Half-Life 2 Review (Frieren)
Half-Life 2 was released in 2004 is considered by many one of if not the greatest action game of all time. I had never played a Half-Life game before (except for Garry's Mod but that's only the assets really), and had only heard what everyone always said about the game. At the end of the day, i decided to pick up Half-Life 2, unsure if it would truly grant me any joy. This decision ended up taking up the majority of the next two days as Half-Life 2 became one of my favorite games. I don't have anything i can complain about here, the game is old but still works well and even better than some of the newer games. So instead, i'll go over some of the things that addicted me.
Half-Life 2 is story driven and connects to the story of its predecessor, Half-Life. However you don't have to know anything about the first game or about the franchise at all to be drawn into the vast world and the conflict between the rebels and the combine. The game does a great job of telling the story through environmental storytelling, and you realise soon after getting off the train that these people are not there to help you. Admittedly the story is a little slow on the uptake, but around the time you reach Nova Prospect, it really picks up pace and gets going. It fully immerses you in it and never lets go until the credits roll. You meet many different characters that all share a nice humour. This is great, because it makes you laugh. This may sound obvious but it's a thing some modern games can't quite achieve anymore. What i am trying to say; the jokes are funny. Half-Life's humour is great.
Even after 20 years, the guns and the general action still feel great. I have found great joy in firing the guns or using the physics to my advantage, because it all feels so perfect. They nailed the sound and feel of the guns. Besides that, i also like that it's not just simply about shooting the enemies. You have to keep track of your ammo and decide which weapon to use in what scenario. The weapon progression also comes at a great pace, granting you new and more powerful weapons every few chapters. You can even miss some which leads me to the next thing i want to praise:
The map design. Half-Life 2 combines great, atmospheric maps with clever gameplay integration. Thanks to the source engine's physics you can interact with almost anything and use it to your advantage. It's not a corridor shooter and i love that. You can almost every time choose your own approach. In the more open segments of the maps, you are incited to explore it to find more ammo, power, or new weapons. All this combined leads to Half-Life 2's great maps.
Lastly, i want to praise Half-Life 2's atmosphere. While this game does have a dedicated soundtrack, it only plays on rare occasions. Which is great. Combined with the ambient sounds, this leads to you feeling like you're actually in a post-apocalyptic world, and there's no other soul in sight. Just you and the world. This is a genius move and i love it. This also helps create the so-called "Kenopsia" feeling which i'm sure you're familiar with if you're into Source games.
Half-Life 2 is, even after 20 years just what everyone always says it is; it's a masterpiece. And for a fair price too. You can, without shame get Half-Life 2 even off sale. I promise you, you will not regret it.
Final Score: 10/10