Half-Life 2: Episode Two Review (Steppewalker)
Oh god.
It took me five years to see the conclusion of Half-Life 2 through. I played Half-Life 2 in 2017, and then randomly leapt into Episode One in 2021. Now, finally, I am here, clearing out my awful backlog, and I am finished. It took me that long to see it through in part because first-person shooters aren't my favourite game genre, and I have to be in a particular mood to see them through. But when I jump into a Half-Life game, I remember why I enjoyed the other entries so much too, so much so that I could hardly put any of them down til I had finished. Episode 2 goes from strength to strength, with memorable level design, strong set-pieces, and the classic gunplay that makes the series stand out today.
The characters are each memorable too, even with little screentime. The game never really lets the pace flag, letting each chapter move smoothly on. There's not much more I can say - this is much better than Episode One, and perhaps even more enjoyable than the base Half-Life 2.
I guess now I will join the legions of people waiting for a third game that will probably never materialize. Whether it ever happens, the fact that these remarkable shooters were ever produced, and are still accessible, and are still fun, is the most important thing of all. It's easy to get hung up on hypotheticals, but if you've never played these games, and are even tangentially interested in FPS games, or heck, even video game history, then Half-Life 2, as a complete package, still very much deserves your time. Remarkable games that are well-designed from top-to-bottom; I am very glad I was eventually able to see them through.
Backlog Clear: #5