forced myself to sit down and play it. While I'm typically not all that into FPSs... select few if any, I absolutely loved HL2. Graphics are awesome (ok on my PCI... yes regular PCI vid card, but my 3.4ht makes up for it). Sound is phenomenal. Gameplay is superb. No question about it. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a good game to kill some time on.… Expand
  37. Jogilius
    Aug 29, 2005
    6
    + The Physics Engine. + The beginning. + The last section of the game. - Too much playing with the physics engine. - Trial and error kind of playing at some spots. - Just a dull tunnel run, excluding the beginning and the last parts of the game -> mostly not fun to play. - The game ends just as if the game makers just decided they were too lazy to continue the story. Doom3 has better + The Physics Engine. + The beginning. + The last section of the game. - Too much playing with the physics engine. - Trial and error kind of playing at some spots. - Just a dull tunnel run, excluding the beginning and the last parts of the game -> mostly not fun to play. - The game ends just as if the game makers just decided they were too lazy to continue the story. Doom3 has better action, better graphics, and better atmosphere. HL2 tries to be more than just a thrill-ride, but mostly fails at that, making the game just less enjoyable than Doom3 is.… Expand
  38. SimonV.
    Aug 27, 2005
    10
    Wow! This might be the best game ever made. Everything is the best ever, except for the AI!
  39. DylanC.
    Aug 25, 2005
    9
    This game would get a 10 from me, but for a few things. The ending is one of the worst I've seen in a game. It does nothing that endings are supposed to do (wrap the story up, answer an unanswered question or two, etc). The gameplay, while fun, is quite linear. If you're looking for something like Fallout (or even the GTA line), you won't find it here. The AI is pretty poor This game would get a 10 from me, but for a few things. The ending is one of the worst I've seen in a game. It does nothing that endings are supposed to do (wrap the story up, answer an unanswered question or two, etc). The gameplay, while fun, is quite linear. If you're looking for something like Fallout (or even the GTA line), you won't find it here. The AI is pretty poor as well. Friendlies will pretty much either follow you, or charge the enemy, which means they are either in your way, or dead. Having worked with the mapping software a bit, I can see the enemy AI is only decent if you have a fairly linear level (you know where the player is coming from), and you take plenty of time to set up "cover points" and such. If you don't specify where the NPCs can find cover, they pretty much operate on the same AI level as the friendly NPCs. As for the good parts, there are a good number. As I said, the gameplay, though linear, is very fun. There are a number of weapons that will fit most players' playing styles. The graphics are the peak of current generation games, along with great implementation. The game also works fine on a wide variety of systems. It will run decent on a 5 year old computer, yet can make full use of a new powerhouse computer. As a last note, one of the best parts of the Source (and previously the Half-life) engine is its modability. Through these mods, developers can create a single or multiplayer experience that fixes all the gripes I have about the game, besides the storyline. Overall, I would recommend this game as a "must-buy", as what the game doesn't have out of the box, others can do for it.… Expand
  40. BenG.
    Aug 24, 2005
    10
    This is one of the best games ever. I dont really understand why everone hates steam so much. It didnt cause me any trouble. Even if it did that doesnt make the game any worse.
  41. GregB.
    Aug 18, 2005
    10
    Ok for all of you who gave this zeros because of Steam...you don't deserve to play games. All you do is install it and open an account, if you had problems doing that...games aren't your thing. This games predecessor (HL 1) revolutionized gaming and this one continued with great graphics, huge firefights, and interesting characters and level design. Gameplay was awesome and the Ok for all of you who gave this zeros because of Steam...you don't deserve to play games. All you do is install it and open an account, if you had problems doing that...games aren't your thing. This games predecessor (HL 1) revolutionized gaming and this one continued with great graphics, huge firefights, and interesting characters and level design. Gameplay was awesome and the cliffhanger ending left me waiting for the expansion. A great game all around that kills Doom 3's limited environments and tiny hallway brawls.… Expand
  42. GeorgeM.
    Aug 14, 2005
    10
    Half-Life 2 is the best game ever made. Period. Genius game design.
  43. BobI.
    Aug 1, 2005
    7
    The game is great but it is confusing at times given so little company support. I purchased the game from CompUSA and it came with no manual and a very small player Quick Reference Card. What makes it a great game is the depth of environmental control the player has. You do a lot more than shoot the enemy. You must use your environment to get out of predicaments. Whether it be using The game is great but it is confusing at times given so little company support. I purchased the game from CompUSA and it came with no manual and a very small player Quick Reference Card. What makes it a great game is the depth of environmental control the player has. You do a lot more than shoot the enemy. You must use your environment to get out of predicaments. Whether it be using gravity and pullies to get a ramp to move into place or operating a crane to move your vehicle, there are a variety of problems that go far beyond the shoot-em up experience. Graphics are excellent and play is not bad even on my mid-level system according to game recommendations. The story line is not always clear or even presented in depth but it is there. Battles get intense and require numerous re-loads that are slow at times. The use of Internet connectivity is not clear or explained so installing this on your computer and then registering leaves one feeling anxious about what goes on in the background both when playing and when not playing. As I said before support is weak from my experience. I sent an email to support asking some of these questions and received no reply.… Expand
  44. RyanP.
    Jul 31, 2005
    9
    Excellent game, superb graphics & a great storyline.
  45. SamF.
    Jul 28, 2005
    9
    If You enjoy First Person Shooters then look no further. HL2 Not only has great AI But also has graphics that will make you think its Photorealistic. This is true especially for the Sewer Section that shows off the Water Effects and Ground with such detail it must be seen to be believed. The Only Negative is the installation which can take nearly 3 hours because not only do you have to If You enjoy First Person Shooters then look no further. HL2 Not only has great AI But also has graphics that will make you think its Photorealistic. This is true especially for the Sewer Section that shows off the Water Effects and Ground with such detail it must be seen to be believed. The Only Negative is the installation which can take nearly 3 hours because not only do you have to install 5 CD'S But you must Register through steam, it Must verify the keyCode and Decrypt files and then Update Steam Files and Then Update The Game itself. Valve after getting Burned by its code being stolen has made a foolproof method that almost no one can Get past. Each CD-Key must be Unique and Acompany a unique Screenname. This info is sent to Steam and if both are new it will Decript the game for play. This makes it Impossible to sell/buy a used Title. once you get past installation you will be rewarded witha great FPS that has all the fun of the First game with Much Better Graphics and Physics. A must have for any Fan.… Expand
  46. MayankB.
    Jul 27, 2005
    10
    It's a great game and it has all the things a good game requires.
  47. Lars
    Jul 22, 2005
    10
    Adam is a *****. "Yes, i was blown away by the game, but i give it a Zero because i don't like steam." I think youre supposed to rate the game, not the installation process.
  48. AdamH.
    Jul 7, 2005
    0
    From the moment that i heard this game was coming out, i had waited in great anticipation. I bought the game and tried to install it but I couln't play it because of stupid steam. All my hopes were crushed because of STEAM. It took me months to finally get steam working, but when i was finally able to play HL2, it blew me away. It's too bad though, because i would've given From the moment that i heard this game was coming out, i had waited in great anticipation. I bought the game and tried to install it but I couln't play it because of stupid steam. All my hopes were crushed because of STEAM. It took me months to finally get steam working, but when i was finally able to play HL2, it blew me away. It's too bad though, because i would've given this game a 10 if it werent for steam. I hate steam so much!!!… Expand
  49. Jonny
    Jul 2, 2005
    10
    This game has great physics and everything. best game in the world!
  50. JoeD.
    Jun 27, 2005
    7
    I don't know why people are so enamoured with this game. It definitely is not worth 10. Why? Far too linear. There is hardly any reply value. The game isn't that much different to Doom 3 gameplay wise. Just has better scripted events, more varied enemies and slightly better AI. Why couldn't Valve spend more of their time developing superior AI? The enemy AI is below average I don't know why people are so enamoured with this game. It definitely is not worth 10. Why? Far too linear. There is hardly any reply value. The game isn't that much different to Doom 3 gameplay wise. Just has better scripted events, more varied enemies and slightly better AI. Why couldn't Valve spend more of their time developing superior AI? The enemy AI is below average at best, no where near as smart as the AI in Halo 1/2 or Far Cry. The graphics are great, although Doom 3 still looks better. The story needed more work, it's still all too shrouded. WIth games as linear as this the story has to be very strong, and it's just too weak and vague here. Real shame, this could have been outstanding, especially with the engine used. The whole experience, even despite some very memorable moments, was for me a little empty once i'd completed the game.… Expand
  51. CaseyC.
    Jun 21, 2005
    8
    This was a great game and was a worthy sequal to the original. Playing the game was like watching an epic movie, with its awesome action sequences...but the bad was also that, It is way to linear. Everythings else is fine, especially if you have a top notch PC. Steam, ugg, don't get me started. If your have dial up, youll be spending all day getting it started. I just wish it was This was a great game and was a worthy sequal to the original. Playing the game was like watching an epic movie, with its awesome action sequences...but the bad was also that, It is way to linear. Everythings else is fine, especially if you have a top notch PC. Steam, ugg, don't get me started. If your have dial up, youll be spending all day getting it started. I just wish it was longer, it took Valve 8 years to make this game and it is just as long, if not SHORTER than Half Life1 which took just one or two. This is a great game and i highly reccomend it. It isn't the greatest game of all time though, In my opinion i think Far Cry is much better. But if your a PC gamer, get this game alongside with FarCry and Doom3 and have an ultimate Gaming marathon :)… Expand
  52. JulienC.
    Jun 18, 2005
    9
    Unbelievable, the ultimate video game experience, almost perfect. These game designers understood what a video game should be.
  53. MichaelV.
    Jun 10, 2005
    10
    Hideto M. your just being negative! but seriously this is a great game and it deserves its praise. Just because everyone says this game is great doesnt make us all conformist a$$holes maybe it just means this is a great game. The first game was not over rated and did deserve its praise. Thanks to Half-Life we are not playing mindless corridor shooters. Go ahead and say we are mindless and Hideto M. your just being negative! but seriously this is a great game and it deserves its praise. Just because everyone says this game is great doesnt make us all conformist a$$holes maybe it just means this is a great game. The first game was not over rated and did deserve its praise. Thanks to Half-Life we are not playing mindless corridor shooters. Go ahead and say we are mindless and have no opinions but i have more people to back me up that this is a great game than you do.… Expand
  54. TelyS.
    Jun 6, 2005
    10
    I've been playing games hardcore on all platforms since the Atari 2600. Half-Life 2 is the absolute pinnacle gaming has ever produced. It's lightyears ahead of the competition in all aspects of it's design. To the haters, a question. If you don't like Half-Life 2, what games DO you like?
  55. ChuckH.
    May 19, 2005
    10
    This is the greatest game I have ever had the pleasure to play. Simple as that. Can't wait for the expansion pack.
  56. G.Miller
    May 10, 2005
    10
    A response to Mr. Hideto, who claims this game is no good, and that all evaluators of this game are somehow stupid and/or mindless clones who cannot make up their own minds: your "intellectual" smugness is entirely annoying. Please don't preach to us about human nature: there is more human nature in Half-Life 2 than your entire diatribe. Your philosophy that "it doesn' t make A response to Mr. Hideto, who claims this game is no good, and that all evaluators of this game are somehow stupid and/or mindless clones who cannot make up their own minds: your "intellectual" smugness is entirely annoying. Please don't preach to us about human nature: there is more human nature in Half-Life 2 than your entire diatribe. Your philosophy that "it doesn' t make sense that everyone agrees on something, does it now," is entirely idiotic, for not everyone agrees. And I really doubt that game-playing critics must go to other magazines for their own scorings. Thank you for your dumb post. Oh, by the way, everyone else: buy the game. It is excellent.… Expand
  57. RichH.
    May 9, 2005
    10
    How's this for a noncommital evaluation? I understand the hype and I understand the negative reaction to the hype. No, seriously, I give it a "10" because it's the most immersive game I've ever played, and that state is achieved by an incredible attention to detail. It's like you're right there in the scene and I don't know of any other game that can truly How's this for a noncommital evaluation? I understand the hype and I understand the negative reaction to the hype. No, seriously, I give it a "10" because it's the most immersive game I've ever played, and that state is achieved by an incredible attention to detail. It's like you're right there in the scene and I don't know of any other game that can truly make that claim (yes, I know there are some that *say* they can, but IMO they can't). I do have some reservations about the much-praised facial contortions--for the most part these are great, but there're some lapses. Dr. Breen is a good example. His facial expressions/gestures and voice don't quite synch up. Robert Culp's a great choice to voice unctuousness, though--I get such a kick listening to his oily voice on the various broadcasts and then, when I can't take it any more, using the Ggun to rip the console out of the wall and smash it. Apart from that, people have rightly faulted the so-called helpers (including the antlions, post-"Highway 17") and their annoying habit of getting in your way. People have also complained about the ending. I admit at first I didn't care much for it ("cheesy" was my initial reaction) but replaying "Benefactors" and "Dark Energy" together, I find the sinister atmosphere of the Citadel has kind of grown on me. The only thing about that last part I didn't like is having to rely for most of the time only on the Enhanced GravityGun. The fun of HL2 (as in HL1, only not as much) is weapon swapping, discovering to your delight that you forgot, say, that the crossbow could do so much long-range damage or that the best weapon against fast-moving zombies is sometimes the good old crowbar. In the last two levels, it's just blast, suck stuff up, and/or throw it. It gets old, quickly. All around, this game has significantly upped the standards we expect of FPSers and everyone, even those who aren't impressed with the game, should be thankful for that.… Expand
  58. CraigS.
    May 9, 2005
    8
    Took over an hour to install Steam and the Game even with broadband. Runs fine and looks amazing. Load times ruin immersion factor - these were a shock considering the pre-cached insta-loads from the original HL. Game play is almost too easy - on normal diffiuculy, I've died twice! AI not too challenging. While the game is entertaining, and the physicis are sweet, there is little in Took over an hour to install Steam and the Game even with broadband. Runs fine and looks amazing. Load times ruin immersion factor - these were a shock considering the pre-cached insta-loads from the original HL. Game play is almost too easy - on normal diffiuculy, I've died twice! AI not too challenging. While the game is entertaining, and the physicis are sweet, there is little in the gameplay that we haven't seen in NOLF or even thr original Halo. Gameplay and movement are very similar to the original - No real awe-inspiring moments, like the first time I left the ship in Unreal to see an open valley and waterfall, or the Normandy beach landing in MOA. This is a good game, but I think it's somewhat over-rated. I expected more after 7 years development.… Expand
  59. DavidG.
    May 4, 2005
    9
    Uses multi-sensory techniques to immerse you in a virtual world. Audio in particular is awesome. Maybe not a real challenge compared to some killer FPS, but probably better at RPG simulation for those who like living in an alternate reality--though it is linear, so don't expect to create your own story. Another little annoyance is the game's broken into relatively small bits Uses multi-sensory techniques to immerse you in a virtual world. Audio in particular is awesome. Maybe not a real challenge compared to some killer FPS, but probably better at RPG simulation for those who like living in an alternate reality--though it is linear, so don't expect to create your own story. Another little annoyance is the game's broken into relatively small bits with load times between them. With no cut scenes to chew on, waiting a few seconds for loads is a shruggable offense. As for peeps other complaints: I use DSL to connect to the Internet and haven't had any problems so far with Steam, I loaded the game from DVD in about ten minutes, and I haven't seen any real bugs or evidence of bad programming.… Expand
  60. HidetoM.
    Apr 30, 2005
    1
    Over Rated, but hey so was the first one, no surprise here. And all the 10's are no surprise either. It's human nature to simply mindlessly follow the crowd( trust me you had your 'opinion' way before you played this game ). Saying it's 'amazing' and "the best game ever made" is simply proving my point, you cannot explain it with arguments that stand. Oh Over Rated, but hey so was the first one, no surprise here. And all the 10's are no surprise either. It's human nature to simply mindlessly follow the crowd( trust me you had your 'opinion' way before you played this game ). Saying it's 'amazing' and "the best game ever made" is simply proving my point, you cannot explain it with arguments that stand. Oh and please do say that I'm a turd and just being negative for I am. Too much budget does silly things to people who were able to develop a pretty good game the first time around( or film, The Matrix anyone? ). And all the big gaming sites and mags..what can I say, does anyone of them ever give a rating that hasn't been given by the next site or magazine considering the big titles? Go right ahead and check it out, it doesn't make sense that everyone agrees on something, does it now. I can go on for a little while on why and how but I won't. And I believe it's time again for some biased posts now.… Expand
  61. TimN.
    Apr 29, 2005
    10
    Amazing graphics and imersion. Easily the best looking FPS of all time. Also comes with Counter-Strike: Source...it's like getting two grade A games in one!
  62. WadeS.
    Apr 26, 2005
    10
    Easily the best FPS ever made and perhaps one of the greatest games ever made.
  63. CharlieW.
    Apr 24, 2005
    8
    I have to part-way agree with Mister B. This game's graphics and effects are amazing, but the gameplay's innerworkings are lacking... at best. I was blown away when I first started playing it, but my disappointment mounted when I reached the third level. You spend an hour driving around on a stupid bike solving incredibly dumb puzzles. Yes, Ravenholme won me back for an hour, I have to part-way agree with Mister B. This game's graphics and effects are amazing, but the gameplay's innerworkings are lacking... at best. I was blown away when I first started playing it, but my disappointment mounted when I reached the third level. You spend an hour driving around on a stupid bike solving incredibly dumb puzzles. Yes, Ravenholme won me back for an hour, but no more, no less. Really, if you are going to choose between this 50 - 80 dollar game and the 20 dollar original Half-Life package, go with the original Half-Life. It is defenitely better. Trust me.… Expand
  64. MisterB.
    Apr 22, 2005
    5
    Excellent design and graphics but the game underneath is empty. I remember the original game was completely linear but it didn't show. Here however, the combination of very easy gameplay [I died literally five times in the whole game] and the simple fact that other games have moved on show up the rail roaded nature of the game in blazing light. It's pretty dull, take away the Excellent design and graphics but the game underneath is empty. I remember the original game was completely linear but it didn't show. Here however, the combination of very easy gameplay [I died literally five times in the whole game] and the simple fact that other games have moved on show up the rail roaded nature of the game in blazing light. It's pretty dull, take away the physics [which are never really used beyond gimmicks and simple tricks], and you left with a shell of a game. One way to go, one way to get there and nothing very interesting happening on the way. Compared to Far Cry, with it's massive levels, cunning AI [as opposed to scripted] and open ended approach to completing goals, this is just a pretty throwback.… Expand
  65. JethroI.
    Apr 11, 2005
    10
    This game is great.
  66. J.Riekkinen
    Apr 8, 2005
    9
    Truly a great game. The atmospere is stunning, voices and music are nice, storyline's fascinating, graphics are amazing and the physichs best ever seen, and they're used well to bring us some logical puzzles. But it has some flaws. The long loading pauses are bigger problem than you might think - they split the gaming into too small pieces. Also, though most weapons are great, Truly a great game. The atmospere is stunning, voices and music are nice, storyline's fascinating, graphics are amazing and the physichs best ever seen, and they're used well to bring us some logical puzzles. But it has some flaws. The long loading pauses are bigger problem than you might think - they split the gaming into too small pieces. Also, though most weapons are great, some, for example the Overwatch Pulse Rifle, aren't that good.… Expand
  67. KevB.
    Apr 7, 2005
    10
    BEST GAME EVER! game of the year X ten! it is soo good! the final boss rocked big time! the weapons are all so cool!
  68. ThomasW.
    Mar 29, 2005
    10
    This game is awesome, the plot, graphics, steam is good, the engine, the ai is good despite what people say (just cos they have it on easy) the gravity gun, musides is wrong it isnt almost impossible to die etc etc.
  69. Dave
    Mar 26, 2005
    10
    An amazing game all-around, great physics great ai AMAZING graphics and an interesting and fun storyline.
  70. ChrisN.
    Mar 26, 2005
    10
    Well, I would just like to say to all you who complain about steam and how you have to set up an account to play... On the box it says internet connections REQUIRED, that means you need it, deal with it, if you don't like it dont buy the game.... The physics are amazing, the games storyline is linear, but thats how it should be, its not GTA nor should it be, Half-Life 2 is less than Well, I would just like to say to all you who complain about steam and how you have to set up an account to play... On the box it says internet connections REQUIRED, that means you need it, deal with it, if you don't like it dont buy the game.... The physics are amazing, the games storyline is linear, but thats how it should be, its not GTA nor should it be, Half-Life 2 is less than a challenge than Half-Life 1, when half-life 1 came out first person shooters weren't challenging and there werent that many good ones... if you look now there is a plethora of shooters and we have all become accustomed to them... Try playing Half-Life 1 again... I did before Half-Life 2 came out and it wasn't half the challenge that it was when i first tried it, we have just gotten too accustomed to them... Now concerning steam and the processes that we had to go through to play... Plain and simple; would you like to put six years of your life into a game, perfecting, working, develloping a game that is in all ways a master piece to have it stolen mby some college grad with a computer steal it, use it, play it without ever playing? does that sound just to you? Also as to the AI? on hard the ai is very smart, i once popped out a door, then saw four or five CP soldiers and a strider, then ran back inside and waited for them to come and attack me... one ran through the door.... shotgun to the head! I expected more to come through pop 'em off one by one, not going to happen... a nade comes through... i jumped behind a table that flew into me and hurt me... then again i waited.. the strider crouched down and looked into the doorway charged its beam and fired! its was impressive i closed the door and blocked it up with a few tables and the cps tried to break down the door they couldnt! they smashed the window and started to shoot me they lobbed grenades etc! this was NOT SCRIPTED!!! i tried it more than once... it happened differenly each time (including one time that then shot the boxes to break them and then kicked open the door,) Ok, last thing... i think people who say that the phsysics are stupid and that there are games with better graphics than Half-Life 2, Ok you are on crack... or have been hit in the head one too many times with a real crowbar... There is no game that can compare.... Far cry? Lol yah... right I own that game.. I have beaten it but the game doesnt have anything going for it other than a fun gameplay... its mediocre graphics wise.… Expand
  71. Musides
    Mar 24, 2005
    8
    The difficulty levels are poor, even on hard the game is very easy, and it is almost impossible to die. The game progress is entirely linear, no variation on game play is possible, and as usual in Half Life, you really have no idea *why* you are walking forward, just that you need to in order to play the game. Graphics, etc, are all great, of course.
  72. Giovanni
    Mar 23, 2005
    9
    Its a great game but too overhyped, there are better games in terms of gameplay that still offer scripted storyline like far cry. The use of physics is a great addition and the graphics are fantastic, the AI is not so good. Overall a great game worth playing and buying but not as perfect as the reviewers say.
  73. BryanN.
    Mar 16, 2005
    5
    Okay...The graphics are nice, and the environment and effects are amazing, you can break a box into 2 pieces, and then 4 and 8,16...yeah whatever. However, Stream is a BIG problem, and the a.i sucks man, often, the a.i doesn't do what they are supposed to do, and when that happens, you are unable to complete the game.
  74. Warmonger
    Feb 28, 2005
    9
    Great game,truly an experience in itself,there was only one thing that I did not like about the game. (besides steam that is)This may sound trivial but I absolutely hated the rocket launcher!! this has got to be the worst weapon that I've ever see, in any game!! please lose this weapon for the follow up!!
  75. F.for
    Feb 28, 2005
    10
    Wtf stop bitching here, everyone knows pros and cons, not everyone has money to buy all games and appreciate it, so they buy and play hype games like this and I can see many ppl enjoy HL2. I am one of them. There is no use bitching. Who knows how difficult to build an engine and create models with a limiting budget? How much can a game return? as much as blockbuster? HL2 sacrifice some ofWtf stop bitching here, everyone knows pros and cons, not everyone has money to buy all games and appreciate it, so they buy and play hype games like this and I can see many ppl enjoy HL2. I am one of them. There is no use bitching. Who knows how difficult to build an engine and create models with a limiting budget? How much can a game return? as much as blockbuster? HL2 sacrifice some of good features it had in HL1 for better graphic and physics engine. Anyway they managed to do meet its hype though there are many ways they can do it better. Halo 2 beat HL2 commercially, but if u look at what Halo 2 did after 3 years of making and Valve building their own engine from scratches in nearly 5-6 years, u can see clearly the passion behind the valve. Yup Steam sucks, it is mostly because they got hacked once.… Expand
  76. ZygoffW.
    Feb 27, 2005
    9
    Overall a great game with a few minor quirks that hold it back. While a great idea, Steam is more of a hassle than it really should be. The game itself is far too short and could use a more diverse cast of enemies.
  77. NickL.
    Feb 24, 2005
    9
    Very good graphics compared to the first one very intense a little to gorey for me butt uther than that it is a good game get it.
  78. Chris
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    This might be a great game, but I will never know. I gave up after spending over 6 hours trying to install it. Steam was more than just a little irritating to me.
  79. Alex
    Feb 18, 2005
    9
    Man... if there was a 9.5 rating... incredible game, Half-Life. its not really ment to be any sort of a horror/thriller game, but there are a few jumpy moments throughout. sweet gameplay, smart-AI, and smooth graphics are just icing on the metaphrical-super-delectable cake. the only problems i could find are the numerous (and often annoying) loading times, the 5-CD install, and Steam.
  80. K-van
    Feb 17, 2005
    8
    A great technical achievement. But you've all heard the good, so here's the bad: Unfortunately HL2 lacks the challenge presented by its predecessor. Health power ups were available at every turn, which eliminated the need for any serious kind of FPS tactics (even on hard)...simply run, gun, and heal yourself. Ammo was extremely plentiful as well. This was a shame since limiting A great technical achievement. But you've all heard the good, so here's the bad: Unfortunately HL2 lacks the challenge presented by its predecessor. Health power ups were available at every turn, which eliminated the need for any serious kind of FPS tactics (even on hard)...simply run, gun, and heal yourself. Ammo was extremely plentiful as well. This was a shame since limiting the ammo would have forced players to use the gravity gun more. Instead the grav gun felt more like a gimmic. The vehicles were cool for the most part, however the airship level was too long. It's hard for me to say this but I was actually bored at that point. Overall HL2 is a game of amazing moments strung together by mediocre ones.… Expand
  81. Philter137
    Feb 17, 2005
    9
    An artistcally brillant game! The content is excellent! The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is due to the irritating installation process and the steam application that HL2 requires to run.
  82. NicoleM.
    Feb 16, 2005
    10
    This game is better than chocolate.
  83. SeanT.
    Feb 13, 2005
    10
    This game rocks.
  84. MatthijsM.
    Feb 8, 2005
    6
    I don't get what makes people get turned on from this game. So many promises but nothing actually came true. - Totally usable environment (picking up a few wooden cabins?) - Great AI (the stupidest AI from bots ever...) - Briliant Graphics (Seen better on lots of games) The game is not worth the money, HalfLife 1 still is a classic which had lots of good moments but to me Half Life 2 I don't get what makes people get turned on from this game. So many promises but nothing actually came true. - Totally usable environment (picking up a few wooden cabins?) - Great AI (the stupidest AI from bots ever...) - Briliant Graphics (Seen better on lots of games) The game is not worth the money, HalfLife 1 still is a classic which had lots of good moments but to me Half Life 2 is just a disgrace to the first part. Thats what the 6 is for.… Expand
  85. MikeL.
    Feb 6, 2005
    9
    The only reason I don't rate it a 10 is that I don't know what the "perfect" game is. This is an awesome game that thrusts you into another world. The realism is uncanny. I turn off all the lights in the "computer room" and slip into Gordon Freeman's body. What a rush! Those galloping ghouls that debut in Ravenholm will freak you out! The situations that you find yourself The only reason I don't rate it a 10 is that I don't know what the "perfect" game is. This is an awesome game that thrusts you into another world. The realism is uncanny. I turn off all the lights in the "computer room" and slip into Gordon Freeman's body. What a rush! Those galloping ghouls that debut in Ravenholm will freak you out! The situations that you find yourself in often require you to stop, take stock of your surroundings, and figure out how to think your way out of the dilemma. I wish I could erase my memory and play it anew over and over again.… Expand
  86. WilliamR.
    Feb 3, 2005
    10
    Rarely does a mega-hyped game live up to it's hype. Half-Life 2 was perhaps the most hyped game of all time. And if anything, it exceded the hype, and indeed all expectations.
  87. AB
    Feb 1, 2005
    10
    To describe how amazing this game is would be as hard as letting go of it. The graphics are incredible, the sound is perfect, and (most importantly) the gameplay is superb. Plus, you can use a gravity gun to throw babies at people. It doesn't get much better than this. Oh, wait a minute. Yes, it does. You can also make cars fall on enemies. And when the mods come out it may get EVEN To describe how amazing this game is would be as hard as letting go of it. The graphics are incredible, the sound is perfect, and (most importantly) the gameplay is superb. Plus, you can use a gravity gun to throw babies at people. It doesn't get much better than this. Oh, wait a minute. Yes, it does. You can also make cars fall on enemies. And when the mods come out it may get EVEN better (if that's possible).… Expand
  88. Mike
    Jan 31, 2005
    8
    I expected aliitle more from Half life 2, didnt like that the game was so linear. Other than that. Very good.
  89. MichaelR.
    Jan 30, 2005
    10
    This really is one of the finest games I've played in a while, and is amazing scalable. I can play it just fine at 1024x768 on a Radeon 9600SE.
  90. Rafael
    Jan 25, 2005
    10
    I´ve been playing this game only for a few hours but it´s enough for me to say that this is probably the best first person shooter game i ever played. I can´t wait for the day when they will release some kind of computer glases so you´ll be totally inside of a 3D game. This game is awesome!!!
  91. GregA.
    Jan 24, 2005
    9
    HL2 is a great game so I'll get the little annoyances out the road now. Having to go online each time is a pain, fortunately I now have broadband but could not imagine how annoying it would have to be to be on dial up. But the pirates are the only ones to blame...so blame them! Secondly I have a pretty good PC @ 2.1 Ghz, 512 RAM and a Radeon 9600XT...something I would call "middle HL2 is a great game so I'll get the little annoyances out the road now. Having to go online each time is a pain, fortunately I now have broadband but could not imagine how annoying it would have to be to be on dial up. But the pirates are the only ones to blame...so blame them! Secondly I have a pretty good PC @ 2.1 Ghz, 512 RAM and a Radeon 9600XT...something I would call "middle ground" and yet it took ages to load and save that it did take the fun out of the moment. I'll also say that I played it on the hardest setting yet there were very few occasions when I had to scavenge for ammo or health, there always seemed to be enough if you were prepared to look for it. Yes the game is linear but its a story and I can't imagine how (or why) you would want to play it with full freedom, it would just take too long. There is one scene where you need to find two batteries in order to open a barricade. As a test I used the gravity gun to eject a battery over the cliff face - I turned around and saw another battery fall out of thin air back to its original spot...so bascially you can't just do anything you want otherwise the game wouldn't progress. Speaking of which, the gravity gun was an ingenious inclusion in the game, it just made yet another FPS a lot more interesting. Moving tables about to shield yourself, or throwing petrol drums at guards was pretty cool in my books. Not as great as the original but it was a solid game with lovely gameplay and worth every cent.… Expand
  92. WillP.
    Jan 21, 2005
    10
    The Ability of the user to affect almost everything around him, when mixed with the imaginative and stunning weaponry make for pure excellence. The in-game water effects are simply stellar.
  93. KeshR.
    Jan 21, 2005
    8
    I have heard complaints about two aspects in particular. Firslty, steam is a pain. Secondly, the game is too linear. So lets deal with this. On steam, its a pain, and in my opinion, for good reason. Piracy and illegal downloading is rife and while we may secretly indulge in a spot of less than legal activities when it comes to digital copyrights, we have to respect the concerns of the I have heard complaints about two aspects in particular. Firslty, steam is a pain. Secondly, the game is too linear. So lets deal with this. On steam, its a pain, and in my opinion, for good reason. Piracy and illegal downloading is rife and while we may secretly indulge in a spot of less than legal activities when it comes to digital copyrights, we have to respect the concerns of the company. Why should they put up with people stealing their game? The system needs to be cleaned up true, but it is necessary. And personally I haven't found steam to be too troublesome. But the biggest potential criticism is the linear gameplay. Now there are two types of FPS out there really. There are those that are simply linear, and there are those that try to provide the player with freedom. Now personally I fidn that freedom of choice in games is an illusion in most cases, unless we are only talking about what type of weapon etc. In most cases your path is already determined, and only the storyline is affected. But if this is a big issue for you then you won't like HL2 And the fact is that you should already know this. The whole point of HL is to provide a movie like experience. There is a trade off between scirpting and freedom of gameplay. To make the whole thing more movie like, scritping is needed, otherwise the environment will become static. This comes at the cost of raw freedom of movement etc. Given that HL2 is full of scripting, the complaint that there isnt any freedom appears to be valid. But is it a problem? When you watch a movie, do you complain that you can't control the main character? This is how you should view HL2 for maximum enjoyment: you have the priviledge of being the main character in an amazing film. This is what HL1 did and unsurprisingly this is what HL2 does. To change it into some sort of free-roaming game would change the essense of the game, and no one would like that. The second argument against non-linear gameplay is that it increases the workload of the developers dramatically, so they have to cut down on the total length of the game. Now in my opinion HL2 is already too short, so anything less than this would reduce my score greatly. As for other smaller criticisms I have heard, most were minor gripe, but one in particular annoyed me. It seems some poeple are disappointed with the character expressions. This is incredibly unfair if you just comapre HL2's characters to what you find in other games, where developers have spent more time getting the exact way that people die right than the way people talk. I have given the game a score of 8, due to the short length, but if by the time you read this there is sufficient mod support, feel free to consider the score a 9 or even a 10, depending on the strength of the mods.… Expand
  94. SteveJ.
    Jan 19, 2005
    7
    The Steam set up is so annoying for anyone on a modem that I'll never buy another Valve/Steam product again. For the game, if you're lucky enough to get it running, it is beautifully done as far as the environment goes. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are the best out there, except for Far Cry. (Make sure you have a fast GPU) I found the game to work well and to be The Steam set up is so annoying for anyone on a modem that I'll never buy another Valve/Steam product again. For the game, if you're lucky enough to get it running, it is beautifully done as far as the environment goes. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are the best out there, except for Far Cry. (Make sure you have a fast GPU) I found the game to work well and to be enjoyable. The story line was good too. Overall I enjoyed this game, but feel the overhyped accolades by most review sites are caused by their fear of not fitting in. The game falls flat on the absolute linearity of the gameplay. There's only one way to go. It is so well done that I didn't mind it for the most part, but there is really no ingenuity involved to play the game. You just slog from one sequence to another. Still a pretty good game that would be much better without Steam.… Expand
  95. RK
    Jan 17, 2005
    6
    Facial twitches alone don't make for a good game. I can't believe this game's getting such good reviews. We waited for HOW long for this game, and this is what they come up with? Technically, it's got good graphics and a physics engine and all that stuff. Like any id game. If you're going to blast id games for being shallow, then HL2 should get blasted as well. Facial twitches alone don't make for a good game. I can't believe this game's getting such good reviews. We waited for HOW long for this game, and this is what they come up with? Technically, it's got good graphics and a physics engine and all that stuff. Like any id game. If you're going to blast id games for being shallow, then HL2 should get blasted as well. The single player is nothing more than a tech demo. Wow, Steam is great. Now get back to work on actual games. The game is overly scripted, with little to no creativity allowed in how you decide to play the game. Games like Far Cry at least partially allowed you to explore other ways of getting your mission accomplished. The feel of the game is simply hollow. You have an environment that you can interact with, but most of the time, do nothing with except solve a few rather simpleminded puzzles. Even with the AI companions it feels lifeless. It's really like playing an unfinished alpha of a game. Games like Max Payne feel much more lifelike with a storyline (yes, storyline) woven in with the gameplay. With HL2, you're not really building up any decent plot, not meeting new characters (with any sort of frequency that break what seem to be incredibly long dry spells of unimaginative gameplay), or even building up your suit or weapons. You feel like you are, quite literally, just shuffling yourself from Point A to Point B for most of the game. There are other games that deserve a 97. Half-Life 2 isn't one of them. Not even close.… Expand
  96. DanielC.
    Jan 14, 2005
    7
    A good game, although only just average to today's standards. The excellent physics engine and awesome pixel shader effects make this game a real treat to play, but the overly-scripted events, insufficient AI, and bad plot ruin the overall experience. Having been spoiled by Far Cry, Call of Duty, Doom 3 and other shooters I can only give this game a score of 7.
  97. RobinH.
    Jan 14, 2005
    10
    A 'must have' for the serious gamer. The Steam setup procedure is somewhat annoying but understandable - I would like all games to adopt a similar procedure to stamp out ' software theft'
  98. DaBomb
    Jan 13, 2005
    10
    Solid singleplayer game - the graphics are amazing. Storyline is a little lame but who really plays these things for the plot? Anyhow, the free Deathmatch addon is incredible. and makes an 8/10 single player game a perfect 10!
  99. Cheese
    Jan 11, 2005
    10
    HL2 is the best pc game to date.... it eats up DOOM 3 and there is just so much to do in the game... if u have a pc.. u should have this game.
  100. JaneDoe
    Jan 9, 2005
    7
    Overrated. Can't compare with Far Cry, Deus Ex, Call of Duty, or Medal of Honor.
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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

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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.
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  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]
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