The greatest PC game of all time? Fuck no.
Half Life 2 is a pretty impressive tech demo but besides that a lot of it feels like a downgrade from 1. The biggest offender is just how atrocious 2s pacing is in comparison to the original, with so much control being taken away in order to show a story (that imo doesn't really do much) or show some neat Source engine tech. While I wouldn't call 1 perfect (shit like On A Rail is pretty boring) it didnt get THAT bad. Half Life 2 has some truly abhorrent sections like both vehicle sections and ESPECIALLY Nova Prospekt which make going through 2 a slog. Its a shame because I do feel that HL2s gameplay is pretty fun, with a solid arsenal (albeit a bit too big) and the atmosphere fucking rocks throughout. I can only hope the Episodes salvage HL2 for me because otherwise its one of the most overrated games I've ever played.
6/10
Half Life 2 is a pretty impressive tech demo but besides that a lot of it feels like a downgrade from 1. The biggest offender is just how atrocious 2s pacing is in comparison to the original, with so much control being taken away in order to show a story (that imo doesn't really do much) or show some neat Source engine tech. While I wouldn't call 1 perfect (shit like On A Rail is pretty boring) it didnt get THAT bad. Half Life 2 has some truly abhorrent sections like both vehicle sections and ESPECIALLY Nova Prospekt which make going through 2 a slog. Its a shame because I do feel that HL2s gameplay is pretty fun, with a solid arsenal (albeit a bit too big) and the atmosphere fucking rocks throughout. I can only hope the Episodes salvage HL2 for me because otherwise its one of the most overrated games I've ever played.
6/10