Alright, i am responding to most of the negative reviewers out there. i have read them. Half of them are about steam. in 2004. These days, steam has improved and is now usable, along with a built in social network. Dont blame the installation. Blame the game. Now i agree... The graphics are aged a bit... but, you dont complain about a fine wine being aged, do you? Now you know that the game works on middle-high range computers. Being overrated and overadverstised...i dont see any commercials for it, or for when it came out. WoW? Yes, i most certainly did. Physics, no bullet penetration...thats real life...items that fall to the ground depending on weight and gravity...thats real life too! You cant say that about most other modern games. Also, these days, modern games are shipped out in a few generic catagories; Warfare(MW2,Bad Company,Black Ops) WWII(CoD, RUSE)Sci-Fi(Starcraft, Star Wars),Attemped survival horror(Doom3)And Low Budget(Big Rigs OTRR). Half life is a step above because of its individualism. it also has elements from some of those catagories. Its a shooter with warfare scifi elements. Also, FEAR was good, but Far Cry was a peice of Sh*t, and Half Life is the only game ive played that doesnt feel the same as every other game ive played.… Expand

This is the only game that i can play again and again without getting bored. It has it all: great gameplay, great story, very well-shaped characters and dialogue and an epic soundtrack. Playing this game really puts you in a specific state of mind. Long live Gordon Freeman and his trusty crowbar!

If only all single player shooters could be this great. HL2 is the shining gold example of storytelling and game play all fused into the perfect package.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The BEST Game Ever made.... Agree ? I hope that everyone agree. ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................… Expand

This game is a must have it gives a combination of puzzle and shooter. the puzzles are generally physic based and let those who are nerdiest of all shine. while the shooting is great but unfortunately slow to start. but once your well into the game you'll have loads of fun shooting and puzzling through a great story line. this is easily a 10 no question.

Best game ever.

Half-Life 2 is so much more than a game, because you end up forgetting it's a game. You just keep playing it again and again starving for some more. HL2 is not just about mindless shooting and killing... VALVe offers you one of the most diverse gameplay: each chapter has its own mechanics and new weapons, real NEW weapons: they're not just more powerful, they're really different (as the gravity gun). The story is great and very immersing: you know who you are, what you must do and why you do it... It isn't like: "Hey! that's the story! keep doing whatever you were doing! (mindless killing in most cases)". The AI isn't great, that's agreed, but it's somehow acceptable because it's not at the center of the game. The graphics are getting old too but it's very well done (I still play the first Half-Life: it doesn't matter) and the physics are still great, actually it's really the only game where you have a real interactivity with the physics.… Expand

Gordon Freeman is THE legend. Half-Life two isTHE revolution. The original Half-Life is the game that brought fame and attention to first person shooter, and has gotten this game genre the hype it deserves. Half-Life 2 defines how first person shooter should develope. Simply put, Half-Life changed it all.

I just replayed Half-Life 2 again about a month ago. Even in 2011, seven years after its initial release, I am still reminded why Half-Life 2 is one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time. Not the greatest, but definitely one of them.

I think the greatest strength in Half-Life 2 (gameplay-wise) is the level design. Over the course of I believe 14 levels, you see an incredible variation in locale, level structure, lighting, and gameplay. This is complimented by such a flux in mood, intensity, and immersion that you can't help but to just be enthralled by it.

For instance, the entire first 3 chapters of the game is a slow build-up to an intense climax. You start as a fugitive, running across the rooftops of City 17 to escape the Combine Overwatch. You are allowed to take a short, 10-minute breather in a safe-haven, then thrust back into the bowels of the city's sewer system, and finally driving your own airboat through the canals. It's such a gradual build you hardly notice it, until you reach the end of the climax, discover you've been holding your breath for the past 30 seconds, and that you've been maintaining a white-knuckled grip on your mouse this whole time. And that's the first 3 chapters.

After this you are treated to some incredibly creepy locations, and some more intense escapes/shootouts. All the atmosphere is enhanced with some pretty incredible performances both animation- and voice-acting-wise, even if you consider that this is 2011.

And wow, the voice acting. These are some of the most incredible video game characters to this date. Immensely believable, highly emotional, subtly expressive, the characters help suck you right into the story and world that Valve created, and you could almost be fooled into thinking they are actually talking to you...

Oh and that reminds me, the story. Okay, so it's not laid out for you word-for-word what's going on, or what relevance all these characters have in terms of the story from the instance you set foot into the game. I have read a lot of reviews and seen a lot of complaints. Yes, Valve did not flesh it out in its entirety in the first chapter. No, you pretty much don't have a clue what kind of influence the combine and the G-Man are right from the word go. But to be honest, I don't care. When it comes to story-telling, I personally enjoy the opportunity to discover the story for myself, and not just have it told to me if I were a five-year-old. There are some pretty subtle hints laying around concerning backstory, main storyline, and intertwining character plots. If you look for them, you'll find that this is actually some interesting sci-fi, more driven by characters (which it should be) than by what's necessary to pluck a plot twist out of your ass. So overall, the story ended up being a plus in my opinion.

Other than that, the graphics are still good, though a bit dated, physics are awesome, and the gravity gun continues to be the best weapon in the history of gaming, Go Valve! Now I just can't wait until my Portal 2 pre-load finishes...… Expand

Games are not about graphics and physics engine but fun*. I confirm some oppinions expressed so far - it is tedious, predictible, it is a repetitive sequel. * Compare some desktop java games on www.java.com with HL2 - then it is obvious you do not need realistic graphics, expensive harware and so on to enjoy computer games. That is true that the industry including Valve misses the point.

You spend a lot of this game doing repetitive tasks. The game is very linear and each sort of 'stage' or 'chapter' in the game seems to be really dragged out. For example the chapter called 'Water Hazard' (I think that's what it's called) you tend to end up being able to guess what you have to do next as you've done it a billion times already. Often you'll also find yourself going on really long-winded routes to overcome one obstacle, which is obviously just to make the game last longer.
However I do agree that it's a very innovative and original game, and the graphics and physics are impressive.… Expand

Seriously, this is the best game of all time. I cant put it any other way, do you remember when sequels meant somthing new to look forward to? I hardly do, but this was in the golden age of FPS. So play it. Steam is much improved since this was released, so dont listen to the trolls.

Anybody who doesn't like this game can go die in a hole. This game is the most-beautifully constructed game ever created, and I have played quite a few beautifully constructed games. The atmosphere is amazing the graphics are unbeatable and the developers are thanked every step of the way. The gameplay is even better and the A.I, are exactly what they are meant to be - Artificial Intelligence. They have smarts and know exactly what to do and when you have loaded even the simplest map on the Hammer Editor you know how much work goes into making this.… Expand

This game has the perfect combination of fast fun action and shooting and deep and involving plot.

It is a great game to pick up for a while or spend half--your-life on it.

Great "acting", great story, great characters, great gameplay, great weapons, great boses, great enviroments. Every aspect of the game has seen a lot of love and atention.

And the bottom line is that is just plain FUN.

Do i need to say more besides that it is the best game of all time?

Garbage. What's all the hype about. This game was BORING. The weapons were boring, the enemies were boring, but most of all the story was BORING. The whole game all you do is try to rescue one person or meet up with another person, in very cramped environments. That might've been forgivable if this game was fun or challenging, but the fact of the matter is it isn't. Also, the ending is AWFUL. Could it have been worse? What really happened? it felt like they didn't know how to end it so the developers just took a dump and modeled it after that. Half-life is supposed to be about story and this game had very little. If you want to play a good FPS play Far-Cry (for those of you recommending Doom 3 instead of this pile, I'll have you know that Doom 3 was trash too). Far-Cry had great action, audio, gameplay, and a decent story (not great by any means, but definitely better than this connect the dots junk). If you haven't played it you are doing yourself a great disservice. Far-Cry = 10, half-life 2 = (they don't have negative scores) 0.… Expand

Most overrated game on this site. Still no story, setting is a mishmash of sci-fi cliches, the whole thing is one scripted event and linear box canyon, and there was no multiplayer until terrible multiplayer was patched in.

Truly the best game of 2004. Graphics are great for the year, sound is great, game play is fun, and the story is terrific. You must have this game for your gaming collection.

Brilliant game. The most innovative FPS in recent times. It's hard to believe that it's 7 years old now, because even by today's standards it's fantastic - truly ahead of it's time!

I find it hard to thinkof how one cannot like this. This is FPS at it's finest, it **** CoD in the face. If you miss out on this, you miss out on everything.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half-life 2 has great graphics if you play it on an AlienWare, the story is so wonderful.
You can play it 4 times or much more and can't get bored.
I really recommend to buy it.
The end it's just awesome.
When the tower explode and G-man shows up to the player, then the game ends.… Expand

This is the best game i've ever played , it is the perfect style of game , no doubt of it.
The storyline is amazing (pretty much in all hl games) , this is a 10 no doubt of it , if there was an 11 I'll put it, best game , deal with it.

I don't give 10 out of 10 lightly. This game deserves it and more. The most impressive thing about it is how it weaves gameplay and story seamlessly. The atmosphere is incredible and the graphics are effective even years later. The controls work perfectly and I cannot honestly remember a single bug that occurred in any of my playthroughs. The episodes that came after only increased how awesome Half Life 2 is. If you haven't played this game, for the love of all that is good and holy play it as soon as you can!… Expand

In Valve's "Half Life 2", each and every level is unique and cool. The graphics are pretty sexy if you compare it with the standard rate. However, The gameplay was too original; i've played these kind of puzzle FPS before. I'm not saying its bad; there's a profound story and shocking visuals that covers this up, but I expected more than just running around in cars and boats, stopping by for some zombie kills and ammo, and repeat that stuff all over again. In conclusion, it's a solidly great game that will entertain you as a game no more or no less… Expand

Tedious. Boring.

Characters are boring and uninteresting and pretty unattractive. There is no finesse with the weapons like most fps shooters. AI is poor. Storyline isn't too great. Too much physics gimmicks. It's cool at first, gets old very quick and really in most action films or horror, the killing doesn't exactly revolve around this. It's just unrealistic. Despite your so called cheat free environment, i found cheaters in multiplayer and many people called out the same people I saw cheating. Nothing is done. The unreal 3.0 engine even the 2.5, far exceeds this engine and characters. Who wants to play a 4 eyes ugly dude who never talks anyway? The only thing I liked were a few of the maps though when looking at them closer in the editor, again the unreal editor FAR exceeds this game.… Expand

Pretty good graphics although it could be a lot better, bad ai. and the game is one of the just play once games. When i did play the game i took a lot of time exploring as much as the game allowed me to do, and that isn't pretty much. the game is designed for a just rush through session.

This game is beast!!!!!. hurry up episode 3....................................................................................................................................

One of the most exhilarating and baffling experiences I've ever had. For it's time a masterpiece, and it still is. The physics are absolutely great. If anything, you should also buy it for all the excellent free mods available for this game.

Half Life 2 arose from the imagination-less wasteland that other shooters tend to came out of. HL2 is how a game should be made. Not many games have this unusual balance of realism with the fiction of most games but this game does it well. You are placed in an Eastern European locale, not very common with games, filled with powerful imagery of propaganda, graffiti, and the feel of an Orwellian fascist state. The characters are also good and a nice change from the uncanny valley-esqe companions of other games. They look and emote like real people and all have their fair share of important and serious lines with some lighter toned comical lines, however they don't show up much. Even the poor unlucky civilian bastards are kind of interesting and you actually feel a bit sad when they die, of course you also feel angry when they can't navigate through a simple hallway. The friendly and enemy AI are both impressive but in combat, they sometimes have their moments. The music is great with its balance of atmospheric dark rhythms and upbeat techno songs. And, get this, it actually has a story! The game sometimes feels dragged on at times ( aka Highway 17 and the gunships ), but the areas with ammo and health do appear in almost every level. Great replayability.… Expand

Words cannot even DESCRIBE, How brilliant and well made this game is. Considerably the best FPS series i've played in my life. Brilliant Game play, Awesome voice acting, A Terrific Story. Trust me. When you buy this game, Your gaming Life will be complete.

Even better than the first HL, wow I didn't think it was possible. While it is a shooter, it involves a lot more gameplay types, it allows you to drive through to point A-B with intense action, areas where you need to sneak past, you get to control troops of rebels (and even antlions at one point). And the regular shooting is great, it's also a true sequel meaning it's just a bunch of higher tech HL. (with the same physics puzzles and similar gameplay) It also has one of the best sci-fi storyline's of the century, including characters, dialog, and of course just story in general. It introduces a new gun that is just OMG, try launching a paint can at something, see how much damage that will cause. Just amazing, like HL1, I really have NOTHING negative to say about it.… Expand

System Specs: GFX: HD6970 CPU: i52500 Audio: X-fi Titanium Game : Half-Life 2................................. Graphics: Very good, for the age of game graphics are well above average................................. Storyline: Very good, kept me interested from start to finish................................. Game-play: Very good, quite a long game and has lots of different scenarios to keep you entertained................................. Difficulty: Normal................................. Sound: Good, re verb sounded great.................................

Half-Life 2 is by all means a superb game and defiantly lives up to it's reputation.… Expand

I finally got around to finishing this game in 2011. Every other time I gave up in Ravenholm after getting bored. While the game does have some great qualities, It's very overrated. Let's talk about the good first: The graphics are amazing and have aged so well! You'd never guess it was made 7 years ago. The games progression, while linear, is very varied and entertaining. There are action packed moments, puzzles, and vehicle sequences. Unlike other shooters, this game does a great job of making fights feel epic (strider battles!). Now for the bad. The story is boring and the characters aren't very interesting. There are a few deadly glitches. The enemy variety isn't too high. The vehicle sequences are mostly boring. Sometimes the varied gameplay takes you from playstyles that you like to playstyles that you hate. Feels a bit formulaic at times. Regardless, with how cheap this game is on Steam these days it's still a must buy especially since it has aged so well.… Expand

BEST PC GAME EVER.

My personal favourite First Person Shooter and probably also the best of all time. It is what FPS game should contain: great plot, amazing graphics, hell lot of tools to use (weapons mostly :D ) and what is the most important thing - amazing game-play. Despite what we could thought when the game was at building stage, we have been given amazing product that miss nothing and aims very high for whole genre of PC games. You should buy this game - it really out stands 99% of FPS games. This must play of all PC games!… Expand

10/10 = Masterpiece = Best First Person Shooter of all-time, also one of the most innovative games to date on the grounds of story telling AND technical.

Valve must be in my brain, because they know exactly what I want. This game couldn't have been better unless it came with a free hooker.
If you have played the first Half Life, then you will definitely want to buy to this to carry on the story and find out what happens to Freeman after G-man "hires" him. If you haven't played Half Life before, then you should still play through this at least once. It is an amazing game with an amazing story.… Expand

Half-Life 2: One of the best games ever made!.. Great Story, nice environments, well done characters, fun weapons(gravity gun)... Overall a Fun game!.. How can anyone not like HL2? ... My only complaint is the enemy AI, which seems a bit 'dumb' at times, because sometimes it seems they want to get shot and don't defend themselves good enough. They should have been a little more sneaky and harder to shoot at. Other than that, HL2 is really a great game!!… Expand

I dont know why this game is so great, everything flows real nice, the shooting parts are amazing, the guns functions perfectly, real intense gameplay, sometimes we got real creep scenes, night scenes.. we can ride a boat, a car.. the Source Engine is trully powerfull and a "cheepy" PC can run this game nicelly!

The context is so great as everythin on the game, got the same level as the first game and much more.… Expand

I know all you fanboys will rate this review down but the primary reason why this game didn't impress me AS A SHOOTER is because I played it in the Orange Box on 360. The graphics even with the updated engine- especially the textures- weren't anywhere near as good as far cry 1, which came out at the same time (2004). The shooting/action is very limited and doesn't feel intense at all. You can really tell it's a game rather than the action seeming fluent. The story's nothing special either. Although it's linear, there's no objectives so it's possible to get lost on where to go/what to do. The only way I can see this game is not as a shooter, but an adventure game. Level design is good, I'll give Valve that. But the greatest FPS of all time? You have got to be kidding me. It's hardly a shooter. As a game, as part of the orange box, it's not bad. Infact the experience is actually really good. What REALLY annoys me is how people can class this as an FPS. It's in first person alright, but where's the intense gameplay? OK it's 2004 but I still cannot see why anyone can give credit to the gameplay. It's pathetic. No recoil, no skill, and weapons don't feel like they do damage. They seem too sci-fi ish. In terms of gameplay mechanics, it just feels like it's still in the development stage. It does nothing that a shooter should do. In Portal it's acceptable because it's not a shooter. In this I just laughed the first time I picked up a gun and saw the crosshaire. I laughed even harder when I fired it. Storytelling is good and movement through levels is seemless and fluent, but the story itself, the gameplay- they suck. Other than that it's not a bad game, just one of the WORST shooters of all time. Call it the best PC game if you want. Just don't call it a shooter for the love of God. Don't kid yourself.… Expand

This is the best game ever made - nothing has ever ever come close in terms of immersion, AI, shooting, first person story telling, and practically everything else. Every aspect of this game is perfect and if you haven't played this yet - you haven't yet experienced a perfect game.
HL3 - please?

Over Rated, but hey so was the first one, no surprise here. And all the 10's are no surprise either. It's human nature to simply mindlessly follow the crowd( trust me you had your 'opinion' way before you played this game ). Saying it's 'amazing' and "the best game ever made" is simply proving my point, you cannot explain it with arguments that stand. Oh and please do say that I'm a turd and just being negative for I am. Too much budget does silly things to people who were able to develop a pretty good game the first time around( or film, The Matrix anyone? ). And all the big gaming sites and mags..what can I say, does anyone of them ever give a rating that hasn't been given by the next site or magazine considering the big titles? Go right ahead and check it out, it doesn't make sense that everyone agrees on something, does it now. I can go on for a little while on why and how but I won't. And I believe it's time again for some biased posts now.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An amazingly well built sequel for the groundbreaking Half Life, I was very excited and was disappointed that Half Life 2 didn't meet my expectations...... IT COMPLETELY SURPASSED THEM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. Valve has made a complete masterpiece with this game. The enemy AI, while not as amazing as Half Life's, is still top notch. The game is very realistic. I was thrown headfirst into this world and I must say that I was completely immersed in it. The graphics are extremely good and the level design is still amazing. The water effects blew me away! The characters have very good lip syncing and extremely life like emotions with great voice acting. Every location, from the urban City 17, to the extremely creepy Ravenholm are designed very well. I think that many might say that Valve spent a long time on it and will complain but I will just say how I think all that time making it shows. If I could make it so, i would give this an 11.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This one of my all time game favorites. Started many years ago with Half-Life, which was one of my first games. The game was the kick-off for the Source Engine, that would be used for many other great games. The game provides a new storyline for the Half-Life-series and a total new environment. For the first time wondering around in the outside world (Eastern-Europe?) experiencing the consequences of the events that happened in the Black Mesa laboratories.

The first game ended with the mysterious Gman and this game starts with him, dropping Gordon Freeman off in City 17. Directly meeting the Combine confronts you with the earlier mentioned consequences. The Combine conquered the world after the aliens landed first via the events of the first game. As a survivor of the "Black Mesa-incident" your trying to find out whats going on and what needs to be done. Overall the game has different great atmospheres. The developers used the look of Eastern European buildings from the Cold War as a decor in urban maps, but also has many other rural scenes. (9.0)… Expand

On rails shooter. Mindless FPS pap by the shovelful, apparently for a market of mindless drektoids that can't get enough "by the numbers" FPS games. Well, here's another from 8 years ago. Story is meh, Gordon is neither geeky enough to be "neo-cool" nor macho enugh to be "funny" he's just annoying. What distinguishes this game from hundreds of other on rail shooters? Absolutely nothing. A dull dull game. MIght as well play the original Quake or any other FPS from the 99cents bargain bin than fork out for this over hyped stuff. Graphics (even for 2004) are WELL below average, control is exactly the same as 1000+ other FPS, weapons are ok, story is boring, locations are bland. Avoid. Is OOTP2007 a better game than this? You bet it is! What is it that other people see in FPS games? It's sprt of a serious question, becasue from where I'm sat the big producers are remaking the same game over and over and over again. If I want to play a game like this, I'll play Quake WASD to move, left mouse fires, right mouse Alt fire..that is this game, and every other FPS in totality..end of story. I'm beginning to think everyone in gameplay land has had their brains turned to mush to keep buying carbon copy games overt and over again. I played HL2 for about 5 hours (past the hover boat sequence) and sat there wondering what all the fuss was about. Overhyped and just the same - avoid at all costs… Expand

This was the game that got me into FPSs - although of course it's far more than that. Half-Life 2 was the first game in which I experienced 'real' physics. Completely absorbing from start to finish. Brilliant!

This game is awesome. it is one of the best FPS's of all time. with an amazing storyline, fun weapons, and the source engine, this game will hook you from the first chapter. i highly recomend this to any gamer.

Its a fun game, but it is nothing like Half life 1, the first half life game was probably the best game of its genre, but half life 2 is just a generic fps. It has realy stellar graphics and engine. It has decent acting, but its story falls flat on just shooting combine and running away from combine, but the gameplay was realy well made, i want to give this game a lower rating but they just nailed it off to be a regular game, it is nothing special.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's only a well-made shooter. It lasts for over 20 hours, but it has only 4 or 5 real plot twists, and all the other twists are related to the action! (like ravenholm). It seems good at the train station, but soon you'll discover the city isn't real. It's just a lot of combine soldiers. And then you'll have to kill 100 people and 20 monsters to get to the other level, where you'll drive a boat and kill another 100 people and this time 30 monsters. Then someone comes to you and says hey, I'm your father! And then you're like "Noooo!", and kill a couple hundred more. The plot can be written this short:
- Gordon joins resistance
- Eli is captured
- Mossman is a traitor
- Alyx is captured too
- Mossman is a traitor again, so prisoners are freed
- they blow **** up

So what kind of plot is that?? But anyway, it's nice to play in the parts where it's well made and not too repetitive. For example the lighthouse, turret defense and driving parts I liked.

After all, a well made linear FPS is always better than a non-linear game gone wrong. For example Far Cry 2 tries to create a free world, but it fails miserably.… Expand

Very good work of suspense and terror, some pretty good graphics and a stunning physical (one of the best I've seen so far, and it's been 6 years).
The visual effects are simple but effective and the story is impressive and full of adrenaline.
The movements of the characters left me stunned, but I liked AI is pretty bad.
The phases are not abundant (13 chapters approx.) but are very long.
Of course, guns are not abundant and there is nothing to be very effective.
In short, one of the best FPS games I've seen in my life, but you will be under 1 point for the (very) bad IA.… Expand

The best game ever.

Most overrated game ever made. Half-Life 2 is not just disappointing, it's really boring. The first one was much better than this. Of course HL2 has some interesting things such as the Source engine (although many really poor textures), the gravity gun or pheropod, but this isn't enough to keep the game alive. And, as this wasn't enough, the game doesn't have a decent ending. I'll never understand why Half Life 2 is so praised.… Expand

An interesting game, without a doubt. Deserves the title of the best. Once I was very impressed. Graphics, in particular texture, at a height! Surroundings, something between the soviet and european - looks great, for this genre. Acceptable quality model Russian cars are also made to treat with respect to the developers. But the main thing, that creates the environment of the game, it's the music! These beautiful song good convey the mood of the game and add drive. If it were not for the music, the game probably wouldn't have liked it all, as it is now. And here are the episodes disappointed - a feeling that began the pursuit of money, this is not a good result. We Hope, Valve senses and start again make good games, and not the "grey "content for the money.… Expand

IMHO Half Life 2 is a good game, but for some odd reason, is quite overrated. The game has a great focus on story and a wonderful sense of atmosphere. But for some reason, it feels flat and largely quite boring. In parts the lengthof levels is too long and I find the pacing quite tedious. Also the story does nothing for me. I can only assume that Half Life 2 introduce a generation of younger gamers to the story based FPS and/or immersive sim/fps (perhaps those who did not experience Looking Glass games etc?). Good for them. Just not for me.
TLDR: Good. But not best game ever.… Expand

Long empty rooms. Long empty landscapes. Easy tasks. Uninteresting story. Plastic heroes. Lack of narrative. Only Oh! Doctor Freeman! Ah! Doctor Freeman! Wow! This is you Doctor Freeman?
Blah! Boring game. Cure for insomnia.

The Best Game!!!

Really repetitive, nothing changes, doesnt come close to doom 3 when it comes to graghics.

This is one of the greatest, if not the greatest game of all times. This game just rocks. From the beginning to the end. It's just........ Perfect!

Half-Life 2 is really the first game that drew me to the Half-Life series. The original, as of the time I tried to play it, was just too frustrating and the graphics too dated to get into - at first. Then I played Half-Life 2, and realized what an interesting sci-fi world this was to explore.

Half-Life 2 got me hooked, and then I went back and played through Half-Life 1.... multiple times. Half-Life 2 is just incredible, and its hard to believe so many people play such bland... trashy FPS games these days instead of flavorful titles like Half-Life or Half-Life 2. The storytelling in Half-Life 2 is also special, despite being an action-FPS game. Like Bioshock, Half-Life 2 has a way of telling the story to the player while they are doing other things in the game in such a way that the player never really feels bored with being told a story, despite the fact that they accumulate knowledge of the world and all its intricacies throughout their gameplay experience.

The physics and gameplay are also masterworks of FPS gaming. This is one of the first gaming worlds that ever felt "real" to me. The graphics are superb for their game, and honestly are acceptable by many even considering today's standards, assuming you aren't spoiled by the recent influx of advanced-graphics FPS games these days that have crappy storylines.

If you like sci-fi and like FPS, you should definitely consider giving the Half-Life series a try - especially if the somewhat old graphics won't bother you.… Expand

I had fun for about 3 hours, soldiered on for about another 3 and then lost interest completely. A game more bereft of personality I have yet to play. I can't say that I saw much evidence of a story or any story telling for that matter - just a continuous chase with a few guns and vehicles thrown in. Oh yes, a couple of humans too who did nothing except break up the monotony of shooting stuff every once in a while. It has some good moments no doubt but very quickly I neither cared about what I was doing or why I was doing it. A faceless, straitjacketed and shallow game is the only way I can describe it.… Expand

The greatest game to date. I discovered this game only last year and it changed it set the infinitely high bar for all FPS to come. Half Life 2 has the most immerse and captivating story line of any video game, and ideas beyond brilliant. The game makes me angry, and happy, delivers satisfaction and is mind wracking at the same time. A beautiful blend of story, interaction and violence. My absolute compliments to Valve for the cheat engine as well, I had A LOT of fun after the campaign just messing with cheats and mods.

But really Valve RELEASE EPISODE 3 GODDAMMIT… Expand

I first purchased the horrible EA port of The Orange Box for PS3 in 2008, mainly because of TF2. I had never read any so-called "hype" about this game before I played it, and it blew my mind. Sure, the graphics were four years old and the loading times showed no mercy, but the story and the variation of Half-Life is its beauty. It isn't just a game, it is a masterpiece. I played it and both the episodes several times, each time longing for more. It is the most perfect game I have ever played - I recently played MW3 at a friends house, and got bored after an hour, I kid you not. Half-Life 2 is the most original game I have ever played, it deserves its rating. How MW3 got its high rating I'll never understand; it's basically the same game as MW2. People need to look away from just having the best graphics, they have to start looking at storytelling and innovation. This game has soul. People says I had my opinion BEFORE I started playing this game, guess what, I hadn't read any reviews, I had barely heard about it. Trust me, turn on subtitles and pay attention to the dialogue of this game, and you will fall in love with it.… Expand

Short and sweet review, 6 1/2 years after its intial release...Half-life 2 is one of the best games of its time, from its story to the action and "cutscenes". I actually loaded it back up and played the game for the first time in several years and it was still refreshingly fun, quirky, and decently paced, There wasn't a single aspect of the game that I did not like nor could find any annoyances with it besides slow loading times, and the DLC episodes were really enjoyable, I hope HL3 is in development or a HL2: EP3, because I would love to continue exploring the half-life world.… Expand

Many years later and this is still one of my favorite games out there. At the time this games Engine was the only one that truly used Physics, Friction, and buoyancy all together at the same time correctly. I hear people saying how this games physics engine is starting to age and needs to be replaced, first off there constantly doing updates to the engine to make it more "correct" and to enable new features and second there are new well known games coming out now that still don't match up to this engine. Hell the new COD MW games physics don't match up to this, there creators even admit that they don't want to spend the time and money on creating a newer advance engine. Any way the story is great, game play is great, the whole freaking experience of this game made me happy. I just wish they would give us some info on the Half-Life 3 / HL2 EP3 game....At least let us know that they are working on it... but any way very good game will always be in my top five. Keep it up Valve. your one of the last true video game makers out there don't let business get in the way of quality… Expand

Took me a few years to get a "wake up call" and to properly get into this game. When HL2 first came out I wasn't so keen on it. Now that having played through it again, as well as both of the episodes, I really came to appreciate how decent the game is, even compared to the games coming out nowadays. HL2 is not just an FPS game. It might seem like so at first, but there is a whole new level of depth to the gaming experience when it comes to this game. HL2 puts the player in all sorts of varying environments and against all sorts of enemies, each time changing the situation, so that you're never bored. The game is very dynamic. It keeps you surprised, changing the challenge all the time. On top of that it is very rewarding, as games should be. If you spend some time to explore for example, you find good items. The weapons are very enjoyable to use in combat, and some are even pretty unique. The Gravity Gun for example is very diverse in its applications and can be easily used for most of the combat situations in the game. The rocket launcher gives a whole new meaning to the term "homing" as you navigate the missile at your enemies with a laser sight. Every weapon is fantastic, whether it's an awesome sniper crossbow, or bugbait used to attract antlion creatures to attack the enemy. The storyline continues from the first game, except takes place a few years after. Gordon Freeman (the playable character) now finds himself in a dystopic society, where alien civilisation by the name of Combine is ruling over the humans on Earth. The story of HL2 manages to show tyranny and oppression really well. The story still leaves some loose ends, which opened up an opportunity for the sequels. Half Life 2 is generally an all round great game with no outstanding flaws whatsoever (although I felt that earlier parts of the game weren't as good as the latter parts). Great story, fun gameplay, beautiful visuals, nice soundtrack, and very lifelike NPCs (they act just like real people!).… Expand

There's no such thing as 'The perfect game', but Half Life 2 comes damn close, it excels as a shooter, has some of the most likeable NPC's you'll ever meet in a game and is one of the most immersive games around thanks to the lack of any cut-scenes. There was not a single point in the game where I wasn't having an enjoyable experience and it's graphics still hold their own today. This is one the few must have games for any true gamer, you really are missing out if you don't play this at least once, and you're robbing yourself of a true masterpiece.… Expand

Best game ever made. Are Valve games are 90+ but Half-Life 2 is the best Valve game. I finished 15-16 times. This game contains a lot of new things when you play it again and again.

Classic. The first Half-Life was one hell of a journey, but this is even more awesome and worth all the money I spent on a new computer when it was released. The design, graphics and storyline is epic. When I played HL2, I remember it gave me a feeling of being in a strange lucid dream that seems real. What a masterpiece of art. I consider Half-Life 2 to be the greatest game of all time (shared with the SNES title; Zelda: A Link to the Past), both personally and objectively.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you want falling in love buy this game!
The first and the best!
Gordon Freeman will became your hero!

.....................................................................… Expand

This game has set the standard in first person shooters the story line is deep the mechanics are unique and all other FPS fall short to the quality of this game. If you haven't played this game yet mistakes were made, also look out for Episode 3/Half-Life 3 it will be epic with today's Graphics.

This is one of the best linear FPS games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The linear style leaves very little room to get lost, which is something that turns me off of a game immediately, and gets you through the story in a timely manner while still leaving small areas that can be explored at the player's leisure. While the characters may not be especially deep, the voice acting is spot-on and is one of the better examples of good voice acting in the gaming world. If you didn't play through Half-Life, which I strongly suggest you do, you may not understand a few plot points. However, not playing Half-Life does not ruin the experience of playing Half-Life 2. This is a solid game that can be played over and over again and is a prime example of what good games should look like.… Expand

Easily one of my favorite games of all time; Half Life 2 incorporates everything it possibly can into an FPS. There are vehicle chases, (mostly) intelligent AI, and a storyline better than some books. Technologyically, the 2004 graphics still feel fine compared to newer games, and that age means that it won't lag on almost any system. A classic all around.

Half-Life 2 feels overall quite polished. Yet I must say, I can't rate it higher than a 7/10. Some parts are simply too long (especially the vehicle-parts), while others come short. There is a good variety of weapons and though you will use each at least once, you want some maps in the end where you just can freely choose your favourite gun. You won't regret finishing the game, but somehow it feels like most of the choices you make, are already made by the developers for you. On the good side: The scripted events are placed perfectly and far better than in most later games I've played. And they make up for a good alternation.… Expand

An enjoyable experience albeit the linear model. The story is vague and hard to understand without playing the first game but the level-design is action-packed and offers great outcomes when paired with the Gravity Gun.

With its excellent suspense, atmosphere, gameplay, puzzles(Though they can get frustrating at times), story, and graphics(Even at September 2011 it is beautiful), Half-Life 2 competes with the first Half-Life and Deus Ex for the best PC game ever made.

this is made of gold, and shining diamonds, and chrome, and everything good about existence. you may find yourself in the zelda pose, where you dont know what to do, but in this, its fun, so for 6 quid go get

What's so great about Half-Life 2 is that for some reason, you never get bored. If it was me to say, I'd think it's because of the fantastic, strong and stable story which always makes you wanting more to know about it. Characters have really their own personalities, the physics system of Source SDK is that good that it's truly one of the most important factors of the game. Valve knew what to do, and they exploded through all the First-Person shooters, even today!… Expand

I find it hard to stop saying good things about this game, and then again why would i want to.. It keeps getting better with community encouraged mods sp and mp both helping to expand the already huge HL2 Universe. This game at it's time and arguably still was and is ahead of it's time in so many ways. Fun fun fun oh and did i say? FUN!

This game goes beyond words by how amazing it is. I actually like this game better than The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (mostly because I suck at that game). Everything about this game is just about perfect. The gameplay, the graphics, the music (what little there is), the story, everything. What really disappoints me is that once games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Halo 3 came out, everyone seemed to forget about this near perfect game. Why this is disappointing is because this game is actually better than both of them. To be honest, this is not my favorite video game of all time. Super Smash Bros. Brawl still beats it. However, it doesn't beat this game by much. When the chips are down, this game could still top most competition. I really want the Halo and Call of Duty fans to try this game out, and see if this is really better than both of those games. If you are one of those fans, and you have tried this game out, say yes if this game is really better than Halo or Call of Duty. If it's not better to you, say no, or don't vote at all. It's your choice.… Expand

Half-Life 2 is simply amazing. I've noticed some reviewers (one in particular) mentioned that Half-Life 2 "has no storyline". Well, I have one question to ask : are you retarded?

Anyway, Half-Life 2 = Amazing. The graphics are good! People have to realise that Half-Life 2 was released in 2004. It does not have the graphics that we have today. Half-Life 2 provides excellent voice acting from all the cast, including the great Merle Dandridge (Alyx Vance).

Half-Life 2 also has famous actors such as Robert Culp and Robert Guillaume. Half-Life 2 earned 39 Game of the Year awards. This shows that, well, Half-Life 2 is damn awesome.

Great gameplay, great storyline, great voice acting, great soundtrack. Great. Buy this game!… Expand

Absolutely the #1 Shooter of all time. There is nothing to compare it to because it is just that groundbreaking and original. Half Life 2 Possesses a level of game flow that few games even attempt. By far for the price of it there is no reason every gamer in the world should not own this game.

This game is one of the greatest games i ever played, its so huge and so immersing, you really feel like your the character that your playing and Alyx is just the best female character in a game because its doesnt appeal to sex but appeal to women that they can be brave, intelligent and pratical and also she looks like my girlfriend :P but anyways its a great game and im hopping to Valve to release the final episode of this series because i want revenge on what happen in Ep2.… Expand

You have never played a game so diverse in it's environments and gameplay variety, it is quite simple one of the best games I have ever played. It has managed to trump its predecessor in every conceivable way, and then some... The Graphics in 2011 aren't all that great (download Cinematic Mod) but that aside, the sheer amount of fun you can have for the price is ridiculous. You are never in one place too long, or doing something for so long it becomes tedious, as the game takes you through different areas, changing your play style subtly and introducing new mechanics and weapons (such is the world renowned Gravity Gun) as well as new enemies. The story unfolds very, very well and the pacing is of the highest quality you will find in a shooter even now in 2011. Voice work is top-notch and animations can be stellar even by todays standards. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys shooters for what they are and is willing to ditch the typical iron-sight for a more classic, fire-from-the-hip feel. Trust me when I say, it is worth every cent.… Expand

A timeless classic which even in the current era, still stands apart. It delivers an experience like no other, seamless and totally and truly immersive. Never has a game actually put me in a characters very shoes and made me see through his very eyes.

The best game ever made. The storytelling, gameplay, characters, action and soundtrack are all top notch. However, the awful teammate AI(They don't give you any space, constantly remind you to reload, and yell "Take cover!" and then get shot) and lackluster ending mean I can't give Half-Life 2 a perfect score.

No doubt that this is the best game ever build. The lengthy single play game gives you everything you would expect from a shooter; great action scenes, a diversity of good weapons, horror scenes, a great physics engine and so on. This is a game that raised the bar and is up to today still very enjoyable to play.

There isn't much to add, its almost a perfect game! Only music is a little bit weak. Hopefully Half-Life 3 score will be much better. All other great games have great memorable music.

This is the best FPS of all time, and I say that with 100% confidence. No other FPS even comes close to the sheer brilliance of this game. The physics, level design, and gameplay are unmatched. If you haven't play this yet, you are missing out.

Quite outdated now but back in its time,it was a fantastic fps,a thrilling story,great dialogue and easy to master gunplay.

It spawned a huge following and hopefully we will get a sequel sometime in the near future.

Half Life 2 is one of the best games I have ever played, the storyline is fantastic! On the very first level you get sucked into the world of City 17. Basically the game takes place years after HL1. You are a scientist named Gordon Freeman and your mission is to try and stop the Combine from wiping out humanity all together. The Physics are very well done thanks to the Source Engine. The sounds and graphics are also very good as well.

Bravo Valve!… Expand

This game is as good as a game will ever be. Brilliant game-play, beautiful graphics, not the best story ever, but still very good.
How are you able to combine all those things, and still have a good game Valve?
Please reveal your secrets. -Huffle.

There is a reason this game won so many GOTYs. This a masterpiece. Its the best game of the last decade without a doubt. Bravo Valve. Take your time with EP3/ HL3 to make sure it becomes the best game of the next decade. No pressure.

The thing about grading a game like Half-Life 2 is that you have to remember it was released back in 2004. Consequently, some technologies in the Source engine might not have been on the same level as, say, Frostbite 2. That still doesn't stop it from looking absolutely amazing today, complete with lip-sync and NPC animations that don't plunge straight into the uncanny valley...back in 2004. The gameplay and story are also pretty solid, the latter particularly because it never takes away interactivity entirely just to show you an overwrought cutscene. It might lock you in a room, but you can still bunny-hop everywhere if it makes you feel better. On the whole, though, Half-Life 2 is a game that was ahead of its time back then, and honestly, to me, it still is.… Expand

I am a serious gamer and this is what I have to say about Half Life 2. A piece of s**t. What is so good about this game? I don't see the big deal of it at all. The mod database on this game is relatively small compared to other FPS's out there, a stupid storyline which I couldn't even comprehend due to how stupid it was. The graphics.. well.. decent for that time period I have to say but people MOVE ON. This game was made in 2004 and it's a FPS! When you finish it you're FINISHED - there is no other replayability other than playing the whole campaign again which you've already completed. The amount of fanboys of this game is beyond belief and it's only because Valve made it, who cares?! The guns weren't even good anyway and nor was the enemies you had to take on and the ending.. well.. HOW STUPID WAS THE FREAKING ENDING? That's all I have to say on this joke.… Expand

I can't really say anything that hasn't already been said. This game is great, period. I would consider it art that should be preserved through the centuries. I'll remember this game when I'm an old man wandering around in my underwear inside a department store.

I recently replayed this game, and I had forgotten how great it was! While it wasn't as good as Half-Life, it still deserves a 10/10 for great gameplay, a good challenge, good graphics, a great story, and an overall fun game.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my honest opinion, this is the best FPS video game in the 2000s decade. Despite its outdated graphics and being a 2004 game, the gameplay is way more superior than most FPS games today (i.e. Black Ops, Modern Warfare 2/3, Halo, etc.), and it has an excellent deep plot, which, for me, has political themes as it is about a revolution against foreign alien invaders called the Combine. In addition, the plot has much twists and suspense that will make you feel intrigued and curious on what's going to happen next in the game. In HL2, you play as a mute Resistance leader, Gordon Freeman, in a revolution against the Combine, which was indirectly caused by the Black Mesa Incident in HL1 and with the excellent first person feel, you are able to go in Gordon Freeman's "shoes" as he leads the resistance against the alien invaders. Plus, there are puzzles that make the game challenging, which are mostly used by the Gravity Gun, an awesome weapon intended for carrying objects used for puzzles, and using innocuous objects as weapons against Xen aliens and Combine Soliders. Another proof that HL2 is superior to today's FPS games is that there are various enemies and environments, thus making the game less repetitive and more addicting, especially in the Ravenholm level and the Citadel missions, where you can even throw Combines everywhere with your gravity gun, making you feel like a god. In overall, HL2 is full of thrills and adrenaline which no other FPS games can have. I hope Gabe Newell exits HL3 from vaporware so that I can know what will happen next after Eli was killed by Combine Advisors.… Expand