Screenshots :.
Half Life 2: Episode 2
PC
Jay
09-11-2007
"Keep still... keep still... oh great, now you've gone out-of-shot."
"Time to rescue Alyx, right? RIGHT?!"
"Greetings, man in white. Prepare to become man-in-white-with-bits-of-splattered-red."
What an epic time to be having a damn headache! It’s one of those things you don’t want as a game reviewer, like a spot of temporary blindness for a book critic or being a deep-sea diver 5000ft underwater and running out of air. These situations aren’t pretty. Given my fragile state I’m thus glad that Episode 2 is different from its rather disappointing predecessor; it may have taken a while to grace our download schedule, but ultimately the episode has been a lot better for it.
While I’d be one of the first to say that perhaps this series hasn’t lived up to what we might expect from episodic content, it doesn’t really matter as they’ve listened to whining about the previous episode and done all they can to make sure that number 2 is not…well…a number 2. Valve has made damn sure that this time around they’re going to get it right.
Episode 2 as you might expect, starts off with coming to terms with the fact that you’ve crashed your little train while on the escape from the city. As memory serves, the core went critical causing a massive (and rather pretty) explosion that hence derails your motor-rail transportation and lands you in the land-of desperately-needing-Gordon-action.
Seeing as you’re the only mute gullible available called Gordon, you’ll have to do. Quickly getting your bearings you decide, as all good movies go, to amble off in the nearest direction of trouble. You henceforth find said trouble, and proceed to do what Gordon does best – get geeky.
Forget all your issues with the first episode; this time around you’ll have plenty of heart-racing moments and aliens to fry. You’re given the task of being chased by a massive, pissed-off Antlion, and stopping the repercussions of said pissed-off Antlion by killing his friends, babies and random neighbors he once knew. You’ll be driving through some lush scenery, chased by helicopters and fired at by 1-shot-kill auto defenses. You’ll be set upon by a multitude of stalkers, walkers and porkers and at the end of the day ladies and gentlemen you’ll thirst for more. Yes sir, where Valve royally scoffed the entire packet of Devonshire Fudged-Up on the first episode, they’ve pulled out all the stops for this next thrill ride and trust me it’s worth it.
Gone are the inanely stupid seesaw puzzles (well, almost, but you won’t notice too much), gone are the rinse-and-repeat same old mob attacks, replaced with a more tactical pace, and on comes a new way for us to enjoy the Half-Life 2 experience. I was thanking the level-design Gods when we finally got to breathe some fresh air - change from the restrictive corridors from Episode 1 - and to get out and stretch our virtual legs. While not as open and dynamic as you might be hoping from reading this, Valve have certainly incorporated more open areas to explore – in the best scenario you’ll be driving through them.
Due to a turn of events you’ll be left to go some of the first half by yourself, which I’m sure you’ll agree comes as somewhat of a relief given Alyx’s tendency to yabber on. You will however get to hang out with one of your Vortigon friends who’s full of endless quips to entertain as you continue to do all things Freeman. He makes a refreshing change from the constant anxieties of Alyx, even if he does waffle on sometimes. The entire Mine section, although confined and at times aesthetically monotonous, is based underground and in tights quarters, which is a lot better than previous corridor-pacing and actually rather terrifying in places.
After a few odds and sods here and there, you’ll make your way out and get your hands on a vehicle that opens up a whole roaming section, giving you the option to explore certain buildings from area to area. It’s probably one of the best things they’ve done to date, as it gives you a nice feeling of immersion while you stop the car and explore a building of choice – something might happen there, something might not. I’d have to say I think you’ll prefer the “keep you guessing” attitude they’ve done for. Not to mention (yes ok “another”) a decent chase section.
I just can’t say anymore, as I’ll end up spoiling the storyline and you wouldn’t want that. It really has me interested to see how they’re going to do Episode 3 and round of the story. This Episode certainly had the feel of Empire Strikes Back to it, so now I want to see how we’re going to kick back some butt in the next one. Get it now, I promise you won’t be disappointed!
While I’d be one of the first to say that perhaps this series hasn’t lived up to what we might expect from episodic content, it doesn’t really matter as they’ve listened to whining about the previous episode and done all they can to make sure that number 2 is not…well…a number 2. Valve has made damn sure that this time around they’re going to get it right.
Episode 2 as you might expect, starts off with coming to terms with the fact that you’ve crashed your little train while on the escape from the city. As memory serves, the core went critical causing a massive (and rather pretty) explosion that hence derails your motor-rail transportation and lands you in the land-of desperately-needing-Gordon-action.
Seeing as you’re the only mute gullible available called Gordon, you’ll have to do. Quickly getting your bearings you decide, as all good movies go, to amble off in the nearest direction of trouble. You henceforth find said trouble, and proceed to do what Gordon does best – get geeky.
Forget all your issues with the first episode; this time around you’ll have plenty of heart-racing moments and aliens to fry. You’re given the task of being chased by a massive, pissed-off Antlion, and stopping the repercussions of said pissed-off Antlion by killing his friends, babies and random neighbors he once knew. You’ll be driving through some lush scenery, chased by helicopters and fired at by 1-shot-kill auto defenses. You’ll be set upon by a multitude of stalkers, walkers and porkers and at the end of the day ladies and gentlemen you’ll thirst for more. Yes sir, where Valve royally scoffed the entire packet of Devonshire Fudged-Up on the first episode, they’ve pulled out all the stops for this next thrill ride and trust me it’s worth it.
Gone are the inanely stupid seesaw puzzles (well, almost, but you won’t notice too much), gone are the rinse-and-repeat same old mob attacks, replaced with a more tactical pace, and on comes a new way for us to enjoy the Half-Life 2 experience. I was thanking the level-design Gods when we finally got to breathe some fresh air - change from the restrictive corridors from Episode 1 - and to get out and stretch our virtual legs. While not as open and dynamic as you might be hoping from reading this, Valve have certainly incorporated more open areas to explore – in the best scenario you’ll be driving through them.
Due to a turn of events you’ll be left to go some of the first half by yourself, which I’m sure you’ll agree comes as somewhat of a relief given Alyx’s tendency to yabber on. You will however get to hang out with one of your Vortigon friends who’s full of endless quips to entertain as you continue to do all things Freeman. He makes a refreshing change from the constant anxieties of Alyx, even if he does waffle on sometimes. The entire Mine section, although confined and at times aesthetically monotonous, is based underground and in tights quarters, which is a lot better than previous corridor-pacing and actually rather terrifying in places.
After a few odds and sods here and there, you’ll make your way out and get your hands on a vehicle that opens up a whole roaming section, giving you the option to explore certain buildings from area to area. It’s probably one of the best things they’ve done to date, as it gives you a nice feeling of immersion while you stop the car and explore a building of choice – something might happen there, something might not. I’d have to say I think you’ll prefer the “keep you guessing” attitude they’ve done for. Not to mention (yes ok “another”) a decent chase section.
I just can’t say anymore, as I’ll end up spoiling the storyline and you wouldn’t want that. It really has me interested to see how they’re going to do Episode 3 and round of the story. This Episode certainly had the feel of Empire Strikes Back to it, so now I want to see how we’re going to kick back some butt in the next one. Get it now, I promise you won’t be disappointed!
9/10
