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. Basem101
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    i personally think that half life 2 is the most overrated game of all time i can't see anything special about this game you're running from soldiers hitting some soldiers killing zombies and that's it the story is not good as it seems and the protagonist is so boring he never says a word the entire game in the end it isn't bad but it doesn't deserve all that hype about it
  2. a9249
    Mar 29, 2013
    7
    I do not understand why this game is getting such praise. It is middle of the road in terms of game play; It is a shooter. At this point, it has been done and there is not much else you can do to improve upon it. At least I have not seen that much yet. The story is good, granted, but I feel it could be better... And the ending feels like it ran out of money half way. 7 at best.
  3. starlight12
    Jun 27, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm very disappointing.

    Yes, this is a good FPS, it will entertain you.
    You will kill aliens and gards of city 17 with the greatest hero of video game, he shots and that's all.
    He never talks a word, or something, just follow his friends to save the world.
    You will like the world where you evoluate and the alliens jumps and attack you with suprise, I was scary.
    And for a lot of hours, you will like that, but take episode 1 and 2, because the end of the game isn't the "real" end.

    I like this but, I'm amaze of the Half life 2's reward. All gamers say "Best game of the decade" and ultra-fanboys say "Best game ever of all times for the centuries to the centuries".
    I love half life 2 but I didn't see something of marking.

    Maybe it's me and my tastes of sh**
    Maybe the game undergo the old age, the evolution of FPS, and that's not "actual"
    Maybe the game was overestimates since its sold.
    Maybe the game is always overestimates.
    I don't know.

    For conclusion. Yes, you will enjoy for 15h hours the pleasure to control "the Freman" and kill ennemies, with difficulties for many times (congratulations to striders).

    And maybe you will join the anothers gamers for say "This is the most experience gaming of the world".

    Or you should can say "What the hell No multi No openworlds A lot of sh**"

    Or you will think like me "Maybe I miss something, or the game takes 9 years, or another reason but I don't receiveid the best experience ever.
    But I enjoy this game and Freeman accomplished the first objective of a game entertain the gamers. And thanks for this Valve"

    (Sorry for my english, I'm french)    … Expand
  4. Sensless
    Jun 25, 2014
    7
    The correct way to make a standard fps.
    Good story, unique enemies, cool characters, and for 2004, it was pretty good!
    The only thing it lacked was weapon variety, but that's easily overlooked.
  5. DeusXCom
    Aug 5, 2014
    7
    I liked it, Half-Life 2 is a good atmospheric FPS, but is it something more, something breathtaking that should blow everyone's mind as everyone in this world seems to think? Hell no, I feel absolutely the same way about Half-Life 2 as I did with the first Half-Life, it's good, yes, but that's it, for some reason both Half-Lifes are extremely, but I mean EXTREMELY over-hyped and overrated.I liked it, Half-Life 2 is a good atmospheric FPS, but is it something more, something breathtaking that should blow everyone's mind as everyone in this world seems to think? Hell no, I feel absolutely the same way about Half-Life 2 as I did with the first Half-Life, it's good, yes, but that's it, for some reason both Half-Lifes are extremely, but I mean EXTREMELY over-hyped and overrated. It's a really good FPS, don't look for anything much more here. 7/10… Expand
  6. markwhitton
    Nov 20, 2013
    7
    Half-Life 2 has been an interesting yet mixed experience… At times throughout playing the game my interest just fell completely flat and I couldn't play it any-more and yet at other times I just couldn't stop playing… So I feel the story and action elements were very much hit and miss, however the graphics are flawless. I’m unsure if they've ever been updated but for a 2004 game it’s gotHalf-Life 2 has been an interesting yet mixed experience… At times throughout playing the game my interest just fell completely flat and I couldn't play it any-more and yet at other times I just couldn't stop playing… So I feel the story and action elements were very much hit and miss, however the graphics are flawless. I’m unsure if they've ever been updated but for a 2004 game it’s got incredible textures! The most frustrating thing about this game is when Gordon is joined by a group of soldiers and they continually trap you in rooms by clogging a doorway, minor issue but seriously annoying… Spinning more positively, the enemies were great, the majority of the environments were interesting and it was a generally good game.… Expand
  7. ArrowToTheHead
    Jan 13, 2014
    7
    breaking it down:
    hl2 is a brilliant masterpiece, or to be precisely: the engine is the best since...well hl1 i guess.
    the new, sharp looking graphics and awesome, never seen before physics, were state of the art back then and have brought us many, MANY great looking games. apart from this half life 2 is a dumbed down ripoff of the first game, the story is poor/hollywoodstyle with    breaking it down:
    hl2 is a brilliant masterpiece, or to be precisely: the engine is the best since...well hl1 i guess.
    the new, sharp looking graphics and awesome, never seen before physics, were state of the art back then and have brought us many, MANY great looking games.

    apart from this half life 2 is a dumbed down ripoff of the first game, the story is poor/hollywoodstyle with little surprises.
    even worse: the intend of the devs to make it EPISODE 1(to sell more eps after the first) is a good indicator for how they write storys...they didnt!
    as an fps it was slower, the enemies where not as "smart" and, apart from the hand-holding(the robot/girl), the unlimited grav gun really messed it up for me(get a chunk of trash/barrel/whatever and shoot at enemy-->instakill), leaving you with enough ammo at any given time.

    i wont even start about steam.

    try black mesa, the hl1 mod for hl2 engine and see for yourself.

    BUT if you are not such an old ***** as myself, and dont know about the glorious times of fps games,
    when enemys tried to actually kill you, instead of running for cover, it sure looks like a well made game.

    i think it doesnt deserve 9,2 user and 96 meta score, and thats just my personal op.

    8/10 (back then and 7 now because ooolllddd)    … Expand
  8. Iluvatar21
    May 3, 2014
    7
    HOW I RATE: 10-9 score: perfect or near-perfect don't exist; 8 score: one of the best games ever. Top score; 7-6 score: great but not one of the best; 5-below score: serious flaws.
    ===========
    Half-Life 2 expands on it's predecessor and makes everything about it even better. Try the episodes as well.
  9. Kovasz
    Jan 18, 2015
    7
    I've played this game when it first came out in 2004, and now, after 10 years, I've decided to play it again. I remember, I loved this game back then, it had some awesome graphics which was well optimised as well, and loved the different uniqe parts (ie. driving a buggy, etc.). Now, the game is basically OK, but it has a lot of flaws. First, it happened to me a lot that I got stuck in someI've played this game when it first came out in 2004, and now, after 10 years, I've decided to play it again. I remember, I loved this game back then, it had some awesome graphics which was well optimised as well, and loved the different uniqe parts (ie. driving a buggy, etc.). Now, the game is basically OK, but it has a lot of flaws. First, it happened to me a lot that I got stuck in some terrain object/wall piece/etc., which is pretty frustrating in the middle of combat. The "helpers" are more like a pain in the @ss rather than helpful, they are always in the wrong place and one just can't move freely because of them (especially in the heat of a battle). But my biggest concern is the story: throughout the game, I didn't have a clue what is happening. It was always like "Run, Gordon!" "You have to go to place B!" and so on. And there are no cutscenes or other story telling points, only your companions, who tell you you have to do this and do that. It was just a big running, with lot of fights, but for what and why, it was not clear to me.

    So it's still a good game which is worth playing, but I think it's just overhyped - there are lot of others which I played through more times and enjoyed more.    … Expand
  10. Termin8ter
    Jan 11, 2018
    7
    Half-Life 2 disappointed me. Some sections of investment, or suspense, or fun. But these are outweighed by other sections of frustration or boredom, and commonly both. Breen is not a good villain. He seems boring and is not intimidating or clever, and does not say any memorable lines or speeches. The characters, voice acting, and gunplay is good, but they are bogged down by my otherHalf-Life 2 disappointed me. Some sections of investment, or suspense, or fun. But these are outweighed by other sections of frustration or boredom, and commonly both. Breen is not a good villain. He seems boring and is not intimidating or clever, and does not say any memorable lines or speeches. The characters, voice acting, and gunplay is good, but they are bogged down by my other complaints in this game. If you like it, fine, but I don't. And that was why.… Expand
  11. astuka
    May 19, 2015
    7
    Pros:
    + incredible pacing/level design
    + well thought out world
    + solid controls
    Cons:
    - lack of soundtrack
    - lackluster story

    Final score: 7/10, 3/5
  12. Nel
    Dec 1, 2016
    7
    Played this game when it came out, and I was surely impressed by how it changed the gaming world. THe game itself is a great first person shooting game that is still today consider to be one of the better games ever made.
  13. gameboy92
    Sep 29, 2018
    7
    For a game that came out at 2004 it have good graphics however the game play is not the best. you know what I mean the game control is not as good as you think it is lol however the story is interesting

    Story 9/10 Realistic 6/10 Graphic 7/10 Game play 6/10 Sound 8/10 --------------------- Total 7.2 Single player time max 12 houes Worth to buy this game with $ 9.99 ? yes but    For a game that came out at 2004 it have good graphics however the game play is not the best. you know what I mean the game control is not as good as you think it is lol however the story is interesting

    Story 9/10
    Realistic 6/10
    Graphic 7/10
    Game play 6/10
    Sound 8/10
    ---------------------
    Total 7.2

    Single player time max 12 houes
    Worth to buy this game with $ 9.99 ? yes but you can wait for bundles    … Expand
  14. Chocice
    Nov 12, 2015
    7
    I do not enjoy this game that much but i do understand how people do enjoy it.
    I think it is overated but is by no means a bad game.
    Overall a pretty good game
  15. SpechDech
    Dec 17, 2020
    7
    A great game when it was released I'm sure, but now 16 years later... Still a good game, the graphics hold up better than most 00s 3D games, and for its time its clear to see it was way ahead of its time on a visual and executional level, especially when it comes to characters and voice acting.

    But the shooting can get really tedious and mind numbing after a while, and the puzzles are    A great game when it was released I'm sure, but now 16 years later... Still a good game, the graphics hold up better than most 00s 3D games, and for its time its clear to see it was way ahead of its time on a visual and executional level, especially when it comes to characters and voice acting.

    But the shooting can get really tedious and mind numbing after a while, and the puzzles are not so well integrated with the rest of the game often hindering the experience.

    It does however have variation with vehicle levels, and some mechanics that change things up, its just that that there is too much mindless, mind numbing shooting.

    And i think its undeniable how iconic this game is.    … Expand
  16. REEDDLES
    Jul 19, 2019
    7
    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7 -Characters: 8 -Graphics and design: 8 -Gameplay: 7 -Sound and Music: 7 -Bugs: 9 -Interface: 9 -Completeness of the world: 7 -Balance (Multiplayer): 9 - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10 Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment): -Freedom of choice: 0 -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7
    -Characters: 8
    -Graphics and design: 8
    -Gameplay: 7
    -Sound and Music: 7
    -Bugs: 9
    -Interface: 9
    -Completeness of the world: 7
    -Balance (Multiplayer): 9
    - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10

    Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment):
    -Freedom of choice: 0
    -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with mod)
    -Multiplayer: 8
    -Mods and the ability to change the game: 9

    Scores from 1 to 10, the higher the better    … Expand
  17. FromKanga
    Jul 16, 2017
    7
    Half-life 2 is overrated in my opinion but I have to point out that I have no nostalgic feelings towards this game so that's probably why I don't think that this game is as good as everyone says it is and I don't think the game has aged very well.

    The story was interesting but I never felt invested, Alyx was an interesting character but I wish I saw more of the other characters to make    Half-life 2 is overrated in my opinion but I have to point out that I have no nostalgic feelings towards this game so that's probably why I don't think that this game is as good as everyone says it is and I don't think the game has aged very well.

    The story was interesting but I never felt invested, Alyx was an interesting character but I wish I saw more of the other characters to make me care about the world around me, the villain was a bore and had a pretty weak motivation and the ending was really anti-climatic (I know I have to play episode 1 and 2).
    There are some highlights, the more scripted parts where the characters interact with one another was the most interesting part about the game but I wish I got more of that.

    The gameplay was fun but it did have flaws, the level design was smart and well done and weapons like the gravity gun are fun to use...but most of the other weapons are generic and boring making the game sometimes repetitive and the driving sections are atrocious.

    I'm really conflicted, the game was really innovative for it's time, it has great voice acting (most of the time), the graphics aren't great now but this game came out in 2004 so it's impressive that they still look pretty good and some weapons are great and fun to use.
    But I played this game in 2017 and now there are just much better games in what hal-life 2 tries to accomplish, I do recommend it but I respect this game more than I like it.    … Expand
  18. j1182567
    Jul 26, 2017
    7
    Not as good as the first but still worth playing. It's just a big dumb tech demo at it's core but it still has some really fun moments especially for when it came out.
  19. danield80
    Jul 28, 2020
    7
    Probably the most famous game of 2000's turned out for me to be a generic fps.
    Play the same fights and bossfights with boring guns in uninspired maps. The graphics are the best for 2004 but at the same time there's something odd with it.
    At least the characters are good. Eli, Kleiner, Barney and especially Alyx. Only the protagonist is kind of absent. But combined with repetitive gameplay    Probably the most famous game of 2000's turned out for me to be a generic fps.
    Play the same fights and bossfights with boring guns in uninspired maps. The graphics are the best for 2004 but at the same time there's something odd with it.
    At least the characters are good. Eli, Kleiner, Barney and especially Alyx. Only the protagonist is kind of absent.
    But combined with repetitive gameplay and dull level design (which is not even as half as good as HL1 design), it's not a very memorable experience.    … Expand
  20. RazorSamurai
    Jan 17, 2019
    7
    Хехе, как я и говорил, обещал что пройду всю серию и я это сделал. Знаете когда я играл в гмоде во всякие хлрп сервера и прошел первую халву я думал что первая часть будет что-то с чем то. Ну я и прошел, ожидания конечно были велики но в принципе игра неплохая, она не идеальна но хороша. Для 2004 ого года наверное графика халвы была революционной и сам движок с физикой. НО проблема в томХехе, как я и говорил, обещал что пройду всю серию и я это сделал. Знаете когда я играл в гмоде во всякие хлрп сервера и прошел первую халву я думал что первая часть будет что-то с чем то. Ну я и прошел, ожидания конечно были велики но в принципе игра неплохая, она не идеальна но хороша. Для 2004 ого года наверное графика халвы была революционной и сам движок с физикой. НО проблема в том что это история о палке с двумя концами. Типа физика дает возможность по сэндбоксить с предметами но иногда она так дико багуется или нефизично себя ведет что хочется блевать. Стрельба в этой игре приятна, когда хуячишь гоошников с дробовика, когда с расстояния стреляешь с магнума, это доставляет дикое удовольствие. Мне во второй халве больше нравится сеттинг, порабощенная инопланетными существами земля, тоталитарный режим, что может быть лучше? Дизайн гоошников просто замечательный, идеальный сеттинг. Но проблема в том что лор уебищный, джимен рандомный чел, концовку в эпизодах слили, полная дичь. Геймплей заебывающий, идешь и идешь идешь и идешь, спасибо хоть то что иногда есть разнообразие в плане всяких "сложных" головоломок и покатушек.
    Первая часть намного лучше. Теперь речь пойдет о эпизодах. Не знаю почему но эпизоды ощущаются пободрее, скорее всего из-за того что там чуток поменяли движок и она ощущается по другому, графика кстати тоже поменялась. Но там больше разнообразия в плане геймплея. Поэтому эпизоды намного лучше оригинала. Но концовку реально слили, взяли рандомных личинок наспавнили и низахуя убили дедушку, идите нахуй.    … Expand
  21. Pxel_Dennis
    Dec 27, 2020
    7
    A linear shooting game, looks like it could have a good plot and lore but it never seems to go deep inside it.
  22. Gabzguy
    Dec 29, 2020
    7
    Joguei HL2 depois de zerar DOOM ETERNAL e HL, e acabei me decepcionando com o game. Uma física e aspectos técnicos excepcionais, um bom roteiro, entretanto o jogo me desagradou bastante por desconsiderar muitos dos aspectos que tornaram HL tão especial e único, causando um ar de um FPS em horas ,até bem genérico, tirando tudo que fazia HL especial, as armas, cenários, inimigos. HL2 lembraJoguei HL2 depois de zerar DOOM ETERNAL e HL, e acabei me decepcionando com o game. Uma física e aspectos técnicos excepcionais, um bom roteiro, entretanto o jogo me desagradou bastante por desconsiderar muitos dos aspectos que tornaram HL tão especial e único, causando um ar de um FPS em horas ,até bem genérico, tirando tudo que fazia HL especial, as armas, cenários, inimigos. HL2 lembra em momentos mais Halo ou CoD do que seu antecessor.… Expand
  23. Koleck0LP
    Oct 1, 2020
    7
    You'll hear everywhere that Half-Life 2 is a must play game, and that's why I bough the HL2, EP1 and EP2 on steam, This game was so hard to finish, I don't mean hard in difficulty but in motivation to play it.
    This games get's really boring at times. I don't mean to hate on it but it's not as good as people make it out to be.
  24. Dnische
    Aug 29, 2021
    7
    Cult classic game ( according to the assurances of experienced gamers ) in fact constitutes a simple FPS with good physics and very little replayability. I admit that the graphics and animations were incredible for those times, and special mechanics such us Gravity gun were fresh and original, but still it is just another shooter no more, no less, with all these shooter games cliches thatCult classic game ( according to the assurances of experienced gamers ) in fact constitutes a simple FPS with good physics and very little replayability. I admit that the graphics and animations were incredible for those times, and special mechanics such us Gravity gun were fresh and original, but still it is just another shooter no more, no less, with all these shooter games cliches that were used in the first half life as well.

    The game is pretty fun though, so 7/10    … Expand
  25. kitru
    Feb 22, 2021
    7
    I don't know why her score is so high. To me, this is not justified. The plot is interesting, but not that space 12/10, that's for sure. To pass once is just the thing.
  26. ertyz
    Jan 13, 2022
    7
    high quality but bored
    ok game if I need to compare among all other games by the way
  27. Yaav13
    Apr 7, 2022
    7
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 7.
  28. StarkAgentos
    Apr 30, 2022
    7
    Игра интересная. В ней есть много отсылок, например, отсылка на УССР. Отсюда пошло много мемов. "Подними эту банку!".. Геймплей интересный. Сюжет не особо. Но не обошлось и без минусов. Игра напрочь отказывается запускаться на windows 11. Из-за этого я смог в неё поиграть только в компьютерном клубе.Игра интересная. В ней есть много отсылок, например, отсылка на УССР. Отсюда пошло много мемов. "Подними эту банку!".. Геймплей интересный. Сюжет не особо. Но не обошлось и без минусов. Игра напрочь отказывается запускаться на windows 11. Из-за этого я смог в неё поиграть только в компьютерном клубе.
  29. KolesAdlerov
    Sep 14, 2022
    7
    Stereotypes about the "masterpiece" of HL2 (2004, not a modern one), like a litmus test, showed how poorly the average user thinks and how easy it is to make "everyone recognized 10/10" out of nothing. This is a half-baked sandbox with a lot of lazy conventions, huge empty spaces (often without a sane background) and COMPLETELY disabled enemy AI on cheap scripts. Also, Helicopter BossesStereotypes about the "masterpiece" of HL2 (2004, not a modern one), like a litmus test, showed how poorly the average user thinks and how easy it is to make "everyone recognized 10/10" out of nothing. This is a half-baked sandbox with a lot of lazy conventions, huge empty spaces (often without a sane background) and COMPLETELY disabled enemy AI on cheap scripts. Also, Helicopter Bosses with infinite mines, oppressive one-hole gameplay in vehicle missions and hordes of useless friendly NPCs from the CallOfDuty circus.

    * Manhack drones in collectors ARE EXTREMELY GOOD. Headcrab Shells on civilians ARE dramatically GOOD. The tunnels before the Citadel don't look too bad, to be honest (better - in Episode One).

    Physics - just a HAVOK-engine with issues when three bricks balance the protagonist on a swing. Puzzles are squalid in most.
    Graphics - good water, but FarCry1 is already there; not bad flames, but Unreal2 is already there; poor empty landscapes; awkward architecture with cheap textures; bad models and body-textures except for 2-3 faces; bad animations except for 2-3 faces.
    Story - the plot is not revealed, means "mocking_disregard"; characters are flat; feigned dialogues are just disgusting. First part of walkthrogh is boring, second part is more sickening than CallOfDuty. Look, out of a 5h30mins walktrough in total - 35mins of Airboat-mission, 35mins of Buggy-mission (and the Bridge), only 20mins of Ravenholm, 35mins of Prison_CoD_bullsh!t, 1h15mins of Urban_CoD_bullsh!t and 25mins of Citadel.

    Gameplay:
    combat mechanics [**] 7/10
    combat logic [scripts out of logic + the Gravity Gun nonsense] 4/10
    atmosphere (Ravenholm and Citadel only) 7/10

    Story [*] 7/10

    Graphics [*] 9/10

    Sounds & music [good standalone music, but stupid annoying sounds and warnings] 8/10

    .
    If you want real HALF-LIFE in the 21st century, just play Black Mesa.    … Expand
  30. farrrullll
    Jan 27, 2023
    7
    A masterpiece of its time.
    But right now, the game is terrible, for many reasons. Going through the game repeatedly, my surprise was replaced by anger and irritation from various things. Source engine
    it is also a feature of the game (advanced physics, cool graphics) but also its minus, empty unrealistic characters, liminal unrealistic closed spaces and so on. Dropped the game somewhere    A masterpiece of its time.
    But right now, the game is terrible, for many reasons. Going through the game repeatedly, my surprise was replaced by anger and irritation from various things. Source engine
    it is also a feature of the game (advanced physics, cool graphics) but also its minus, empty unrealistic characters, liminal unrealistic closed spaces and so on.
    Dropped the game somewhere near the finale, where there was a room with turrets. And to my own regret, I'm unlikely to ever finish the game, it's too outdated.    … Expand
  31. OpticalFred
    Mar 28, 2023
    7
    Amazing game for the time but for today standard a good game.

    The mission are sometimes too long and gets repetitive, the story is kinda just ''see us at this place.'' ''Oh no we need to see us at this new place!'' and the shooting feel sometime old
  32. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    A super fun adventure with a ton of unique physics-based weapons that are fun to use, and regular guns that are weightless. The campaign is long and memorable, but ultimately the combat mechanics outstay their welcome. If not for the gravity gun the game would be solidly mediocre.
  33. RobS.
    Sep 9, 2006
    6
    Good graphics but the game's too linear.
  34. LeriO
    Apr 20, 2009
    6
    This game has a really nice motor physic which give him a lot of interest. But the game is too short while "interactive" cinematcis are too long. The Ai is random and sometime stupid and the puzzles are just here to spend your time. There is also nothing much told us about the history in the game and, the fact that internet is needed to play a single-player game is quite annoying. This game has a really nice motor physic which give him a lot of interest. But the game is too short while "interactive" cinematcis are too long. The Ai is random and sometime stupid and the puzzles are just here to spend your time. There is also nothing much told us about the history in the game and, the fact that internet is needed to play a single-player game is quite annoying. Eventually, it could be a lot better if they were more adds like a new Ai, more chapters and more weapons.… Expand
  35. 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
  36. [Anonymous]
    May 17, 2006
    6
    Mediocre, at best. Nowhere near impressive enough to warrant the hardware requirement and unacceptable load times that DON'T plague a myriad of other similar-and-better games both in and out of the FPS genre. Utter technical failure combined with a lackluster story and embarassingly bad character interaction.
  37. BradleyJ.
    Jun 7, 2008
    6
    Game is too overrated, most who played this, didnt play it on hard. I did. 1 reason the game wasn't hard was because the code was leaked over the internet. The game was originally to be released in 2003, but since the game was leaked, it came in 2004. Game set on hard, is practically normal difficulty. Don't expect a whole lot from this game.
  38. CallumM.
    Sep 16, 2008
    6
    Quit sucking dick. Looking back on it now, the game is mediocre at best. The only innovative thing about this game is its implementation of physics. The only time I've seen good AI is when characters have retreated to cover. Then again, not a fair example, considering 90% of the enemies are zombies/monsters and behave as they should, even if they are retarded.
  39. StevenH
    Nov 7, 2009
    6
    Most overrated game on this site. Still no story, setting is a mishmash of sci-fi cliches, the whole thing is one scripted event and linear box canyon, and there was no multiplayer until terrible multiplayer was patched in.
  40. Mikael
    Jun 20, 2009
    6
    Good game, good graphics and good sound. However its plagued with weak team AI in your so called team mates makes part of the game more frustrating than fun. They are in the way, the trigger traps and then stand in the way when you try to avoid what they set off. Are they all double agents for the opposing side ?
  41. AnonymousMC
    Nov 17, 2004
    6
    well i havn't been able to play it because i don't have a internet connection at my house. i guess i'll just have to hope i can get a connection. Other wise the game seems to be really good. I'm a litle angry that the single player aspect of hte game requires an internet connection.
  42. AnonymousMC
    Dec 12, 2004
    6
    The more I play this game, the more I am starting to dislike it - it's rapidly becoming nothing more than a linear 'if-it-moves-shoot-it' style average game. Yes, the graphics are very good, but surely gameplay is more important? The original Half Life had style and innovation; Half Life 2 has half the content and very little character.
  43. 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
  44. 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
  45. CarmineR.
    Apr 17, 2006
    6
    This game is rediculously overated. The A.I. is abysmal, story linear beyond believe, and you spend pretty much the whole game on your todd being sent down some tunnel or what not. The plot is predictable and the weapons are awful. I also didnt understand why Gordon never spoke, making him seem like a social retard. On the plus side the engine has some nice graphics and fancy physics. A This game is rediculously overated. The A.I. is abysmal, story linear beyond believe, and you spend pretty much the whole game on your todd being sent down some tunnel or what not. The plot is predictable and the weapons are awful. I also didnt understand why Gordon never spoke, making him seem like a social retard. On the plus side the engine has some nice graphics and fancy physics. A decent enough game but does nothing to improve the legacy of HL1, and there a far superior titles out there now (Far Cry and Call of Duty 2), neither of which need the staming trud that is steam.… Expand
  46. ScottE
    Nov 5, 2007
    6
    I was rather disappointed with this game. The hype and praise this game did not seem to reflect the actual game. Game play was inventive at first and then rather bland, alternating between lots of options to vast emptiness. The physics engine allows you to do quite a bit, but often gets in your way as well. Control set up is outdated and needs an update. Weapons tend to lack ammo or I was rather disappointed with this game. The hype and praise this game did not seem to reflect the actual game. Game play was inventive at first and then rather bland, alternating between lots of options to vast emptiness. The physics engine allows you to do quite a bit, but often gets in your way as well. Control set up is outdated and needs an update. Weapons tend to lack ammo or effectiveness, and specific weapon areas are prone to endless reload chests, removing any challenge. Squad AI for what sections you have a Squad range from ADD mental to not helpful, and also remove enemy challenge from levels. Overall the game is average.… Expand
  47. StuartW.
    Nov 6, 2007
    6
    After all the hype of this game I finally got it with the Orange Box. After playing for a bit I have uninstalled the game, bored with the very linar gameplay. While the graphics were good I could not call it the best of the time. I can go on about this game but I am so glad I never brought it new. The engine will release good games much like the orginal but with newer and better engines After all the hype of this game I finally got it with the Orange Box. After playing for a bit I have uninstalled the game, bored with the very linar gameplay. While the graphics were good I could not call it the best of the time. I can go on about this game but I am so glad I never brought it new. The engine will release good games much like the orginal but with newer and better engines now coming out HL2's engine will just be another one in the pile to chose from. Amazing that a company that had so much time to make a good game they still chose to not stress the player with too many options on how to play. I give it a 6 as while the engine is good, the gameplay and hype have ruined what could of been a good game.… Expand
  48. PeterM.
    May 20, 2007
    6
    Carrot-on-a-stick gameplay is unsatisfying. In-game physics detract from the game with trivial "puzzles" that only waste your time. Vastly overrated.
  49. BobFreeman
    Aug 22, 2007
    6
    6/10 !! I just tried the demo... Ok, we are on 2007. HF2 still have beautiful gameplay and graphism music and sound. But I am sorry I don't like. The game is fully scripted, ennemies appear from nowhere. I don't feel free during the game. I have quited the demo before finishing the last level because it's boring, there are too many ennemies for nothing. I am angry...
  50. Whocares?
    Oct 15, 2008
    6
    I can't understand why people like this so much, yes the physics are nice and all, but I get puzzle after puzzle forced on me, and they're not even interesting, they're just, use generic artificial gravity this, throw switch that, it's just not fun, expressions on faces are nice, but nowhere near perfect.
  51. yoyo
    Feb 17, 2008
    6
    Boring, boring, boring, this game was made for noobs that get distracted easily and settle for an average FPSs with no plot, and dumb scripted AI Con- In game, you play a slightly retarded mute who in known by all, you get you hand held most of the game, so there is hardly any thinking involved, when you beat the last boss you end up feeling like you accomplished nothing more then Boring, boring, boring, this game was made for noobs that get distracted easily and settle for an average FPSs with no plot, and dumb scripted AI Con- In game, you play a slightly retarded mute who in known by all, you get you hand held most of the game, so there is hardly any thinking involved, when you beat the last boss you end up feeling like you accomplished nothing more then waisting your time. Its like a bazillion MBs to install, and it takes longer to load levels then it takes to beat them. Pro- There are a quite a few mods that made the MP version fun.… Expand
  52. [Anonymous]
    Nov 17, 2004
    6
    A good game let down only by its terrible ending! Not as good as Half-Life!
  53. DemonicAngel
    Dec 28, 2004
    6
    This game is possibly the most overhyped and overrated game to be released for the PC since the original Half-Life. -- GOOD STUFF: graphics are very nice, if not up to the standards of Doom3. Character animation is wonderful, and the facial expressions are extremely convincing, which helps you to care about the people you'll be fighting alongside. Sound design is also good, though This game is possibly the most overhyped and overrated game to be released for the PC since the original Half-Life. -- GOOD STUFF: graphics are very nice, if not up to the standards of Doom3. Character animation is wonderful, and the facial expressions are extremely convincing, which helps you to care about the people you'll be fighting alongside. Sound design is also good, though again the sound engine can't compare to Doom3's. -- BAD STUFF: the game is completely linear, and whilst there are some nice set pieces scattered about infrequently, for the most part the gameplay is fairly samey. And where's this supposed deep storyline? So far all I've had are flimsy justifications to go from one place to another, backed up by a plot that has so far been lacklustre both in its content and its execution. And the bugs... let's not even go there. -- Out of this game and Doom3, I'd take Doom3 every time. It may be just as repetitive, if not more so, but it can scare me, it makes me feel something. Half-Life 2, like the original, makes me feel cheated.… Expand
  54. KulakxRatings
    Nov 26, 2010
    6
    Its a fun game, but it is nothing like Half life 1, the first half life game was probably the best game of its genre, but half life 2 is just a generic fps. It has realy stellar graphics and engine. It has decent acting, but its story falls flat on just shooting combine and running away from combine, but the gameplay was realy well made, i want to give this game a lower rating but theyIts a fun game, but it is nothing like Half life 1, the first half life game was probably the best game of its genre, but half life 2 is just a generic fps. It has realy stellar graphics and engine. It has decent acting, but its story falls flat on just shooting combine and running away from combine, but the gameplay was realy well made, i want to give this game a lower rating but they just nailed it off to be a regular game, it is nothing special.… Expand
  55. agalloch
    Jan 25, 2011
    6
    An overrated game, though I am reviewing it 7 years later from release. The plot is pretty poor, the characters are extremely boring, I don't have empathy for anyone here. The gravity gun is fun for a bit, then it is used outside of what is expected from the developers - I was using it to make staircases, and have other "fun" outside of the scripted level. Very good at the time, but nowAn overrated game, though I am reviewing it 7 years later from release. The plot is pretty poor, the characters are extremely boring, I don't have empathy for anyone here. The gravity gun is fun for a bit, then it is used outside of what is expected from the developers - I was using it to make staircases, and have other "fun" outside of the scripted level. Very good at the time, but now somewhat boring.… Expand
  56. ZanderX
    Apr 25, 2011
    6
    Bad History, Bad Graphics , Very Bad songs and extreme boring. I really don't like this game and don't understand why it gets so good score. Its my opinion and never gonna be back.. Valve create huge games but this game, he best production sucks.
  57. AlienSpaceBats
    Oct 5, 2013
    6
    "Gordon Freeman!?" "Gordon Freeman!" "Gordon Freeman??!" Graphically, HL2 has aged gracefully, gameplay has not. Dry, extended sections of shooting the same character model over and over again, dull, stupid AI that bumrushes (enemy) or constantly gets in the way (friendly) and annoying platforming sections (still) in a FPS whose character slips and slides around, uncontrollably at times."Gordon Freeman!?" "Gordon Freeman!" "Gordon Freeman??!" Graphically, HL2 has aged gracefully, gameplay has not. Dry, extended sections of shooting the same character model over and over again, dull, stupid AI that bumrushes (enemy) or constantly gets in the way (friendly) and annoying platforming sections (still) in a FPS whose character slips and slides around, uncontrollably at times. Overrated when it came out, and overrated now.… Expand
  58. EpicNinjaPete
    Feb 5, 2012
    6
    You spend a lot of this game doing repetitive tasks. The game is very linear and each sort of 'stage' or 'chapter' in the game seems to be really dragged out. For example the chapter called 'Water Hazard' (I think that's what it's called) you tend to end up being able to guess what you have to do next as you've done it a billion times already. Often you'll also find yourself going onYou spend a lot of this game doing repetitive tasks. The game is very linear and each sort of 'stage' or 'chapter' in the game seems to be really dragged out. For example the chapter called 'Water Hazard' (I think that's what it's called) you tend to end up being able to guess what you have to do next as you've done it a billion times already. Often you'll also find yourself going on really long-winded routes to overcome one obstacle, which is obviously just to make the game last longer.
    However I do agree that it's a very innovative and original game, and the graphics and physics are impressive.    … Expand
  59. pvtpatrick96
    May 6, 2012
    6
    This game was okay, as I am a fan of FPS games in all of their glory, I gotta say I can spot a linear game from a mile away. I have played through the entire game (plus Ep.1 and 2) and it was a average game but it wasn't mind-blowing in my opinion. I am also not saying the game was bad, hence me scoring it a 6.
  60. Un0va
    Jan 15, 2013
    6
    I really wanted to like this game. I really did. It's just way too gimmicky. There only a few types of enemies - Headcrabs, zombies, soldiers, and antlions are basically the only enemies you really see in the game. The vehicle levels are atrocious and it focuses far too much on gimmicks like the gravity gun (though the ending segment with the high-powered gravity gun was awesome). Overall,I really wanted to like this game. I really did. It's just way too gimmicky. There only a few types of enemies - Headcrabs, zombies, soldiers, and antlions are basically the only enemies you really see in the game. The vehicle levels are atrocious and it focuses far too much on gimmicks like the gravity gun (though the ending segment with the high-powered gravity gun was awesome). Overall, it just lacks a lot of the personality and atmosphere of the original Half-Life. If you want a great story-based FPS, go buy the original Half-Life on Steam now, and pass up this one. You won't regret it.… Expand
  61. ThePrecursor
    Mar 29, 2013
    6
    I played this game back when it came out, and sure it was fun, but it wasn't as great as it's made out to be. Sure I'll be hated for this, but the game is really just an above average shooter. The enemies are extremely repetitive and the AI is pretty useless considering 70% of the time they just stand still and shoot. Ravenholm isn't scary and the zombies are easily killed. The best partI played this game back when it came out, and sure it was fun, but it wasn't as great as it's made out to be. Sure I'll be hated for this, but the game is really just an above average shooter. The enemies are extremely repetitive and the AI is pretty useless considering 70% of the time they just stand still and shoot. Ravenholm isn't scary and the zombies are easily killed. The best part of the game is the story and characters, for that it deserves genuine praise. From a 2004 point of view, some aspects were groundbreaking, but fact is, you can't give a game so much praise just because it's amazing in some areas, and average in others. I know this isn't popular opinion, but I genuinely feel this way about the game. Overrated? Yeah, I'd say so. Not too much, but still by a bit.… Expand
  62. Speed4Runs
    Nov 24, 2012
    6
    Good game.
    If every software house did a game like that, we would all be happy: challenging gameplay, good story, pretty good graphics and good longevity.
  63. breezy808
    Jul 18, 2013
    6
    Moderators are deleting my post? because I am rating the game low? Really!?!?! Well keep doing it mods cuz I am going to put my 2 cents out there 1 way or another.

    People are only giving this game high rating to counter-act the people giving 0-4 red scores. This game is massively over hyped, or people have low expectations, hell if you just came from playing HL1 or Solitaire, or barney    Moderators are deleting my post? because I am rating the game low? Really!?!?! Well keep doing it mods cuz I am going to put my 2 cents out there 1 way or another.

    People are only giving this game high rating to counter-act the people giving 0-4 red scores. This game is massively over hyped, or people have low expectations, hell if you just came from playing HL1 or Solitaire, or barney & friends you should be having much more fun on this game than those.

    However the facts are this is a completely 100% linear lane, only can be argued by the fact they have "puzzles" in the game, its just a nuisance and something added in to make you think, and force the game to take longer than it should. I like the fact they make me think but atleast make the puzzles fun. I mean really stacking boxes, or holding down the E button to lift/drop gates, etc... Its not fun! Why do people think this is fun, to give a game a 10 is like saying its perfect These puzzles are fun for you? If they're great! but please don't give it a 10 these puzzles are not fun.

    Along with the puzzles. There is no weapon, or character progression, EVERYTHING IS >>>SCRIPTED    … Expand
  64. nomanredd
    Mar 20, 2013
    6
    They say this was a really great game and I bought it on steam. I played this game for 15 hrs and all I can say is it is not engaging and really boring. It is a big letdown and I dont even know why it is great. Maybe in the middle of the game it got good? Maybe if I get time i will try to continue but so far it is boring as hell. Borderlands was great and engaging, this one is not.
  65. 1am4critic
    May 6, 2014
    6
    Even in 2004 when this game came out I felt this game was only slightly above average. Don't really understand why so many people love this game. Probably only entertaining part was the puzzling section. Basically linear game play without even a cinematic to make things interesting. Felt like I was playing the first Halo, and that game at least had a good multiplayer, unless you count CS.Even in 2004 when this game came out I felt this game was only slightly above average. Don't really understand why so many people love this game. Probably only entertaining part was the puzzling section. Basically linear game play without even a cinematic to make things interesting. Felt like I was playing the first Halo, and that game at least had a good multiplayer, unless you count CS. Counter Strike may be competitive, but the Source engine is definitely showing its signs of age. And why should I be talking about Counter Strike if this is a review on Half Life? Im not going to even talk about the multiplayer that Half Life 2 came with because that just straight up sucked when I actually found people to play with. I will give this game a six for slightly above average.… Expand
  66. Andreasg
    Apr 28, 2013
    6
    Ten years ago this game was set a new benchmark for the whole gaming industry, many considered this the best/ or one of the best games ever made... Ten years later however things have change.. and in short this game has not aged well...
    With a silence protagonist you try to save the world.. no side quest, extremely linear, just a handful of different enemies and not very challenging... by    Ten years ago this game was set a new benchmark for the whole gaming industry, many considered this the best/ or one of the best games ever made... Ten years later however things have change.. and in short this game has not aged well...
    With a silence protagonist you try to save the world.. no side quest, extremely linear, just a handful of different enemies and not very challenging... by today's standards this is a very average game.. However this a testament of how much the gaming experience has evolve and grown over the years...    … Expand
  67. Superior
    Nov 22, 2016
    6
    This game might have been very good at release, but it's showing it's age:

    + Idea
    + Innovation
    + Level design

    - Too Linear
    - Repetitive

    It's a decent game, but don't expect too much of it.
  68. GTAFANBOY
    Apr 15, 2014
    6
    Some issues, firstly, the character you're playing as does not utter a single word during the game, it felt like I was playing Pokemon with guns mixed with that alien film.
    Overall, fun game with nice mechanics and a good mix of puzzle solving and action, nice one Valve.
    I give it a six.
  69. psylife
    Apr 4, 2016
    6
    This is a unique blend of platforming, puzzling, driving and shooting . The game is fast paced, tense and ultra-responsive. The game makes ample use of physics and it is still fun to interact with them to this day . There are some genuinely fun sections and the overall design of the levels feels fresh, playful, and rarely repetitive Ironically, the main reason for which this game isThis is a unique blend of platforming, puzzling, driving and shooting . The game is fast paced, tense and ultra-responsive. The game makes ample use of physics and it is still fun to interact with them to this day . There are some genuinely fun sections and the overall design of the levels feels fresh, playful, and rarely repetitive Ironically, the main reason for which this game is regarded as one of the best FPS of all time, is precisely because shooting is far from being the only scope of the game. That said, the game suffers from some serious pacing issues, where certain sections are dragged way too long to the point of annoyance. This game could have easily been 30% shorter and that would have made it that much more enjoyable. The visuals are clean and easy on the eyes yet the overall audio-visual experience is quite dull; Half-life 2 is just not a very pretty game, it has never been. Pair that with a lackluster story, and few annoying design choices, and you end up with an experience that despite being remarkable in more than a few ways is hard to qualify as anything more than "pretty good". So here you have it, Half-Life 2 is a pretty good game that is commendable in many respects and despite not being deprived of charm, ultimately fails to inspire.… Expand
  70. wpatri04
    Mar 13, 2017
    6
    I am reviewing this game based on TODAY'S standards, and the date today is March 13, 2017. This is almost thirteen years from its release, and since those reading the reviews on here are likely those seeing if it is worth playing today, I will base it as if it came out today.
    Half Life 2 is a game that goes on, and on, and on...and on. It's extremely rare that a game does that while    I am reviewing this game based on TODAY'S standards, and the date today is March 13, 2017. This is almost thirteen years from its release, and since those reading the reviews on here are likely those seeing if it is worth playing today, I will base it as if it came out today.
    Half Life 2 is a game that goes on, and on, and on...and on. It's extremely rare that a game does that while avoiding repetition. One game that comes to mind that did this successfully is Resident Evil 4. I'm afraid to say Half Life 2 is no Resident Evil 4. Half Life 2 struggles to keep itself interesting after the first chapter. The game begins in a train station, in an Orwellian type world with guards, and it is immersive realistic and atmospheric. It was the best start-off to a game I've ever played. But it went downhill fast. The guns are very standard and basic, most are very boring. And there's no variety. All the handguns feel the same, the machine guns are very basic and offer an alternate firing weapon (one a grenade and the other a ricocheting energy orb) and there's one shotgun. The big draw of the game for many was the Gravity Gun, which utilizes a revolutionary (at the time) physics engine. You can gravitate large barrels or pieces of wood or, well anything you can find really, no matter how heavy, and launch at your enemies. You will use it to solve puzzles. I would recommend looking at at YouTube video at this gun in action. But, no matter how cool a gun is, if the gameplay is boring, then everything else gets affected, no matter great or innovative.
    Half Life 2 is LONG, and thus variety should have been used to keep things interesting. Well, with little variety used, it isn't interesting. The story isn't interesting. The weapons aren't interesting. The combat is the most repetitive I've ever played, and it seems to never end. There are stages where you will ride a hover boat and a buggy car, but even those dragged on too long. I would have preferred Half Life 2 rely more on puzzles and story than its shooting, but Half Life 2 IS a shooter after all, first and foremost.
    The sound design is very precise. Atmospheric music will be cued at really mind-hitting times to really drive the immersion. It was quite well done, but I would have preferred to have had music all the way through out like in 007 Goldeneye. It would have helped the boringness of the game.
    All in all, this is an important game. It's a game everyone should play just to experience what was hailed at the time as a technological achievement. This game has and will remain in the video game history books as deeply significant, iconic, and necessary. Just don't expect to have a blast playing it in today's modern game world. While today's gaming isn't better, it does force classic games to show their age, and in this case it was bad.    … Expand
  71. Ryphereon
    Mar 16, 2021
    6
    Half-Life 2's Gameplay wasn't very enjoyable to me since most of it is a loop that goes as follows: Shoot enemy => Take cover to reload => Repeat until enemy is dead.
    Half-Life 2 does throw new and original weapons at you, like the iconic Gravity Gun, at certain points throughout the game. These weapons are usually creative and fun to use and are probably the best aspect of the game, but    Half-Life 2's Gameplay wasn't very enjoyable to me since most of it is a loop that goes as follows: Shoot enemy => Take cover to reload => Repeat until enemy is dead.
    Half-Life 2 does throw new and original weapons at you, like the iconic Gravity Gun, at certain points throughout the game. These weapons are usually creative and fun to use and are probably the best aspect of the game, but their novelty usually wears off after 20 minutes or so, from which point on you basically go back to the old Shoot-Reload loop - albeit with a new weapon at your disposal.

    Half-Life 2 sometimes takes a break from its Shooter gameplay with other types of game segments. These segments are a bit hit or miss, ranging from "fairly good" to "no fun at all" (I especially disliked the boat part around the start of the game, which took me at least 1.5 hours to get through and was extremely unfun).

    I didn't fully understand Half-Life 2's story since I haven't played the first game, but my impression was that it was fairly good. The atmosphere of the world around you is set splendidly within the first few minutes and characters felt very "real" in terms of dialogue.

    Lastly, I'd like to mention that the game can be very creepy or downright disgusting at times because of certain types of enemies. I won't go into detail about them, but just know that this game is rated 17+ for good reason.    … Expand
  72. Moonman95
    Jun 12, 2019
    6
    What should have been an amazing sequel to a perfect game turns out to be a lackluster shell of it's former self. The biggest thing they neutered was the story and gameplay, let's go over the story first. HL2 and HL1 cannot and I repeat, cannot exist in the same universe, there is a very major plothole that makes for these 2 games to be impossible to exist in the same universe. In a scriptWhat should have been an amazing sequel to a perfect game turns out to be a lackluster shell of it's former self. The biggest thing they neutered was the story and gameplay, let's go over the story first. HL2 and HL1 cannot and I repeat, cannot exist in the same universe, there is a very major plothole that makes for these 2 games to be impossible to exist in the same universe. In a script for HL1, the G-man was referred to as "The Administrator" and was very heavily implied to be running Black Mesa throughout your encounters with him. But in HL2, Dr. Breen is actually the administrator of Black Mesa. Another thing is that none of the characters in HL2 have been in Black Mesa, as the NPCs in HL1 are completely nameless, and judging off skin color alone to think "Oh this guy's Kleiner" or "This guy's Eli" isn't a very good argument. it is also never explained how the Combine invaded the earth, and what happened during that time. This is never explained in game. But what if I told you it would have been explained completely in detail, and it would have made sense within the HL canon? The HL2 cut beta featured a completely different storyline, with no Dr Breen, and no retcons of any kind, it is unknown as to why Valve scrapped the entire thing, considering they were really late into development with it, the actual retail HL2 took 6-8 months to make max. The gameplay has been reduced to a hallway simulator, with wimpy weapons and brain dead enemies. Another thing they added which nobody asked for is physics based combat, it really does not play to the game's advantage, as it doesn't have the raw strength and sound to give off the feel that you're all powerful, a small wooden door and a big ass metal crate make the exact same sound, and all weigh the same, it doesn't even matter, they all deal the same damage. The gravity gun is fun for the first time until you realize it instakills nearly all enemies with a single throw and it completely negates all difficulty you could have. Now onto an even bigger fault with the story, Alyx Vance is the most overpowered Mary Sue character in video game history, she always gets out unscathed, always overcomes anything in her path with no struggle, and she can never die. Even Kleiner was supposed to die in the original plot, but I guess you can't have death in a Half-Life game, oh wait. Overall, what this all boils down to is a lackluster attempt at milking more money from a franchise with a promising start.… Expand
  73. Ratingss
    Feb 20, 2021
    6
    Overrated, the original game was far better. The guns are pretty bad with the exception of the pulse rifle which was cool, the gunplay is mediocre. The ravenholm level feels like a game apart, a better game.
  74. defenz
    Aug 8, 2021
    6
    ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
  75. OREH_MW
    Feb 10, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ну нормально, нормально. Ну по-сути нормально, ну крч, ну как...
    Ну нормально    … Expand
  76. Jeffthejiff
    Dec 4, 2004
    5
    I'm not sure what everyones getting at about this game. It just seems like a last minute lodge-together of different game genres and styles. One minute you could be driving a beach buggy, the next you could be in Resident Evil. The storyline is non-existant or at least incredibly obscure. And the ending... well, it just made me laugh. Worst Ending Ever. Altogether it just felt like a I'm not sure what everyones getting at about this game. It just seems like a last minute lodge-together of different game genres and styles. One minute you could be driving a beach buggy, the next you could be in Resident Evil. The storyline is non-existant or at least incredibly obscure. And the ending... well, it just made me laugh. Worst Ending Ever. Altogether it just felt like a technology preview to me: just showing what games could possibly do, but forgetting to actually put a game in there somewhere.… Expand
  77. Z.Zaminiski
    Dec 6, 2004
    5
    To all you rate HL2 higher than 5 you are not doing HL2/valve or fellow gamers any favours. do NOT encourage valve to create another slightly-above average game. if you like to compare with doom3, then HL2 rates perhaps 7. i dunno who the raters are and they dont know me. however, my FPS-credentials started with the original wolfenstein 3D, so i've seen/played almost all theTo all you rate HL2 higher than 5 you are not doing HL2/valve or fellow gamers any favours. do NOT encourage valve to create another slightly-above average game. if you like to compare with doom3, then HL2 rates perhaps 7. i dunno who the raters are and they dont know me. however, my FPS-credentials started with the original wolfenstein 3D, so i've seen/played almost all the 'worthwhile' FPS until HL2. for all the new innovations (physics, facial mimic) valve fails to make the most of it. with physics we have little and easy puzzles that involves weight and counter weight - in kinder-garden are we? for human-face mimicry, minimal use in-game and lots for "story-line cut-scene". meaning it does little for gameplay. immersion you say? well, was the FinalFantasyMovie conviced anyone it was real? it was not mean to be right? but just what computer technology is capable of. we are not suppose to fall-in-luv with high-polygon-count characters are we? HL was alot better in terms of innovations, puzzles, challenges. one weapon missing from HL2 arsenal is the strategic trip-laser-mine. why is it left out in HL2? HL2 puzzles are contrived. contrived to demonstrate the physics abilities of the game engine. ramps for the airboat? who place them there? surely not the combine who must be stationed there to stop rebels? antlion sand-traps? oh my, are we having fun 'walking' about with metal doors? yawn. then there's the countless crates freeman must destroy! oh the humanity! and what is inside these big boxes but one single clip or couple of litty bitty things. who left these around? the rebels? why didn't the combine who 'own' the place clear it up? a few nice touches were when rebels throws freeman stuff/supplies! the countless explosive-barrels! how conveniently place near combine troopers for freeman to pick off. the countless barrels! are the level-designer somewhat confused? while the levels do not seemed like levels because the environment/architecture is convincingly real the gameplay suggest an arcade shooter. there are places were if freeman do not rush the 'nest' of combine they don't stop pouring out. scripts and why they are bad. that said it all actually. more scripts=more movie like but this is a game...remember? the things that happened by scripts/triggers MUST seem incidental or a direct cause of player's actions. the player in real-time causes stuff to happen, thus the joys of interacting with the game-world. like closing a door would stop a dumb flesh-zombie from entering. if the game-world pretends to be the real-world then everything should be happening simultaneously at will. the arrival of an interactive-agent, you, would immediately begin to cause effects on the environment and NPCs but thru AI not scripts. bad scripts example: it is somewhat odd dog knew to open a gap BEFORE freeman knew he had no where else to go? or if you reload a segment over and over the scripts played like a broken record? this indicate poor AI to AI interactions and AI to player interactions. Scripts are cheap and their novelty wears thin fast. scripts are much too linear, just like HL2 game/level design. exploration and wondering around is discouraged. there are a few 'secret' places to find for rewards but freeman was just being strung along. HL2 didn't try to be rainbow6. the squad you "command" are just as dumb. they mill about blocking your way or utter polite 'sorrys' and try to get out of your way. they cannot obey a simple (of two) command to stay out of trouble. while they seem to admire freeman they just never listen to him for long. there are so many thing poorly done with HL2 that it felt rush. very abrupt ending. instead of a scientist caught in something way, way over his head which he must overcome in HL, freeman becomes little more than a puppet-on-a-string. the mysterious G-Man acts mysterious, like a angel or devil nearby but not involved other than to have this condensening tone of speech. one just expected much more from valve but it does not materialize. the only thing that did was the G-man, at the end to stop the show... HL2 is merely counting on existing HL-fans and not trying to win new ones, not with short gameplay (someone 'compress' gameplay to about 3-4hrs), not with low replayability (if you knew what you knew you would play it over and over again because each time it is a little different or just as fun), not with weak (copied and mixed up from originals like 1984, aliens, resident evil/zombie flicks/starship-troopers/matrix) story line, not with steam. much like when valve came out of HL little known newcomer Far Cry does a good job (it is also linear but you can take your own sweat-time) surpassing kings of the hill - the Doom and HL series... ok for all high-raters, play it again sam? then rate it again.… Expand
  78. Bor
    May 7, 2006
    5
    The Best Game!!!
  79. Mr.Anderson
    Jan 30, 2008
    5
    Probably the most over rated FPS game on PC ever. HL2 doesnt do anything new and is quite boring, maby a little over mediocre at best. The only thing innovative in the HL series is the gravity gun, but there were many other games that featured the ability to lift objects before HL and after.
  80. Sirklick
    Jan 11, 2010
    5
    I really wanted to like the single player because I enjoyed playing multiplayer deathmatch so much. The games engine is quite impressive -especially for its day- but the single player is a lackluster experience overall. Linear plot, little character development, no moral delemas or ambiguities, zero interaction with the story... the list of basic story-telling tenants that are lacking in I really wanted to like the single player because I enjoyed playing multiplayer deathmatch so much. The games engine is quite impressive -especially for its day- but the single player is a lackluster experience overall. Linear plot, little character development, no moral delemas or ambiguities, zero interaction with the story... the list of basic story-telling tenants that are lacking in this game is quite lengthy. The game did nothing to keep me interested but randomly throw stuff in my path for me to shoot. Level design and feel is unimaginative and dull. The various "levels" do not look or feel like they belong in the same world. To progress through the levels you complete boring and completely out of place physics puzzles (if you can even call them that) that ruin the pace of the game and doing nothing for the story or player immersion. This games single player was developed for the headcrab controlled zombie audiance. Remove the crab, it is ok to have expectations!… Expand
  81. 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.
  82. 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
  83. PolyesterBrown
    Apr 6, 2007
    5
    A visually stunning game, but I found the gameplay to be lacking at times. Urban combat sequences are at the best that I've played, but some of the problem-solving features designed to be challenging were simply tedious and frustrating, stealing the enjoyment of gameplay. Some of the combat situations also bordered on the absurb in their degree of difficulty, and I had to refer to an A visually stunning game, but I found the gameplay to be lacking at times. Urban combat sequences are at the best that I've played, but some of the problem-solving features designed to be challenging were simply tedious and frustrating, stealing the enjoyment of gameplay. Some of the combat situations also bordered on the absurb in their degree of difficulty, and I had to refer to an online walkthrough on a handful of occasions to determine what it was that I was meant to do to progress. I don't discourage people from buying it, but Half-Life 2 made me want to play FarCry again pretty badly.… Expand
  84. JohnnyP.
    Jun 15, 2007
    5
    This is an average game. I played on hard and constantly was in question of the degree of difficulty.
  85. Tomek
    Dec 13, 2004
    5
    I'm very confused with this game. It shouldn't be rated so high! There is one thing everyone forgot about... this game works bad even on best PCs on the market. I mean "audio stuttering" problem, which is discused widely on the internet forums. This issue makes all the gameplay thrashed in a while... all the key points in the plot are nothing more than one big I'm very confused with this game. It shouldn't be rated so high! There is one thing everyone forgot about... this game works bad even on best PCs on the market. I mean "audio stuttering" problem, which is discused widely on the internet forums. This issue makes all the gameplay thrashed in a while... all the key points in the plot are nothing more than one big ssss..tttt.uuuuu..ttttt.eeee..rrrr . This is annoying, yet unfixable by any official or unofficial patch. The game is really neat, but suffers from bad programming and bugs....… Expand
  86. LanceR.
    Dec 25, 2004
    5
    I havn't even got to play the game yet and i am already going to give it a 5. This steam thing is terrible. I have know idea why a company like valve would wish me to suffer like this. I could only imagine how many other people are going through this hell like me watching for hours as i verify that i actually bought the game. I have an idea, find a way to punish the people that steal I havn't even got to play the game yet and i am already going to give it a 5. This steam thing is terrible. I have know idea why a company like valve would wish me to suffer like this. I could only imagine how many other people are going through this hell like me watching for hours as i verify that i actually bought the game. I have an idea, find a way to punish the people that steal the game, not the ones who actually bought it. Anything with the steam logo on it will be on my "not with a 10 foot pole" list.… Expand
  87. AnonymousMC
    Mar 1, 2007
    5
    i loved the game even though the load times and the vehical parts got annoying fast but what i really hated bad was STUPID STEAM this i think killed the game because i had to wait to get an internet connection on my new pc to even play the single player, this i found really anoying and i hope that the next games wont have steam
  88. johonfdse
    Sep 15, 2007
    5
    Great game, the bad thing is, is that you are forced to be A) you have to have a steam account b) if you forget that information you loose the game B) you have to have a internet connection to play, so you cannot play it "on the go" the good things A) if your CD gets scratched you can download the game from anywhere from the internet B) great graphics C) nice plot.
  89. ManuB.
    Oct 24, 2008
    5
    Great game, incredibly polished and great story line but several flaws that stopped it being as fun as it's predecessor. 1) Weapons - Grav gun is great, the rest... disappointing. SMG is sooo inaccurate not worth having. 3-4 charger the WHOLE game for the assault rifle. Guns in HL1 were sooo much better. 2) Enemies - Ravensholm was great, fighting the aliens is really fun. Great game, incredibly polished and great story line but several flaws that stopped it being as fun as it's predecessor. 1) Weapons - Grav gun is great, the rest... disappointing. SMG is sooo inaccurate not worth having. 3-4 charger the WHOLE game for the assault rifle. Guns in HL1 were sooo much better. 2) Enemies - Ravensholm was great, fighting the aliens is really fun. Unfortunalatly there was way less divercity in aliens then in HL1 and you spend most of the rest of the game fighting the same generic soldier again and again and...… Expand
  90. KentO.
    Dec 18, 2004
    5
    What is the DEAL with that stupid STEAM crap ?!!!! If I had known the following, I would have SAVED my money: -ONline registration was required to play the game -Endlessly waiting for Steam to update and validate all files before being allowed to even PLAY the game -Putting up with anomolous problems whereby Steam cannot connect - thereby preventing or delaying my ability to play the game What is the DEAL with that stupid STEAM crap ?!!!! If I had known the following, I would have SAVED my money: -ONline registration was required to play the game -Endlessly waiting for Steam to update and validate all files before being allowed to even PLAY the game -Putting up with anomolous problems whereby Steam cannot connect - thereby preventing or delaying my ability to play the game -With all this "authentication" going on, STILL being forced to keep the CD in the pc to be able to play the game -The game crashes (alot) even with a powerful pc and video card -The game takes at least 3.5 minutes just to load up fully to start playing a game. The game's graphics are very good, and it is quite entertaining, but Please, PLEASE - GET RID OF THAT STUPID STEAM CRAP ! When I BUY a game, I EXPECT to be able to play it out of the box, NOT after endless authentication and Internet registration !!!! … Expand
  91. AlanK.
    Dec 21, 2004
    5
    Good game, only average, linear game, player has no say in where to go, how to attack a situation, graphics are average, the only outstanding thing is the characters animation and the physics but the rest is flat and non responsive. FarCry is a much much much better game, superior in every way, they should have just bought the farcry engine and modded it for HL2 instead of delay afterGood game, only average, linear game, player has no say in where to go, how to attack a situation, graphics are average, the only outstanding thing is the characters animation and the physics but the rest is flat and non responsive. FarCry is a much much much better game, superior in every way, they should have just bought the farcry engine and modded it for HL2 instead of delay after delay for this run of the mill game. you'll play it once, no replay value at all.… Expand
  92. Victor
    Dec 19, 2006
    5
    Very disappointing. It provided very limited gameplay, where half the time I was cruising around on a boat. Graphics were okay, but just barely ahead of their time, and the 5 year wait was definately not worth it. The game itself is nothing like the original half life. I remember playing Half Life on hard. And that wasn't a joke, where towards the end I was saving every step. Half Very disappointing. It provided very limited gameplay, where half the time I was cruising around on a boat. Graphics were okay, but just barely ahead of their time, and the 5 year wait was definately not worth it. The game itself is nothing like the original half life. I remember playing Half Life on hard. And that wasn't a joke, where towards the end I was saving every step. Half Life 2 just seems like a walk in the park, I don't even really bother to notice enemies that much because who cares when you are given a rocket launcher that will kill a helicopter super easy. Feels chill, but gets boring.… Expand
  93. AnonymousMC
    Sep 15, 2008
    5
    Would Give It 8 Or 9 But You Have To Go Through All Of The Steam Stufff Which Sucks! This Game Won't Even Let You Play Singleplayer Mode Unless You're Connected To The Net. If Steam Goes Bellyup Or You Don't Have Internet You Have Nothing The Game Is Worthless ,Think?? About It
  94. TheMitherer
    Oct 21, 2011
    5
    I had fun for about 3 hours, soldiered on for about another 3 and then lost interest completely. A game more bereft of personality I have yet to play. I can't say that I saw much evidence of a story or any story telling for that matter - just a continuous chase with a few guns and vehicles thrown in. Oh yes, a couple of humans too who did nothing except break up the monotony of shootingI had fun for about 3 hours, soldiered on for about another 3 and then lost interest completely. A game more bereft of personality I have yet to play. I can't say that I saw much evidence of a story or any story telling for that matter - just a continuous chase with a few guns and vehicles thrown in. Oh yes, a couple of humans too who did nothing except break up the monotony of shooting stuff every once in a while. It has some good moments no doubt but very quickly I neither cared about what I was doing or why I was doing it. A faceless, straitjacketed and shallow game is the only way I can describe it.… Expand
  95. AidenDemon
    Aug 24, 2013
    5
    I dont know, HOW some people can love this crap in the present day? This game have not so much, just good gameplay and nothig more. Not genious story, not awesome graphic, just a game. Without mods it should be suck.
  96. sinadoom
    Nov 7, 2013
    5
    After having replayed the game on PC (rather than X360) in 2013 I have to say it's better than the Xbox 360 version with regards to the graphics and controls, but the core gameplay is still very much stuck in the 90s. The basic game mechanics are so outdated and unimmersive it's difficult to take it seriously. Small things like meleeing enemies with the crowbar and mounting turrets as wellAfter having replayed the game on PC (rather than X360) in 2013 I have to say it's better than the Xbox 360 version with regards to the graphics and controls, but the core gameplay is still very much stuck in the 90s. The basic game mechanics are so outdated and unimmersive it's difficult to take it seriously. Small things like meleeing enemies with the crowbar and mounting turrets as well as primitive controls and movement make it seem really amateur for the standards of today. The one thing that makes this game stand out is the level design. The levels aren't only long and adventurous but they manage to cram in so much variety with so few tools and gimmicks. The use of the physics engine as well as the famous gravity gun is particularly commendable. However, the shooting has no weighty feel to it, and weapons don't have any recoil. Enemies take damage with no seeming impact until they die. The characters are almost non-existent because the game's lack of cutscenes prevents any real development in the story. At every point when you play Half-Life 2, you feel like you're using compiled C code rather than playing a video game. It just feels like software that's made for a specific purpose. Although the voice acting, lip-syncing and attention to detail in the environments are all top notch, the main gameplay of Half-Life 2 is just plain bland and boring despite the varied levels. It's definitely an overrated game.… Expand
  97. bartreligion
    Apr 17, 2013
    5
    The most overrated game of all time. The silent protagonist is dated even by 2004 standards. The graphics are good, but lack spirit. The guns don't feel quite powerfull enough. The story is nothing special, unoriginal even. It feel like they just made it up as they went along.
    It's not a bad game, but it definetly not a great game let alone a classic one.
  98. Dreamhackrr
    Jun 28, 2012
    5
    Either Half-Life 1 or 2, I don't like them very much, it is very boring story line and there's no other feelings that gives you except a little bit of fear of some ugly creature. Story line is long, dark and no resting you wound not want to play it a long period of time.
  99. lawrenceUK
    Nov 18, 2012
    5
    Why does everyone love this game? It is quite boring, the story doesn't develop well enough and the gameplay itself is nothing special. Nothing stands out at me as being amazing. It's not a bad game but it's nothing special either. I am huge fan of valve in general though.
  100. CriticoDubioso
    Feb 5, 2015
    5
    Its engine capability is outstanding at the time of release. However, looking at this "best FPS" again today, only a mediocre and repetitive rail shooter with most of the same weapons in its predecessor and poor story telling is found.

    So, its experience is just "meh" now.
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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 »