Half-Life 2 Image
Half-Life 2
PC
VU Games
Release Date:
Metascore
96
Based on
81 Critics
User Score
9.2
Based on
7417 Ratings
Summary Back to top
[Metacritic's 2004 PC Game of the Year] By taking the suspense, challenge and visceral charge of the original, and adding startling new realism and responsiveness, Half-Life 2 opens the door to a world where the player's presence affects everything around him, from the physical environment to the behaviors -- even the emotions -- of both friends and enemies. The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being[Metacritic's 2004 PC Game of the Year] By taking the suspense, challenge and visceral charge of the original, and adding startling new realism and responsiveness, Half-Life 2 opens the door to a world where the player's presence affects everything around him, from the physical environment to the behaviors -- even the emotions -- of both friends and enemies. The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. And a lot of people -- people he cares about -- are counting on him. [Vivendi Universal]… Expand
Starring: Harry S. Robins, John Patrick Lowrie, Michael Shapiro
Developer: Valve Software
Genre(s): Sci-Fi
# of players: 1 Player
Cheats: On GameFAQs
Rating: M
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Critic Reviews Back to top
Positive:
81
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
100
Yahoo! Games
This is a jaw-dropping, exhilarating game. It's the game you'll remember for years.
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100
Armchair Empire
Half-Life 2 isn't flawless, just like any great work of art, but that doesn't make it any less of a masterpiece.
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100
Edge Magazine
Half-Life 2 is a first-person shooter. But in action, storytelling, technical achievement, atmosphere and intensity it has far outdone its peers. Valve just hit the top note no other PC game developer could reach...The excuse that 'it's just a game' won't cut it anymore. [Dec 2004, p.102]
97
Game Over Online
It's a beautiful game with fantastic design and writing that's a little short but delivers boatloads of action in what time you do end up playing.
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95
GameZone
The great graphics, incredible physics' engine, impressive sound/music and engaging story line all add up to a classic game.
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95
3DAvenue
You will be hard pressed to find a FPS that looks better than Half Life 2 when it is played at its max settings.
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85
netjak
I think this is probably the worst teammate AI I've seen in an FPS since "Daikatana." It's like every one of your followers are the Redshirt sidekicks from "Star Munchkin."
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User Reviews Back to top
Positive:
1,636
Mixed:
66
Negative:
111
10
MichaelW.
May 18, 2006
Clearly the environment, puzzles, and levels are the best out to date. With the advent of chapter one soon to be released, we'll see Clearly the environment, puzzles, and levels are the best out to date. With the advent of chapter one soon to be released, we'll see this series evolve in ways that can only be experiance through total game emersion. To those critics of Steam, Its irrating at times but I have to its definalty the best way to provide a balance of anti piracy and freedom to manipulate the game through the SDK. I think steam is a good idea and the nay sayers are just plan noobs.… Expand
10
BenF
Apr 20, 2010
This game is FPS at its best! No matter how many times you play it, youll either crap your pants or have your mind explode out of the sheer This game is FPS at its best! No matter how many times you play it, youll either crap your pants or have your mind explode out of the sheer awesomeness of this game!! Incredible puzzles, Frightful and disgusting enemies, superb dialogue, and best of all a gun like no other that allows you to turn every day items to super destructive items of terror!!! I dont care if you're the world's greatest gamer, if you havnt played this game...you havnt lived yet.… Expand
10
LeeD.
Feb 3, 2007
A very good game from valve....the kind of shake up the gaming industry needs.... A worthy purchase indeed....if you don't already have A very good game from valve....the kind of shake up the gaming industry needs.... A worthy purchase indeed....if you don't already have it you should!… Expand
10
RyanM
Dec 27, 2009
Anyone complaining about the dumb ai remember that 90 percent of the game is fighting zombies... they arent supposed to be smart. This game Anyone complaining about the dumb ai remember that 90 percent of the game is fighting zombies... they arent supposed to be smart. This game revolutionized physics development and the implementation of the gravity gun… Expand
10
JamesT.
Jul 26, 2008
Just as revolutionary as the original where FPS are concerned. Gripping story, believable AI, amazing graphics, great game play and so much Just as revolutionary as the original where FPS are concerned. Gripping story, believable AI, amazing graphics, great game play and so much replay value... What else could you as for? Spawned just as many mods, just as many followers and its legacy lives on. Concerning the violence, it is not over the top, and is justified.… Expand
9
davenbettridge
Sep 26, 2011
Half Life 2 has obtained legendary status as one of the most flawless modern games BUT the question does need to be asked: is Half Life 2Half Life 2 has obtained legendary status as one of the most flawless modern games BUT the question does need to be asked: is Half Life 2 over-rated? My answer is Yes as all things are flawed (even Half Life 2), that's not saying the game is not one of the best the industry has provided in recent times, it is however just an interactive game with a lot of copied elements of other science fiction, it's not as original as many claim. Half Life 2 has awesome graphics, innovative physics, game play, fabulously designed levels and game moments but my point is that it shows how lacking and unoriginal the rest of the industry is - that many would claim Half Life 2 to be better than it actually is. If Half Life 2 is the best there is in single player gaming - then video games truely are lacking... HL2 is still a real achievement and Valve has something to be proud of.… Expand
0
EvanT.
Jun 14, 2006
The worst game ever it is all fake and the guns are crap. do not get this game!
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