Episode 1 Feedback and suggestions!

[99.vikram]

Sometimes I used the rebels as live bait

But I never did that with Alyx in Ep 1.

 

[Vagrant]

And that's why idiots never read reviews before buying...

There were two reviews out within hours of release :hmph:

Do you type with your fingers or just bash the keyboard with that empty lump of bone and flesh you call a head?
I read reviews and I looked on these and the GameFAQ forums before I bought the game (which I only got the Saturday before I made this post). Note how I addressed a variety of points made by reviewers and people who have bought it (e.g. Alyx being a good ally, the length being 4-6 hours and the Zombine being good enemies).
Sorry if that seemed like a flame, but that guy's post got to me a little.

No one has the authority to say that until they have purchased everything with a £20 pricetag.

Heh. Well, find me something costing £20 that is more of a waste than Episode 1 and I'll happily retract that statement.

Since I thought the "worst" part of HL2 gameplay were long stretches without memorable moments, I can't be sure as to what you're referring to. Since EP1 has more or less all the HL2 elements, one would think you hated HL2 as well.

A long stretch without any memorable moments kinda defines Episode 1 for me.
Exaggeration aside though, zombie killing was never a highlight of Half-Life 2, and they filled Episode 1 up with it. That, and I found the hovercraft section the best bit about Half-Life 2. None of the shootouts with the Combine or anything were fun or memorable in Episode 1 compared to Half-Life 2 and the puzzles were kinda easier and more repetitive.
I had a lot of problems with Half-Life 2 (Opposing Force is actually my favourite game in the series), but all Episode 1 seemed to do was magnify them and get rid of any of the bits that were good...
I will admit, the car-throw in the beginning was kinda cool, and a little bit after Alyx gets the shotgun was pretty cool. But the rest was a huge disappointment in pretty much every way.
The story was a let down as well.

As for Alyx, I find it a shame since I thought Alyx was the most useful NPC in the HL series so far. And you had plenty of warning on how short EP1 would be.

Alyx was useful as a door opener and Antlion distracter...But she just wasn't likable to me. I think they did a good job with not making her annoying or letting her get in the way, but she didn't seem all that necessary nor cool most of the time.
As for the length, I'd heard it was supposed to be ranging from 4-6 hours, and was completable in one sitting. Being a bit crap at games, myself, I thought it'd last me the longer amount there and it didn't at all. I've played Max Payne MODS that last longer.
Frankly, I think I'd care less about the length if it was a good or enjoyable game though. Metal Gear Solid 2 was only about 4-8 hours long and I didn't have any problems with the length there, 'cause the game was fun.

What did you expect from a simple storyline continuation? Loads of new weapons and enemies? EP1's setting precluded the appearence of new weapons and enemies for the most part.

All I'm saying is that it wouldn't have hurt to add in a few extra weapons to spice things up, like the Combine Sniper rifle that easily could've been put in.
And all the talk of Xen life and such leaking into the outside world now making it into City 17 opened up endless possibilties but instead they just threw some Antlions in there and had annoying "burrow"-blocking puzzles.
Adding in more enemies would have opened up possibilities for new weapons too.

 

[Asknoone]

For $20 you get probably one of the best shooters money can buy. Episode 1 has polished gameplay and a top notch script that other shooters can rarely aspire to, infact, going from Episode 1 to something like Quake 4 has you in stitches.

Episode 1 is not about new weapons or enemies. Gaming has moved on from things like Opposing force (which is probably the worst game in the HL series) where you throw new weapons and enemies in. They focused on the gameplay and Alyx's AI - which in short, was superb. Nobody can say that she was not helpful, because quite frankly, but is utter crap. Compare her to other friendly NPC's in other games and we'll see where we go from there.

Besides, if Valve had decided to throw new weapons and enemies in we can only hope they wouldn't have been as retarded and contrived as Gearbox's attempts at 'enemies'. For the record, Gearbox didn't use any new code - the pit drones have Bullsquid AI, and the shock troop has military AI.

I can't see how the story was a letdown. Again Valve completely raise the bar in storytelling and succeed in making other developers look like a laughing stock. Witty, human dialogue which takes the characters to a new level. Episode 1 set up plently of threads for coming episodes too - infact, I was suprised to see how story driven Episode 1 was given the Half-life series subtle approach. And, I don't know how you can say how Opposing force was the better game when you think the story in EP1 was a letdown...honestly, Opposing force crapped on some of HL's plot points.

 

[99.vikram]

I'm sorry, but I don't tolerate anyone aimlessly bashing the game when Valve always made it clear what this was meant to be.

"A total wast of $20" is not valid criticism.

 

[Vagrant]

For $20 you get probably one of the best shooters money can buy. Episode 1 has polished gameplay and a top notch script that other shooters can rarely aspire to, infact, going from Episode 1 to something like Quake 4 has you in stitches.

I'd say the gameplay was polished in terms of it not being glitchy or anything, but that doesn't make it fun.
I, uh, don't think there was much of a script to even be top notch. The plot was all over the place. A few random snippets of dialogue, y'know.
Meh, Quake 4 was about equal to Episode 1 by my reckoning. And that's excluding Episode 1's length.

Episode 1 is not about new weapons or enemies. Gaming has moved on from things like Opposing force (which is probably the worst game in the HL series) where you throw new weapons and enemies in. They focused on the gameplay and Alyx's AI - which in short, was superb. Nobody can say that she was not helpful, because quite frankly, but is utter crap. Compare her to other friendly NPC's in other games and we'll see where we go from there.

If the focus was on the gameplay, it wouldn't full of cheap little puzzles and zombie fights. It was like filler.
I never found Alyx helpful in a firefight or anything, she was kind of useless as a sniper and everything, only ever needed for opening doors and the like.

Besides, if Valve had decided to throw new weapons and enemies in we can only hope they wouldn't have been as retarded and contrived as Gearbox's attempts at 'enemies'. For the record, Gearbox didn't use any new code - the pit drones have Bullsquid AI, and the shock troop has military AI.

I couldn't care less if they used the same AI, it was still fun to play.
Valve could've easily given any new aliens the same AI as long as it worked and added some form of variety to the gameplay.

I can't see how the story was a letdown. Again Valve completely raise the bar in storytelling and succeed in making other developers look like a laughing stock. Witty, human dialogue which takes the characters to a new level. Episode 1 set up plently of threads for coming episodes too - infact, I was suprised to see how story driven Episode 1 was given the Half-life series subtle approach. And, I don't know how you can say how Opposing force was the better game when you think the story in EP1 was a letdown...honestly, Opposing force crapped on some of HL's plot points.

I didn't find the dialogue witty at all personally. I'll agree Alyx having to take breaks and stuff were human, but I found them a little misplaced in the world of the game...And I didn't really see any character development or anything particularly additional to Half-Life 2.
The explosion of the Citadel and the relatively unexplained escape of Gordon and Alyx from the Citadel were, like, the only notable plot points that add to Half-Life 2's plot.
Fair point about Opposing Force's plot as you've explained to me before, but I still say the gameplay pretty much made up for it.


And 99.vikram, that's completely different than what you said earlier.

 

[Black Op]

I'd say the gameplay was polished in terms of it not being glitchy or anything, but that doesn't make it fun. I, uh, don't think there was much of a script to even be top notch. The plot was all over the place. A few random snippets of dialogue, y'know. Meh, Quake 4 was about equal to Episode 1 by my reckoning. And that's excluding Episode 1's length.

EP1 was fun to me. And how can one consider EP1's plot to be all over the place when that the goal stated throughout the game was always to get out of City 17. Due to those objectives, there's logically not enough room for nothing more than dialogue snippets. People would whine if we got long exposition scenes that destroyed the sense of urgency.

If the focus was on the gameplay, it wouldn't full of cheap little puzzles and zombie fights. It was like filler. I never found Alyx helpful in a firefight or anything, she was kind of useless as a sniper and everything, only ever needed for opening doors and the like.

I found zombies to be decent enemies and those puzzles are meant to give the player breathers from the action. Alyx was very helpful in my version of EP1, and she helped save me from having to fight a whole bunch of zombies when she was sniping.

I couldn't care less if they used the same AI, it was still fun to play. Valve could've easily given any new aliens the same AI as long as it worked and added some form of variety to the gameplay.

The point was that the 'new' enemies of Op4 weren't all that new since they reused old AI. People would notice this if it happened in a VALVe game, and they'll be whining how Enemy B is basically the same thing as Enemy A except for a different look.

I didn't find the dialogue witty at all personally. I'll agree Alyx having to take breaks and stuff were human, but I found them a little misplaced in the world of the game...And I didn't really see any character development or anything particularly additional to Half-Life 2. The explosion of the Citadel and the relatively unexplained escape of Gordon and Alyx from the Citadel were, like, the only notable plot points that add to Half-Life 2's plot. Fair point about Opposing Force's plot as you've explained to me before, but I still say the gameplay pretty much made up for it.

How was Alyx acting human missplaced? Were you expecting her to proclaim all the time that the Citadel's going to kill them soon if they don't hurry? That sort of excess urgency only serves to annoy players. And I wonder how just could character development in-universe occur only within a matter of hours for characters with already established personalities? You also neglect to bring up the interception of the Combine data packet as a major plot point.

 

[99.vikram]

The plot was all over the place. A few random snippets of dialogue, y'know.
Meh, Quake 4 was about equal to Episode 1 by my reckoning. And that's excluding Episode 1's length.

I'm sorry, we're just at different wavelengths then.
No hard feelings

 

[Asknoone]

The plot was all over the place.

That is the point I stopped reading. I find it hilarious that people can piss and moan about the plot when there is so much worse out there - Episode 1 goes so much further with its storytelling and dialogue. The script is human - it isn't full of plastic characters, and comparing Episode 1's dialogue to Quake 4's is simply laughable.
The fact that you think that makes me laugh. So I won't continue.

 

[Geogaddi]

It's like comparing the plot and acting of a porn movie to that of box office movie.

 

[BarnyMiler]

It just goes to show you that there are many different types of gamers out there. It's going to be impossible to please everyone at the same time.

I guess the run-n-gun, action type players might have been disappointed with some of the slower areas of Ep1. That's probably the type of player who would think that Q4 or games like Doom III were on par or even superior to HL2. But personally, I think that after playing HL2 and Ep1, I'll never look at those games the same way again. I never thought I'd say this, but R.I.P. ID.

After reading some of Samon's comments, more or less defending the game, I feel I owe the game some apologies as well. After all, my first post here was a suggestion of how to improve future versions (constructive criticism) and I said nothing of the quality and great gameplay.

Us HL2'ers are spoiled. We've been handed possibly the greatest game ever conceived and we gobble it up. And then when they hand us more, we get picky and start to whine about little things. It's a sad truth.

Listening to the commentary on Ep1 (after my first run through) really opened my eyes to how much work these guys put in to a game. Granted, hard work doesn't always yield great results (i.e. come see me when Duke Nukem Forever hits shelves). But in this case, Valve certainly hit a home run.

 

[99.vikram]

You mean Duke Nukem Whenever

Vagrant, you're going to have to put up with this at a HL2 forum, esp. when a lot of us feel that Ep 1 delivered on every count.

 

[Nu Zalem]

Works for me

I thought Episdoe One was very fun IMO. I don't really have any major complaints except that the whole zombie (not zombine) deal was a bit overdone and antlions were annoying. Other than that it was a great product.

 

[dogboy73]

I'm now up to the part where I'm escorting a load of rebels to a train. Impressions so far? Well I thought it started pretty good but tailed off from there. Couple of okay parts but I think the level design is a bit shoddy in places, especially the part I'm on now which is really poor. I think my other main gripe is that my least favourite part from HL2 was the City 17 bits. The Stalker battles were cool but the rest of it got on my tits a bit (endless streets, corridors & rooms to traverse with a bunch of yo-yo's in tow!) & with Episode 1 I feel like I'm stuck in a giant 'follow freeman/Anticitizen one' level. On the plus side it's harder which is good. But it doesn't feel so much of a combat challenge as it does battling against dodgy maps for e.g. I keep getting stuck in doorways that I want to nip into for a bit of cover. Combine keep springing out from everywhere meaning they are taking me by surprise rather than with intelligent combat skills. I've never thought that HL2's gameplay was as good as it could/should have been. Certainly not as good as the first game. Episode 1 only deepens that belief & all the other things that made HL2 so great are getting a bit tired now. A little dissapointed on the whole. Episode 1 moves the story on but nothing else!

 

[s1e9a8n5]

I thought Episdoe One was very fun IMO. I don't really have any major complaints except that the whole zombie (not zombine) deal was a bit overdone and antlions were annoying. Other than that it was a great product.

I recently bought Episode One and I completely agree with you. I downloaded Half Life 2 (I know, I'm bad!) but It's what got me interested in buying them now and I never even heard of Half Life before. I do plan on buying Half Life 2 and Episode Two. The story is awesome. I understand that the episodes will be about 1/3 of the game. But I dont know if its just information that wasnt given to us (Learning new things) but I felt Episode One had way to much action and less talk and character development and learning new things about the Combine and stuff. Im not a picky person and I still like the game no matter what. I am looking forward to episode two though. I do hope we learn some new things in Episode Two. If not, then I guess they told us to much in the 2nd one. The new Synth or whatever you call that its in the trailer thats chasing them in the forest looks great.

Sean

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

Sean, look foreward to a whole lot of Valve's patented "not telling you enough of what's going on"

 

[s1e9a8n5]

Sean, look foreward to a whole lot of Valve's patented "not telling you enough of what's going on"

I know that there is a mysterious type thing going on where they dont tell you much. I understand that. Thats fine. I mean the storyline is straightforward to know whats going on. I just mean that Episode One was just going around killing zombies and antlions and listening to Alyx talk about nothing lol. The beginning of Episode One and the ending was great but the inbetween was alright. But I'm still looking forward to Episode Two.

Sean

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

For $20 you get probably one of the best shooters money can buy. Episode 1 has polished gameplay and a top notch script that other shooters can rarely aspire to, infact, going from Episode 1 to something like Quake 4 has you in stitches.

Episode 1 is not about new weapons or enemies. Gaming has moved on from things like Opposing force (which is probably the worst game in the HL series) where you throw new weapons and enemies in. They focused on the gameplay and Alyx's AI - which in short, was superb. Nobody can say that she was not helpful, because quite frankly, but is utter crap. Compare her to other friendly NPC's in other games and we'll see where we go from there.

Besides, if Valve had decided to throw new weapons and enemies in we can only hope they wouldn't have been as retarded and contrived as Gearbox's attempts at 'enemies'. For the record, Gearbox didn't use any new code - the pit drones have Bullsquid AI, and the shock troop has military AI.

I can't see how the story was a letdown. Again Valve completely raise the bar in storytelling and succeed in making other developers look like a laughing stock. Witty, human dialogue which takes the characters to a new level. Episode 1 set up plently of threads for coming episodes too - infact, I was suprised to see how story driven Episode 1 was given the Half-life series subtle approach. And, I don't know how you can say how Opposing force was the better game when you think the story in EP1 was a letdown...honestly, Opposing force crapped on some of HL's plot points.

Samon, that was one kick-a** post and true in everyway (BTW, what code did the Voltigore use?)

EDIT: BTW2, if Alyx isn't helping you its because your playing on easy. You can't survive without her on hard. Vagrant, if you don't like Episode One, don't come here to talk about it, because we do (like it that is).

 

[bbson john]

EDIT: BTW2, if Alyx isn't helping you its because your playing on easy.

Her assistance is particularly important, in hard, when you are searching for cars to block the antlion burrows and waiting for the elevator while you have insufficient ammunition. And when the tunnel is dusky, my heart is comforted by the beloved voice of Alyx; for me, not you.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Please stop saying "it was a waste of twenty quid."

It was twenty dollars. Know what the exchange rate is? 1 U.S. dollar = 0.539636285 British pounds. Which means that 23 dollars (Ep1 price plus tax) is around twelve pounds.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Please stop saying "it was a waste of twenty quid."

It was twenty dollars. Know what the exchange rate is? 1 U.S. dollar = 0.539636285 British pounds. Which means that 23 dollars (Ep1 price plus tax) is around twelve pounds.

Thats a rip! I got mine for £15:00!

 

[Asknoone]

I got mine for...oh, wait. D:

 

[s1e9a8n5]

I got mine for 16 dollars + tax from Amazon.com

Sean

 

[Yogibbear]

Having just got around to playing and finishing episode 1, I must say that it was one damn fine polished game. I think I even found it more intriguing and thoughtful than the full-game of hl2, and downright made me constantly think "What a great idea there Valve!!!! Oh I've always wanted to see that happen in a game". For example when Alyx pretends to be a zombie... or when she makes lame jokes about the zombine... or how they just add a simple gameplay elements like pushing the cars into the antlion nests, and then slowly increase the difficulty of the puzzles until it makes for some nice paced action scenes. And how damn fun episode one's action bits were to play and play and play. Valve, I must say, you took the best bits from half-life 2 and gave us more content and story, and then crammed it all into about 6 or 7 hrs for me. I loved it! And I can't wait for episode 2.

P.S. i loved the vent crawling! The numerous zombie areas! The lack of ammunition in the right spots! The slight prodding in the use of the gravity gun for many more situations that in hl2! The order you gave us the weapons! Even just the simple animations of alyx jumping down from ledges and so on and so fourth... And especially the amount of puzzles that weren't too difficult but were very refreshing compared to most other so-called first-person shooters. Keep up the good work :cheers:

 

[Ennui]

I got mine for...oh, wait. D:

I'm in the same boat D: How horrible!

 

[Temppe]

Holy crap. I bought EP1 in a games store for 29.99 Euro - thats 38.61 US Dollars, nearly double the price quoted on Steam. :angry:

As for the game, it was great. It was a bit short, but I knew this before I bought it so I can't complain (nor do I want to, really, about the lenght). I'm a great fan of lame jokes and puns myself, and I thought Alyx's merited a nerdy laugh. Alyx's constant presence was grand, (for she is incredibly hot) but I did miss that feeling of fighting isolated against the Combine that I got in places like Highway 17. Also, I played it on hard and it was too easy, especially the Strider at the end.

On a positive note, the puzzles were great, as was the general standard of level design gameplaywise, but not as good visualwise as HL2. I'm not that fussed about that because gameplay is infinitly more important that looks. Anyway, terrific gaming experience.:thumbs: Not worth E29.99, but definitly E16.34 (and because I just got sweet broadband, I'll get EP2 at a decent price).

My favorite part was when Barney gave Gordon the crowbar. I whacked everything in the room for twenty minutes after he handed it too me.

 

[Wally_Breen]

I liked EP1 because of HDR or "Bullshit marketing". It was good becides I had FakeFactory's & Ogg's Cinematic mod for Episode One .


Id say the Worst joke Alyx told was "Talk about Unstable", "I really dont think we should hang around."

 

[ríomhaire]

Holy crap. I bought EP1 in a games store for 29.99 Euro - thats 38.61 US Dollars, nearly double the price quoted on Steam. :angry:

As for the game, it was great. It was a bit short, but I knew this before I bought it so I can't complain (nor do I want to, really, about the lenght). I'm a great fan of lame jokes and puns myself, and I thought Alyx's merited a nerdy laugh. Alyx's constant presence was grand, (for she is incredibly hot) but I did miss that feeling of fighting isolated against the Combine that I got in places like Highway 17. Also, I played it on hard and it was too easy, especially the Strider at the end.

On a positive note, the puzzles were great, as was the general standard of level design gameplaywise, but not as good visualwise as HL2. I'm not that fussed about that because gameplay is infinitly more important that looks. Anyway, terrific gaming experience.:thumbs: Not worth E29.99, but definitly E16.34 (and because I just got sweet broadband, I'll get EP2 at a decent price).

My favorite part was when Barney gave Gordon the crowbar. I whacked everything in the room for twenty minutes after he handed it too me.

Dial-up sucks but I defenatly think it was work €30.

 

[Temppe]

Wally, how is "talk about unstable. I really don't think we should hang around" supposed to be a joke? Please explain, because with my lame sense of humour, I'll probably find it hilarious.

 

[naturon]

Ok first i have to say just what an awsome "world" the halflife games are ... and valve no other gaming company i have seen dedicates itself to delivering super high quality entertainment not only with its games itself but just being inovative, ie steam, episodic gaming, they might not be always what ppl want or work but, hell, thats whats lacking in our games today and thats what makes hl2 and episode 1 and by the looks of things episode 2 and *drool* portal.
Anyway i loved episode one pure quality all the way and any critism is only nitpicking hardcore. Loved the scripted sequences between alex and dog, stalkers, zombines , everything , comentary ... as a person with a desire to get into the gaming industry its invaluable. Story was perfect, they just gave u enough to keep u going but nothing unessecary, which at times is frustrating but they couldnt have done it better ... the only beef i might have is to build up the boss battle (if u can call it that) a bit more so i know its going to end ... i didnt like being suprised by it being over, as for the time yeah it was short but i wasnt expecting any longer and i wasnt looking at the clock at all when i was playing, besides ill just replay it a million times anyway, ... oh and the flight on the train at the end going through the country side and watching the citidel explode, god help me its beautiful.
That said i absolutely can not wait for ep 2 and portal,
btw sorry for the long post but its my first although ive been reading alot

 

[Wally_Breen]

Something I found looking around.

---*****EP1 STORY n00bsauce Verson***----------


*** Alyx joined the game
*** Gordon joined the game
*** Game paused
*** Vortigaunt joined the game
*** Vortigaunt(1) joined the game
*** Vortigaunt(2) joined the game
Alyx: wtf
Vortigaunt: stfu bitch, gonna save your life
Vortigaunt(1): yo homie save gordon
Vortigaunt(2): k
*** G-Man joined the game
G-Man: gg @ all
G-Man: Ok, Gordon time to leave!
Gordon: F.U
*** set sv_cheats to "1"
Vortigaunt(2): haha well versed veteran cheats enabled! my shield RULEZ
G-Man: OMFGZOMFGZOMFGZ H@XX0r!!!
Vortigaunt(1): lol well versed veteran^^
G-Man: that is t3h sux0r
Vortigaunt: you sux
*** G-Man left the game
Vortigaunt: vortis > gman xD
*** Vortigaunt left the game
*** Vortigaunt(1) left the game
*** Vortigaunt(2) left the game
*** You were kicked from the Channel (timeout)
*** Reconnected
D0g: W00h00 i found gord0n!
Alyx: YAY!
Alyx: *kiss* *kiss*
Gordon: STFU
Alyx: kk lets go! gonna sh00t some f***in combines
Gordon: whatever bitch
Alyx: WTF you can chat?!
Gordon: Yeah...no talking, but chatting :-/
Alyx: Lolz that suxx. You really need a headset dude
Gordon: I'm pissed off now. lets just turn off that citadel reactor
Alyx: why???
Gordon: dunno :S read the story book^^
Alyx: nvm I'll just sit here in the car and w8 4 u
Gordon: k i come with u maybe it has some kind of crowbar inside
D0g: weeee toys! is it a car? NO it's a plane !! *throw*
Alyx: aaaaaaaargh
Gordon: Noooooo you jackass!!1!!!1!!!one!!1
*** Dog left the game (kicked by Admin)
*** Combine killed by crowbar
*** Combine(1) killed by crowbar
*** Combine(2) killed by crowbar
...
*** Citadel Reactor destroyed
Alyx: I hate this game
Gordon: Shall we just disconnect???
Alyx: Nope lets take the longest way --> trainstation
...

The End

 

[bbson john]

Id say the Worst joke Alyx told was "Talk about Unstable", "I really dont think we should hang around."

This is not joke but Alyx presses you to go.

 

[Wally_Breen]

Her jokes were so lame that I dont know when she was talking strait or telling a lame joke that you could the "Crickets".

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

What, like the zombine joke? I yelled at the monitor to shut up.

 

[bbson john]

Her jokes were so lame that I dont know when she was talking strait or telling a lame joke that you could the "Crickets".

No one ever laughed when a female MC told a joke in the Annual Academy Awards.

 

[Jintor]

OK, something straight off the bat: The entire game kicked arse.

From waking up in a pile of rubble (kudos to Valve especially for the funky thing Dog does with his head when he finds you, even though we already saw it in the trailer) and getting hugged by Alyx (I was impressed by the way they managed to implement that), to fighting off Zombine in the dark with a spluttering flashlight (not really, but that would've been nice) and a hunk of concrete, to taking down Combine, navigating weird physicstraps, and blasting your way through a hospital, Half-Life:Episode 1 is one of the most brilliant gaming experiences ever.

Emotionwise. Brilliance! Has anybody ever created a game where you feel as if you are talking to the characters, are fighting with the characters like this? (I'm saying characters because Izzy, Eli, Alyx and Barney, not to mention the other rebels, all kicked ass as well). Not even Oblivion, with its vaunted voice-acting and Radient AI, does as well as HL:EP1 and Valve at immersing a player inside the gameworld.

Puzzles? Yay for puzzles! I actually got genuinely stumped at a couple of puzzles (For instance, I didn't realise that you had to catch the debris at the elevator bit - I thought it was a scripted sequence and that we were all going to land safely). It's fun doing things yourself. Sure, some were damn annoying (that wedge-the-seesaw one... i spent about 15 minutes looking for more stuff to pile on one end instead of wedging it. I even got a paintcan wedged under the wrong end and didn't realise you had to wedge the seesaw) but overall it was fun, it broke up the action, and it made you use the ole' grey matter.

Action? Action-schmaction! How bout fully almost cinamatic sequences - hopping from panel to panel in the middle of a reactor core, fighting of zombies in the dark by a broken lift, gasping at the sudden appearence of two AR2 armed combine when a rocket hits them both in the face, ducking and dodging and weaving through a breaking attic as you attempt to blast rockets into a gunship's weirdly metallic body, and the finale - fighting off a strider as you hop from crate to crate, cover to cover, flinging mines and rockets into its nose and finally reaching that last, vital, infinite rocket crate. Pure gold.

So maybe it was less than 6 hours. You get what you paid for. Going through it once more with commentary enabled, going to enjoy this...

[1] And I'm fairly sure the final Strider is invincible until you reach a checkpoint, given that I hurled: 3 rockets, 3 hopper mines, 2 SMG Grenades, 3 grenades powered by the gravity gun, and 2 explosive barrels at it over the course of the railway station.

 

[kestrel7e7]

For me, the best part, was the Combine Advisor pod scene in the Citadel.
Blew. Me. Away.

The Advisors remind me of the mysterious Spacing Guild in David Lynch's film adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. Like the Guild, they may be able to see/feel time-space and influence it, which gives them extraordinary power, but Gordon is a wildcard that is "out of time" and impossible to see/feel or influence.

"The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world." - Gman HL2 intro

 

[Asknoone]

For me, the best part, was the Combine Advisor pod scene in the Citadel.
Blew. Me. Away.

The Advisors remind me of the mysterious Spacing Guild in David Lynch's film adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. Like the Guild, they may be able to see/feel time-space and influence it, which gives them extraordinary power, but Gordon is a wildcard that is "out of time" and impossible to see/feel or influence.

"The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world." - Gman HL2 intro

Totally agree. And the creepy music too.

 

[Jintor]

I actually didn't notice, but they seem to have changed the Advisor attack effect, or maybe I changed the detail setting or something. They used to sort of 'break' your screen in half with a red gash or something, first time I played. I recently replayed that and... well, that didn't happen. It just sort of pulsed. I prefered the screen 'breaking'.

Ok, what happened was: A gash goes across the screen, and then one half of the screen divided by the gash stays in the view you had when you were 'gashed'. The other half continues to move with your current view. Combine that with the sound effect, the pulsing, and the fact that it is happening constantly, and you ****ing freak out.

 

[Sheepo]

I loved Episode 1! It had everything I loved about HL2, sweet graphics, awesome story/voice acting, and intense combat/gameplay. If you hate Alyx's jokes so much turn off the sound. HL games are pretty much the only one's that offer intelligent or even human like characters. That's what makes the plot so good. I loved Lowlife and Urban Flight. The Strider battle in Exit 17 pretty much made the level for me, although it was a tad too easy near the end. Like you jump and navigate all the way across a train yard, then you hide behind metal, shoot, repeat, repeat. Strider should've used singularity cannon to knock away rocket crate once it takes enough damage. Then you have to shoot hoppers at it!! Still Exit 17 was pretty good.

In all those it improved, but there's two new wicked cool enemies, the zombine was a briliant idea, especially giving him nades. Stalkers were okay but I would've liked them more if we saw more of them and dealt with them in more of a combat way. But when all you've got is a super grav. gun in the citadel you'll probably just be shooting orbs or people.

Which is another thing, Undue Alarm and Direct Intervention should have been merged. Undue Alarm was easy and Direct Intervention short. There should have been a level before or after Lowlife to make up for that.

Although all these complaints about length are ridiculous you know it's not a whole game, it's a third of one. And from the look of it the episodes are just gonna be longer.

Conclusion: Episode 1, short but oh so sweet
Score:9.2
Message to Whiners: Too short? Well then wait for Ep. 2 and Ep. 3 so you can play the whole game at once.

 

[Headcrab Pie]

Whenever I used the Pulse Rifle, id fire 7 shots, have the first 3 miss, and get all headshots on the others.