OHH MY GOD! (Huge spoilers)

[-Psy-]

Just finished it. Pass me a tissue. :'(

 

[Tyguy]

i was reminded of starship troopers when the alien sucks the guys brain out in a similar fashion. Then there are the ant lions..

 

[Zeus]

Spoiler

Alyx wasn't killed by the hunter, just near fatal wounds, Eli however died pretty much instantly (not sure how but he's definitely dead) I found it odd that the advisors were able to get right in to the rebel base though

 

[Black Op]

Judging by the mindraping powers of the Adivsors, it's quite plausible for them to blast their way into the rebel base. Which begs the question of why they didn't show up during the final battle to mindrape and impale every rebel in sight... <_<

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Spoiler

Alyx wasn't killed by the hunter, just near fatal wounds, Eli however died pretty much instantly (not sure how but he's definitely dead) I found it odd that the advisors were able to get right in to the rebel base though

Spoiler

Big flying thing, can knock out people telepathically, plus there was probably a lot of cheering over the final victory over the combine to serve as a distraction.

 

[Sudano]

Damn it, I can't keep my mouse off these spoiler buttons. I want this game so bad, I'm going to play hl2 or something so I don't ruin anything else for my self lol.

 

[scotland1]

Their sucker looks like a penis.

 

[Jeremyofmany]

When I saw Dog hit the ground and lay there I was a bit shocked and thought to myself, "No, he cannot be dead." Then I saw him get up and everything was awesome.

But when those weird flashes came and you see not one, but two Advisors come through the windows, and Eli being the closest one, I knew that was it. I really wish that steel tool was 10x more powerful or that Dog had got back early...

But seriously, I was very saddened and got teary eyed. I don't care what anyone says, this episode freaking PWNED and Valve did an excellent job of bringing players much closer to the characters.

Oh and I LOVED the physics puzzles.

 

[leib10]

Probably the most emotionally moving scene I've seen in a video game. The only time I've actually had tears in my eyes because of what happened in a video game.

I just remember repeating Alyx's words: "God damn the Combine."

 

[f1r3b4ll]

The weird thing is here how we almost certainly all feel a slight tinge of embarassment at being emotionally moved by a game...

Eli was a great character, amazing vocal work and had a great sense of warmth and likability to him. I think also for the first time the game was really callous, vicious and cruel. Usually some timely and fortunate event saves the day, and to be honest I was expecting a shotgun blast or something else to disturb the impending doom, but it didnt happen which quite shocked me.

You really do have to wonder now exactly what lengths Alyx will goto now to avenge her fathers death.

 

[Asknoone]

I think she probably won't stop until the Borealis is at the bottom of the Ocean. I mean, Eli's dying wish, right? Also, I love Mossman (my favourite character), and I'm probably going to be ;( when she finds out.

 

[Malfunction]

As good as the episode was, I think the voice acting of Alyx was a bit too over the top at times. I understand it was an emotional moment, not only for the player, but especially for the character of Alyx, but it didn't seem very natural. It seemed like some actress REALLY REALLY trying to get the part in a drama play. :/

Great job by Valve though. Really noice stuff.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I wanted to have that heart-to-heart talk with Eli. I wanted to know more of what he knew. Does any of the other Black Mesa personnel know about Gman?

 

[kupocake]

I think she probably won't stop until the Borealis is at the bottom of the Ocean. I mean, Eli's dying wish, right? Also, I love Mossman (my favourite character), and I'm probably going to be ;( when she finds out.

I suspect Mossman's days are numbered tbh. She'll probably do the whole Noble sacrifice thing, to carry out Eli's last wishes and save his Daughter / Humanity. As for the Borealis, destroying it is so going to turn out to be what the G-Man wants anyway. He's too sly to relay something to Eli and not do the Reverse Psychology waltz around everyone's rotting corpses.

 

[Nitre]

The weird thing is here how we almost certainly all feel a slight tinge of embarassment at being emotionally moved by a game...

Well, personally i don't feel embarassed. People get very strong feelings over books, films etc. I consider games to be an artform in themselves, particularly HL2. To be perfectly honest, isn't it practically the same as a book or film? The media seem to portray games as things that make kids want to kill people and be obese or whatever the hell they want. The reason people think its stupid is because of the (mostly) negative portrayal of games by the media.

Just my opinion.

 

[Pinkle]

I came to the conclusion myself a while back that Eli was going to die, and I knew something was going to happen when dog jumped over the building and Alyx said "He's nuts" or something. But damn, I wasn't expecting it all to be so brutal....

Fantastic episode.

 

[Laivasse]

As for the Borealis, destroying it is so going to turn out to be what the G-Man wants anyway. He's too sly to relay something to Eli and not do the Reverse Psychology waltz around everyone's rotting corpses.

Precisely my sentiments.

 

[Asknoone]

I suspect Mossman's days are numbered tbh. She'll probably do the whole Noble sacrifice thing, to carry out Eli's last wishes and save his Daughter / Humanity.

I'd cry like a bitch. Like a bitch, I say. I really really would. Mossman is brilliant. I wonder whether it will turn out she's ex-Aperture. I mean, given how unethical it is it's probably the reason she applied for Black Mesa. I also wonder what she originally went out to the Arctic for. I mean, Magnusson says "It's the very code Dr. Mossman was hoping to recover."; as in, the Combine portal code.

Yet she goes looking for a Project, and actually finds Borealis.

 

[Sam]

As you stood there with Alyx and Eli, I actually said to my friend next to me, "Maybe no one dies after all, it was just to throw us off with Alyx" (words to that effect anyway). Then he dies. I'm looking forward to beating the crap out of some advisors.

 

[f1r3b4ll]

Remember the run in earlier with G-Man, "I have agrred to abide by certain....restrictions" (along those lines)

This would tie in with past theories that G-Man can travel through time, he would have to have minimal interferance with the past to protect the space/time fabric etc and not cause "unforseen consequences"

I really have a gut feeling that we're going to be back at Black Mesa, I don't know why but it's just a feeling I have. It definatly won't start there, but I do strongly believe it will be there, and pre-HL1.

 

[Lobster]

As much as i would love to see Black Mesa again, I feel to return there now, with the new visuals and such, would cheapen the memory of the original, but the new organisation offers the chance to visit a similar enviroment, frankly im happy to go where ever valve sends us, except maybe Disney World.

 

[Asknoone]

Black Mesa is a crater. Aside from radiation hazards and the not-so-interesting gameplay mechanics of wandering around a rocky bowl I don't see much bringing me back.

 

[McGooTheWise]

I suspect Mossman's days are numbered tbh. She'll probably do the whole Noble sacrifice thing, to carry out Eli's last wishes and save his Daughter / Humanity.

Err... I wouldn't expect that. Valve has already proven to do the things that we don't see coming, or don't want to happen. They did it 3 times in this episode alone. Alyx brutally beaten, near to death, dog knocked out, thinking he's dead, seeing alyx cry for the first time, and then Eli got a phallus stuck through his head...

That's why I named this thread "OHH MY GOD!"

Btw, did anyone else appreciate that valve added some Fast Zombie animations so that there were Fast Zombie Torso's, and they got up off the ground just by their legs... Amazing work. job exceptionally well done on that.

 

[The Mild Gatsby]

I was just starting to like the guy, although that was clearly the intention.

RIP, man.

 

[elrasho]

Well what can I say? For the first time since when Jenny died in Forrest Gump I got a lump in my throat and felt upset and sad when that ****ng advisor eat Elis brain. Cant wait to kick some shit outta them ****ing bastard maggots!! ... sorry but im emotioanl right now.

Never felt soo attached to a game ever! Well done Valve for closing the gap between Movies and Games, I take my hat off to you. As for the game itself, its a masterpeice! truly is. Cant wait for the third. I havfe loads of questions to ask about what happend in Epi2 but i'll save them for another thread. When Alyx hugged her dad at the end, I got a shiver down my back. MAN WHAT A GAME!! Everything about it oozes quailty!

One tiny downside is its length and the lack of combine action. Im sure there were more combines in Epi1.... still it makes up for that for finally getting to blow a strider up! Cant wait for Epi3

 

[Laff]

Best half life entry yet. BTW do the Combine advisers suck the brains out of people and absorb their knowledge, a la Starship Troopers? If that is the case, the combine now know where the aperture science lab is located and they may have another way to open a portal to earth. I'm guessing that Episode III will be a race between the combine and the resistance to get control of the aperture lab. Thoughts anyone?

EDIT: I've noticed a significant correlation between starship troopers and half life. For one, the antlions are almost identical to the arachnid of starship. Now the combine advisers suck the brains out of people like the big brain in troopers.

Ah-ha! So Episode 3 will be Gordon and Alyx racing the Combine to Aperture, where both gets their asses kicked by GlaDOS until Gordon kills her somehow.

Hell, imagine it. I'm sure there will be mazes and other death-traps killing you and combine soldiers. Ever see the movie Cube? Kinda like that I guess.

 

[Black Op]

I'm sure there will be mazes and other death-traps killing you and combine soldiers.

Just as long as the number of death traps doesn't become excessive and turns EP3 into a puzzle game. That doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate the return of GLaDOS though.

 

[elrasho]

return of GladOS? U mean its been mentioned before Epi2?

 

[Laff]

return of GladOS? U mean its been mentioned before Epi2?

...what? Look at it this way. GlaDOS and the Portal technology is obviously Aperture's biggest technologies. What else could be in there? And it makes sense. After GlaDOS goes berserk, Aperture somehow drops her off in the arctic or whatever. It may be the Portal gun isn't even at Borealis, but GlaDOS must have the technology stored somewhere in her memory. Think about it.

 

[Malfunction]

Was I the only person who got the vibe that it's not so much the portal gun and its technology that makes Borealis so special, but the ship itself? I distinctly remember someone saying something along the lines of "if someone were to use that ship blah blah blah." Also, when you see the blueprints and plans up on the monitor, I saw no portal gun references, only what looked to be boat/weapon plans or something. I just can't see how Gordon acquiring the portal gun makes any sense. :/

 

[Asknoone]

I agree, M.

 

[Mutley]

The ship "disappeared" they said, completely vanished and was never seen again. Not something a portal gun could move.

 

[Sam]

Am I mistaken in thinking that the Combine will already know these things whether or not (hopefully not) the advisors suck out the knowledge? The entire reason we have them is because we got them from the citadel, and then the citadel transmitted information to the Combine "home", wherever that may be.

Also, was anyone else shocked that the satellite worked flawlessly?

 

[Voodoo_Chile]

One thing lads, If ya remember how Breen asked for a host body to be made available AND when ya see the advisors first in Ep. 1 the recording of Breen asking for that is shown followed by an Advisors face. So what I'm getting at here is...

Was it Dr. Breen in the body getting some revenge?

Just putting it out there as tbh its the first thing that crossed my mind when that scene was going on.

 

[DESSTROYER]

I knew he was going to die, but I wasn't expecting it from an advisor, I though G-man was going to kill him or something like that.

But yeah, he was one of my favorite characters, sucked to see him die like that

 

[Tyguy]

he ruled, and he rules in real life...anyone seen spy hard?

 

[Blond Wookie]

Was I the only person who got the vibe that it's not so much the portal gun and its technology that makes Borealis so special, but the ship itself? I distinctly remember someone saying something along the lines of "if someone were to use that ship blah blah blah." Also, when you see the blueprints and plans up on the monitor, I saw no portal gun references, only what looked to be boat/weapon plans or something. I just can't see how Gordon acquiring the portal gun makes any sense. :/

I agree completely. It has to be the technology that developed the portal gun that is somehow inherent in the ship itself. They said that it and a large portion of the dry-dock it was berthed in vanished... that says "under construction teleportation incident" to me. That's why it's lost and was not expected to be found.

It would also, to my mind, tie into the super portals introduced in this episode. Think about it, citidel creates super portal... ship dissapears in portal incident on a larger scale than we've seen before (black mesa was many small portals) and Alyx's comments on how the super portal was just like the seven days war. Portal technology could be the way to win the war, but what Eli was afraid of was that the combine could use it to re-invade earth with advisors advanced from their larval form.

 

[Admodieus]

I'd cry like a bitch. Like a bitch, I say. I really really would. Mossman is brilliant. I wonder whether it will turn out she's ex-Aperture. I mean, given how unethical it is it's probably the reason she applied for Black Mesa. I also wonder what she originally went out to the Arctic for. I mean, Magnusson says "It's the very code Dr. Mossman was hoping to recover."; as in, the Combine portal code.

Yet she goes looking for a Project, and actually finds Borealis.

Mossman was hoping to recover that portal code when she was "working" for Breen and the Combine. That was the whole point of her being in Breen's office and turning Eli in.

She definitely knew about the Borealis before Eli and Kleiner did as she apparently took off as soon as they got to White Forest. Something's up with her.

 

[Pesmerga]

If there is a race between the combine and humans to reach Borealis, there's got to be a primary antagonist. Not just "the combine" but a central character. It could be Breen (although I'm not sure how much of a chance that theory holds), Mossman, or even a vindictive Alyx Vance. Perhaps it is the G-Man's intentions to use Alyx's emotions against humanity, or against his competitors.

The G-Man is the most important character and yet the most mysterious. It is clear that the relationship between Alyx and Gordon is not an accident- both were carefully handpicked by the G-Man and superimposed into Earth's conflict. This relationship will probably be an important factor during Episode 3 and the conclusion of Gordon's story. Alyx has been shown to be extremely emotional during times of distress, and this will no doubt hold standards for how she will act should anything happen to Gordon.

If Eli's dying words are true, the Borealis is not a force to be used by humanity. Letting the Combine have it would prove even worse. It's one of those "world eating" devices, most likely, one that you probably couldn't find a good excuse for using.

I'm not even sure why we're trying to find a victory. I thought the portal to the combine homeworld had been destroyed completely and that no other attempt could be made? Isn't it just a struggle to maintain Earth while the resistance washes the world clean from remaining Combine?

 

[DrExperiment]

Holy Jesus. Best Game Ever :thumbs:. Awesome graphics, superb storyline. I wasn't expecting Eli to die, a sad, very sad ending.

...........i must finish portal!!!