Game:

Half-Life 2 (2004)

Category:

Review

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the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. Developed by Valve it was initially released on November 16, 2004, following a protracted five-year,[4] $40 million development cycle,[5] during which a substantial part of the project was leaked and distributed on the Internet.[6]

The game was developed alongside Valve's Steam software. It introduced the Source game engine and, because of Steam, is the first video game to require online product activation.[

Like its predecessor, Half-Life 2 was met with near-unanimous critical acclaim.[] It was praised for its advanced physics, animation, sound, AI, graphics, and narrative. The game won 39 "Game of the Year" awards and a couple of publications have named it "Game of the Decade".[Over 6.5 million copies of Half-Life 2 were sold at retail by December 3, 2008, making it a bestselling PC game[(not including the number of sales via Steam).[ As of February 9, 2011, Half-Life 2 has sold over 12 million copies
Half-Life 2, like its predecessor Half-Life, is a singleplayer first-person shooter broken into chapters, permanently casting the player as Gordon Freeman. The sequel has nearly the same mechanics as Half-Life, including health-and-weapon systems and periodic puzzles. The player also starts without items, slowly building up an arsenal over the course of the game. Despite the game's mainly linear nature, much effort was put into making exploration rewarding and interesting; many optional areas can be missed or avoided.

A diverse set of enemies are present with different tactics: some coordinate in groups, some fly, some use predictable but powerful attacks, some are armed, some utilize melee and/or swift movement, and some rely on lurking and/or obscurity. Gordon can kill enemies directly with his weapons, or indirectly using environmental hazards such as explosive barrels and gas fires. At one point in the game, Gordon can be joined by up to four Resistance soldiers, and can send his team further from him or call them back; however, they can still die easily. Squad members are indicated on the HUD (squad member icons with a cross sign are field medics).

Many of the game's new features utilize its detailed physics simulation. Two sections of the game involve driving vehicles. Instead of button-based puzzles from Half-Life, environmental puzzles are also introduced with makeshift mechanical systems, revolving around the player's new ability to pick up, move, and place objects. Solutions involve objects' physical properties, such as shape, weight, and buoyancy. For example, in Chapter 3: Route Kanal, the player is required to stack cinder blocks on a makeshift see-saw ramp to proceed.

Part-way through the game, Gordon acquires the Gravity Gun, which allows him to manipulate objects of various sizes (e.g. pulling a crate from a distance and later firing it away. These abilities are required to solve some puzzles later in the game, and can also be used in combat.

The game does not contain pre-rendered or scripted cutscenes; the story proceeds via exposition from other characters, as well as events that unfold in the game world.

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