Half-Life 2

This is an XBOX game, not an XBOX 360 game

Metachronos overall score = 8.8 / 10

Positive
# Epic single-player campaign
# Strong visual style with cool environments and cooler enemies
# Physics engine lets you manipulate the environment in cool ways
# Top-notch voice acting and storytelling
# A highly immersive experience from start to finish

Negative
# No multiplayer of any kind
# The frame rate struggles most of the time, and downright dies on occasion

Half-Life 2 for the Xbox is here, and somehow, Valve managed to squeeze in every little ounce of gameplay that appeared in last year's hit PC game...barely. And let's get this out of the way now: Half-Life 2 for the Xbox is, in terms of content, exactly the same as the PC version's single-player game, so if you played it on the PC, there's nothing new for you here. And note that we did say single-player game, because the Xbox version lacks Counter-Strike: Source, the latest version of the hugely popular online action game that came with Half-Life 2 on the PC. So, when you get down to it, Half-Life 2 for the Xbox is basically just the acclaimed single-player campaign for Half-Life 2. And that's why Half-Life 2 for the Xbox comes off as a bit underwhelming. Yes, it's a fairly solid translation of one of the better first-person shooters of recent years, but it also lacks the extensive multiplayer and mod-making features of its PC cousin.



Though Half-Life 2 is stuffed with excellent voice talent to give life to the many characters in the game, the fact that Gordon Freeman doesn't say a single word remains disconcerting. The idea is that since you are Gordon Freeman, then giving him a voice would take away from the immersion. Valve got away with this in the original Half-Life because Gordon encountered few characters, and they didn't linger onscreen for too long. On the other hand, Half-Life 2 features whole conversations where everyone is talking to you, and it's just weird that they seem fine with you not saying anything in return. The conversations that do take place remain some of the better parts of the game, as Half-Life 2 has excellent facial technology that brings human characters to life in a believable way. It also helps that Valve enlisted notable talent to supply the voices for many characters, including Robert Guillaume, Louis Gossett Jr., Robert Culp, and Michelle Forbes. The voice acting is superb, and the script itself features wit, warmth, and humor. The sound effects are also well done. Once again, it's the little details that stand out, like the buzzing noise of manhacks as they approach and the clatter of a gutter pipe as something climbs up to reach you. As in the original, there's very little music, and what's here is electronic in nature and reserved to emphasize important moments, such as when you're headed for a showdown with a major foe. Despite a few standout themes (one of which is recycled from the original), most of the music is forgettable.

Unfortunately, once you get through the single-player story, you've pretty much seen everything that Half-Life 2 for the Xbox has to offer. In a move that will undoubtedly upset fans, the Xbox version lacks any kind of multiplayer capability, from split screen to Xbox Live support. Valve argues that Counter-Strike is already available as a separate Xbox game. But, if you were looking forward to Counter-Strike: Source on the Xbox or Half-Life 2 deathmatch with the gravity gun, then you'll likely be disappointed. This has an obvious impact on the game's value, as multiplayer was a huge part of the PC version. Also, the Xbox version lacks the mod-making features of the PC, which has a huge number of user-created mods. When you get down to it, Half-Life 2 for the Xbox is an excellent single-player game. If you didn't get a chance to play the PC version, then you owe it to yourself to check out the game on the Xbox (even though it's not as smooth and as sharp as what you'll find on the PC). You'll find few games that can match Half-Life 2's quality in terms of immersion and gameplay. And all these months after its original release, it's still an excellent first-person shooter that should be experienced by most every action fan. Just don't expect anything more after the game ends.

this game is popular i'l give you that