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. AnonymousMC
    Aug 27, 2009
    10
    Half Life 2 is an amazing game. It combines (no pun intended) strategic combat with puzzles and difficulty. As you escape from city 17 you can feel the adrenaline kicking in, with the music and sound effects creating this scary mood. It is a relatively old game, but has tons better graphics and gameplay than Call of Duty 4. The game has so much to think about that you are immediatelyHalf Life 2 is an amazing game. It combines (no pun intended) strategic combat with puzzles and difficulty. As you escape from city 17 you can feel the adrenaline kicking in, with the music and sound effects creating this scary mood. It is a relatively old game, but has tons better graphics and gameplay than Call of Duty 4. The game has so much to think about that you are immediately immersed in Gordon Freeman's life. Half Life is one of the few games that is a classic.… Expand
  2. Frostcredit
    Dec 21, 2003
    10
    Poor game with a classic charachter they should have rejected all the previous games and made a superoir one.
  3. BlakeC
    Nov 15, 2004
    10
    It ROCK's
  4. RonitC.
    Nov 15, 2004
    10
    Does Half Life 1 proud...buy this game.
  5. S.S.
    Nov 16, 2004
    10
    it's about time, and it's FREAKING unbelieveable.
  6. Flanders
    Nov 16, 2004
    10
    I love the texture resolution in this game.. things look almost real. As for gameplay, I was able to rip the TV out of the wall, walk it down the hall, and chuck it in the face of the guard... awesome!
  7. JayL.
    Nov 17, 2004
    10
    Everything that Doom 3 in all it's disappointment wasn't. Simply amazing.
  8. ArenM.
    Nov 17, 2004
    10
    Excellent gaming experience. My only beef is the long load times throughout the game. This however can be overlooked due to the perfection of every other aspect. BUY IT!
  9. RichK.
    Nov 17, 2004
    7
    As far as first person shooters go, it's certainly one of the best. But simply improving another idea (no matter how much) does not mean original. It's basically a better version of every other FPS. Quite an accomplishment but only to the FPS genre. Not to mention it'll cost you a few hundred bucks to upgrade your computer if you wanna run it.
  10. EricW.
    Nov 17, 2004
    10
    A beautiful piece of art, perfection in it's purest state. Half-Life 2 set the new bar for game devolopment. The mod community will insure your investment for years to come.
  11. LokeszHarm
    Nov 18, 2004
    9
    Very impressed with the emotional expression of the human characters. Bit disappointed with sound quality. The same tech problems as hl1, this time on my totally upgraded super turbo PC! Maybe they have still the same sound programmer?
  12. MyP.
    Nov 19, 2004
    10
    Half-Life 2 is near perfect. You simply can't compare a pc game to a console game. Anyone who thinks Halo 2 is better doesn't even know how advanced Half-Life 2 really is. Does Halo 2 have mod support? Is Halo capable of supporting 128 players? Are Halo 2's graphics at all improved from the original? There are countless reasons why Half-Life 2 is better. When I bought Half-Life 2 is near perfect. You simply can't compare a pc game to a console game. Anyone who thinks Halo 2 is better doesn't even know how advanced Half-Life 2 really is. Does Halo 2 have mod support? Is Halo capable of supporting 128 players? Are Halo 2's graphics at all improved from the original? There are countless reasons why Half-Life 2 is better. When I bought Half-Life 2 Silver for $60, I didn't just get Half-Life 2. I also got Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life, Half-Life: Source, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat: Source, Deathmatch Classic, Opposing Force, Natural Selection, The Specialists, Sven CO-OP, Digital Paintball, Earth's Special Forces, Zombie Panic, Firearms, The Battle Grounds, Vampire Slayer, Hostile Intent, The Trenches, International Online Soccer, Half-Life Rally, Adrenaline Gamer, Science and Industry, Action Half-Life, Frontline Force, The Ship, and hundreds more you can download, and even more that are in developement as Half-Life 2 mods. … Expand
  13. Cyberxero
    Nov 19, 2004
    10
    Wooooohoooooooooo!!!This game is by far the probably the best FPS ever to be made.The graphics are beautiful, the sound is great, A.I is simply awesome, physics are a real treat and gameplay is just awesome. It for sure beats Doom 3, Halo 2 and even Farcry as an FPS. The story line is perfect just as the first Half-life story line was. The game is frantic, intense and almost scarily Wooooohoooooooooo!!!This game is by far the probably the best FPS ever to be made.The graphics are beautiful, the sound is great, A.I is simply awesome, physics are a real treat and gameplay is just awesome. It for sure beats Doom 3, Halo 2 and even Farcry as an FPS. The story line is perfect just as the first Half-life story line was. The game is frantic, intense and almost scarily real.Over all if you saved up enough for a FPS dont hesitate and go for HL2. Truly the best FPS out there. PLus if your done with the campaign,there is a multiplayer mode sort of like tactical-ops but wayyyyyyyyy better!! So go and buy HL2 now! =)… Expand
  14. EricH.
    Nov 21, 2004
    10
    While I wish there were decimals between 9 and 10 (after all, it wasn't perfect), this has definitely been the most enjoyable First-Person Shooter I have ever played. The levels are very linear, but that didn't stop the gameplay from being amazing. The AI, despite what some have said, is pretty good. You can sneak up behind them, there isn't any of that "line of sight" While I wish there were decimals between 9 and 10 (after all, it wasn't perfect), this has definitely been the most enjoyable First-Person Shooter I have ever played. The levels are very linear, but that didn't stop the gameplay from being amazing. The AI, despite what some have said, is pretty good. You can sneak up behind them, there isn't any of that "line of sight" crap. In conclusion, this game comes with my unqualified recommendation... if you make it through steam.… Expand
  15. Mickj
    Nov 21, 2004
    10
    I'm sorry, u probably wont want to post this but i didnt know how else to get in touch with u [Ed] . how many of these user reviews to do have to look at every day and does the one person do all of them for all of metacritic? [Ed: A bunch, and yes, it's just me.]
  16. LindenC.
    Nov 22, 2004
    9
    Awesome but not perfect, not sold with half life source and all that without paying more thats bullsh*t.
  17. SteveA.
    Nov 23, 2004
    10
    All incredible, but what's up with the ending?
  18. MarioP.
    Nov 27, 2004
    8
    It is a great game :fun,addictive,very fluid graphics.My concern is that the game is only 1.19 gig long and valve should have gave us a couple of levels more...for the wait.Also i wish it would have a bit more textures and thoses zombies ...com on !!!!they are not very well designed...overrated i think....
  19. CrayHorse
    Nov 28, 2004
    8
    Half-Life 2 is good, but grossly overrated. Yes, the graphics are eye-popping on the latest video hardware, and the physics is a lot of fun. But the game has long repetetive stretches which are mind-numbingly tedious. Unlike Halo 1/2, riding the vehicles in Half-Life 2 is so tedious that I've come to dread their appearance. At the end of the day, Doom 3 is a better game and a better Half-Life 2 is good, but grossly overrated. Yes, the graphics are eye-popping on the latest video hardware, and the physics is a lot of fun. But the game has long repetetive stretches which are mind-numbingly tedious. Unlike Halo 1/2, riding the vehicles in Half-Life 2 is so tedious that I've come to dread their appearance. At the end of the day, Doom 3 is a better game and a better gaming experience.… Expand
  20. TomV.
    Nov 29, 2004
    10
    It's refreshing to see that not as many people are attempting to earn some sort of geek-cred by dissing this stupidly fantastic piece of gaming artistry. J.J. either has not played the game, or is droolingly stupid. Giving a game like this anything below an eight doesn't make any sense. The art, the technology and the game design are all unprecedented, and that's all there It's refreshing to see that not as many people are attempting to earn some sort of geek-cred by dissing this stupidly fantastic piece of gaming artistry. J.J. either has not played the game, or is droolingly stupid. Giving a game like this anything below an eight doesn't make any sense. The art, the technology and the game design are all unprecedented, and that's all there is to it. It's not counter-culture to disrespect the faultless and flawless, it's just criminally stupid, and anyone who does it ought to be ashamed. … Expand
  21. Batmanactually
    Nov 29, 2004
    10
    I played this game like crazy its so awesome!!!!!! beat it like an hour ago...I wanted to play more...I didnt want it to end!!! everyone giving it under an 8 just dont know anything about fps games...this game had tons of work put into it thats why it is so great...and Cray Horse you said that Half-Life 2 got repetitive...and you said Doom 3 was a better game...Doom 3 is the repetitive I played this game like crazy its so awesome!!!!!! beat it like an hour ago...I wanted to play more...I didnt want it to end!!! everyone giving it under an 8 just dont know anything about fps games...this game had tons of work put into it thats why it is so great...and Cray Horse you said that Half-Life 2 got repetitive...and you said Doom 3 was a better game...Doom 3 is the repetitive and worse game...I beat Half-Life 2 in 3 days...I havent even bothered to beat Doom 3 even after 3 months...… Expand
  22. ChrisO.
    Dec 15, 2004
    7
    The game is good, but I don't think it's the second coming that everyone seems to think it is. The graphics are good, but inferior to Doom 3's and even FarCry's, level loading occurs way to often and takes way too long and pulls you out of the mood, Steam sucks badly, disappointing multiplayer (yay! more Counter Strike!!), no variety in enemies, too linear single The game is good, but I don't think it's the second coming that everyone seems to think it is. The graphics are good, but inferior to Doom 3's and even FarCry's, level loading occurs way to often and takes way too long and pulls you out of the mood, Steam sucks badly, disappointing multiplayer (yay! more Counter Strike!!), no variety in enemies, too linear single player component, and while the physics system is very, very nice, without the grav-gun, it'd be a non-issue. Good game, but I thought Id did better.… Expand
  23. B.G.
    Dec 16, 2004
    9
    Brilliant game. The action is fast paced and involving, the environments (let alone the graphics) are superb, and most importantly it takes more than an afternoon to beat it. Unfortunately the story makes you long for a HL 3, the AI is a cool but easy to defeat, and I would have like 1 or 2 more guns. All in all its a fantastic game but not quite a 10.
  24. MattB.
    Dec 17, 2004
    10
    Cant get much better than this people! (Once you get past Steam) It is the best game I have ever played when it comes to the fps genre. Hopefully expansions in the same vein as Opposing Force are forth coming soon! Thanks Valve....
  25. DanM.
    Dec 21, 2004
    7
    Great game, some bugs, but Steam is really what killed my vote. If not for steam i'd give it a nine.
  26. AnonymousMC
    Dec 23, 2004
    10
    I played Half-Life the original when it first came out. So I do know what i'm talking about. Half-Life 2 is a revolution, just as good as an advancement in the gaming world as the first. Get it, all the other user's who rate it low are people who just played cs on the original, never the game. Hl2, deathmatch and single player, are utterly amazing.
  27. ScottF.
    Dec 28, 2004
    10
    Just like it says on the back of the box,"... the best game ever made". I happened to download it month's in advance through steam. so to all you people buying it in stores, tough shit. i just had to hit play the day it came out. the game is breathtaking, from its opening sequence all the way through. forget doom 3, forget far cry... this is the game you'll tell everyone about. Just like it says on the back of the box,"... the best game ever made". I happened to download it month's in advance through steam. so to all you people buying it in stores, tough shit. i just had to hit play the day it came out. the game is breathtaking, from its opening sequence all the way through. forget doom 3, forget far cry... this is the game you'll tell everyone about. ive been addicted to counter-strike for the past 4 yrs and to see what theyve done with that is simply amazing. im hooked all over again. amazing game.… Expand
  28. ms
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    Do you know why I give this game a ten..because I played it front to back as much as I could on each difficulty level with as many different stradegies and as many different opinions on how to play as possible. each time proved better than the last..but what I don't understand is..why ones? why twos? why zeros? What is the point to giving a game that obviously has some of the Do you know why I give this game a ten..because I played it front to back as much as I could on each difficulty level with as many different stradegies and as many different opinions on how to play as possible. each time proved better than the last..but what I don't understand is..why ones? why twos? why zeros? What is the point to giving a game that obviously has some of the strongest points in gaming such a low score...I'll tell you why..BIAS! The people who give this game a bad review are either too obsessed with just one FPS (Far Cry, Doom, Quake etc...) or don't like FPS games in the first place. Either that or there are way too many opinions based on positive bias such as those who give it a ten simply because its half-life..both are wrong ways to judge and I can definately say as an all around game fan that this game has earned this 10..do you know why? Because I'm NOT biased..do you think the game critics upstairs are thinking about Doom, Quake, or Far Cry when they give this game a review..absolutely not, which is why they work for their publications! You guys aren't even close to fair or reasonable so get real and actually play the game for all its worth and then we'll see how terrible it is.… Expand
  29. Sna696
    Nov 12, 2006
    10
    The best game in the world! Amazing graphics and sound! Supreme history and marvelous physics!
  30. JonahR.
    Nov 12, 2006
    7
    Great looking engine, but the single player is only fun once. The lack of co-op play, and a really poorly delivered story separate this game from the truly great games.
  31. MartinO.
    Nov 16, 2007
    10
    A fully enjoyable game, from graphics to gameplay. Difficult enough on easy to challenge, yet not make you want to pull your hair out. Excellent storyline. 10/10
  32. BuckyD
    Nov 24, 2007
    10
    If a game can make you forget that your playing a game, its a damn good game. This is one of those games.
  33. ErnstR.
    Nov 26, 2007
    10
    I think this is and will be the best and will shoot the rest!
  34. ToniD.
    Nov 27, 2007
    10
    Gordon Freeman must survive... Only 10.
  35. KillingM.
    Dec 13, 2007
    10
    HL2 is the best game I've never played.
  36. SergioA.
    Dec 24, 2007
    10
    The only thing I can say is: i can't wait for the movie, because the game is impossible to rating! Best Game made Ever!
  37. PeriklisS
    Nov 13, 2009
    10
    This game is amazing in nearly every single. It took my breath away from the very begining. For a five year old game, it is graphically stupendous, and from a narative standpoint, it is the best. In the words of G Man, "This is where I get off..."
  38. rajg
    Nov 22, 2009
    10
    This game exceeds every FPS ever made, including newer ones like Halo and COD, in every way, shape, and form. It crushed the competition, crushed previous standards, and set the bar so high that I the only game to possibly have reached it is Portal, which, of course, is another Valve game. In conclusion, Half Life is the best game series ever created, Valve is the best game This game exceeds every FPS ever made, including newer ones like Halo and COD, in every way, shape, and form. It crushed the competition, crushed previous standards, and set the bar so high that I the only game to possibly have reached it is Portal, which, of course, is another Valve game. In conclusion, Half Life is the best game series ever created, Valve is the best game developer/publisher in existance, and anyone who has not played half life, or at the very least a Valve game does not deserve the title of gamer or hardcore. GG.… Expand
  39. Bobbobbo
    Nov 23, 2009
    10
    The best game I have ever played.
  40. DanR
    Nov 26, 2009
    10
    Valve set the bar with this game. Between the involving problems, the charisma of the silent hero, and the captivating storyline; this game has to be one of the best of all time.
  41. StefanK
    Dec 11, 2009
    9
    The claim Game of the Year should be awarded more than once for this game. It´s a well thought through game with interesting dialoges and an awesome storyline! Cant get enough of this and the episodes!
  42. Tyhcus
    Sep 23, 2010
    9
    Half-Life 2 was a masterpiece for its time. High points of the game included gravity manipulation, the NPC companion (so far unsurpassed in the pure FPS genre) and the sense of scale. The source engine is still going strong though user mods never really seemed to live up to the creativity and diversity of original Half Life ones.
  43. Skeptikal
    Dec 27, 2010
    10
    Simply amazing...Seeing is believeing. I myslef had heard of half life through the grapevine but had never got around to playing it as I was formally on a console. Well since seeing the light and switching to the pc I started looking into epic pc titles and within the first few minutes of my internet search quickly saw how revered Valve's Half Life series was. I jumped right into Half LifeSimply amazing...Seeing is believeing. I myslef had heard of half life through the grapevine but had never got around to playing it as I was formally on a console. Well since seeing the light and switching to the pc I started looking into epic pc titles and within the first few minutes of my internet search quickly saw how revered Valve's Half Life series was. I jumped right into Half Life 2 for 10 bucks on Amazon and let me tell you it has changed my expectations of games completely. Even though the game is dated as of 2010, the well thought out game play coupled with the superb plot, facial animations, and voice acting goes to show that graphics is NOT the be all end all. If by chance you are reading this and have not played Half Life- please, treat yourself and give it 5 minutes-you won't look back.… Expand
  44. creptor
    Jan 2, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a great game and I absolutely love it! The combine are great to kill. And I found it amusing to make the guards angry in the first level. I love the new zombies and the new poison head crabs and zombies are awesome! There are also the funny yet annoying fast zombies! Overall A masterpiece… Expand
  45. Mr7Goat
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    A very good game! A variety of characters, enemies, weapons, and environments to come across in this game. The story line is amazing, you play as Gordon Freeman who was in the original Half - life( which was amazing too). This game has a horror,action, and drama like game-play style. I recommend this game to anyone who wants a good cheap game to play for hours.
  46. GolovA
    Jun 10, 2015
    9
    Even though i played it first 8 years after its initial release, i enjoyed the game thoroughly due to its beautiful marrying of story-telling and pacing. Sounds simple, but most games (almost all) miss this masterful harmony in their gameplay. Half-Life 2 does not let you rest until you finish it - always on the brink, always hurried on, always on the move, and always inside the story -Even though i played it first 8 years after its initial release, i enjoyed the game thoroughly due to its beautiful marrying of story-telling and pacing. Sounds simple, but most games (almost all) miss this masterful harmony in their gameplay. Half-Life 2 does not let you rest until you finish it - always on the brink, always hurried on, always on the move, and always inside the story - i as a player loved the experience.… Expand
  47. watithink123
    Dec 19, 2012
    9
    A very diffrent type of style for a FPS then any other FPS game I have ever played. Its a interesting FPS with a little puzzle to it. Very good story and fun missions. Half-Life 2 9.6/10
  48. kimaasen1984
    Apr 25, 2012
    9
    Took me eight years to finish Half-Life 2, but it was certainly worth the wait for my sake. Sure, I wish I'd finished it when it was newer, but better late than never. The story is great in traditional Half-Life tradition, and if you haven't gotten around to play this game you'd better make sure you do now!
  49. WaterWoman
    May 18, 2012
    9
    If you didn't like this game, well, you are likely not playing any games now. Gameplay was fun, story was fine, and it brings back good memories. .
  50. 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.
  51. QuarterLife
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    Still the best shooter series to date, but it's a damn shame that Valve has forgotten this series even exists. Maybe one day we'll get to finish the story.
  52. Jouna92
    Dec 25, 2013
    9
    Half-Life 2......it doesn't do a whole lot differently than other games in the shooter genre in terms of pure gameplay innovation, but it takes existing styles, then mixes, matches and makes them better. Another triumph.
  53. Mithil
    Oct 14, 2015
    9
    Freakishly addicting, advanced physics engine, miraculous sound design and voice acting, ZERO annoying cut-scenes, the freaking-gravity-gun, Antlion army, Alyx, the tour of the citadel, action, horror, mystery, twists, more than 12 hours of non-stop action, puzzles, killing and planning... can see how it's the greatest game of all times.
  54. AiseKrom2
    Jan 9, 2013
    9
    It's 3 games in one really, It's an FPS with Puzzles and mild horror.
    The shooting and gun feedback is top notch and enemy AI, especially on harder difficulties, is challenging. forcing the player to take on enemies with strategy rather than waiting behind conveniently placed shoulder high walls while your health regenerates.
    The puzzles are perfectly timed to break up the action, so you    It's 3 games in one really, It's an FPS with Puzzles and mild horror.
    The shooting and gun feedback is top notch and enemy AI, especially on harder difficulties, is challenging. forcing the player to take on enemies with strategy rather than waiting behind conveniently placed shoulder high walls while your health regenerates.
    The puzzles are perfectly timed to break up the action, so you aren't just shooting things until it gets boring. The addition of the gravity gun later into the game really adds depth and weight to the gameplay as you find yourself clearing hallways of debris and quickly switching to your crowbar to kill head crabs in the places you discover doing so.
    There are a few annoyances though. First off Squad AI is not broken, but annoying. An example being that Team mates often block doorways or trap you in a corner. Whoever's idea it was to combine flash light, Sprint and oxygen into one bar needs shooting, It means you can't sprint with the light on, or even use a light while holding your breath under water.    … Expand
  55. 176-761
    Jan 30, 2013
    8
    Graphics are fair by nowadays standards, but plot is still quite good. Althougt gameplay is like going in the tube and there is no interactive options with storyline. Still after nearly 10 years this game feels like futuristic.
  56. Sean-M
    May 23, 2020
    10
    So when you rate a game it doesn't show up in your rated list somehow. Let's try to add a review to see if this is going to work. 10 out of 10.
  57. SergeantSoz
    Jul 9, 2021
    10
    I remember when this came out when I was a kid. I didn’t have a computer that could handle this game. I didn’t play it until 2007 with the Orange Box and even 3 years later, the graphics, physics and AI that everyone was raving about, aged like fine wine and still wowed me. The wait was worth it and I’ll admit i was obsessed with it because i couldn’t play it. It has a very immersiveI remember when this came out when I was a kid. I didn’t have a computer that could handle this game. I didn’t play it until 2007 with the Orange Box and even 3 years later, the graphics, physics and AI that everyone was raving about, aged like fine wine and still wowed me. The wait was worth it and I’ll admit i was obsessed with it because i couldn’t play it. It has a very immersive environment with great NPCs. This game is a big part of gaming history and everyone should play it. Even in 2021 it’s still fun as hell.… Expand
  58. edbeam
    Apr 4, 2015
    10
    Yo GUILHEREME ESTAS A LER ISTO THIS GAME IS ALRUGTH I like it so you now let's not say stuff about games you know just saying I'm gonna delete this cause I don't want to be banned.
  59. danibuttpirate
    May 1, 2013
    9
    Yet another great Half-life game! Not as scary as the first one but it is still fun to play, with lots of actions, twists and characters that you get involved with. No doubt that this game will keep you entertained. Healthy variety of weapons with a great stories and well developed story, I recommend this to anyone!
  60. lu123
    Mar 20, 2023
    10
    This game is the best FPS of all time. Even though the game was released in 2004, it still impresses mainly by its engine. The Gravity Gun is very fun, and the history was very well made.
  61. 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
  62. 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.
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  63. 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.
  64. 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.
  65. fmcs74
    Jan 2, 2021
    10
    Great shooter, fun story. Gameplay innovations that still feel fresh over 15 years later.
    ****3/4 (4.75)
  66. juricasaravanja
    Nov 10, 2020
    10
    I played a lots of games in my life. It begins in the second part of the eighty's. After a playing this game for a few hours I felt very sick. My neck start to ake and I had a strange feeling that I got to throw up. Never before and never again in my long history of playing I didn't experience such a thing.
    It is a mystery to me. Why???
    But the game is just amazing. I couldn't finish it    I played a lots of games in my life. It begins in the second part of the eighty's. After a playing this game for a few hours I felt very sick. My neck start to ake and I had a strange feeling that I got to throw up. Never before and never again in my long history of playing I didn't experience such a thing.
    It is a mystery to me. Why???
    But the game is just amazing. I couldn't finish it because of those problems which I had. But if I could I surely would. Masterpiece.    … Expand
  67. tigerskin84
    Nov 1, 2015
    9
    When half life 2 came out (2004) i wasnt into video games , in 2014 i wanted to see why all the people talked so much about this game so i played and they where right, this game is amazing and also i understand that even today a lot of games that came after steal/borrow a lot of things from this game.
  68. fateappointed
    Feb 3, 2014
    9
    Story: 8 out of 10, Graphics: 9 out of 10, Fun: 9 out of 10, Controls: 9 out of 10, Ease to Learn: 8 out of 10, Length: 10 out of 10, Re-play: 7 out of 10, Value: 10 out of 10
  69. grrrr
    Jul 5, 2015
    10
    I played this game 11 years after release and it is amazing. Now I understand why is it called one of the best(if not the best) first person shooter on PC. Must play for PC gamers.
  70. Zuber00
    Jan 8, 2020
    10
    This is one of my favourites and I have replayed it for nearly a dozen times. Every level feels unique and you can make use of both the environment and various weapons to dispose of enemies. The negatives are that the AI is horrible by today's standards and enemies don't feel human or alive, but rather like moving dummies that deal damage, but neither are that big of a deal. The funThis is one of my favourites and I have replayed it for nearly a dozen times. Every level feels unique and you can make use of both the environment and various weapons to dispose of enemies. The negatives are that the AI is horrible by today's standards and enemies don't feel human or alive, but rather like moving dummies that deal damage, but neither are that big of a deal. The fun chapters, weapon variety and immersive setting really pull you in despite the games' age.
    I must however admit that it falls behind modern games in many aspects, but I would still recommend anyone curious enough to check this classic out.    … Expand
  71. ReviewScope
    Mar 29, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is how fast paced FPS games should be done!

    Pros:
    Fantastic Graphics (for the time)
    Excellent Enemy AI
    Facial and body animations
    Thrilling, fast paced gameplay and levels
    Solid shooting

    Cons:
    Ravenholm level (Which scared the **** out of me when I first played the game)
    Silent protagonist Gordon Freeman feels unfitting

    Besides only one of the chapters and a flaw in character development, this FPS is as pure as pure can get!    … Expand
  72. 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
  73. robomartion
    Mar 5, 2023
    5
    I never realized it before, but replaying this venerated classic, beneath its advanced visuals for the time, the gameplay of Half-Life 2 is brutally repetitive and simplistic. The only way I could handle it was to rush through it as fast as humanly possible. It is fairly simple to explain why Valve does not release any new games that are worth their salt, it is a myth that they ever did inI never realized it before, but replaying this venerated classic, beneath its advanced visuals for the time, the gameplay of Half-Life 2 is brutally repetitive and simplistic. The only way I could handle it was to rush through it as fast as humanly possible. It is fairly simple to explain why Valve does not release any new games that are worth their salt, it is a myth that they ever did in the past.… Expand
  74. Metalpizza123
    Jun 14, 2019
    8
    Playing it again in 2018, I don't know how i found this so fun when I was younger. The mission structure is boring, with repetitive combat with uninteresting enemies that lack variety. Certain sections seem thrown in just to show off the engine, without considering why it's even necessary. Physics puzzles may have been interesting back when it launched but even then I found it boring andPlaying it again in 2018, I don't know how i found this so fun when I was younger. The mission structure is boring, with repetitive combat with uninteresting enemies that lack variety. Certain sections seem thrown in just to show off the engine, without considering why it's even necessary. Physics puzzles may have been interesting back when it launched but even then I found it boring and insulting to the player. More often than not they're incredibly simple and is just busywork/filler to pad out the levels. However, it is still fun to run through its expansions, which refined a lot of the game's mechanics and feel more polished as a result. The story itself is honestly pretty bland, and never reaches the highs of the original. The characters occasionally feel flat and as a result feel more like necessities to drive the game, but overall the writing is pretty good. It Still lacks a compelling reason to keep invested. It's linear structure is not helped by otherwise boring level design, perhaps due to the limits of the combat system. A pity then, as some of the weapons and tools are legitimately quite fun and unique, and provide interesting ways to interact with the environment and enemies. Ravenholm is still a highlight where the tools and level design feel consistently fun. Play it in short bursts and the combat is pretty fun. However, after certain events in the game, you're forced to face gauntlet after gauntlet of combine enemies. This is easily the most unrewarding part of the game, forcing you to battle wave after wave of enemies that rarely change their tactics and with the level design failing to bring any interesting twists to the combat.

    Thankfully it's usually on sale pretty cheap on steam, and fairly regularly (with its expansions). It's still wonderful to watch people speedrun it and it's worth playing through, at least once. i would advise any modern gamer to play it more as a way to see how gaming evolved, rather than using it as a standard for games to compare to. Many games have learnt and built upon the changes made in this game. I do give it points for running wonderfully on many modern systems. I have now played it across 4 operating systems and it has run well across multiple brands of graphics cards. Graphics mean little to me in terms of gameplay but from an objective standpoint it has aged well, unlike many 3D games from the early 2000s. It won't blow anything away now, but it does look serviceable and much better than many games from its era. Sound design is good, but not memorable. Serviceable perhaps.

    It does have a wealth of fan made mods but that does not affect my score, as Valve did not create them.

    I guess Valve made a great game for its time, but for its time only. While other games have gone on to play well long after they have been released, Half Life 2 stands as a dated classic. If you want to play a game from this era that plays just as well as the first time it was released, I would recommend FEAR. It's almost the complete opposite. Storytelling is far better, with immersion done far better. It has aged worse, has numerous compatibility issues, and requires extensive tweaking to get working on modern operating systems. but it's fun to play, even today. Another example would be Max Payne 2. It has aged awfully, but remains fun to this day. But play half life 2. At least once. You'd be missing out otherwise.    … Expand
  75. jelikey
    Aug 30, 2020
    9
    Without a doubt the greatest video game of all time. People argue that older games like Mario, or Zelda are superior to it, but if given the choice of having to play a game 15+ years old or a game that was only released in the past few years, you'd pick the newer game.
  76. igor00007
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    Best Game Ever !!!! Song:10/10, Graphics:10/10, History:10/10, ALL:10/10.... Buy this game and i wait you review !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i Love Valve.
  77. OOa007
    Nov 22, 2018
    9
    All the half life games were amazing, they lead the way for decades to come. im so sad they never finished
  78. Tyrfalger
    May 1, 2015
    8
    As far as shooters go (I have become disillusioned with shooters), this was pretty decent. Good story, variety of weapons, level design and flow. However, playing for longer than a few hours made me slightly nauseous from motion sickness and I have only encountered a handful of games that made me nauseous. So adjust FOV/head bob accordingly.
  79. Sanastusa
    May 11, 2015
    9
    You always hear about Half-Life 2 and the claim that it is one of the best video games to date. I decided it was time to adventure through this game and see what the fuss was all about. This game is incredible in just about every aspect. Story was great and the gravity gun caused for some hell of a good time. Enjoyable tossing a saw blade through the air to slice people in half. Sadly IYou always hear about Half-Life 2 and the claim that it is one of the best video games to date. I decided it was time to adventure through this game and see what the fuss was all about. This game is incredible in just about every aspect. Story was great and the gravity gun caused for some hell of a good time. Enjoyable tossing a saw blade through the air to slice people in half. Sadly I didn't play the original Half-Life so I was a bit confused with the story at first, a recap or something would of been nice to give the player a chance to soak in everything that happened previously. After reading a article on Half Life it made a lot more sense. For a first person shooter this game had a crap ton of jump scares and points to make me gasp. Turning around to have a headcrab naw into your face or a fast moving zombie jump at you. The amount of shotgun shells wasted in fear
    Good Points: Gravity Gun.How well you could interact with the environment.
    Bad Points: Where was that romance with Alyx >.>    … Expand
  80. Luizzrz
    Jun 20, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. >Walk a bit
    >Get suit
    >Get crowbar
    >Get guns
    >Shoot Metro Combine
    >Shoot Zombies
    >Shoot Barnacles
    >Shoot more Metro Combine
    >Shoot Combine Soldiers
    >Shoot Zombies
    >Shoot more Zombies
    >Shoot Combine Soldiers
    >Wait Alyx to finish talking for seven thousand years
    >More shooting
    >Shoot shooters
    >Shoot large-ass things
    >Shoot Combines
    >Shoot Combines and Zombies (COMBO)
    >Shoot large-ass Monster
    >Shoot uhh.-things
    >Explosion
    >End
    10/10 would shoot again
    (no seriously, this is not a joke, the game is like that and it is great this way.)    … Expand
  81. Davidovic1996
    Jun 28, 2015
    9
    Amazing game, it has great first person combat, great characters, great story, great variety of guns and still awesome graphics after over 10 years. A little repetitive at times though.
  82. zorek1
    Jul 1, 2015
    10
    One of the best FPS games ever made,the Source engine seems nice even in 2015.THE STORY is brilliant. Half-Life saga is the best set of games ever created.
  83. 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
  84. Dagfinn
    Sep 22, 2018
    8
    A deserved classic. Great story and shooting and a bit of puzzling. Loses some points because the story will never be finished though.
  85. Helekela
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Very addictive game. Graphics, gameplay mechanics still better than games of 2015 year. This game tasty like roasted bacon :D Must have in your game collection. GOTY 4EVER
  86. xkillerx
    Oct 31, 2015
    10
    this game is one of the best games ever made, words cant describe the beauty of this game,gameplay,story,atmosphere all 3 in 1 and more please buy it it is a fine choice
  87. TheRedFern
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game gets lost in history because it was mostly a PC game for the longest time. However, it was timeless and deserves to be considered one of the greatest 5-10 games of all time. It was instrumental in its story telling and flawless gameplay with the feel of the environment being game-changing. It is sad we will never get a sequel, but maybe Valve will push the franchise when VR is more common.… Expand
  88. TheRealZapz
    Jul 31, 2016
    9
    An innovative FPS. Amazing level design, fun gameplay, a variety of weapons, with good storytelling to boot. If you like FPS's, you can't miss Half Life 2.
  89. DiegoParedesHD
    Jul 18, 2020
    10
    Segunda parte del clasico de valve.
    Uno de los mas grande exponentes del PC gaming
  90. SrPepe
    Feb 23, 2019
    9
    Half Life 2 es de los mejores juegos que ha existido y existirá en el futuro, no le doy un 10 porque lo que lo hace perfecto viene con expansiones.
  91. 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
  92. 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
  93. XtremeGamer888
    Sep 23, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Esre es mi juego favorito, totalmente perfecto en toda aspecto, historia, jugabilidad, hasta el diseño de los niveles, totalmente recomendable. Este juego me le pasado como una 10 veces y cada vez es mejor, gracias a dios que juegue este juego, es ORO!… Expand
  94. DreamEaglr
    Apr 8, 2020
    8
    Отличный движок, неплохой геймплей и классная музыка, но сюжет и вторая половина игры это тихий ужас.
  95. RatingYoda
    Sep 14, 2020
    10
    Greatest video game of all time. Like seriously. If you haven't played it, why are you still here?
  96. ElleryHQ
    Jun 21, 2019
    10
    Считаю, что эта игра - идеал жанра FPS. Переигрывал её и через 5, и через 10, и через 15 лет после релиза, получал все то же удовольствие, что и в первое прохождение. Надеюсь, что у меня хватит здоровья, чтобы дожить и узнать, чем закончится история Гордона Фримена.Считаю, что эта игра - идеал жанра FPS. Переигрывал её и через 5, и через 10, и через 15 лет после релиза, получал все то же удовольствие, что и в первое прохождение. Надеюсь, что у меня хватит здоровья, чтобы дожить и узнать, чем закончится история Гордона Фримена.
  97. Kielyr
    May 11, 2018
    10
    one of my favorites. great shooting and great story...milestone for gaming era
    waiting for hl3...
  98. Teorell
    Oct 26, 2018
    10
    I just wanted to score that great game 10/10. Every one knows, it is perfect.
  99. Ktse
    Jul 22, 2018
    10
    Why is Half-Life beyond a game? It was a very realistic simulator of rebirth after a (possible) collapse awaiting humanity.
  100. 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
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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 »