PC Gamer Exclusive Half-Life 2 Review

[Impulse147]

it'll get a 96-97%, yea they must be pushing it out early because i just got the quake 4 issue less than 2 weeks ago, says its december issue...looks like its time to renew my subscription.

 

[Kifpe]

Nice, i hope we can see the full review scanned somewhere

I have to be honest. I also hope to see some scans somewhere because I will never have a chance to read the original magazine... So scans are my only chance....

 

[Kirkburn]

[There was the letter here, but It didn't copy]

So HL2 definitely owns.

Isn't Mark Donald from PCG UK? Just checking, cause I don't know how much staff they share with PCG US. Certainly many PCG UK articles end up in other countries' PCGs.

I love my subscription

All Hail Kieron Gillen

 

[Feath]

[snip]

So HL2 definitely owns.

Thanks. That makes me happier to read the review. And I was wondering if people were going to think that "Tearful gibbering wreck" meant that the game was awful. Heh.

 

[mchammer75040]

Hm I wonder when ign, gamespy, and gamespot will have their reviews up. possibly this week?

 

[Sub_Lon]

OMG Its going to include a demo disk!!!! For real!!!11

 

[CombineHarvester]

OMG Its going to include a demo disk!!!! For real!!!11

Where did you read this? The magazine always has demo disks, but this doesn't mean a HL2 demo will feature

 

[Feath]

OMG Its going to include a demo disk!!!! For real!!!11

Or not.

 

[commando]

if it is a REVIEW in the magazines...

1) it should say the SCORE
2) it should say all about the game like other reviews
3) it should say the RELEASE DATE

 

[Feath]

if it is a REVIEW in the magazines...

1) it should say the SCORE
2) it should say all about the game like other reviews
3) it should say the RELEASE DATE

It is a review and since when do magazines have to say a release date?

 

[nutcrackr]

Hm I wonder when ign, gamespy, and gamespot will have their reviews up. possibly this week?

I doubt it will be that soon, of course depending on when HL2 is set for release I would expect maybe 2 weeks before that. I'd have strong doubts they will have them for at least a couple of weeks. But who knows.

 

[Dr0ndeh]

just a little 'FYI' for everyone. the reason that youre getting the december edition 2 months early is because most pc games magazines have a 'christmas' edition as well as a 'december' one.

 

[killerluk]

euhm PC Gamer Exclusive Half-Life 2 Review ????
totally not true
belgium magazine coming in october 1st in shops said they would have the halflife2 revieuw also 11 pages with own screenshots

www.pcgameplay.com

 

[Lobster]

euhm PC Gamer Exclusive Half-Life 2 Review ????
totally not true
belgium magazine coming in october 1st in shops said they would have the halflife2 revieuw also 11 pages with own screenshots

www.pcgameplay.com

So did a few others, however so far its the exclusive for the US.

 

[czrsink]

Usually magazines will just 'Out: December', or 'Out:Now' or something like that. Depending on when the review goes out in relation to the game being on sale.

For example, the Rome Total War reviews in November will say that RTW is out 'now' beacsue the magazine is November, and the game came out in October..etc.

 

[Concept]

euhm PC Gamer Exclusive Half-Life 2 Review ????
totally not true
belgium magazine coming in october 1st in shops said they would have the halflife2 revieuw also 11 pages with own screenshots

www.pcgameplay.com

Comments on PC Gamer's review should hit the net first if this talk of subscribers receiving copies early this week is to be believed.

 

[Xac493]

Why are people getting scared about that statement?

It's most likely just hardware recommenadations, things like speakers set ups etc.

It's not going to be "You must have your penis cut off and sent to Valve in a plastic bag to be able to play"

RELAX!!

Damnit, mines already in the mail....

 

[Wraithen]

yea im afraid they might say something about the delays, which would be very unprofessional, because the delays have nothing to do with game content.

So if the first Half Life got delayed until today, it should still get the same review, with no comment on the fact that it would have been better a few years ago?

It's unfortunate but true that a lot of things have happened in the last year. Elements of HL2 that would have led the way to new gaming experiences have already been experienced. I'm expecting something along the lines of "a year ago, this would have stunned the gaming world, as it is we were blown away."

I don't expect the delay to have much inpact on the review, but it should be taken into account, even if it's a one line throw-away comment. You know, like this post was going to be

 

[nutcrackr]

euhm PC Gamer Exclusive Half-Life 2 Review ????
totally not true
belgium magazine coming in october 1st in shops said they would have the halflife2 revieuw also 11 pages with own screenshots

www.pcgameplay.com

I hope you understand how hard it would be to predict a world exclusive, magazines don't go to print at the same times, and don't get shipped at the same time. By the time they finished the magazine they would have no clue of anyone else has a copy of the game let alone will they review it and when it gets in the shops et cetera. But if that magazine is in shops Oct 1, then it would be fair to call it the correct world exclusive because it's in shops before PC Gamer

 

[Viperidae]

Damnit, mines already in the mail....

Are you serious? SPILL THE BEANS!

 

[Wraithen]

Are you serious? SPILL THE BEANS!

Unless he was careful with the knife, he probably did!

/disgusting joke

 

[The.Spiral]

Wowwowowowow I can't believe it... when is it gonna be on store shleves??

I swore to myself that i'd never look the reviews before..... but that cover is sooo appealing... arrrgh!!!

 

[fizban]

when is it gonna be on store shleves??

It has been my observation (and I've worked places that carried mags) that the stores usually get the mags about 1-2 weeks after the subscription owners. So it'd be in your interest to find a friend who has a subscription. That's what I plan on doing. Hopefully I can find someone in my area that has a sub they would be willing to let me take a peek at

 

[Feath]

I hope you understand how hard it would be to predict a world exclusive, magazines don't go to print at the same times, and don't get shipped at the same time. By the time they finished the magazine they would have no clue of anyone else has a copy of the game let alone will they review it and when it gets in the shops et cetera. But if that magazine is in shops Oct 1, then it would be fair to call it the correct world exclusive because it's in shops before PC Gamer

Well, there was an NDA (5th of October) so they should've known. Not to mention the fact that they all played it at the same time. But who knows, maybe PC Gamer US are allowed to release the magazine early.

So if the first Half Life got delayed until today, it should still get the same review, with no comment on the fact that it would have been better a few years ago?

It's unfortunate but true that a lot of things have happened in the last year. Elements of HL2 that would have led the way to new gaming experiences have already been experienced. I'm expecting something along the lines of "a year ago, this would have stunned the gaming world, as it is we were blown away."

I don't expect the delay to have much inpact on the review, but it should be taken into account, even if it's a one line throw-away comment. You know, like this post was going to be

The only way it would be marked down is that if the graphics were really outdated. I don't think many elements that Half-Life 2 have been experienced, you can argue that the physics have but Half-Life 2 uses physics in a way that no other game has. I even think that some gameplay elements from the first Half-Life haven't been been used in games since then.

I think his point is that magazines won't mark it down just for being delayed. "The delay was too long, so I'll give it 3% less". They aren't reviewing companies time keeping.

 

[poseyjmac]

So if the first Half Life got delayed until today, it should still get the same review, with no comment on the fact that it would have been better a few years ago?

big difference between 1 and 6 years.

 

[Wraithen]

If you agree that an extreme example deserves an extreme response, then you can't argue that a slight example doesn't deserve a proportionately slight response. I'm not saying that they should tell us HL2 sucks because we didn't get it a year ago, but in that year things have changed. We've seen eye bleeding graphics, we've experienced close-to-real physics systems, we've even picked up things and thrown them at people and these are all experiences that would have been totally new to us a year ago.

Thing is though, HL2 is doing all of them... and it's doing all of them better with a great story and instantly likable characters thrown into the mix. So no, maybe it doesn't deserve to get marked down for the delay, but a year ago, it would have gained marks for being so much more innovative and new.

 

[UKchaos2]

When the magazine reviews start to come out can you warn us of any major spoilers they contain. I dont want to go out and buy one if it ruins anything big.

 

[Concept]

Someone from the magazine has already stated there aren't going to be any spoilers in the review earlier in this thread I believe, from an email someone sent.

Now I'm just waiting for one of those ever so kind subscribers that are supposed to be getting it early this week to post a summary and score.

 

[DigiQ8]

Someone from the magazine has already stated there aren't going to be any spoilers in the review earlier in this thread I believe, from an email someone sent.

Now I'm just waiting for one of those ever so kind subscribers that are supposed to be getting it early this week to post a summary and score.

and scans...

 

[Feath]

and scans...

Not on the site.

 

[xrdanielalan]

Good-news...wonder if I will get the magazine if I subscribe now?

 

[DigiQ8]

Not on the site.

PMs...

6chr

 

[ferd]

Not on the site.

but scans will be allowed on this board?

 

[Kiva128]

but scans will be allowed on this board?

No....

 

[h00dlum]

LOL im actually feeling a little nervous now!

and im almost willing to bet money that there will be no HL2 themed multilayer content..CS:S is HL2´s multiplayer. I know that Valve will rely on the mods to handle all the other MP stuff..

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Hmm a review of the full game with zero mention of mp would be quite a big hint.

Waiting...so patiently. HOW LONG TILL SUBSCRIBERS GET IT!

 

[Concept]

Snap Mr-Fusion.

Come on, come on, come on... early this week is surely considered before Wednesday, right?

I hope.

 

[Feath]

Hmm a review of the full game with zero mention of mp would be quite a big hint.

Waiting...so patiently. HOW LONG TILL SUBSCRIBERS GET IT!

It only says this week so they could get it tomorrow or they could get it on Saturday.

 

[Concept]

Feath:

Update: Daniel Morris, Editor-In-Chief of PC Gamer, was kind enough to drop me a line this evening:

Since the cat is apparently out of the bag, I wanted to update you and let you know that PC Gamer has the worldwide exclusive on the first review of Half-Life 2. The U.S. edition (the December issue) should be reaching subscribers beginning this week.

 

[PingaDPalo]

ok guys

I think that PC Gamer know that the game is going to be released pretty soon, that why they are "rushing" to get a review on HL2 here in USA in front of their competency...Maybe they planned to the review on the November issue, but they were not sure about HL2 release (because of this hole legal issues) and they launched the QUAKE 4 preview...Thus I think that this is good news...

thanks...