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. 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
  2. AzmeaL
    Jan 14, 2021
    10
    After all these years this game is still a legend. With its different physics engine and scenario it still has a very different and also good gameplay.
  3. Lapenoman
    Jan 23, 2021
    10
    HALF-LIFE 2 (EP1 + EP2)
    1. Техническая составляющая - 10/10
    2. Искусственный интеллект - 10/10
    3. Музыкальное и видео сопровождение - 9/10
    4. Локализация - 9/10
    5. Сеттинг - 10/10
    6. Сюжетная линия - 10/10
    Итого = 58 баллов (9.6)
  4. SeifiezPOwer
    Apr 16, 2021
    10
    the best game of all time, even now in 2021 you can play with admiration, a week ago I passed it for probably the hundredth time. I liked the game very much again. Physics - 10, Dynamism-10, Plot-10, Graphics and game design-10, shooting-9.
  5. MrIslamic
    Jan 29, 2021
    8
    A great FPS. The gameplay is really fun. The story is great (even if it is a bit cliche) I would rate it a 9, maybe a 10 but there are some bits in the game that make the game a pain to replay.
  6. Menetys
    Mar 2, 2021
    9
    this game's only flaw to me is the storytelling. but thats okay go play it!
  7. Alexander838
    Feb 28, 2021
    10
    10/10 *********************************************************************
  8. Zeyon88
    Mar 17, 2021
    9
    Story: 9/10
    The Way story is given: 17/20
    Gameplay: 28/30
    Design: 10/10
    Feelings left after playing: 19/20
    Playability(Bugs and optimization): 10/10

    AVARAGE: 93/100
  9. nazarkin123
    Mar 10, 2021
    9
    Blew my mind when it got released. Amazing graphics for its time and still very good. Blowing story as well.
  10. tufekciero
    Mar 12, 2021
    10
    ELMAS zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  11. kaanbaskaya60
    May 10, 2021
    10
    This game is absolutely awesome!! Half Life 2 is a combination of action, a little horror and easy but fun puzzles. Buy it. Buy it now.
  12. BFG-1337
    Apr 18, 2021
    9
    Half Life 2 isn't the best game ever or the best story ever, but what it is is the best balance between those two things in a very polished and great looking package (relative to release), even tho the graphics are outdated which only makes sense, it woulnt make sense if graphics werent outdated in such an old game, the graphics still hold up in a retro kind of way, game runs in 1080p, hasHalf Life 2 isn't the best game ever or the best story ever, but what it is is the best balance between those two things in a very polished and great looking package (relative to release), even tho the graphics are outdated which only makes sense, it woulnt make sense if graphics werent outdated in such an old game, the graphics still hold up in a retro kind of way, game runs in 1080p, has nice Anti aliasing which is pretty cool.

    Gameplay is not Deus Ex level, but it is very easy to get into (Hard to master?), the enemy AI is really smart on Hard difficulty, they do all kinds of flanking tactics and grenade flushing, they don't spam you with grenades, they use them tactically. Id say second best AI in a game - F.E.A.R being the number uno(To this day.... how funny)

    Sound is like the graphics, holds up in 2021 but some sounds are from Half-Life(1998), but they are far between and very few of them, you dont notice them until you look for them. Some of the songs are timeless like "Triage at dawn" - recommend you look up that song and listen to it.

    Level design, like the gameplay, it is not deus ex level of complexity, it works brilliantly for what it is, there are lots of secret stashes with ammo, medkids and so on. They really help out If you take the time to look for them.

    Bottom line: This is a great polished game, It has lots of great polished features, physics interaction is a great addition even tho its a bit wonky at times, but its not a crucial part to the game where id chip away points for it, in fact you barely notice the physics bugs if you don't search for them.

    9/10 - One of the best PC games, not the deepest gameplay ever but it is very polished and its great at what it does.

    *Half life 3 joke*    … Expand
  13. Vito09
    Apr 3, 2021
    10
    Игра постоянно держит в напряжении, и это то что нужно.
  14. Joker77
    Apr 5, 2021
    10
    Халф Лайф 2 был в своё врема прорывом в игровой индустрии, такие игры редко выходят. Это просто шедевр!
  15. Naselone
    Dec 29, 2021
    10
    This is probably one of the best if not the best game you could find. The story is amazing and the game is polished like a diamond. Reminds me of the days it wasn't all about making the most money out of a franchise.
  16. PewLycosidae
    Apr 16, 2021
    10
    I love this game, a 2004 game that look like a 2015 game, with advanced physics and AI.
  17. rubyjakewillton
    Apr 18, 2021
    9
    During the time of it's release, the graphics in the game is phenomenal. Granted, now it looks pretty old but it still has good graphics until now. The gunplay isn't anything special, but they chased their own glory with the introduction of the gravity gun, Valves' one of the most iconic weapons (also the crowbar). While there are some parts that do drag on for quite a while, the amazingDuring the time of it's release, the graphics in the game is phenomenal. Granted, now it looks pretty old but it still has good graphics until now. The gunplay isn't anything special, but they chased their own glory with the introduction of the gravity gun, Valves' one of the most iconic weapons (also the crowbar). While there are some parts that do drag on for quite a while, the amazing world design and environment storytelling definitely overshadowed it. It is not perfect, but everyone should definitely try this game at least once.… Expand
  18. 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
  19. kndr
    May 15, 2021
    8
    Story presented better. Gameplay is also good but I couldn't stand some levels. Especially the ones with helping resistance. It didn't feel like half life at those levels. It felt like freedom fighters. Half life should be about survival.

    There are not enough enemy types. No bullsquids, houndeyes or alien grunts. It is just not enough. Gravity gun is great gun but there should have    Story presented better. Gameplay is also good but I couldn't stand some levels. Especially the ones with helping resistance. It didn't feel like half life at those levels. It felt like freedom fighters. Half life should be about survival.

    There are not enough enemy types. No bullsquids, houndeyes or alien grunts. It is just not enough.

    Gravity gun is great gun but there should have been more weapons.

    Graphics and atmosphere still looks good today.

    I still like it, but not as much as hl1.    … Expand
  20. HarborMan3838
    May 18, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I always thought what Half-Life 2 beta could have been but after studying it, i understood that it was a mess. The retail version of Half-Life 2 is by far considered to be one of the best video games ever made, alongside other notable titles like Bioshock and Halo but why few people still doubt the greatness of this game, my friend was a big fan of Half-Life and its novel-like story-telling but after playing the award-winning sequel he said he preferred the original... But why is that? Half-Life 2 tries so many different things and overall is a completely new and fresh experience. I bet for a casual fps player Half-Life 2 can be a bit too good, i always loved studying first-person video games as they offer the most immersive experience because you are in the shoes of someone who is responsible for everything that happens surrounds him, but what made Valve change the original Half-Life 2 that was more in favor with the original game? Because the beta version lacked consistency in its art style and Narrative, it contained less-interesting characters that were more of a symbol rather than a compelling character. There was still the connection between the narrative and the concepts that they were going to put in the environments but The Final Half-Life 2 was a product of precise pacing, structured narrative, compelling characters, a more relatable world that has its own unique concepts and a better story in my opinion. Half-Life 2 is one of the best video games that inspired the whole industry to approach a more serious take on the narrative and characters they put into their video games.… Expand
  21. SadenRedTT63
    May 20, 2021
    10
    Half-Life 2 will be a surprising experience for every first-person shooter fan out there. Half-Life 2 simply raised the bar and showed how complicated a video game can be. All the characters were compelling, they had meaningful interactions with each other, the gameplay felt so varied, the story felt different than any other video game that had been released until that point; the voiceHalf-Life 2 will be a surprising experience for every first-person shooter fan out there. Half-Life 2 simply raised the bar and showed how complicated a video game can be. All the characters were compelling, they had meaningful interactions with each other, the gameplay felt so varied, the story felt different than any other video game that had been released until that point; the voice acting was beyond good and the dialog was simply unrivaled at the time. Half-Life 2 presented a perfect interactive experience that explored different genres, themes and designs all in one game. Valve made several genius decisions with the game like making your arsenal a bit smaller by adding the gravity gun, deviating from the horror genre and going into a more mature style, focusing alot on facial animations to make the characters as realistic as possible, making the gameplay as varied as possible so there will always be something new for the player, making the story-telling more complex, adding compelling characters with different personalities and attitudes that interact with each other through expertly-written dialog moments. The script felt as coherent as possible, the game had form and structure and the direction was so smart. One of the best video games of all time, Half-Life 2 surpassed the original in every aspect. The soundtrack was also very unique and deep.… Expand
  22. SneakingTom
    Jun 28, 2021
    10
    A very late review, but this game is spectacular, amazing, and memorable, i feel lonely sometimes in this game, but hey great game!
  23. GogglesofCritic
    May 23, 2021
    10
    Half-Life 2 perfected everything that we expect to see in a video game. The facial animations were beyond good, the voice acting was top-notch, the story was better than any Hollywood movie that year and had more realistic and thought-provoking themes that most of the sci-fi movies. Half-Life 2 was true sci-fi mixed with different genres and styles that made the game feel unique andHalf-Life 2 perfected everything that we expect to see in a video game. The facial animations were beyond good, the voice acting was top-notch, the story was better than any Hollywood movie that year and had more realistic and thought-provoking themes that most of the sci-fi movies. Half-Life 2 was true sci-fi mixed with different genres and styles that made the game feel unique and different than any other video game at the time. Things like Ravenholm and the gravity gun were so revolutionary for their time.… Expand
  24. BrainlessCowork
    May 26, 2021
    9
    Wow just wow! Half Life 2 is one of the best games ever made hands down. If your an avid PC player and still haven't played a Half Life game your doing yourself a disservice.
  25. Politicalgamer7
    May 26, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half-Life 2 went beyond my expectations, i always tend to keep my expectations moderate, but for a sequel with a Half-Life name on it, my expectations are definitely going to be high and Half-Life 2 surpassed those even.
    Even considering today's standards, Half-Life 2 is a classic all the way, Having the most advanced story, narration and gameplay back in the day, Half-Life 2 amazed even the ones not involved in the video game industry. Half-Life 2 was ten years ahead of its time and today, it is even better than many of the shooters out there because what Half-Life 2 wanted to be was the most revolutionary video game ever made and to be honest at the time it was the most revolutionary game ever made, and today Half-Life 2 is perfection of all the elements that a video game needs to have to be called a masterpiece. In my opinion Half-Life 2 went beyond a video game and became an unforgettable work of art and you might ask how? there are some reasons:
    1. Adding multiple genres and themes to one story. The story-telling aspect of Half-Life games simply makes each game a closet filled with plotlines and concepts. 2. Mature and disturbing ideas that are gut-wrenching even today.

    3. A sense of Isolation and terror, always being worried that you are going to lose this war, the sun is bright but people are dying every second. 4. Dictation and considering yourself a higher mind, Breen wasn't a bad person but his idiotic mind map ruined him. The delusion that being the administrator of a secret big science team makes him the admistrator of a whole nation ruined him in his ideas and beliefs.

    5. Artistic areas and level design, Valve is a completionist and purist, they tend to spend a lot of time researching around their levels and mythologies behind them and that's what makes their levels more like a playground rather than a level, their whole loading technology makes this game more like an adventure.
    At the end Half-Life 2 is one of the best out there and FOR ME the best video game ever made.    … Expand
  26. Ka3rA_freeman
    Jun 8, 2021
    10
    بی نقص ترین گیمی که پلی دادم و واقعا جذاب بود برام
    با اینکه من هف لایف یکو ترجیح میدم ولی این گیم هم بهترین گیمی که در عمرم پلی دادم من گیم های زیادی مثل لست دو و رد دد دو و....
    پلی دادم ولی این گیم حسی داد بهم که بقیه ی گیما هنوز نداده به امید دیدن نسخه سوم این بازی    بی نقص ترین گیمی که پلی دادم و واقعا جذاب بود برام
    با اینکه من هف لایف یکو ترجیح میدم ولی این گیم هم بهترین گیمی که در عمرم پلی دادم من گیم های زیادی مثل لست دو و رد دد دو و....
    پلی دادم ولی این گیم حسی داد بهم که بقیه ی گیما هنوز نداده
    به امید دیدن نسخه سوم این بازی
  27. Ncr09
    Jun 8, 2021
    10
    This game best FPS in the World because this game provide different experience
  28. SAIF-544
    Jun 13, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like game and best game if I think that ccccccccccccccccxcccccccccccccccccccc… Expand
  29. Amiko_Novich
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    Half-Life 2 (2004, PC - Steam) — 9,5/10

    Cool visual design, excellent sound work, great direction, dynamic soundtrack, entertainig and diverse gameplay, and a decent lenght. It's hard to name another FPS that aged that well - the project looks good and plays well even eighteen years after its release. An outstanding game and a great adventure.
  30. Goodbadcritic45
    Jun 26, 2021
    10
    Half-Life 2 was hyped with its modern graphics, facial animations, smart AI and etc but was praised for its narrative, story-telling, level design and gameplay. Half-Life 2 shocked the world when it came in 2004, it demonstrated how deep and thoughtful a video game can be. From its music to gameplay to characters and setting, Half-Life 2 evoked a sense of uniqness that no other game hadHalf-Life 2 was hyped with its modern graphics, facial animations, smart AI and etc but was praised for its narrative, story-telling, level design and gameplay. Half-Life 2 shocked the world when it came in 2004, it demonstrated how deep and thoughtful a video game can be. From its music to gameplay to characters and setting, Half-Life 2 evoked a sense of uniqness that no other game had captured before, but if you played the game, you would still say that the game is in the same universe as the original Half-Life. Half-Life 2's level design broke new grounds in terms of how developers approached level design in video games, its influence is clearly visible in the titles that came after it. The gameplay is still simple but more complex than the original. This time instead of shoving new weapons down your throat, Valve came up with something that changed weapon design forever: THE GRAVITY GUN. Half-Life 2 played with different themes like Survival Horror, revolution, mystery, alienation, colonialism and etc. It's so fascinating how much content and detail a single video game can pack into its narrative and present all of them via groundbreaking story-telling methods. Half-Life 2 was great and surprised the whole world and showed how video game sequels should be. It set a new standard for video game sequels that hasn't been broken yet. Half-Life 2 might lack the classic charm of the original Half-Life but it certainly offers its own unique taste. My only complaint with the sequel might be the A.I, because some enemies are not as much fun to fight compared to Half-Life and your allies sometimes act a bit stupid but that's okay, Half-Life 2 definitely made up for that little mistake. The game is more complete and coherent than the original game, although the pacing might feel a bit off but the depth and charm of the story will certainly make you forget about that.… 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 »