Burning Fish
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I've got PC Gameplay's dutch review of Half-Life 2 in front of me and since you're all crying for info and since I'm so bored, I will give you a summary of the most important things said in the review.
Let's begin at the end
As you may all know, the final score PCG gives is 90%. Quite strange compared to the 93% which they gave to FarCry. They have only two negative points about the game:
No real multiplayer
You will read more complaining about this in the upcoming reviews (or you already did). PCG is very disappointed that CS:S is the only multiplayer instead of HL2DM. I have never played HLDM, so I can't really judge this. I really liked the CS:S Beta and I can't wait to play the rest of the maps, but I can understand the real HLDM-fans who are disappointed. HL2DM with the gravity gun and the physics would be pretty cool and there will sure be a mod, making you able to do this (...but you can MOD it!).
AI squadmates are often in your way
Yes... a classical problem. Looks like even VALVe didn't found a way to fix this, but it's a small thing compared to the brilliance of the rest of the game.
Positive points
Yes, they're also positive, they're very positive.
They give 4 different positive points:
The Review
Now, let's sum the most important things up:
Description of screenshots
There are some cool screenshots on the 8 pages of the magazine but I will describe two of them which caught my eye.
Dog
In this screenshot I can see Dog (Alyx's huge pet) holding a car in the air. Next to him stands (I think, the screen is very small printed) Barney and in the distance I see a combine soldier. So it looks like Dog will fight with you during the game and he can do some pretty cool things I guess
Bridge
In this screenshot I see three combine soldiers standing on a bridge with wooden plates and supports. The comment says you can kill the combines or just destroy the bridge.
The CD or DVD included have some exclusive screenshots and an exclusive movie. This movie won't be posted online, since it is property of PCG. I think the screenshots will pop up soon I don't have a scanner, so I can't scan anything. You'll have to do it with this for now. Just relax before the whole storm of screenshots breaks loose...
Let's begin at the end
As you may all know, the final score PCG gives is 90%. Quite strange compared to the 93% which they gave to FarCry. They have only two negative points about the game:
No real multiplayer
You will read more complaining about this in the upcoming reviews (or you already did). PCG is very disappointed that CS:S is the only multiplayer instead of HL2DM. I have never played HLDM, so I can't really judge this. I really liked the CS:S Beta and I can't wait to play the rest of the maps, but I can understand the real HLDM-fans who are disappointed. HL2DM with the gravity gun and the physics would be pretty cool and there will sure be a mod, making you able to do this (...but you can MOD it!).
AI squadmates are often in your way
Yes... a classical problem. Looks like even VALVe didn't found a way to fix this, but it's a small thing compared to the brilliance of the rest of the game.
Positive points
Yes, they're also positive, they're very positive.
They give 4 different positive points:
- Brilliant way of using physics
- Big variation of maps
- Stunning ingame animations
- Lots of original gameplay-elements
The Review
Now, let's sum the most important things up:
- Half-Life 2 is thé next-gen shooter, standing above Doom 3 and Far Cry.
- The E3 2004 maps we've seen are in the game too, but they're a whole lot different. Some places are even totally different. The movies haven't even showed half of the game.
- You will have to use physics to progress in the game; to reach specific places and to defeat your enemies. They write about a beach full of garbage and Ant Lions. When you touch the beach the Ant Lions will attack you. The only thing you can do is use the gravity gun to make an improvised bridge of garbage to cross-over the beach, without having the Ant Lions attack you.
- The Hovercraft-sequence is so spectacular that it wouldn't be a bad game by itself!
- AI of the combines seems to be great. They search for cover, try to flank you and even work together to get behind you.
- There is a commander-button. With this button you can lead your group of allies to go to a specific location and to regroup. They have the same quality of AI as the human enemies, although in the small areas (hallways), your squadmates are often in the way.
- Sometimes you can place automatic turrets to defeat enemies.
- PCG played the game in 19 hours on Normal skill.
"VALVe has created a very original and innovative game in such a huge genre. Top notch!"
Description of screenshots
There are some cool screenshots on the 8 pages of the magazine but I will describe two of them which caught my eye.
Dog
In this screenshot I can see Dog (Alyx's huge pet) holding a car in the air. Next to him stands (I think, the screen is very small printed) Barney and in the distance I see a combine soldier. So it looks like Dog will fight with you during the game and he can do some pretty cool things I guess
Bridge
In this screenshot I see three combine soldiers standing on a bridge with wooden plates and supports. The comment says you can kill the combines or just destroy the bridge.
The CD or DVD included have some exclusive screenshots and an exclusive movie. This movie won't be posted online, since it is property of PCG. I think the screenshots will pop up soon
I don't have a scanner, so I can't scan anything. You'll have to do it with this for now. Just relax before the whole storm of screenshots breaks loose...
