Half Life 2 - a closer look

[user1234]

There is no doublt Half Life 2 is a great game with amazing graphics, great physics, a lot of variety in the enviroments and pretty decent sound effects, not to mention the good fast paced action which continues on without interruption from start to end. But let's take a closer look at some of the other aspects, which many people tend to overlook, possibly because they are overwhelmed by the state of the art execution of the features I just mentioned.

For this part, I've chosen the classic games "Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast" and "Far Cry" as points of comparison.

Let's start with enemy AI in the game - it's nothing short of... non existent, unless you want to call walking straight at you "intelligent". There is absolutely no point in even comparing this game to the "Far Cry" which has enemies which crawl, sneak and hide, not to mention performing coordinated attack manouvers.

Next, let's look at the puzzles in HL2 - like when you have to stack up some crates to get over a wall, or the platform jumping puzzle in the last level, or best of all - the ingenious "turn off the force field by shooting at the generator/electricity cable". For reference, let's compare to a game with real puzzles, like "Jedi Outcast" which due to its non linear open design of the levels, allows for much more vast and engaging puzzles when trying to find exits, secret areas (in HL2 secret areas are the dark corners behind staircases), keys, access codes, and even its "jumping puzzles" dwarf HL2's in their vastness (oyu know what I'm talking about). And let's not even try to comapre the gravity gun to the "force powers" and their use in the game.

Now let's look at the story - is it just me or does HL2 has no story development except "go to the next section and fight the bad guys, and keep moving forward to the section after that". The only thing that changes is the environment, but really the story doesn't develop at all. HL2 is very linear - you can only move in one obvious direction, and even though you can theoretically go back, sometime even that is prevented by barriers which magically appear.

So finally we get to the action itself - there are many fights with many different types of enemies, but it's mostly so simple and easy (and the game has no selectable difficulty settings) that it absolutely pales in comparison to the really tough fights in Jedi Outcast (not to mention Far Cry). Can you say "zero replay value" ?

 

[Whitecloak]

I played both and think HL2 is better

 

[Pocatello]

After all the hypes, I like Far Cry a lot better than HL2. HL2 stops every minute to load the next area, which stops the flow of the game. For example, when you (Freeman) are being chased by some metro cops, you trying to get up the roof as fast as you can, you're on the virge of panic since you don't have a weapon and you don't want to be caught, you're hearing the civilians urging you to hurry up, you hear the running footsteps of the goons right behind you, you almost get to roof, the door is right there, you're going to make it. BAM, you're waiting for the game to load. This is just one case, and every game has a load scene, but HL2 has too many of them at a very unopportune time. People say that HL2 has great graphics, which I disagree, I mean the demo movies did look great, and the main characters of the game have very life-life facial expression, other than that, Farcry had a more spectacular environment. The weapons of HL2 are not very satisfying to use, besides the gravity gun, but they do sounds great though. HL2 feels like a movie that needs good editing, there are several maps that are monotonous, I feel like they're there just to make the game longer. The AI of HL2 are good, but your squadmates are nothing more than cannon fodders or hindrance to your own survival.

 

[JeffreyY]

Originally posted by: user1234and the game has no selectable difficulty settings

Actually I saw the option to change the difficulty in one of the options menu.

 

[skace]

You consider FarCry a "Classic Game"

 

[biostud]

Half-life> Doom 1+2 > Wolfenstein 3D > Far Cry > Soldier of Fortune II > HL-2 > NoLF 2 > Doom3

IMHO

 

[StageLeft]

HL2 is a good game, but it's nothing spectacular. It would have been, but Far Cry beat it to the punch. Doom3, needless to say, is not even worth playing - even if you got it for free. Garbage game.

I agree that there is no story in HL2. Remember the suitcase man in the first one? In HL2 I saw him at the beginning, and then I've so far seen him once more in the distance. I'm at the citadel in the game, so a good way through it, and yet I've not seen him again. HL2 has no story. Other than the administrator on monitors sometimes there is no other story for it.

I agree about the loadtimes being a real pain in the ass. I can live with them though, but there is no story line to this game whatsoever.

I would say overall I enjoyed Far Cry more. I am going to finish HL2, but I'm not particularly enamoured by it. It's very nice and polished, but something about it is just _missing_. It's like I go through the motions, and that's it - probably because there isn't a storyline to it.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I would say overall I enjoyed Far Cry more. I am going to finish HL2, but I'm not particularly enamoured by it. It's very nice and polished, but something about it is just _missing_. It's like I go through the motions, and that's it - probably because there isn't a storyline to it.

Yes, in comparison to FarCry's godlike storyline.

 

[Zero Plasma]

I think it's an ok game.Love the graphics and the physics.Wish there was more info on the story.(Thats my fav part in games)I wasn't happy with what it came with in the box.(5 cds in paper sleves and a paper card telling you what keys do what.)But it's ok because I only paid $35 for it.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

i still maintain the citadel design is jus random, and un-thought out. those rails...in real life they would collapse under their own weight if they where suspended as infrequently as the rails in the citadel (u know the rails the body carts travel on)

the citadel is by far the worst level as far as level design and geometry goes

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
i still maintain the citadel design is jus random, and un-thought out. those rails...in real life they would collapse under their own weight if they where suspended as infrequently as the rails in the citadel (u know the rails the body carts travel on)

the citadel is by far the worst level as far as level design and geometry goes

Maybe they have used nanotechnology to create the rails, it's supposed to be the future y'know

What I needed was a riffle you could actually aim with. Heck the enemy could have one also.

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Originally posted by: user1234
There is no doublt Half Life 2 is a great game with amazing graphics, great physics, a lot of variety in the enviroments and pretty decent sound effects, not to mention the good fast paced action which continues on without interruption from start to end. But let's take a closer look at some of the other aspects, which many people tend to overlook, possibly because they are overwhelmed by the state of the art execution of the features I just mentioned.

For this part, I've chosen the classic games "Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast" and "Far Cry" as points of comparison.

Let's start with enemy AI in the game - it's nothing short of... non existent, unless you want to call walking straight at you "intelligent". There is absolutely no point in even comparing this game to the "Far Cry" which has enemies which crawl, sneak and hide, not to mention performing coordinated attack manouvers.

Next, let's look at the puzzles in HL2 - like when you have to stack up some crates to get over a wall, or the platform jumping puzzle in the last level, or best of all - the ingenious "turn off the force field by shooting at the generator/electricity cable". For reference, let's compare to a game with real puzzles, like "Jedi Outcast" which due to its non linear open design of the levels, allows for much more vast and engaging puzzles when trying to find exits, secret areas (in HL2 secret areas are the dark corners behind staircases), keys, access codes, and even its "jumping puzzles" dwarf HL2's in their vastness (oyu know what I'm talking about). And let's not even try to comapre the gravity gun to the "force powers" and their use in the game.

Now let's look at the story - is it just me or does HL2 has no story development except "go to the next section and fight the bad guys, and keep moving forward to the section after that". The only thing that changes is the environment, but really the story doesn't develop at all. HL2 is very linear - you can only move in one obvious direction, and even though you can theoretically go back, sometime even that is prevented by barriers which magically appear.

So finally we get to the action itself - there are many fights with many different types of enemies, but it's mostly so simple and easy (and the game has no selectable difficulty settings) that it absolutely pales in comparison to the really tough fights in Jedi Outcast (not to mention Far Cry). Can you say "zero replay value" ?

I agree completely. Although the story in Far Cry is a bit cliched and the voice acting is below par, everything else about the game is top-notch. As for Half Life 2, the only thing I like about the game is the physics and the gravity gun. I don't think the story is too interesting, nor is the enemy A.I. any better than the other games out there. In fact, I think it's correct to say that Far Cry's enemy A.I. is one of the best in any fps. For A.I. to interact in such enormous levels as in Far Cry and to figure out the best routes and methods to attack the player is nothing short of ingenious. Half Life 2 pales in comparison to Far Cry in this regard.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I would say overall I enjoyed Far Cry more. I am going to finish HL2, but I'm not particularly enamoured by it. It's very nice and polished, but something about it is just _missing_. It's like I go through the motions, and that's it - probably because there isn't a storyline to it.

Yes, in comparison to FarCry's godlike storyline.

Comparitively, yes.

 

[user1234]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I would say overall I enjoyed Far Cry more. I am going to finish HL2, but I'm not particularly enamoured by it. It's very nice and polished, but something about it is just _missing_. It's like I go through the motions, and that's it - probably because there isn't a storyline to it.

Yes, in comparison to FarCry's godlike storyline.

Comparitively, yes.

The really good story is in Jedi Outcast, in addition to the awesome gameplay, puzzles and action, although it doesn't have as much of a tactical element as far cry. Go play that game and you'll understand (even though it's graphics is a bit outdated compared to HL2/FC).

 

[jiffylube1024]

Bah I thought Jedi Knight I was much better than Jedi Knight II. JK2 was a mediocre game, IMO.

Far Cry, coming out 6 months before HL2 is a "classic" ? I thought stuff had to be out for longer than that to obtain "classic" status .

I thought Far Cry was a great game (one of my favourite PC games). The gameplay was awesome, crawling around in a realistic fashion, sniping guys, etc was extremely fun. Even the cheesy voice acting was done for a reason: that was the style they decided to go for - making the hero a silly stereotype of the dumb, tough hero. The graphics were top notch as well.

And yet, I still think HL2 is a better game. It's the most fun FPS (at least for me) since HL1. The storyline is adequate, but the gameplay is really butter. The gravity stuff was pure bliss, and the missions were varied and interesting. The graphics were great also (no matter what anybody else says); they made people look more 'human' than any other game before.

 

[TheWart]

Jedi Knight, the sequel to *drumroll*Dark Forces was much better imho than JKII. But I would still prefer HL2 over them all.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: biostud
Half-life> Doom 1+2 > Wolfenstein 3D > Far Cry > Soldier of Fortune II > HL-2 > NoLF 2 > Doom3

IMHO

Soldier of Fortune 2 > HL2 > Wolfenstein 3D > Doom > NoLF 2 > Far Cry > Half-life >>>>>> Doom 3

IMO

 

[Patt]

Half-Life 2 showed flashes of technical brilliance, but admittedly, lacked some substance when it comes to the story, especially compared to the original.

Half-Life 2 also showed flashes of technical imcomptenence, mainly the aforementioned loading screens that broke the action up completely.

 

[Malak]

The loading screens were never in the middle of action. They were always right after and right before you got anywhere, so they didn't break up anything.

 

[BW86]

I played both and think HL2 is better

 

[sparkyclarky]

Originally posted by: malak
The loading screens were never in the middle of action. They were always right after and right before you got anywhere, so they didn't break up anything.

While they weren't quite as bad on foot, they became utter nonsense during the buggy/airboat levels. Nothing like getting up some speed, making a cool jump, then.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................next section. They should have either implemented a significantly faster loading mechanism (from what I hear, the mechanism is heavily CPU bound-I run a Raptor setup, and it takes quite while to load even on a 2.25 GHz Athlon XP), or they should have implemented dynamic loading as you go through the level, ala something like Soul Reaver or SSX3.

 

[igowerf]

I thought Outcast had too many unintuitive puzzles, a lot which had you run around the level for a while. The only puzzle that had me stuck for a while in HL2 was a part in the airboat level: you come to a closing with two combine assault tanks/vehicles on a platform above you. After you destroy them, you're supposed to find a way to get to the ramp. I didn't notice a detail so I wandered around for a little while trying to figure out what to do.

 

[JBT]

HL2 was Great. Jedi Outcast was very good. Far Cry was OK. Doom III sucked.

 

[user1234]

I only played a few levels of doom 3 and was bored, but I still plan to finish it sometimes. But first I'll be starting on chronicles of riddick.

 

[Cawchy87]

I still rank Jedi Knight II better than HL2