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. Dellou
    Nov 13, 2021
    8
    Игра быстрей надоедает чем первая часть. Что то прям не то, прошлая часть была атмосферная, ты видел все события на глазах, тут же погнались скорей больше ща революцией чем за другими не менее важными аспектами игры
  2. ThePimpIsHere
    Nov 12, 2021
    0
    Best. Source Game. Ever. Very rich and enjoyable story and likeable characters, easy to learn mechanics and cool level designs so this gets a 10/10!
  3. saeedgamer16
    Oct 26, 2021
    0
    The game is my best game forever.its graphic,gameplay,story and also its level design are in the highest level.Also its length its good and doesn't make the game boring.
    I will wait for half life 3.
    Thanks for your great game!
  4. MrFreemanVg
    Oct 25, 2021
    9
    There is no need to interpret half-life anyway. I've played it 9 times and I can say that half - life 2 is an extremely good game, although everyone knows it. But even though I finished Half-Life 2 and half-life Alyx with love, I can't like half life 1, it seems too old to me.
  5. PublicNuisance
    Oct 23, 2021
    9
    Half-Life 2 managed to do things that few sequels do. It actually fixed many of the issues I had with the original as well as get even better in other areas. It isn’t perfect but it is a damn fine game even almost seventeen years after it’s initial release at the time of writing this. In the original Half-Life I found climbing ladders to be a chore because you sped up them too fast asHalf-Life 2 managed to do things that few sequels do. It actually fixed many of the issues I had with the original as well as get even better in other areas. It isn’t perfect but it is a damn fine game even almost seventeen years after it’s initial release at the time of writing this. In the original Half-Life I found climbing ladders to be a chore because you sped up them too fast as well as took a lot of fall damage when you shot off them and landed. Well in Half-Life 2 you climbed ladders at a normal speed and fall damage was much better and more in line with what I would expect. I had also criticized the difficulty curve which I would say was far improved in the sequel. I didn’t feel at any time that things got much easier or harder, it was very consistent. On top of those fixes the voice acting was far improved. As well the sound effects were fantastic as were the physics and graphics for it’s time. The game offered an incredible atmosphere and world and many ways to interact with it. The battle scenes were fantastic with parts of buildings exploding and comrades coming to join the fight. I never minded that Half-Life took place in one facility but for those who did you traverse over a varied landscape with many locations and places the story takes you. Speaking of story the game was just as good as the original with a great cast of returning and new characters. As for non technical issues there was really only one: the controls on the air boat you drive was very loose and was a pain to control at times. There was the same enemies and weapons as before as well as several new types of both.

    I played Half-Life 2 on Linux. It never crashed on me. There were a few technical issues. One was texture pop in with grass. Another was the AI for comrades was just terrible. They were constantly getting in my way and blocking me in when indoors or in tight spaces which caused my death a few times. There was also one instance when driving a buggy where I had to park in a garage of a house and this proved to be impossible because the car wouldn’t fit. I got half way in which not only qualified as parking to complete the objective but I lost a bunch of health when I bumped the side of the garage going in. There were 4 AA settings; 6 AF settings; a V-Sync toggle; 9 other graphics options and an FOV slider that went from 75-90. You could change the difficulty level at any time as well as manually save at any time. Performance was fantastic which wasn’t surprising given the game’s age.

    Graphics Engine: Source
    Graphics API: OpenGL

    Graphics Settings: All Highest; 8x AA; 16x AF; blur off; V-Sync on; multi core rendering on; HDR full; 90 FOV; 1920x1080
    GPU Usage: 11-40 %
    VRAM Usage: 1064-1398 MB
    CPU Usage: 4-13 %
    RAM Usage: 2.5-3.3 GB
    Frame Rate: 129-144 FPS

    Half-Life 2 took the good parts of Half-Life and expanded on them while fixing what little warts the original had. It had a few stumbles along the way but nothing serious and in no way did they impact the fun of the game. It is a great game and worth every penny of it’s current asking price of $11.49 CAD. Just like the original it has several memorable moments and characters that stand the test of time. I finished the game in 12 hours and 56 minutes on the hard difficulty setting.

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.2.3 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.1.6 | Mate 1.26.0 | Kernel 5.14.10-1-MANJARO | AOC G2460P 1920*1080 @ 144hz    … Expand
  6. hange122
    Oct 15, 2021
    9
    This game is such a masterpiece. You might be wondering why i gave it a 9/10? Because most parts was pretty confusing and made me stop continuing the campaign.
  7. AOXDOG
    Oct 13, 2021
    10
    Half-Life 2 just became one of my favorite games of all time

    The story is about Gordon Freeman, who is awakened from his long slumber by the mysterious G-Man. Gordon finds himself in City 17, where the alien force known as the Combine has taken over Earth. It's Gordons job to pick up the crowbar once again to stop the alien's force that Gordon himself brought into this world all those    Half-Life 2 just became one of my favorite games of all time

    The story is about Gordon Freeman, who is awakened from his long slumber by the mysterious G-Man. Gordon finds himself in City 17, where the alien force known as the Combine has taken over Earth. It's Gordons job to pick up the crowbar once again to stop the alien's force that Gordon himself brought into this world all those years ago

    To think this game was released in 2004 blows my mind. The game was definitely was and still is impressive, the graphics and the mechanics, gameplay, and puzzles still hold up. If you haven't played Half-life 2, then take some time off and play this f*cking masterpiece of a game. Half-life 2 gets a 10 out of 10

    I could talk about this amazing game all day, but In the meantime... this is where I get off    … Expand
  8. johnsky
    Oct 13, 2021
    9
    This is a gem of a game. A revolution. A complete rethinking of what is possible in terms of action and narration. An inspiration for thousands of games to come. You name it. This is, by far, one of the best corridor shooters ever created. The atmosphere is there. The characters are there, and for 2004, they look really good. The plot, while it has its fair share of stupidity, isThis is a gem of a game. A revolution. A complete rethinking of what is possible in terms of action and narration. An inspiration for thousands of games to come. You name it. This is, by far, one of the best corridor shooters ever created. The atmosphere is there. The characters are there, and for 2004, they look really good. The plot, while it has its fair share of stupidity, is ultimately alright. The voice acting is top notch. The music is crap. Total score of 9.… Expand
  9. deatsbybre
    Oct 10, 2021
    10
    Amazing game that does everything it sets out to do near perfectly, and still holds up incredibly well today. Not to mention it can run on a potato
  10. HyptoGamer
    Oct 8, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half-Life 2... Probably my favorite video game of all time. I might pop Half-Life for a bit of nostalgia here and there but Half-Life 2 has a special place in my heart so much that i can't just start the game and play it for the sake of playing it.
    When Half-Life 2 came i was in college and didn't basically have enough money to buy a new computer for playing it. I had my previous desktop for 8 years and its hardware was so old for playing Half-Life 2 at the time. I asked my parents for a new computer but i got rejected. So during 2004's summer i worked my ass to get some money by the end of october i had enough money to get a new computer and with a little help from my parents i bought a new desktop for Christmas and immediately started playing Half-Life 2 during the holiday. It was staight up the best time that i had in the world. Half-Life 2 genuinely surprised me to the point that i preferred it to the original halfway through the game. The new setting, characters, story and gameplay just surpassed the original in every imaginable way. Each chapter gave me a different feeling and mood just like the original. The world of Half-Life 2 is probably the best video game world ever created because it's so realistic and has so much character and identity built into it; it feels like valve creates the whole game based on the narrative structure and story and that's what makes Half-Life 2 so good because you feel there's a sense of story in each and every part of the game. Half-Life 2 is a must-play for every gamer out there and i can't name another game that defines the word interactive through its adventure.    … Expand
  11. TheSRG
    Sep 30, 2021
    10
    Best game so far, i haven't played better. the atmosphere is amazing and of course so is the story too
  12. TheSikvel
    Sep 28, 2021
    9
    Perhaps the best game of its time that has stood the test of time. It is worth playing at least for the sake of acquaintance with the gaming industry. The plot is not bad, but the gameplay in our time is certainly not very interesting, but the interactivity is not bad.
  13. Woolee
    Sep 26, 2021
    8
    I just replayed Half-Life 2 again about a month ago. Even in 2011, seven years after its initial release, I am still reminded why Half-Life 2 is one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time. Not the greatest, but definitely one of them.
  14. NewVural89
    Sep 22, 2021
    10
    The best fps game ever, the story is way above the gameplay time, is there a better fps game than this? i don't think even half life 3 can't beat this damn it's so good
  15. rezo_21
    Sep 19, 2021
    8
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 80 IIIIIIIIII====================
  16. hwanin
    Sep 17, 2021
    9
    From every aspect it was better than the first, except the immense intro and the cheeky and nasty G-man outro of the first game.

    I don't remember any bugs that made me angry (or is it just the good memories?! :) ).
    Even the game play was similarly long or longer than the extremely epic first one.
    This one well worth the price.
  17. Lidikmer
    Sep 12, 2021
    10
    My favorite game, I just love it, for the time its graphics are phenomenal and until now they continue to impress me, its physics engine not to mention, the havok is still excellent today, if you did not play it what are you waiting for, it surpasses the original Half - Life 1, just great and its final boss surpasses that of 1
  18. 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
  19. GameBoyAdv4002
    Aug 29, 2021
    8
    This game has aged spectacularly. It still looks like an optimised PS3 game, especially with the free HL2: Update mod. The world of Sector 17 is one of the most unique and interesting dystopias around and the moment to moment gameplay is excellent with the weapons feeling just right. Seems like 10/10, right? Well, the game suffers from spending too much time in single places. While thereThis game has aged spectacularly. It still looks like an optimised PS3 game, especially with the free HL2: Update mod. The world of Sector 17 is one of the most unique and interesting dystopias around and the moment to moment gameplay is excellent with the weapons feeling just right. Seems like 10/10, right? Well, the game suffers from spending too much time in single places. While there are lots of different and interesting areas, you end up spending too long in each of them, which leads to half of the chapters feeling like a drag. The gun selection isn't as good as in Half-Life 1 despite the better balance and handling and the soundtrack only has two or so stand-outs.… Expand
  20. SewAwOw
    Aug 15, 2021
    9
    Что сказать - классная игра, крутое продолжение первой части, в которой развилось всё - графика, сюжет, геймплей. А взаимодействие с окружающим миром вышло вообще на новый уровень, больше нигде не видел такой офигенной подачи графики. Да что сказать, даже ИИ врагов прилично так подтянули, на средней сложности не раз давали просраться))
    Короче, игра топ и уже классика.    Что сказать - классная игра, крутое продолжение первой части, в которой развилось всё - графика, сюжет, геймплей. А взаимодействие с окружающим миром вышло вообще на новый уровень, больше нигде не видел такой офигенной подачи графики. Да что сказать, даже ИИ врагов прилично так подтянули, на средней сложности не раз давали просраться))
    Короче, игра топ и уже классика.
  21. TheSonicFnafguy
    Aug 10, 2021
    10
    My 2nd favorite Valve game , This game has a strong story with good game play and the guns are really good 10/10
  22. defenz
    Aug 8, 2021
    6
    ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
  23. Papu_master
    Aug 3, 2021
    10
    KDIDDJJDJFJDKFJFNEOXNDOFNEOCOWNCIWXOWKDOWNKXNDKENCKWLNCOWCJOECFBFIWFWPFWFBBICWIDOCDWHOGCIVOIEOHFECOWGVIGOVOWXOWORUFFVWOUFFHWUOBBFUOOUCVECBECJOFJEUCUHUECFEHUVEJIHICEFUBECJBECcbfcifcniffincekviebiffejfeoecbjodccfefbjicejijofcebjkcfeiecfjbjercjocfebjicrjboebfjibiecijbefbiucjiefbovucwfuofhvowucufehefijfibfcehiebijfbiffjxbjieijbceijcefjxbeibjebeebxjieojxeixrbdvojwxvoourcuhwxuknfxxdinfniexbixbeiKDIDDJJDJFJDKFJFNEOXNDOFNEOCOWNCIWXOWKDOWNKXNDKENCKWLNCOWCJOECFBFIWFWPFWFBBICWIDOCDWHOGCIVOIEOHFECOWGVIGOVOWXOWORUFFVWOUFFHWUOBBFUOOUCVECBECJOFJEUCUHUECFEHUVEJIHICEFUBECJBECcbfcifcniffincekviebiffejfeoecbjodccfefbjicejijofcebjkcfeiecfjbjercjocfebjicrjboebfjibiecijbefbiucjiefbovucwfuofhvowucufehefijfibfcehiebijfbiffjxbjieijbceijcefjxbeibjebeebxjieojxeixrbdvojwxvoourcuhwxuknfxxdinfniexbixbeifejejbecjifcjcefbji xd dobjcbfjifjdebidjfcjecbjidcijbjfifjbfjbidkbfbkifcebjvdchifijecjibfbidjfbidbidjxbifbecjfjfcbjofjfbfbfjojofjjoecjofibbecjijeiej… Expand
  24. bruhman54
    Aug 2, 2021
    9
    One of my favorite games Ive ever played. This game is what got me into singleplayer narrative games and made me realise the importance of them. It does everything better than Half Life 1. The only downside I would say is that the enemies were a bit more repetitive than in Half Life 1, but its a very minor detail the game is still great.
  25. JayTheKays
    Jul 29, 2021
    10
    best game to ever exist, the graphics were absolutely phenomenal when it was released, and changed the fps and video game community forever.
  26. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    8
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good goodgood good good good good good good good good good good good good goodgood good good good good good good good good good good good good good
  27. Hdhshsh
    Jul 21, 2021
    10
    Best fps game ever Bdjdjsjsjshdhdhddhhdhddhdhfhfhfhfhfhfhfhfhfhfhhffhhdhdfhfhhdhd
  28. EatmeApart881
    Jul 20, 2021
    10
    Although i enjoyed the first game a bit more Half-Life 2 managed to surpass its predecessor in almost every way. The only thing that Half-Life 2 might have failed at was a less impressive AI for both enemies and allies compared to the first game but everything else is done to perfection. Nothing is perfect but Half-Life 2 feels like one of those games that gets everything right. From theAlthough i enjoyed the first game a bit more Half-Life 2 managed to surpass its predecessor in almost every way. The only thing that Half-Life 2 might have failed at was a less impressive AI for both enemies and allies compared to the first game but everything else is done to perfection. Nothing is perfect but Half-Life 2 feels like one of those games that gets everything right. From the story to the gameplay, Half-Life 2 feels like an artistic work that benefited from a lot of dedication and care. I didn't encounter one single glitch or bug in this game.
    Half-Life 2's opening sequence (just like the first game) is also one of the best video game intros ever made; from that point, you're in for a great and meaningful journey.
    It's funny that while i was playing Half-Life 2 it reminded of many other games like Bioshock or The Last of Us but in reality those games were inspired by Half-Life 2. This game's legacy is so rich and well-known that doesn't need more explaining.
    I highly recommend the sequel and to be honest, no sequel has ever come close to Half-Life 2's greatness and it might never come. Half-Life 2 deserves the word "perfect".    … Expand
  29. Nitemarezzz
    Jul 17, 2021
    9
    Rated 10/10 because gordon freeman is god and gaming wouldnt be the same without him and valve. -1 because halo was better
  30. CosmosGamer27
    Jul 17, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's rare for a game to make me play it twice in a row because that means there's something special about it; Half-Life 2 was one of those games.
    Although Half-Life 2 started really slow compared to Half-Life, its pacing and presentation makes up for it. In a matter of moments, you are introduced to an entire new world that looks and feels nothing like the Black Mesa Research Facility. There are new characters, some old ones and new npcs. Half-Life didn't have that much dialog for it to become a heavy character-driven story but Half-Life 2 changes that by introducing several layered and complex characters that have outstanding words of dialog. Half-Life 2 respects the players intelligence and let's the player himself unravels the mystery and reality behind events. Just like the previous game Half-Life 2 squeezes some very minor humor that feels real and humane alongside some very dark and serious moments and that enough shows Half-Life 2's brilliant writing.
    If you thought the original title's gameplay was kickass and engaging, well, Half-Life 2 will even surpass that. By the time this game came, there were no other video game that felt as immersive and adventurous as Half-Life 2. One thing that i forgot to mention in my Half-Life review was that Marc Laidlaw (the genius writer behind the games) wrote the game in a way and shape that feels like one coherent plot. Half-Life 2's sophisticated story-telling might confuse you at first but for the people who don't care, the gameplay will certainly engage their brain in some very tight and challenging situations.
    Half-Life 2's legacy can be seen at many other video games like The Last of Us, Bioshock, Counter-Strike, Red faction and even Dishonored. It's funny how Valve presented a video game that felt more real and complex than any other action adventure movie Hollywood made since 70's. Half-Life 2 was one of those video games that poked at other industries and said just take a look at this franchise and you won't look away.
    The graphics and visuals aged like a fine wine if you play on a mid-range or higher computer these days, you won't even feel this game is from 2004.
    I can say alot about this masterpiece but let me make it easier for you, go play the first two Half-Life games and experience probably the best first-person shooter experience that is out there or maybe some of the best video games ever made. My final score: 10/10    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews

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