Orange Box First Impressions!

[Parasitic]

I'm short on HD space (well, the partition Steam is on anyways). Can I uninstall HL2 and keep EP2, or do they both have to be on?

 

[pontifex]

So the demoman in TF2 is a Scotsman, huh? why is he black then?

 

[RandomFool]

Originally posted by: pontifex
So the demoman in TF2 is a Scotsman, huh? why is he black then?

Affirmative Action.

 

[SexyK]

Originally posted by: pontifex
So the demoman in TF2 is a Scotsman, huh? why is he black then?

Black Scotsman = Funny

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

The portal gun in Portal NEEDS to be in other games. OMG this thing is sweet. Love the quirky humor in the game as well.

I don't know why, but after playing Portal for a while and exiting... this is going to sound screwed up. I was browsing the web and thinking about all the different pages that I wanted to go to and I was like, "I should just create a portal there."

OMG

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: Noema

Originally posted by: Imp


By the way, with "engine improvements", how well does it run? Comparable/same as Episode 1 or slightly worse? IIRC, I could actually do 1920x1200 at high, although I'll probably just settle for 1680.

It definitely runs worse than Ep.1, no doubt because of all the new lighting stuff, not to mention all three Orange Box games now have an option for 'Very High' textures, as well as motion blur.

I've got a 7900GT + Pentium D 805 and I run Ep. 2 at 1920x1200 perfectly fine with all details on high, HDR turned off (because I can't stand it), no motion blur, 2x AA and 4X AF.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I would like to hear Apoppin's thoughts on the updated lighting!

KT

well, i still don't have Ep2 ...

as far as i got in Portal - just a few minutes after work - i am not impressed

but for free ... i ain't complaining

 

[BrownTown]

lol, I thought it was coming out midnight tomorrow and stayed up all night doing the work that was due Friday so I could play all of Thursday, now to learn I could just played it today and done all that work tommorow, so sad .

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
lol, I thought it was coming out midnight tomorrow and stayed up all night doing the work that was due Friday so I could play all of Thursday, now to learn I could just played it today and done all that work tommorow, so sad .

go play now!

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
The portal gun in Portal NEEDS to be in other games. OMG this thing is sweet. Love the quirky humor in the game as well.

I don't know why, but after playing Portal for a while and exiting... this is going to sound screwed up. I was browsing the web and thinking about all the different pages that I wanted to go to and I was like, "I should just create a portal there."

OMG

lol...i still have a few days till i get my comp up and running. i wanna play

 

[skulkingghost]

played even more: here is my few review in a few words (I may post a more detiled one soon:

If Half Life 2 and Episode 1 Were Battles..... Episode 2 is WAR.

simply amazing through and through.

 

[SexyK]

"Alarms and flashing warning lights have been known to agitate the energy pellet."

lol, lovin' it so far

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

I chose to play Portal first. It was VERY cool. If you like puzzles in FPS's you should love it.

A number of puzzles stumped me for a little while, then I saw what to do and smiled (while wondering why I didn't see it earlier).

It wasn't too long, will prob take most people 2-4 hours.

I didn't do the bonus/challenge levels yet. I also want to listen to the developer commentary.

The song at the end is so hilarious. Think of a female HAL singing. Actually, the computer had so many other funny comments throughout the game. They were often used to great effect as rewards for completing a puzzle.

All that talk of cake made me hungry though!

 

[Boztech]

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
Well, if this game is anything like EP1 count me out... HL2 was good, but EP1 sucked donkey balls. I cannot emphasize enough how retarded and overly stupid it was to have to use the gravity gun 90% of the time... It was fun for like 3 seconds. Give me a MP5 or Grenade launcher anyday, just please get rid of the farking gravity gun.

Episode 2 so far is nothing like Episode 1. Much, much more intense fighting and use of weapons. Still a lot of puzzle factor to it, as always. But the gravity gun is not central to EP2 at all anymore.

The sound effect to the new car kicks ass!

 

[jordanz]

Like mentioned by others, Portal was pretty good to play. Good concept and what not. Simple fun game, haven't played any of the extras yet either so can't comment on those.

But a good decent small game. I'm sure it will have some opportunity when people begin making their own maps and such.

 

[Stoneburner]

does this stuff have any securom, starforce or other annoying crap involved?

 

[Boztech]

Just finished Episode 2. The final mission was fun as hell, but not entirely difficult. I have to say this was by far my favorite segment of the Half-Life series to date.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Stoneburner
does this stuff have any securom, starforce or other annoying crap involved?

It does have protection of some kind, but not that bad stuff. Not exactly sure what they use apart from the built in steam validation.

 

[Zenoth]

Finally, just beat Episode Two.

Is it just me or was it about the same length as Episode One ? I looked at the timer when I started, and then when I finished, and it took me around 6 hours to beat at Hard difficulty (and I died a couple of times especially near the end). If I remember correctly, it took me just around that same time to beat Episode One (perhaps a little less). So my only complaint is its length.

Everything else about Episode Two was pure brilliance and superb execution, awesome production quality (Episode Two is just that, quantity and quality as well). It has, I would say, about three quite shocking, unpredictable moments, one of which is quite unfit to say the least, but in the end you get over it (about the story line of course). It's a tremendous Episode. I would give a score of maybe 9.0, or 9.5 out of 10. If there's one point I'd take out is just because it's so short and not that hard of a game (I died a couple of times, still, but most of those deaths were because I played too fast in some situations).

Overall I think it is indeed the best of the Half-Life saga. The best moments, the best story-line details revealed (well, a few perhaps, but it is a start). The best sounds (the new Pistol and SMG sounds are great by the way, there's more hump/punch to them), also along with the best graphics of the series.

 

[EvanB]

Wow ep2 is tremendous. 6 hours of some of the best gaming I've ever experienced. Just played bioshock last week and while that was fun, ep2 was just worlds apart for me.

I'd have paid the $45 for ep2 alone.

 

[BrownTown]

I've played about half way through EP2 and I must agree with most people here that it is a very good game, definitely as good as any other part of the Half Life saga, probably I would say even above average. I knew it would be short coming into it which is a big gripe for me with pretty much every game these days, seems like developers spend so much time on the graphics they forget to make the game sometimes. I guess the only think I would wish for would be more unique enemies. The two "episodes" really haven't added much in terms of enemies or weapons. Personally the enemies and enemy AIs are what most impress me about games, the graphics are really not much of a big deal imo. But anyways, every good game, too short, but so is everything else these days, so I can't really think of any other place you are better off spending your money. Definitely if you don't have HL2 you would be a fool to pass up the orange box since HL2+EP1+EP2 makes one INCREDIBLE single player experience. Anyways, just too bad we have to wait forever until EP3 comes out since VALVE sure takes their time with these things.

 

[Skacer]

Portal is the best thing ever. This was a triumph.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Can anyone check to see if ep2 uses the new multi-cpu support they've been talking about?

 

[Drekce]

I played through almost all of the main part of Portal last night (17/19). I have really enjoyed it so far. I really hope that they allow user generated levels...

Portal is the first game that ever made me a little bit nauseated. I worried that Prey would do it, but never had a problem. Portal screwed me up though.

Also, everyone who doesn't have it yet needs to go to Circuit City. I got the Orange Box out the door for $35 with my gamer's savings card.

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: Zenoth
Finally, just beat Episode Two.

Is it just me or was it about the same length as Episode One ? I looked at the timer when I started, and then when I finished, and it took me around 6 hours to beat at Hard difficulty (and I died a couple of times especially near the end). If I remember correctly, it took me just around that same time to beat Episode One (perhaps a little less). So my only complaint is its length.

Everything else about Episode Two was pure brilliance and superb execution, awesome production quality (Episode Two is just that, quantity and quality as well). It has, I would say, about three quite shocking, unpredictable moments, one of which is quite unfit to say the least, but in the end you get over it (about the story line of course). It's a tremendous Episode. I would give a score of maybe 9.0, or 9.5 out of 10. If there's one point I'd take out is just because it's so short and not that hard of a game (I died a couple of times, still, but most of those deaths were because I played too fast in some situations).

Overall I think it is indeed the best of the Half-Life saga. The best moments, the best story-line details revealed (well, a few perhaps, but it is a start). The best sounds (the new Pistol and SMG sounds are great by the way, there's more hump/punch to them), also along with the best graphics of the series.

I finished it on normal in 4.5 hours lastnight all in one shot. Way too short IMHO, I just hope Ep.3 doesn't take this long.

I think what impressed me most were the graphics and the sound. The game simply looks astonishing, I know there were several places where I just stared at the beautiful outdoor environments. The water might be lacking a little now compared to Bioshock for instance, but for such an "old" engine, they really make the most of it.

Something I saw for the first time in a game, the lighting on the missle when you are in the silo, did anyone else notice the dust particles reflecting in the light? I believe that's the first time I've seen that in a game.




****SPOILER****

Much more combat oriented as others have already stated. That Strider part at the end had me sweating bullets, totally exciting and frantic. I love sequences like that where you physically need to take a breath when it's finished. For me it was pretty hairy for bit there, had to bust out the crowbar towards the end.

I'm glad Dog is back, I missed him. Also, I think the humor is taken up a notch compared to Ep1 which I played again last week. I chuckled out loud at some of the banter and little inside jokes here and there.


Another cliffhanger ending of sorts, gave me goosebumps, such good voice acting. I think if and when the HL universe comes to a close, I will shed a little tear for something that has meant a lot to me over the past 10 years.

At this point, I think Valve has reached Blizzard status for me, they always deliver and I will be a lifelong customer.