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. Nerevar
    Jan 10, 2007
    10
    I played a lot of fps, but half-life 2 - according to me - is one of the most complete experiences of the world of videogames. Gordon Freeman is back and he did it with the best shooter of 2004.
  2. JenjaN.
    Jan 9, 2007
    4
    I played the game and win the hole game, but I didin't like it soo much becuse chapter 4-5 are boring when you only playing around with airboat! and even more boring is 7-9 when you playing with a jeep that's not fun either! but the start was good and the end that's why I gave it 4.
  3. EmanuelKumlien
    Jan 8, 2007
    10
    Best game ever. period.
  4. ErikB.
    Jan 7, 2007
    9
    Just finished it and found it to be a compelling and completly fufilling gaming experience.
  5. AnonymousMC
    Jan 7, 2007
    9
    i'm no expert in game reviewing, but as far as i'm concerned, i'm sad i finished it so fast :) HL2, HL2 LC, HL2 EPO .. anyway, maybe it's not the best game ever, who said that ? but it a game that makes me want more .. realistic too, and it gets better and better .. about the HL1 being better .. not necesarely true .. anyway .. not the best, but one of the best
  6. LukeM.
    Jan 6, 2007
    10
    Best Game Ever!!!!
  7. Strife
    Jan 4, 2007
    10
    I'll admit, when I first played Half-Life 2, it was horrible. But recently I've gone back, and haven't had a problem. Its a shame that games have to be released with problems, and patched later. But thats the gaming world today. Now I understand why Half-Life 2 was game of the year.
  8. JohnnyC.
    Jan 4, 2007
    8
    I think this game is brilliant, but I think HL1 was better. The new driving bits were extremely boring sometimes repetitive. The AI of your followers were quite bad but the enemy AI excelled. The addition of the gravity gun was excellent. It allowed me to do so much more and use my world as a weapon. Great game overall
  9. Kevin
    Jan 2, 2007
    10
    Somehow this game looks amazing and runs smoothly on a relatively slow computer. Comperable games won't even run on my system.
  10. AlS
    Jan 1, 2007
    0
    The last decent game I've played in early '06 was Far Cry. I decided to ask around gaming forums for neat games akin to Far Cry. I was told to get F.E.A.R. and the Half-Life series. F.E.A.R. was an awesome recommendation, bar none. Unfortunately, I feel naive upon spending $60 for the Holiday Half-Life pack. I tried about 15mins. of the original Half-Life and couldn't The last decent game I've played in early '06 was Far Cry. I decided to ask around gaming forums for neat games akin to Far Cry. I was told to get F.E.A.R. and the Half-Life series. F.E.A.R. was an awesome recommendation, bar none. Unfortunately, I feel naive upon spending $60 for the Holiday Half-Life pack. I tried about 15mins. of the original Half-Life and couldn't stomach the graphics. Anyways, I tried Half-Life 2 and I thought the game was getting hung up during loading from escaping the civil police building. I had to do two reboots. I thought if I would re-download the game, maybe some corrupt files would be repaired or what not. Now, I haven't tried it again as of yet. The point of my low rating is this STEAM thing. Firstly, when I pay hard earned money... I do not want to install some 'third party' unknown program onto my computer(-5). Secondly, when I purchase a game... I want all files to be perverbially mine(-2). Thirdly, if I purchase a game... I want the right to have the installation on a separate machine(strickly gaming-no Internet) so I can play regardless of Internet connection or possible connection failure(-2). I am deeply upset about this set-up with STEAM, I had no idea prior and I don't like this what-so-ever(-1). I guess I'm one of many that reviewed the game upset by the STEAM installation. I thought it over and came to the conclusion that it's my right as STEAM is part of the package that I never wanted. As with many game makers, Valve could have joined with GameSpy for online extras. Not all gamers are onliners. Many of us are satisfied and prefer single player games vs dealing with petty drama and idiots over the Internet. All in all, I will not purchase any game that is inbedded with STEAM. STEAM ruined my gaming experience with Half-Life, hence the poor rating. Nice work, Valve... but, the buck stops here.… Expand
  11. BobanB.
    Dec 29, 2006
    10
    Best game ever. The enviroment, especially the enviroment in city 17, is nothing else but the best in the history of computer games. The feeling of being the underdog and fighting against an awesome machine that seems to be able to crush you at will, but the longer you play, you fell more and more undefeatable. The feeling can't be described. If you haven't played it yet, DO IT Best game ever. The enviroment, especially the enviroment in city 17, is nothing else but the best in the history of computer games. The feeling of being the underdog and fighting against an awesome machine that seems to be able to crush you at will, but the longer you play, you fell more and more undefeatable. The feeling can't be described. If you haven't played it yet, DO IT OR YOU'LL DIE!… Expand
  12. BernieM.
    Dec 28, 2006
    9
    This game has been pretty good and the graphics shocked when i first saw me. It was shock for me because i had a really good computer, but a really bad graphic card. So I decided to stop playing knight Online and games with that graphic quality. With a bit of luck, i could buy a radeon 800x graphics card, and i started playing 1st person shooter games. This game lost a point from me This game has been pretty good and the graphics shocked when i first saw me. It was shock for me because i had a really good computer, but a really bad graphic card. So I decided to stop playing knight Online and games with that graphic quality. With a bit of luck, i could buy a radeon 800x graphics card, and i started playing 1st person shooter games. This game lost a point from me because you needed to load all the areas of the game. Each time you finish an area (like the strider battle in ¨Follow Freeman¨ you needed to load the next area. The gamplay of this game has been also perfect, very smooth moving, (Not such as Halo that you felt ¨a little heavy¨) and the vehicle driving is also very good, very comfortable. Regards Bernie Malay PS: I hope they upload the loading problem!… Expand
  13. KinimodH.
    Dec 28, 2006
    10
    Half-Life² is THE Game which ruled everything. I played Half-Life too, like the one user, which said HL² was boring. IT is COMPLETELY different to HL BUT the game has improved, it shows up new faccettes of the game snd that is the most relevant thing. I liked the boat Part and the Part in which you drove the car. This was somthing new to the Half-Life series. In HL1 You just Half-Life² is THE Game which ruled everything. I played Half-Life too, like the one user, which said HL² was boring. IT is COMPLETELY different to HL BUT the game has improved, it shows up new faccettes of the game snd that is the most relevant thing. I liked the boat Part and the Part in which you drove the car. This was somthing new to the Half-Life series. In HL1 You just hopped into an Train and drove this way ... BORING... but to drive your way yourself ... GREAT !!!! For all Real Action Fans , there was the RAVENHOLM and NOVBA PROSPECT Part., IT is the BEST GAME EVER and Half-Life series will improve further and rule the Gaming industry with every new part.… Expand
  14. JackH.
    Dec 28, 2006
    10
    This game has extreme graphics beyond anything I have ever seen on the PC. My graphics card is not really the best top of the range one and I can still get amazing graphics even though my FPS can be low at times.
  15. AaronB.
    Dec 27, 2006
    10
    Still after almost still two years after release. This is still the best playing best looking first person shooter out there. Even better than the newer FPS's like FEAR, Gears and Prey.
  16. ChristosF.
    Dec 27, 2006
    10
    This is in my opinion the best single player game ever. Nearly all existing different gameplay types are included and they're all fun. Source rules. I can't find anything wrong at all. Well, I could complain that it doesn't last foverever.
  17. JasperJ.
    Dec 26, 2006
    10
    This game is REALLY exciting, because it has a good story line, good graphics, good sound, everything in this game is good! I give it an 10!
  18. Ryan
    Dec 26, 2006
    10
    This is a great game played it many times and its still fun.
  19. JakeG.
    Dec 22, 2006
    10
    Best Game ever! Great graphics, sound and very fun game!!
  20. MaxV.
    Dec 22, 2006
    9
    It's got it all. Flexible engine that allows for great puzzles The whole range of AI. From guntooting grunts to raving zombies. Dynamic sounds that just adds to the gritty visuals of a worn and conquered planet. The first good female NPC performance, ever. So why not a full 10? Well I do believe that games should be an alternative to movies, not it's replacement. A tad less It's got it all. Flexible engine that allows for great puzzles The whole range of AI. From guntooting grunts to raving zombies. Dynamic sounds that just adds to the gritty visuals of a worn and conquered planet. The first good female NPC performance, ever. So why not a full 10? Well I do believe that games should be an alternative to movies, not it's replacement. A tad less linear or even the illusion of open-ended gameplay would have pushed it all the way to the top.… Expand
  21. PrzemekX.
    Dec 21, 2006
    10
    Fantastic game, plot well .. like reading a good book 10/10 nothing add nothing take away !
  22. 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
  23. Sam
    Dec 16, 2006
    10
    Greatest shooter ever with plenty of originality. Also Genuinely scary at times.
  24. AnonymousMC
    Dec 14, 2006
    10
    Absolutely brilliant!!!!! The graphics can run on some of the lowest graphics cards around, with still astonishing detail, and the fact that mods can be so easily created means that it will never get old, especially with things like Source forts, and soon to be portal, which are original, and HIGHLY addictive! WELL worth a ten. I was looking for an 11 option, but oh well...
  25. PeterH.
    Dec 12, 2006
    10
    Absolutly bloody amazin! Perfect sequal to the original Half-Life valve have done it again, pitty it only taken then like 5 years to produce this masterpiece. Graphics: Truely Amazin - even on the worst settings, but phonomanal on the highest. Shaddows, objects, faces buildings, all detailed to impress, and it does that!! Game-Play: Brilliant, the physics in the game are realistic, solve Absolutly bloody amazin! Perfect sequal to the original Half-Life valve have done it again, pitty it only taken then like 5 years to produce this masterpiece. Graphics: Truely Amazin - even on the worst settings, but phonomanal on the highest. Shaddows, objects, faces buildings, all detailed to impress, and it does that!! Game-Play: Brilliant, the physics in the game are realistic, solve realistic problems and travel a vast distance in order to complete the game. weeks of fun if the difficultly level is increased. Overall this is the best Half-Life game to be released to date. Good job by Valve.… Expand
  26. TravisM.
    Dec 11, 2006
    10
    Amazing. Nice smooth graphics, but nothing shader-bulky like Doom III. Great engine to create modifications with. Only about eight huors of gameplay to the beginner, but the modifications such as Counter Strike Source that come with it and the many more avaliable online make it a must. The physics are very reactive and fun, as seen in the popular expantion Garry's Mod.
  27. GordonJ.
    Dec 10, 2006
    10
    Adicting story, sexy graphics, realistic physics, realistic environment. Main character has same name as me. So it feels as though they're I'm really part of the game "Come on Gordon!" I play through it at the very least once a month.
  28. JayE.
    Dec 10, 2006
    10
    This game is probably the best fps ever, along with its multiplayer juggernauts counter strike: source and day of defeat: source I dont understand how it has a 9.2 standing rating, perhaps because people arent rating it as to when it came out?
  29. ChrisC
    Dec 9, 2006
    10
    I played it. I beat it. I loved it. I played it, again. I still loved it. I love this game. This is the best half life game I personally have seen yet. 11 out of 10.
  30. AnonymousMC
    Dec 8, 2006
    10
    Just because you have a problem with the game, doesn't mean you should give it a 0, look at what other people think, and their experience with the game. If your computer doesn't work with it, too bad. You should've looked up some info on te game's requirements before you bought it. Oh, whats that on steam... A DEMO! Try a game before you buy and bitch about it.
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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 »