Episode 1: my thoughts

I found the combat in Halo extremely dull, and becaue that isn't what I look for in a good shooter. It lacks all of the key ingredients - lackluster gaming. I love Half-life 2 because it offers something new and unique to gameplay scenarios. It doesn't offer you a big empty to room to fight the enemy, it gives you a different way to play, and offers a variety of interesting challenges to overcome. Such as the lift scene in EP1, or running across the energy bridge, or blocking the antlion burrows. It brings something new to the table every few minutes.

What's more it's atmosphere is absolutely outstanding. You cannot match it. From Nova Prospekt to the vaults of the Citadel, you'll never quite catch up with it. The story - one of the main reasons I play, is tuned to a tea. Fantastic storyline, dialogue unmatched by any game out there and wonderful characters. I look for these things in a good shooter.
Half-life 2 doesn't come out with the intention to offer this 'tactical' combat, because that isn't what is is about. It takes shooters to a whole new level.
 
Samon said:
I found the combat in Halo extremely dull, and becaue that isn't what I look for in a good shooter.
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We'll have to disagree again. The combat in HL2 bored me. It's too easy, and little more than point and click. There's no need for quick thinking or a careful choice of weapons - the enemy will fall down regardless - and more health packs and ammo boxes are dotted around than one could want.

There's just no shit or bust moments. Knowing that there's two elites just around the corner that can kill you in a matter of seconds, unless you pull something out of the hat real quick, is exciting (for me anyway). Escaping by the skin of your teath due to some skilled play and adapting to the situation in a matter of seconds is very satisfying. HL2 doesn't ask the same questions, or demand as much.

I can remember a whole host of great fights in Halo, but despite having run through HL2 3 times, none stand out (other bits do, but not the fighting)
 
Warbie said:
We'll have to disagree again. The combat in HL2 bored me. It's too easy, and little more than point and click. There's no need for quick thinking or a careful choice of weapons - the enemy will fall down regardless - and more health packs and ammo boxes are dotted around than one could want.
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It's because HL2 is not a matter of fighting. There is much more BEYOND fighting. You will never understand, emotionless wood. Keep on fight, fight, fight, dude. Until you think you dominate the world, that is when adrenalin dominates your brain.
 
bbson_john said:
It's because HL2 is not a matter of fighting. There is much more BEYOND fighting. You will never understand, emotionless wood. Keep on fight, fight, fight, dude. Until you think you dominate the world, that is when adrenalin dominates your brain.
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Easy tiger. You're just repeating what i've been saying all along.
 
Warbie said:
We'll have to disagree again. The combat in HL2 bored me. It's too easy, and little more than point and click. There's no need for quick thinking or a careful choice of weapons - the enemy will fall down regardless - and more health packs and ammo boxes are dotted around than one could want.

There's just no shit or bust moments. Knowing that there's two elites just around the corner that can kill you in a matter of seconds, unless you pull something out of the hat real quick, is exciting (for me anyway). Escaping by the skin of your teath due to some skilled play and adapting to the situation in a matter of seconds is very satisfying. HL2 doesn't ask the same questions, or demand as much.

I can remember a whole host of great fights in Halo, but despite having run through HL2 3 times, none stand out (other bits do, but not the fighting)
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But thats because HL2 doesn't aim to achieve that. Elites are elites, large, well-armoured aliens that have shields. The Combine soldiers are essentially just humans with a little bit of body armour. :p
But it doesn't matter, because that isn't what HL2 is about really.
 
After all, HL2 is too easy even in hard. And the staff in Valve even want the game be easier...
 
Sorry Samon but I thought Halo had more exciting combat for the most part (except certain sections like Water Hazard and the Citadel) but Half-Life was more fun over all and had was fun throughout (while certain parts of Halo (The Library) are just damn annoying)
 
Half-Life 2 is better than Halo. If we include Episodes, it's definitely the best FPS out there.

BUT! Halo's combat is on the whole more exciting. There were many more 'skin of the teeth' moments - moments where I ONLY JUST escaped death by quick adaptive thinking - in Halo than there were in HL2. In fact, what really gave Halo a run for its money in those stakes was Minerva Part 1 - which is to a reasonable extent a redesign of a Halo map. :P

That said, there are moments in the Half-Life series that Halo never matches, and that's without going into the story or atmosphere or the sheer brilliance of the kind of character interaction that Ep2 introduces.
 
I firmly believe it'll take some doing to match the mammoth opening of EP1, to which no FPS, even game can match. The amount of warmth, emotion and humour wrapped into one scene is breathtaking. That scene alone hammers Halo into the ground, or any other shooter for that matter.
 
Yes but Halo's combat is great, as is FEAR's :P

Does anyone find it interesting to see how people play the game. EG, I have a friend who would pour ammo from whatever gun he had into an enemy such as an assault rifle into an elite which is a really stupid idea. People who do that are think more straighforward, "there's the obsticle, charge it!". I quickly realised that a fully charged plasma pistol shot will get rid of their shield allowing them to be killed with conventional weapons easily or simply plug them full of needles. While my brother on the other hand never found out that needles do that when alot are fired (until I did it while we where playing co-op) as he always fires in bursts.


BTW, what's your favourite weapons combos in Halo? Me:
Pistol & Plasma Pistol (pistol is acurate and powerful while the plasma pistol can take care of shields)
Shotgun & Needler (Shotgun for close quarters and flood and needler for range and elites (though a shotgun at point blank will destroy a shield))
 
ríomhaire said:
Yes but Halo's combat is great, as is FEAR's :P
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Yes, perhaps in your opinion. I found it pretty lackluster. I also don't see what that has to do with EP1s opening, but hey whatever. That said, Halo's combat is vastly superior to FEARS. What's more, your favourite 'weapon combo' in Halo has absolutely nothing to do with this thread. On-topic.
 
I think Half-Life's story system is better than Halo's because you figure things out while standing there, hence you have a better feel for what Gordon knows, which is only what you know. When In Halo, you leave Master Cheif's body some times after chapters and see things he doesn't see. You know more than he does and it makes me feel less like I'm taking on him as a character than playing a game and learning a story. I like feeling like the character as much as possible. I think that is the real difference, besides of course the fact that Master Chief's fighting is different than Gordons, with the Army behind Chief and Gordon being on his own.
 
What, you have uploaded ALL your saves on it?
No, just the one in which I can hear Alyx breath.
 
Alyx keeps fixing her hair......Leave me alone, During some part of the first level which I forget the name of. She acts like Gordon(me the player) likes her, Especially when She huged me... I was like "Eww get this thing off me." & " AHHH ALYX, YOUR UGLYNESS IS BURNING MY EYES."
 
Halo combat was pretty good, but the poor level design killed it for me :x

I was like "Eww get this thing off me." & " AHHH ALYX, YOUR UGLYNESS IS BURNING MY EYES."
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Omg u touched a gurl, cooties!!!!
 
bbson_john said:
Show me five screenshots and I will believe you.



:
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Roger That!!!
ep1_citadel_010304.jpg

ep1_citadel_010301.jpg

ep1_citadel_010300.jpg

ep1_citadel_010299.jpg

ep1_citadel_010298.jpg

ep1_citadel_010297.jpg




If Barney would hug me then I'd Go GTA on Valve's Asses, NO gay stuff in games.
 
You do realise Episode 2 features Barney coming onto you, right?

Hell, didn't you get the hints previously? Phallic crowbar, etc?

he's going to bum you
 
The two of you had "vent crawling contests" back at Black Mesa. You shared a locker room. He wanted to be the one to do the honors of watching you slip into your HEV suit. He's always offering to hook up with you later and go get drunk. Together.
 
I like Alyx doing this, fixing her hair. Almost every female do this if you pay attenton.
 
Why are some of you guys making fun of me because I dont like alyx, I LOVE EP1.....but What I think of alyx is meh. This is what I think.....You can Fight along side of me, With THE exception of NOT flirting w/ me & not falling in Love w/ me or having feelings for me......I need no distraction on the Modern Futuristic Battlefields of Tommorow.



FYI, I am NOT gay.
 
Wally_Breen said:
Why are some of you guys making fun of me because I dont like alyx, I LOVE EP1.....but What I think of alyx is meh. This is what I think.....You can Fight along side of me, With THE exception of NOT flirting w/ me & not falling in Love w/ me or having feelings for me......I need no distraction on the Modern Futuristic Battlefields of Tommorow.
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I don't love Ep:1. I love Alyx. I want her to flirt me. All my feeling is contrary to yours. Except "I am not gay".

So Valve should let the players choose their own destiny in Ep:3, to be or not to be, with Alyx.
 
I just dont like the idea of Hooking up with my fellow Collegue's daughter, Its very eh um Wierd. I dont think it would work out well, Let see if Gordon did'nt like her she'd complain to daddy & say "Gordie does'nt wuv me" or if Gordon DID like her, & Gordon broke up with her(later on) he'd get pissed off at you & say "What, You dont like my daughter?!".


Or it would be like me trying to hook up with my Friends daughter. Yeah its cute & all, but I find it very weird.
 
You are brianwashed by the old traditional "ethics". Why can't I love my friend's daughter? This is nothing wrong. No one can prohibit one from loving another. It is, the most importantly, I love Alyx and Alyx love me (I mean Gordon). This is a matter of true love. We won't break up, just won't. And we will have a lot, a lot of children. No one can stop Alyx and me. That's final!
 
Sulkdodds said:
Half-Life 2 is better than Halo. If we include Episodes, it's definitely the best FPS out there.

BUT! Halo's combat is on the whole more exciting. There were many more 'skin of the teeth' moments - moments where I ONLY JUST escaped death by quick adaptive thinking - in Halo than there were in HL2. In fact, what really gave Halo a run for its money in those stakes was Minerva Part 1 - which is to a reasonable extent a redesign of a Halo map. :P
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Yeah i agree, there are some moments or fights in Halo games that are alot more intense or exciting, but i think thats largely due to the amount of enemies you're fighting and their abilities.

All of the Combine are essentially your everyday badguys. A few bullets to the head knocks them down. But take the Elites from Halo. If it weren't their regenerating shields, they'd be exactly the same. I think the main reason for Halo's success is due to limiting the player to carrying only 2 weapons at a time, and the Elites.

Edit: Oh yeah, and Legendary mode. That was so obvious how could i forget that.

Not that i'm dissing on either games. They're both awesome (obviously i'm more bias towards one than the other of course).
 
I really don't like FEAR, but perhaps I was a little too OTT on the vastly. I'm not sure - I didn't find either that fun..
 
Actually, I feel sorry for Alyx because Gordon doesn't seem to be that attached to her. She jokes and everything and no response and then she gets embarrassed. Damn you Gordon don't make her feel uncomfortable! And Alyx please grow up and stop acting like a 16 year old, you're a grown woman.
 
Hullu said:
Actually, I feel sorry for Alyx because Gordon doesn't seem to be that attached to her. She jokes and everything and no response and then she gets embarrassed. Damn you Gordon don't make her feel uncomfortable! And Alyx please grow up and stop acting like a 16 year old, you're a grown woman.
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Fortunately, I am 16 years old. That's why I like her. :P
 
Well then it's all fine and dandy...perhaps she can teach you a thing or two. Wow you're perfect for each other!
 
Warbie said:
We'll have to disagree again. The combat in HL2 bored me. It's too easy, and little more than point and click. There's no need for quick thinking or a careful choice of weapons - the enemy will fall down regardless - and more health packs and ammo boxes are dotted around than one could want. There's just no shit or bust moments.
Click to expand...
Same here. I found the combat in HL2 dull throughout. Very dull! Everyone is talking about all the other stuff HL2 brings to the genre & how it's redefined the FPS genre. Well, yes it brings lots of new ideas to the table but lets be honest here - what are FPS's all about? Combat. End of story. Even HL2. HL2 may introduce plenty of new ideas into the fray but you still spend most of your time shooting enemies with guns dont you.

FPS's are about combat period! No amount of character interaction (interaction? That's a laugh! Our hero has never uttered a single word!), story telling or physics jiggery pockery can hide the fact hat HL2's combat doesn't cut the mustard. It's really not up to much.
 
dogboy73 said:
FPS's are about combat period! No amount of character interaction (interaction? That's a laugh! Our hero has never uttered a single word!), story telling or physics jiggery pockery can hide the fact hat HL2's combat doesn't cut the mustard. It's really not up to much.
Click to expand...


HL2 is not your casual mindless blood squirting video game. It forces you to think, understand, and use your brain. If you don't like it, you can always take up my offer.

Gordon Freeman has never said a word, and never will say one. It has been said before, and I'll say it again. He does not speak, because it eliminates the immersion in the Half-Life universe.

I am a geek. I love Half-Life. Deal with it. :dork:
 
I must partly agree with dogboy and co. Even on hard difficulty, hl2 is a piece of cake for most of the time. Occasionally there are bigger fights, like with striders, or the one where you have to keep the combine off Alyx and then use the gravity gun to bust one of those beautiful yellow balls out so you can escape... I found that part so difficult. :)
But sometimes it's just too obvious what you have to do, where you have to go, and you can often be the last man standing on a scene, instead of running for your life. But there are good parts too, and there is a fair amount of variation to the style of fighting, so I'm not complaining too much. Except for those damn health boxes and ammo that you can find a little bit too easily. And I wish there was a couple more of puzzles that you have to solve alone, instead of some NPC telling you what to do. Gordon's got a degree from the MIT for goodness sake, he can figure anything out.
 
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