This series is surreal. Especially after Half-Life 2... [Episode One Spoilers]

[__Matt__]

Honestly.

I finished Episode One yesterday and was just blown away the fantastic cinematic flair this game possesses.

I believe Half-Life 2 (and Zelda and Mario but we're not counting console games are we? ) is the pinnacle of gaming. Really, what other FPS even comes close to the sheer amount of immersion this game contains?

I just had to vent. I love this series so much and I had actually forgotten about Episode One's arrival and it definitley came as a pleasant surprise on Thursday. It also served to remind me of the tremendous amount of quality and detail put into making sure you are immersed and as invested in the games events as the NPC's!

I mean, shutting down the reactor, Alyx's congratulatory quips, the beautiful nuances such as Dr.Kleiner's broadcasted video-feed playing against the ravaged landscape of City 17...

Additionally, the story just has this epic, gritty, overwhelming vibe to it. Earth is has been ravaged and raped and you actually feel like you're thrown in the middle of this chaos rather than being forced down a linear and obviously orchestrated path. Yes, I realize HL2 is linear but it's presented in such a way that makes the story and experience enthrall you, absolutley involve you.

Oh, and then there's the EPISODE TWO trailer! Man, I'm in love...:smoking:

 

[MorganFreeman911]

Agreed.

 

[Greatgat]

Oh Christ GF911, that sig is hilarious.

And yes, it truly is awesome series. One of the few that I get involved in the Universe and minutia, not just the games.

 

[99.vikram]

Matt, are you new to the HL series?

Anyway, spot on!

The Halo series came close, but not close enough.

 

[theotherguy]

agreed. The valve team is masterful at level design and storytelling. Even their engine has such a great feel to it. As far as FPS games go I would definatley say hl2 not only raises the bar, but IS the bar when it comes to gameplay, immersion and storytelling.

 

[bigburpco]

Yeah. I think the HL2 Episodes, as a whole, will blow away all other FPS games.

 

[__Matt__]

Matt, are you new to the HL series?

Anyway, spot on!

The Halo series came close, but not close enough.

No, just new to this message-board.

I've been playing Half-Life since...well, Half-Life. The original pretty much introduced me to the wonder of PC gaming back when I was just gtting over the shock that computers can do alot more than word process and play Sim City.

While the original HL was absolutley godly kc in the day, HL2 is definitley ahead of it conceptually and game-play wise.

Valve just keep raising the bar, indeed. I NEED Episode Two now! Those new mini-striders galloping through the forest just gives off such an epic and foreboding vibe. I must play it.

 

[99.vikram]

I remember the day I played HL: Uplink. I showed it to my parents and grandparents and they were all blown away.

I was like - "There's gaming beyond Quake??"

The first copy of HL I had was a h4x, but I decided that Valve deserved money for their work. Ever since then I've bought the box for every HL game to come out. I still prefer box to Steam

 

[theotherguy]

this brings to mind an interview that gamespot did with all of the members of valve, one by one the day before hl2 was released. it was like,
(paraphrased from memory)
{
Gamespot: "So how does it feel having made what many consider the greatest game of all time, and then releasing a sequel?"

Gabe Newell: "Actually it feels really terrible. I told the team that we not only needed to make a great game with half-life 2, but we simply needed to make the greatest game ever. There could be no exceptions. Otherwise, we would never live up to anyone's expectations. Now, if half-life 2 is indeed considered the greatest game ever as we hope it will, we're going to have to make every game after that consistently better...and that's kind of hard to do."
}

 

[__Matt__]

Gabe Newell: "Actually it feels really terrible. I told the team that we not only needed to make a great game with half-life 2, but we simply needed to make the greatest game ever. There could be no exceptions. Otherwise, we would never live up to anyone's expectations. Now, if half-life 2 is indeed considered the greatest game ever as we hope it will, we're going to have to make every game after that consistently better...and that's kind of hard to do."
}

Well, so far so good.

The ending of HL2: Episode One = :O :O :O

 

[blck_prod]

I agree with the above...

EP oNe rocks in all the way, during the whole game, from the haywire citadel, trough the underground zombie-nests, to the surface onto the trainstation.

The levels Rbetter, the puzzels are harder but not frustrating -more rewarding-
Alex is a real person and not an NPC -altough a very very tough lady-
She seems to have real emotions...and isn't coping to well with the situation, especially in the beginning...The music is great, the humour is also applaudable...

Really the ppl ogf VALVE are the top...and there's no competition to me.
Best game-franchise ever...

I'll buy all the episodes VALVE makes...

I hope they can keep up the good work, because the bar is raised pretty high now.

Eitherway...I've fallen in Love again, allover....again...

 

[vortigwant]

yeah. i was actually, overall, exceeded in my expectations. i wasn't expecting a whole lot. but at the end (warning SPOILERS when the citadel is sending the message upward and all those ships carrying combine members escaping fly out simultaneously and one flies overhead was one of the most immersive gaming moments i've ever experienced. it forced me to imagine what it would be like to have this kind of event, an alien occupation and enslavement, occur, not really understanding exactly what you're seeing.

 

[Asknoone]

Indeed, it's probably the best FPS I've ever played.

 

[Cormeh]

Big fan of the series, but I can't help thinking that the whole thing will end with a cliffhanger. :O

 

[Hypnosos]

Yeah. I think the HL2 Episodes, as a whole, will blow away all other FPS games.

I'm sure it will. Actually, I have no doubt about it.

 

[iMMuNiTy]

:| The atmosphere here differs from Gamespot's. Everybody there complains about the length and the price.

 

[blck_prod]

Id rather pay 20€ for HL2EP1 than 50 loussy bucks un DOOMIII or Farcry...
I've enjoyed of 5 minutes of Epone than any other game I've played...The citadel was amazing, freaky haywire technology...Yeaahhhh!!!!!
I enjoyed the overall high quality of the product...EPone is as immerssive as it can get. If you want quantity than this is the wrong game, I agree...Ppl should see the difference between an expansion and the now new episodic gaming. Valve goes for quality not quantity and I appreciate that a lot...Many game devellopers can learn about that. But I do agree that 20€ can be a lot for a non- working student...

And I'm ammazed that some ppl don't like the level-design...okay the rescuing thing was the dullest part...but for the rest the levels where atmospheric...Lineair but didn't look like that at all...Puzzels were harder than HL2... I don't get it...more of the same, yes,...better? Hell Yeaaah!!!!!!

I can't stop boosting about this game...some friends come over this evening to have a go...I got them so trihlled now...hopefully not overtrillhed.
But with some booze and 'ahum' grass they'll be blown away...

BTW...I taught the citadel was the best part...Just for the scenery alone (the haywire technology)...and the reactor puzzle.

And for another random tought...with the reproduction-shiled gone...Ppl can get bussy...but I never saw some couple being bussy. Not that I'm a sexsaddict. I just think it could be cool that if you open a random door there is couple in the room doing it...freaking out with you enterring...And you leaving with a mummbled sorry...that would've been neat, and some functional nudity- but I think they skipped it because of the rating problems +18.

 

[Neko!]

Mmm.

I think I'd be fine without seeing a couple having sex in the game. Kissing, hugging, general stuff like that is fine. I don't think Valve would lower themselves so much as to put a sex scene in their game. And even more so to have Gordon’s one and only word spoken threw out the entire HL series be "Well pardon me!”. All in all, I highly doubt it.

The only kind of action I'm expecting to see is from Alyx herself. But I feel that should only escalade to a kiss. That we'll be able to witness. I like it if things to be implied as I quite enjoy using my Own imagination, just as Valve wants us to. IF Alyx ends up pregnant with only a small bit of dialoged from her explain how it is indeed mine, I'd like to think of my own way as to how exactly that came about.

Because there’s nothing better than, -moves her hand in a rainbow form over her head- Imagination!