Half-life 2 episode 1 - a general opinion (Half-Life in General)

Member Name: orchid1988

Product:	Half-Life in General
Date:	31/07/07 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: some more exciting battles, Alyx!

Disadvantages: yet more city 17, no new guns / monsters

With the upcoming release of half-life episode 2, I recently decided to finally splash out some cash and play episode 1. I have been a faithful half life fan over the last few years after finding myself (rather surprisingly) enthralled by the original half-life 1, first person fps shooter, I became an addict (playing other valve games such as CS regularly). The graphics may not be great (designed in 1997) but the problem solving and ingenuity of the game compensates. Therefore when half-life 2 came out I was quick to purchase it, in turn this game was also fantastically planned with a plot almost independent to the original so new gamers could join in the fun.

However half-life 2 episode one despite having marginally better graphics leaves the avid half life 1 and 2 player quite disappointed. It is extremely short for its price (5 chapters - the average player could probably spend an hour on each chapter) and lacks anything really innovative. There are no new monsters or locations leaving the only real upside as having Alyx (Gordon's fit sidekick) with you for most of the game. This exploration of having an ally works very well and she is able to shoot when you are struggling although you have to protect her whilst she is vulnerable – it is nice to have company for a change. Despite the mentioned downsides the game play is certainly exciting and the battles were generally more intensive. The final bot was a slight disappointment (a strider – come on!) and I was half hoping there would be a special way to kill it or something else at least, the rockets were certainly quite mundane. This was not helped by the quite sudden ending of the game, Alyx leaps out and you expecting perhaps a little more look around as the core blows and game ends. The story generally is not furthered by much and it therefore can be said to be more of an extension of half life 2 than a sequel.

Despite the whinging I did enjoy playing episode one and it is certainly worth a play if you have played the other half-lifes but I do not think it is worth playing if it is the first half-life you have met.

Summary: worth a play if you've played the rest - otherwise don't play it