Half-Life Episode 2 (Contains spoilers!)

[Sentura]

reading the some of the last posts, i just realized how hard it must have been to create a game/episode that offers almost nothing new and still manages to put up high scores even in game design circles.

looking at it from that perspective, i think they've done an awesome job. and while it's true that the convergence of hl2 and portal might have upped their odds a bit, i'd still say that this is by far a superior game to most stand-alone titles released, even with what little they had. so it's only roughly 10 hours of gameplay with portal and episode 2 combined, plus a multiplayer part? isn't that just about what one can expect for a regular game, give or take some hours/features?

instead of proposing the near impossible and very unlikely challenge of you outscoring valve given the same amount of resources and time, i'd instead urge you to look at a game from different perspective and see if you can see my point.

note: this post should not cause offense to anyone, neither personally or as a group.

[dux]

So we're all at an agreement, then? Orange Box pwns our steel balls.

[kleinluka]

Just finished EP2. Awesome. I loved the ending especially. It was so sad :( :(

[Bluestrike]

The new antlion was not my favorite, and the ending is the most unsatifying of all.

Well I guess were going too the Borealis but if I could shoose I would end with the helicopter leaving with gordon and the G-man looking at it as if goes into the horizon while saying something interesting for the plot :-)

"Another Black Mesa in the making" or so

I wonder how long EP3 will take, its the only known game left Valve is now working on.

[Furyo]

I can see a EP3 + Portal 2 bundle somewhere in the not so distant future. Or for a change, Portal which deserves a proper game length, as a stand alone. Either way, I can't wait

[jaboo224]

there is huge rumors of CounterStrike 2. As well there are 3-4 source engine games that im sure valve is going to be connected with due to the fact its their engine: Left 4 Dead, Deep 6, Natural Selection 2, and that weird fantasy one.

[MJ]

Finished ep2, I was most amazed with the caves areas. Displacements were used so well there. The strider fights were kinda annoying because it takes forever to kill hunters. Other areas were nicely designed too.

Now off to download Portal....

[Bluestrike]

Since I work on deep6 I can safely say Valve has no part in it so far and am pretty sure that that goes for all those you mentioned Jaboo except for testing perhaps

[JAL]

I loved Ep2, there were some stuff that bothered me:

1. Acid spitting antlions (SO GODDAMN ANNOYING!)

2. The mines, antlion lair etc. Dark caves with the constant need to use

the flashlight. Although they looked very nice with the displacements and

normalmappin galore.

3. How short it was, played it through in a couple of hours.

4. How dramatic and silly the ending was.

Inspite of these, it was a good game and continued the HL2 quality.

For me the Orange Box is still Portal > TF2 > Episode 2.

[#1 Duck]

Finding a grub in a cabinet was a nice touch .

[D3ads]

I watched a video of the ending and I don't see what all the fuss is about? I was expecting everyone to get sucked into the combine portal or something.. really underwhelming.

I tell you one thing that fucks me off about Half-Life 2 games is the constant praise towards Gordon.. 'omfg Gordon you did it.. we love you!' ...Just get on your knees and suck his cock already.. :/

[curman]

...Ban d3.

[PogoP]

I tell you one thing that fucks me off about Half-Life 2 games is the constant praise towards Gordon.. 'omfg Gordon you did it.. we love you!' ...Just get on your knees and suck his cock already.. :/

He basically destroyed the Citadel on his lonesome, that's pretty heroic in my eyes. Plus, Dr. Magnusson doesn't really praise him much at all really.

[Buddy]

...Ban d3.

[dux]

...Ban d3.