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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Zekraviax
    Aug 24, 2013
    10
    What can be said that hasn't been said already? I'm just going to recommend that anybody who enjoys first person shooters to play this game by saying this. 'It is legendary for a reason. You will not be disappointed.'
  2. 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.
  3. hwarming
    Aug 23, 2013
    10
    How does this game have a lower metascore than GTA4? This game is almost perfect, except for some bad follower AI which is a non-issue and not even worth complaining about.
  4. DarkMw12
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    Half-Life 2 is one of the best games you will ever play in your life... And it's one game that you'll never forget! As you go more into the game the action, gameplay, and experience will blow your mind! This game has all of it. Support characters, plot twists, amazing dialog, tough enemies, everything! And by time you'll finish this game you will always enjoy it.
  5. Spongee
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Great story, amazing gun-play and brilliant graphics. Absolutely stunning, made me appreciate this game even more playing it through again, this paved the way for future shooters.
  6. RandomFandom
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    A brilliant mix of puzzles action and story with a big mystery, with creative enemies and weapons, and revolutionary physics and is so immersing that when you hear a zombie it will want to make you look behind you, Half life 2 is a game you just cant miss. (Watch out for the G-man!)
  7. hongkong_tea
    Aug 7, 2013
    9
    HL2 is all about immersion. Great storytelling, original in so many ways. Masterpiece.
    I would say there is only one flaw: some guns may need a tweak to work well or simply aim 10 meters ahead.
  8. overfiend87
    Aug 7, 2013
    10
    Far, FAR better thanthe origonal. The beefed up the graphics, and yet my laptop could still play it very well. New aliens appear and old ones get a nice new polish added to them. Having breakable environments and the new grav gun and ability to pick up items makes the world far more interactive and easy to emerse yourself in this game.

    If you have played the first one and not this one    Far, FAR better thanthe origonal. The beefed up the graphics, and yet my laptop could still play it very well. New aliens appear and old ones get a nice new polish added to them. Having breakable environments and the new grav gun and ability to pick up items makes the world far more interactive and easy to emerse yourself in this game.

    If you have played the first one and not this one then what the hell are you doing?    … Expand
  9. Raven9337
    Aug 7, 2013
    10
    when I was young I had a very crappy PC. no much games would run on it. so I an somehow raised by half-life 1 and 2. I feel sorry for my friends with their awesome PC's who thought this game is to crappy for them. I can't even recall how many times I've played this game and other half-life series parts. It always had that new exciting taste every time you start.
  10. Keve
    Aug 5, 2013
    10
    Half Life 2 is the best game I've ever played! This game is absolutely amazing and I've replayed it 8 times! The game really puts you in the mood with it's soundtrack, voice acting and scenery! This is definitely the #1 on my top list of games! You must play this game or else you have missed out on the best game ever made.
  11. SovietUnion
    Aug 5, 2013
    10
    Half-Life 2 has astonished us from start to finish. Valve has done to the FPS genre what restaurants in Chinatown do to ducks; shredded it, smothered it in a delicious sauce of their own devising, and served it up in a way which you simply couldn't have imagined when looking at them in the pond.
  12. Murillo
    Jul 23, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ótimo game, muito bom mesmo, merece a posição que chegou, o game surpreendente em gráficos, física,história, jogabilidade, enfim com certeza o melhor game de pc.
    djsakfsdjfklsj fkldsj flksajflksjfklsjfklajfkldsjf kldsjfklsajf aksjfldsakjfklsjfsalkjfdskljf lskfjsalkjfsl fjslfshfjsahflsakjfklsjfklsajlfsajlfjdslfsjalfjskjaldsjfkldsjkl djflasfsajlçkjklasjklsdjfçklsjfkl jdsfklueiurriourioaurioueiorauroieuroeiaueoripqiouqpoqpioqurioquuqer    … Expand
  13. TailGunnner
    Jul 21, 2013
    10
    The game is perfect. The ending, the story, the physics. Lets begin shall we? Game graphics are prety good for its year. The physics in the game is evolutionary. No doubt its the best FPS I've ever played. Actualy best game I've played. The strongest part of the game, is the atmosphare. It gives you the feeling you are in a sandbox game how ever every step you make was already wasThe game is perfect. The ending, the story, the physics. Lets begin shall we? Game graphics are prety good for its year. The physics in the game is evolutionary. No doubt its the best FPS I've ever played. Actualy best game I've played. The strongest part of the game, is the atmosphare. It gives you the feeling you are in a sandbox game how ever every step you make was already was desinged. When you nead to feel hopeless game makes you feel like that, when you nead to be awesome. And after all the shooting mechanics and everything was prety good and required real skill... It still succseded to give you the feeling of the atmosphare with a muted character... So here is the status:
    Graphics: 10/10
    Gameplay: 10/10
    Story line: 11/10
    Physics: 10/10
    Atmosphare: 20/10    … Expand
  14. EpicBaconTaco
    Jul 20, 2013
    10
    There is only one word that comes to mind when I think of this game, miraculous. Half-Life 2 is the a perfect example of a game that can make a FPS feel like the point of the game is not just to shoot everything in sight. It blends puzzle, action, adventure, and the creepy feel of it's environments together so well, that it's no overstatement to say that it is one of the greatest gamesThere is only one word that comes to mind when I think of this game, miraculous. Half-Life 2 is the a perfect example of a game that can make a FPS feel like the point of the game is not just to shoot everything in sight. It blends puzzle, action, adventure, and the creepy feel of it's environments together so well, that it's no overstatement to say that it is one of the greatest games of all time.… Expand
  15. ChendrA
    Jul 20, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SIMPLY THE BEST Everything about this game is AWESOME I wasn't that much of a gamer but when I played the first Half Life I became one. The first one was ok. But when I played the second one, I was Mind blown. First the graphics and physics back then were awesome. The AI was great (although today is way better), the textures were great, the gameplay felt very good. As for the story it was really good and mysterious, with the old characters from the first one and adding some really cool characters. Cant wait for Half Life 3!… Expand
  16. 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
  17. Cmf97351
    Jul 17, 2013
    9
    Despite the slightly repetitive chapters of Water Hazard and Highway 7, Half Life 2 has followed on from its predecessor and is honestly one of the greatest games I have EVER played. Very fancy graphics, more than an hour of timed dialogue and sound, awesome storyline and gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours on end. I recommend this game to anyone because it isDespite the slightly repetitive chapters of Water Hazard and Highway 7, Half Life 2 has followed on from its predecessor and is honestly one of the greatest games I have EVER played. Very fancy graphics, more than an hour of timed dialogue and sound, awesome storyline and gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours on end. I recommend this game to anyone because it is a benchmark in modern First Person Shooters.… Expand
  18. suore
    Jul 15, 2013
    10
    Game is still fresh, and awesome and cross-platform.
    Best adventure game in which I played, the game is very specific.
    The story of a high standard.
  19. cappugino
    Jul 14, 2013
    9
    I would give the game a 90 out of 100.

    Pro´s: Gun play: (To achieve guns u have to get to some progress points in-game. Every new weapon is it totally worth it to play. The only bad thing here is that u have the full weapon set in the middle of the game.) The Gun play of the weapons is amazing. Never got such a good feeling with this. Story: The Story is ok. Nothing special. Levels:    I would give the game a 90 out of 100.

    Pro´s:
    Gun play: (To achieve guns u have to get to some progress points in-game.
    Every new weapon is it totally worth it to play. The only bad thing here is that u have the full weapon set in the middle of the game.) The Gun play of the weapons is amazing. Never got such a good feeling with this.
    Story: The Story is ok. Nothing special.
    Levels: Well designed Level maps. I like the change between darker and brighter areas.

    Contras:
    At some points its going to get frustrating for noobs like me. Especially at the end of the game. (chapter 11 and 12) chapter 1-10 and 13 are well balanced.
    Bugs: Sometimes the KI blocks your way and you die. Additional you stuck and can´t jump out at some points.

    Overall this game is still worth to play it in 2013 and have a much better Solo mod than Battlefield and CoD.    … Expand
  20. theCandCMaster
    Jul 13, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I great game. Very enjoyable and original. The AI is amazing and the atmosphere is excellent. Satisfying and beautiful. I find a considerate amount of people criticizing it for bad AI and repetitive show how clueless they are failing to see the utter difference of each level. The ending was amazing. Valve made sure not to put too much weapons. One of each. One pistol, one revolver, one shotgun, one smg etc.....but made the weapons so satisfying and fun to use that you didn't want more. the physics make the game all the more realistic and the unbelievably original story made all the more better. One of the best, if not the best, fps ever. 100/10 that's how good it is… Expand
  21. jesterx7769
    Jul 10, 2013
    7
    I just beat it for the first time so here is an unbiased non nostalgia review.

    Overall for the time when it came out the game is outstanding. You can see that it inspired many aspects in other games and is worth playing. However taken with a grain of salt the game (like most popular historical games) is over hyped due to the mystery of half life 3 and the nostalgia it brings to many.    I just beat it for the first time so here is an unbiased non nostalgia review.

    Overall for the time when it came out the game is outstanding. You can see that it inspired many aspects in other games and is worth playing. However taken with a grain of salt the game (like most popular historical games) is over hyped due to the mystery of half life 3 and the nostalgia it brings to many.

    Gameplay: The game does a great job of incorporating puzzles without it being too obvious forcing you to think and use your mind without hand holding. The shooting is good but I admit having only a crossbow with a zoom is a bit annoying, I get that modern games make it too easy with every gun having a scope but none is a downer. Some of the difficulty also just becomes annoying at times instead of challenging, I found part of this mainly to do w/the graphics/lighting making it hard to see what you need to do.

    Graphics: Stand the test of time and makes you think less of modern games that they have not improved more.

    Story: This was my biggest complaint. I understand there is half life 1 and the half life 2 episodes but standing alone the story is not good. It is not clearly explained when only a little summary here and there would make it better. You do not really have a purpose in the game as you are just directed from point A to point B helping a resistance (but not with any goal or objective). You should not have to read wikis and time lines and history of things to understand the story of a game.

    Gameplay: 4/5
    Graphics: 5/5
    Story: 2/5    … Expand
  22. shprea
    Jul 9, 2013
    7
    Meh, it's okay.
    Half-Life 2 does a lot of things right. It looks great, plays great, has a large interconnected world, and has a fairly interesting story with cool characters.
    Except the game feels somewhat tedious. Every level is similar to the last later on in the game. You kill the same/similar enemies over and over again. Every now and then there is a driving section to break up the    Meh, it's okay.
    Half-Life 2 does a lot of things right. It looks great, plays great, has a large interconnected world, and has a fairly interesting story with cool characters.
    Except the game feels somewhat tedious. Every level is similar to the last later on in the game. You kill the same/similar enemies over and over again. Every now and then there is a driving section to break up the tedium, but those suck.

    This game is really overrated. I've played much better FPS games than Half-Life 2; games that were far less tedious and less boring. It's a good game, just not that great.    … Expand
  23. SnipingFalcon
    Jul 8, 2013
    10
    The powerful source engine combined with the awesome graphics of this first person shooter makes a great experience, while AI can be bad at times, and some chapters like Root Kanal and Water Hazard can be drawn out and get really boring. The game is overall, a great game that has interesting characters that you actually care about. And for 2004 standards, that's not so bad.
  24. Xon
    Jul 6, 2013
    10
    This is by far for me the truest realisation of a videogame. The game features a terrible dystopian setting with hopeless inhabitants struggling against an unbeatable foe.
    One aspect of the game that I love the most is that you never "leave" the game. All discourse and interactions coccur in-game.
    As near perfect a game as I've ever seen. Some places might seem a bit empty, but hey, the    This is by far for me the truest realisation of a videogame. The game features a terrible dystopian setting with hopeless inhabitants struggling against an unbeatable foe.
    One aspect of the game that I love the most is that you never "leave" the game. All discourse and interactions coccur in-game.
    As near perfect a game as I've ever seen. Some places might seem a bit empty, but hey, the human population has been decimated.
    All in all a great experince.    … Expand
  25. imightnou
    Jun 29, 2013
    10
    Best game ever. Amazing story, awesome graphics (for its time), real physics, and very good gameplay. For anyone who plays shooters, this game is a must. I just played this game last week, 9 years after its release. Let me tell you, it's true how they say a masterpiece never ages.
  26. 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
  27. ElchaBillo
    Jun 23, 2013
    10
    Half-Life 2 is one of the greatest games ever made. I have played it dozens of times and still enjoy it. The game has many different and great settings, varying enemies and weapons and great locations that are fun to explore. I strongly recommend this game to all who love FPS's
  28. viegasn
    Jun 19, 2013
    10
    A beautiful game, that is a very competent FPS and action game, but at the same time one of the most intelligent puzzle games ever created.
    This game does not guide you by hand. There will be no quest list, map or arrow pointing to your objective. You won't have an army behind you destroying everything in your way. But ut does not lack in action. It is one of the most intense games I ever    A beautiful game, that is a very competent FPS and action game, but at the same time one of the most intelligent puzzle games ever created.
    This game does not guide you by hand. There will be no quest list, map or arrow pointing to your objective. You won't have an army behind you destroying everything in your way. But ut does not lack in action. It is one of the most intense games I ever played, it is not easy and it DOES NOT presume you want it to be. Valve presumes you are just as intelligent as they are and the entire game is based around it. Around the fact that you are smart enough to go trough a game without a guide and a army, that you can be emerged in an amazing universe and understand a complicated storyline, that you can understand your objective without it flashing in red and gold every 3 seconds, and that you can solve physics based puzzles, under pressure and enemy fire without any clues.
    Half Life 2 also brings a sense of open world, free to exploration, but even without a map or any guide you never get lost.
    Probably the best game ever created. A freaking masterpiece.    … Expand
  29. AWG
    Jun 4, 2013
    8
    Graphics are stunning and the storyline keeps being as interesting as a well-written tv series. I personally got bored very soon by the hovercraft levels but that's just one subjective flaw among innumerable actual merits.
  30. waterwaterwater
    May 30, 2013
    9
    Most of the people rating this game very low are either console jockeys or love games that play more like movies (press E a bunch now!). Half-life 1 and 2 dominated fps games for years and gave the world games like counter-strike and day of defeat. Games coming out now are quickly becoming unmoddable, a fact that should terrify all PC gamers. The story was engaging and the gameplay in bothMost of the people rating this game very low are either console jockeys or love games that play more like movies (press E a bunch now!). Half-life 1 and 2 dominated fps games for years and gave the world games like counter-strike and day of defeat. Games coming out now are quickly becoming unmoddable, a fact that should terrify all PC gamers. The story was engaging and the gameplay in both of them was challenging enough while remaining fun. While the game is not a 10 (I don't think there has ever been a perfect game) it is a classic and will be one of the few games people of this generation will pull out and try to replay when they are in their 50's-60's, hopefully steam still exists then.......… Expand
Page:

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 »