Like many gamers I was beside myself when I heard that Half Life 2 was being made. Unfortunately at the time I was in the majority meaning that like many gamers I didn't have the computer hardware to run the game. I had to wait for what seemed like ages until fate would have it I needed to buy a whole new computer. I can easily say that it was worth the money to upgrade my computer and the wait for this game. If your favorite genre is FPS I would go so far as to say that you need to upgrade your computer in order to experience what is the finest FPS I have ever played.
Gameplay 10/10
The physics engine is the real star of this game. Objects react to the environment properly; blood sprays across walls in a realistic manner and several puzzles are solved by using weight or buoyancy. Ragdoll physics do a fine job of having your enemies die and fall in all manner of weird positions and you'll soon find that blood has been sprayed in an accurate fashion all over walls and objects after a fire fight. As if that wasn't enough one of the weapons in your arsenal, the gravity gun can turn almost any object into a projectile. An example of an object reacting to its environment would be when I had to clear a road full of wrecked cars. I used the gravity gun to shove the ruined cars over the guardrail. Once over this rail the cars didn't simply disappear, they tumbled down the cliff side and splashed into the nearby water. During their flight down the cliff the cars would make all sorts of realistic sounds as they rolled and smashed their way to the bottom to rest finally in a shallow pool of water.
As for the gameplay the basic FPS setup is present. Gordon Freeman still has a large collection of weapons to make use of that range from the trusty crowbar to an RPG launcher. Valve spiced up the action a bit by having action sequences where you will either pilot a vehicle (dune buggy or an airboat), control a small squad of friendly AI or use a pheromone "ball" to get Ant Lions to fight for you. All of the above are easy to control and require only one or two simply commands to do what they are supposed to. Also when you are not squaring off with Combine soldiers you'll take down alien helicopters or take part in large assaults on certain sections of City 17 where you'll be forced to bring down several "Striders".
Audio 10/10
While music is used sparingly in Half Life 2 what makes the cut is very good. A few bits of music from the original make a comeback and blends in well with the music that usually pops in prior to a large gun fight or chase sequence. The new music is good and following tradition is something akin to electronica. The weapon sound effects were strong and made satisfying sounds as the bullets lodged themselves into flesh, walls, wood and dirt. Despite having a protagonist that is the "strong silent" type the voice acting is top notch with me tipping my hat to the voice of Alyx, the combine soldier and the English sounding chick over the city speaker system.
Speaking of which I particularly enjoyed said chick because she reminds me of old sci-fi books and movies where there is always someone watching and updating the authorities or the citizenry. Such is the case with this unseen woman and I felt it really helped create an oppressive environment when all you heard was either propaganda from view screens or heard the woman's voice giving updates on the Combine soldiers that are in pursuit of you. Occasionally a few sharps notes are played to emphasis the mood or feeling of an environment and this I also felt was a great way of getting certain points across in the game. You can see the oppression and the strangeness of City 17 but hearing it too really got me interested in unfolding the story.
Video 10/10
As far as graphics go these are the best I've seen and it is no wonder considering how much time and effort when into the development of this game. Environments look crisp and almost photo realistic. Character models are well done and move naturally especially their faces. Weapons, explosions and gun fire look good and lastly the way real world physics is portrayed is astounding. I recall once driving an "airboat" and as I sped along on the shallow water towards a station I saw something white on the water traveling fast towards me. After being struck with several bullets I realized I had a Combine soldier on a nearby dock shooting at me and that the white marks were the bullets hitting the water.
It is simple stuff like that which shows how immersive this game is. We all know what it looks like to see things thrown into water or hitting it yet when was the last time you played an FPS where real physics were depicted properly? Gamers have gotten so used to playing in an exaggerated world (especially for FPS games) that you really notice these little things and say "wow this is great".
Replay 10/10
The single player story is compelling enough and the AI is smart enough to warrant at least a second go through on the "hard" setting. Now throw in Counter Strike Source for free and the potential for several other "mods" and you have yourself an unlimited amount of replay value.
If you have a good computer and have the slightest interest in FPS games Half Life 2 is at the top of the heap, buy it.
Score
Gameplay 10/10
Audio 10/10
Video 10/10
Replay 10/10
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