Half – Life 2Well, here is the game that got 35 game of the year awards, received a 98% from PC Gamer Magazine, and got an “Editors’ Choice”. It claims that it has new, startling realism, better and advanced AI, and physical gameplay. Now the question is, is the game all it’s made up to be?
Well, I have to say yes, I’ve never seen graphics as good as these before, and at the same time having the ability to work on a windows 98 computer, it’s mind boggling. The water is perfect in reflecting light and images, the ripples, and the underwater effect. The only problem is the submerging between air and water and that’s impossible to fix. Other then that astounding effect, there’s the texture on the walls, dirt and filth on the streets, blood marks, zombies, headcrabs, etc. then there is the reality of moving objects. When you run into or jump on barrels, they wobble a little and/or topple down. You shoot objects, you not only see a mark, but you see the actual impression of the bullet! It’s just astounding what they’ve done with the game. I could spend forever with the graphics but I’ll just stop now.
The story plot is awesome too, fitting in story with game is incredible, and it’s all done from Gordon Freeman (you) in the first person view. No overhead shots, so you really get the feeling that you in the game. You are Gordon Freeman!
There are also the computer generated players, which tend to be very stupid and slow in most games, these actually kill guys and aim better, which is a total sigh of “finally!” unfortunately, they follow everywhere and sometimes get in your way, so you have to run up against them to get them out of your way
The weaponry is awesome as well. Introducing the gravity gun, a gun that reverses the gravity of objects and “shoots” them and gravity sends the items (toilet seat, sink, cement block, wooden plates, crates, barrels, explosive barrels (yay!), etc.) into your enemies. Immense fun! There’s rocket launchers, crossbow, shotgun, submachine gun, an alien type of machine gun, grenades. Etc!!!
Then there are the two bad parts. The first is the gore and horror. The game is full of it, but it’s expected right? It’s a FPS, duh. But this one is exceedingly gory. Now me, I kinda like it, it being cool graphics and all, but most other people might be squeamish. Luckily, you can no longer go up to the bodies and chop them up into tiny bits like the last half life, but this game has predesigned scenes to creep you out, with so much blood on the floor and walls. There is one part where you have to go through a huge zombie infested town, with little ammo, so you have to use your gravity gun. This means shooting little circular saws and the zombies and cutting them in half, watching the upper body fly high in the air and come down next to the other half. Yeah. It’s pretty bad. Even I was disgusted. The second bad part is the language in the game. There are sever parts where the characters curse, so that’s a slight problem. Other then that, this game is a FPS dreams come true. LITERALY.
Special effects: 10
Blood/gore: 4
Language: 6
Sexuality/nudity: 10 absolutely nothing.
Thrill/adrenaline rush: 10! 10! 10!!!
Story/plot: 10
AI: 9
Realism: 9
So the end result is that this games about 68/80 for clean gamers. Actually, clean gamers just stay away from this game lol. But for those who are really into games, then I would give it a 100/100, this game is so awesome and you can easily overlook the gore and language. There is not too much language, Just enough to put it into “moderate”. The rating ESRB game this game is “M” for blood and gore, language, and intense violence. I guess it’s up to you to decide weather it is appropriate for you or not.
