Portal 2

Don't click if you have not finished the game

Nice chell wallpaper with good music: http://rain.nxe7.com/

I still haven't played the first one

Do have it, D3? If not, I've got an extra copy if you wants it

I have the Orange Box, I got bored of playing Episode 2 and haven't touched it since though... one day.

Quote from D3ads

I have the Orange Box, I got bored of playing Episode 2 and haven't touched it since though... one day.

EP2 is the best one, EP1 is pretty boring and non-memorable, so yeah, you're missing out.

Yes. Episode Two is like a step towards being a true sequel in that it's pretty much all awesome new environments, dramatic events, etc. Episode One felt more like a cheap by-the-numbers expansion that reused far too much of HL2.

If the idea of HL3 sounds good to you, get Episode Two. It's not HL3 but it's about as fresh a Valve experience as you're going to enjoy in the Half-Life universe until Valve eventually decides its time to move back to its mainstay.

For all its merits episode 2 lacks beautiful russian girls with guns, so...

Quote from Skjalg

For all its merits episode 2 lacks beautiful russian girls with guns, so...

But seriously.. I was really bored of episode two... visually lovely and everything but it's just the same thing all over again which I didn't very much care for in the first place... Episode 1 isn't even worth mentioning.. I finished it in two hours and apart from the citadel falling apart which looked cool.. the rest was pretty forgetful...

The first part of Episode 1 was awesome! Haters gonna hate.

I found most of Episode 2 to be pretty boring.

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It was cool to see the underbelly of the antlions, but they spent a good 2 hours longer than necessary in that setting.

The episodes were great in my opinion. But then, I love half life 2 so more of the same for me isn't a bad thing.

Where the hell is episode 3, though?! HUH?!>?!!?

But if you haven't played ep2 you... can't... play... Precursor?

Which, contrary to popular belief, is the best game made. Ever.

Any person who says it's even more of same old HL2 is probably a racist. And has aids.

I think the later parts of Portal 2 captures some of the spirit of the original Half-Life, given how both games have the

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deep underground in a monstrous complex

type feel. (Portal 2 of course gets a bit of the

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Bioshock retro vibe

going which I think is very effective.) The use of 3D space is brilliant, something Valve singleplayer content is known for. Anyway, the sound design + level design = awesome. After playing Portal 2, the idea of just navigating through a path as essentially the main gameplay mechanic without having to defeat monsters like in a standard shooter game is becoming very appealing, given how the Portal games have done it. Yes, you still "shoot" the portal gun and you do get to

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occasionally redirect lasers that can kill turrets

, but even without...A+

Quote from Izuno

Portal 2 of course gets a bit of the

going which I think is very effective.

I was getting more of an

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Venture Bros type vibe

from those areas, which I thought was totally awesome.

Quote from dux

Where the hell is episode 3, though?! HUH?!>?!!?

Episode 3 will be an iOS device game that sets the scene for Half Life 3's triumphant release in 2014.

After hearing this I was a bit disappointed that they will keep on using source engine for their future game, that probably means EP3 too.

I mean, it makes sense, if it works don't change it. But oh well, if there's anyone that know wtf they do, is valve.

Mmm, yeah I guess I did not explained myself very well there.

What I meant was, all this time I was certain there's no way on earth that valve could continue to ship games on that last-gen tech, and they probably were working on a new version of source engine, (like EP3 having the impact HL2 had in 2004 tech-wise) but I was plain wrong and stupid thinking that way. One year ago I was amazed how valve can get away with such old and shitty tech on their games, and yet sell millions. Now, I’m slowing coming to the realization that it’s very easy to be blind by tech and not see what else is there.

Why change if what they have at the moment is a good formula for success and they live a happy professional life with what they have, developing the games they want to make.

I’m playing Mass Effect (1) for the first time now, and even though I cringe at those horribly laid out levels and bad environment art, in the end of the day, it is ok, because it’s not what Bioware does best and it’s not their focus. And what they do well, it totally makes up for what’s bad. It’s all about the RPG, the music, the dialog, the plot, etc. It's all about your focus, Valve is about the characters , their personality and crafted to perfection game design, we at Crytek are Tech and Art, and so on.

And in the end of the day, it’s good that distinct game companies have their focus and their area of expertise. Valve is not the best, they're just the best at what they do. I know Crytek is the best at what it does as well.

I think some of the popularity of the Source engine games is just that though.. because the technology is old they can run on the lower-end systems and people from poorer countries and regions who can't afford the biggest brand new PC can play the games quite easily.