A good game done well in every way, I honestly can't think of any critism for the game, Don't read this play it now!

This is basically video gaming at it's best. People who say this game is overrated and bad simply have no idea of what makes a great video game. The game adds a minor scare factor that adds to the enjoyment and keeps you wanting to play more. The music is an absolute amazing addition to this game, with soundtracks coming into the game at the right moments (driving sections of the game). I thought I was going to spoil this game by playing a large amount of Garry's Mod before playing and making the main characters look silly, but boy was I wrong. If you think there is no story or it is a horrible story, once again you have no idea. The storyline is another excellent dystopian story which is made clear by the Rebels and Citizens trying to survive in this horrible world. And if that is not enough for you, the game is riddled with challenging puzzles to make the game experience even more enjoyable. This game is not a "generic FPS" simply because it is a masterpiece where only Bioshock comes close to being as good. I was first very skeptical about critics saying this was the greatest PC game ever made, but now i have played it I can see why critics have regarded this game so highly. You cannot afford to NOT play this game.… Expand

This game is art truly amazing. half life 1 was great but this is awesome!!! i have always been a fan of valve but this brings them to a all new level,and i love the felling of bashing heads with crowbars.every time you play it, it gets better and better and better!!

Simply amazing...Seeing is believeing. I myslef had heard of half life through the grapevine but had never got around to playing it as I was formally on a console. Well since seeing the light and switching to the pc I started looking into epic pc titles and within the first few minutes of my internet search quickly saw how revered Valve's Half Life series was. I jumped right into Half Life 2 for 10 bucks on Amazon and let me tell you it has changed my expectations of games completely. Even though the game is dated as of 2010, the well thought out game play coupled with the superb plot, facial animations, and voice acting goes to show that graphics is NOT the be all end all. If by chance you are reading this and have not played Half Life- please, treat yourself and give it 5 minutes-you won't look back.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a great game and I absolutely love it! The combine are great to kill. And I found it amusing to make the guards angry in the first level. I love the new zombies and the new poison head crabs and zombies are awesome! There are also the funny yet annoying fast zombies! Overall A masterpiece… Expand

Playing this still makes me speechless, regardless of the graphics "being too outdated" or what-not Half Life 2 has an amazing storyline and the characters actually have an effect on people and arent cheesy.Eitherway, this game made history.

It's quite simply impossible for me to find fault with this game. The story is thoroughly engrossing, the level design is superb, the gameplay is varied and interesting, and it's available at an insanely cheap price point. This is, and probably always will be, my favourite PC game of all time.

Actually I overgrown most of the games, but I still love HL2.. It has a unique art. A cool mix of technology, urban culture and a lot more that other games just don't have. A very strong visual identity.

Environment - whether you are on the street, alien outpost or sewer system seem unbelievably real and you feel present. It's not just realistic graphics and textures, it's the spontaneus architecture.

Usual shooter gameplay is spiced up with gravity gun (oh, the stuff u can do with it :D ) .. and versatility of enemies that demand a different approach.

I feel this is just too big part of pop culture to miss.. like the big movies, series or music.… Expand

Best FPS game I've ever played. Great character development, deep story, great combat sequences and amazingly immersive environment. Game still looks and performs fantastic today, years after its release. Great replay value, you can play through the game several times and catch bits of story you didn't get the previous time. Great attention to detail, polished setting and original design. A great breath of fresh air from copycat games and run and gun mindless shooters like COD(1-6).… Expand

Half Life 2 is an amazing game. It has basic mechanics and it is still being awesome. I mean, the system to change your weapons is the same than the original, and that doesn't matter! It is a memorable game. Every dialog, every scene, is still in your mind after SIX years!
The guys at Valve are genius. They put in your hands a game which has a main character that don't speak, and despite that, the whole series of Half Life has a really strong history.
It is still amazing me. An absolute masterpiece… Expand

An overrated game, though I am reviewing it 7 years later from release. The plot is pretty poor, the characters are extremely boring, I don't have empathy for anyone here. The gravity gun is fun for a bit, then it is used outside of what is expected from the developers - I was using it to make staircases, and have other "fun" outside of the scripted level. Very good at the time, but now somewhat boring.… Expand

Best first person shooter I have ever played. There were a challenging array of scenarios, some cool puzzles, and stellar graphics. Each weapon is particularly helpful in different situations for a variety of different enemies to use them on. This was a very fun game!

"Best Game Ever Made". Yes it is! And just one part is boring "driving with car". Ending was done quickly. Graphics were best at that time. This game is a legend.

The greatest single-player FPS ever; it puts you into the story instead of merely telling you the story, it's expertly paced with big action scenes that feel as intense as they look without resorting to a shooting gallery, and it always keeps you in the sweet spot gaming goodness by giving you just enough resources to get past each challenge presented to you but demanding just enough of your skill and smarts to make even the smallest victories feel rewarding. It would be nice if Gordon Freeman had some more personality, but the breathless feel of never stopping to watch a cutscene makes this game feel alive and vibrant and all the more real. Even if you missed the first Half-Life, give this one a go. You won't be disappointed.… Expand

years later still the best game evar. I play a level or so every so often to this day. I don't do that with Doom 3, i don't do that with Painkiller (its contemporaries). I do that with Half-Life 2. Literally a work of art. creepy. sci-fi weird. even scary at times. Facial animation was revolutionary at the time. and it came with steam! at the time i had dial-up so i was **** and moaning because it took an additional day for the game to update and it wouldn't let me play without it. but now, thank god for steam. It is single handedly doing the heavy lifting to keep the PC gaming community alive. Valve, keep doing what you do. Episode 3 wouldn't hurt, but Half-life 3 would be even better. I have yet to play a Valve game i didn't like. I remember drooling over gaming magazines when they were showing images from the upcoming HL2. and the videos they released that showcased the physics. That clip of the manhacks coming down the hallway, whirring along slicing up everything in their path. And their take on audio is awesome. The sirens, the voices of the combine through masks or communicators. the sound of those weird energy orb thingies. down to the solid way the very first handgun felt in "your" hand. Dont expect textures to be as great as now, and the models have less vertexes and whatnot, but just know, that these guys did it best first. nobody did physics that well then. and Source still holds up.

Yes STR7THZ, i agree.… Expand

awful what a piece of **** this game is so bad.the story is awful and the ending a cliffhanger the controls for me are good i like them but the story and characters arent interesting at all is boring the level design always looks the same and the missions are this way kill people escape solve puzzle kill zombie kill people escape solve puzzle kill zombie i mean is the same there isnt any change i give this game a 1 of how awful it is… Expand

A very good game! A variety of characters, enemies, weapons, and environments to come across in this game. The story line is amazing, you play as Gordon Freeman who was in the original Half - life( which was amazing too). This game has a horror,action, and drama like game-play style. I recommend this game to anyone who wants a good cheap game to play for hours.

Given the ratings and praise this game receives it doesn't take a genius to figure out that this is an amazingly great game, so if by some chance you haven't played it, get onto Steam and buy the Orange Box, you won't regret it.
For me this game has the perfect combination of an engaging and intriguing storyline, varied and exciting game play and a beautifully designed and believable world. It's the sort of game where you're constantly trying to play just that bit more to see what's around the corner or find out the next part of the story and that to me is the mark of a great game.… Expand

I'm so going to be hated to death, but I didn't love this game as many others tend to do, even though it's actually very good game for itself and even 8-9 years later it's still fresh to play and doesn't look aged at all. But despite all that, I definitely enjoyed Half Life 2 less than the previous chapter. I wil also say that I started with this chapter and then bought the previous game. First of all, I did like how the game, like I said, is still fresh: the graphics are surprisingly great and the engine is extremely good, and once you get the gravity gun you can exploit the physics of the game at its best. The characters are, for the most part, very remarkable and likeable to interact with, so nothing wrong here, except that maybe some characters disappear and reapper from the plot and will eventually confuse some people (or not). The game is also very balanced in the combats, with a good variety of weapons, a great variety of (very smart) enemies and with also many different situations to play. Infact, the best word to descrive this game, is "variety": you'll have a lot of situations in the game and they all are surprisingly fun to play and hardly bore you (like the boat section and ravenholm, where you will exploit the gravity gun). The story is...interesting...but I tend to get confused at times and I don't remember really much. And here comes some flaws in my opinion; while the story is good and well written, the game somehow seems very padded because, with some exceptions, the sections seem like a bunch of different parts glued all together! This isn't a big deal but, because of these sections that look like different parts completely, the story might get confusing, because (like I said) characters might appear and disappear all of the sudden and the story seems to get a halt for a pair of hours (the biggest example to me was the teleporter sceme: it seemed like an excuse to insert another part of the game). While I liked the first game because there wasn't much to understand, but only much to discover, in here it felt like I needed too much to understand, with nothing to discover at all. Also, this is kinda personal, I never got the links between the first game and this one (one big reason why I HAD to buy the first), but after finishing that game I still don't know what happened here after the events of the first (especially since that the ending of the first game didn't look like it had anything to do with the start of this. Except the presence of G-man). Maybe I'm just dumb, so I might be totally wrong on complaining this much. Moving to the combat: while I hated a bit the first game for the unbalance between the enemies (entire magazines to dispatch a few soldiers, while few shots would take down big aliens), this game actually fixes a lot of issues, especially with very well balanced weapons and with enemies that, for what I saw, have weakpoints (a head shots seem to do more damage here). My biggest complain here, is that the weapons aren't that many, even if there's the gravity gun. Quality over quantity is always the rule, however we could have used more variety of guns, or have a better thought for using them. For example, one of the rifles is rather bad because of the small magazines, and both of the rifles' secondary fire is very limited due to the lack of proper ammo; the magnum is great, but I hardly found that many ammo to use it so often; the grenades must be choose apart, while it should have been a button instead, or at least a faster way to choose it. And few weapons won't be used at all after certain parts, like the pheromone bomb. And while the gravity gun is a great invention, I found it very limited at times and, to be honest, I used it only on one section (Ravenholm), and NEVER used it again, because there was almost no other reason to use it afterwards and, strangely, only a very limited amount of weapons could be used. On the other hand, when it gets powered, things change completely. Just too bad it's for a brief time. All in all, I liked this game, but I honestly expected much more: while the first one had flaws and could use some more story and more balance, in here the situations don't always match the story properly, resulting in some unnecessary padding at times, and while it was very innovative for its time (and still kinda is), right now we also have games that took from the innovation that this game made and actually evolved it. Probably I'm just not a fan of this game and opinions will be varied, but it's still a good game to play and there's nothing exactly wrong with it. However, if people can't go past the "oldness" of this game, probably it's better to step away. Or else, give it a try and see for yourself.… Expand

There are some people who would argue that this is the best game of all time. I can't really argue with that. But it's up to everyone to decide if it's their favorite. I say, top 5

If you are reading the reviews there is a chance you didn't played this game yet. Let me tell you one thing: I envy you. This game has the best and longer FPS campaign ever.

Bad History, Bad Graphics , Very Bad songs and extreme boring. I really don't like this game and don't understand why it gets so good score. Its my opinion and never gonna be back.. Valve create huge games but this game, he best production sucks.

This is hands down, THE most over rated game of all time. It shouldn't even be allowed to use the title Half Life, it is that insulting to the truly awesome Half Life 1. The graphics are ugly, seriously, until the later updates to the Source engine that weren't part of HL2, the engine put performance on low end machines ahead of looks, and the result was urgh. The game itself is only rated highly by reviewers for 2 reasons; 1) they are paid off by valve or valve fanboys and 2) the blue balls story of Alex. The entire plot revolves around a moderately attractive female and all the teenage kids cant stop drooling. There is no exploration, it is utterly linear, go here, do this, go there, do that. No freedom or choices to make. The weapons are awful, terrible. they are the same stupid weapons from HL1 they held on to purely for nostalgia and they suck. 10 years later and no personalisation, no new weapons of any note, no customisation, no free roam, no open maps, no interactivity with the exception of a gravity gun that lets you - wait for it - pick up a box. Holy Crap! Wow! A box! The AI of enemies blows and of squad members (which was a much praised addition) sucks so hard its hard to even put into words. Their only contribution is to get in the way and block you. The levels are generic, ugly and totally bland with no imagination or originality. The only thing they have is a few parts ripped from Hollywood films like The Matrix. the ending sucks, the characters are all vanilla and forgettable, the G-Man appears like a caricature of a bad guy. The game is short, aimed so they can throw out more DLC at a price, it is probably half the length of HL1. This game is at best a 6/10, but I'm giving it 4 because of the obscene reviews posted that are just blatant lies.… Expand

Half Life was pretty good. But it's far from Half Life 2. The campaign for Half Life 2 is easily one of, if not the, best I have ever played. The first time I played the game. I hated the first two chapters. But I have since grown to love the whole game. Even after beating the game, it is still great fun to play. The graphics, for 2004 were amazing, and the game still looks pretty good now. The puzzles are a tad repetitive sometimes, but the action and storyline make up for it. Another issue is the multiplayer. You have to pay for it seperately, although it is also great fun if you do… Expand

I will begin by saying that if you thought that the original Half-Life was one of the best gaming experiences ever, you will be grossly disappointed by Half-Life 2. The differences and lack of continuation easily outnumber the similarities. First, there was the unexpected motion sickness. I was surprised to discover, upon Google searching, that many others also were put through the same discomforting extreme nausea. In short, the game is repetitive, surprisingly linear, lacking severely in storyline, and not much really happens. You just go from point to point, without not very much explanation. I should also mention that you should expect to spend between two and three hours driving around in vehicles; which I did not appreciate in any way. I like the Combine soldiers; they are cool, but besides them, there truly aren't many interesting enemies or a good variety of them. Another letdown is that you cannot inflict damage to friendly NPCs like in the original Half-Life. This really bothered me. Also, why are Vortigaunts suddenly my friends, without any explanation whatsoever? Squad members are close to useless and have no real point in being there except for acting as decoy and getting in the way of your path. Valve decided it was a good idea to include incredibly annoying and cheap techno music at times, which disrupts the dark mood and atmosphere. There are too many situations where you are forced to shoot at the same, ever repeating, large, uninteresting targets with an RPG. The boss fights (if you can even call them that) are not creative at all. They are uneventful, uninteresting, and anti-climatic. Overall, Half-Life 2 lacks a story, depth, and creativity. It took me about 21 hours to complete.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can still remember playing through the first Half-Life game and it's expanionpacks, so I bought this game without reading any reviews or such. It started good but to me it seemed that they took away the dark and gritty parts from the first game and replaced it with a much brigther version. Some of the Aliens will now actually help you and humans make up for the biggest part of enemies you'll encounter throughout the game. The graphics were good and the physics aswell, but it still didn't manage to replace the feeling one got when you played through the first one of the series. There is a story but it's weak and not very special, I actually had to play through it twice to even see that there was one. But what's also so great with Half-Life 2 is the modability and I've played the mods more than I've played the actual game itself.… Expand

An incredible and rare stroke of genius for the first person shooter genre. Featuring an incredible sense of isolation, perfected storytelling and pacing, wonderful and memorable characters, and exhilarating set piece moments that stay with you for years, Half Life 2 stands triumphant at the pinnacle of the genre as the perfected first person shooter.

All I can say is: Wow. Never in a game have I seen such unique storytelling, unique artstyle, and unique gameplay. The gameplay is excellent. The physics engine Source and the gravity gun are extremely fun to play with, the level design is spot on, the puzzles are consistent yet refreshing, the vehicle sections are a blast, and the shooting mechanics are solid. There wasn't a moment where things seemed repetitive or bland. The story, all viewed by speechless Gordon Freeman, the protagonist, is great. It is about Gordon Freeman's escape in City 17 where civilians are captured by the Combine (alien empire-type baddies) and areas are scattered with Headcrab zombies. He has a great female companion named Alex Vance who accompanies you in the adventure. Overall the story is brilliantly executed and is pretty damn awesome. There isn't any multiplayer, but this is a SP experience, and it is one of the best of its kind. Get this game as soon as you can (lol its been 8 years) because I kid you not it is one of the best FPS games you will ever come across.… Expand

The people who rate this negative are attention whores. They are either trying to garner attention to make a statement or they are losers who are impossible to please.

Lo primero que debes hacer si estas leyendo esto y aun no has jugado a este juego es ir corriendo a comprarlo/descargarlo/loqueseaperohazloya!! porque es el mejor juego de las últimas décadas (el mejor que yo he jugado). La primera vez, de las muchas que me lo pasé, fue una experiencia genial e increible:
gráficos, sonido, ambientación, inteligencia de los enemigos, y por encima de todo, jugabilidad.
Es el juego en primera persona mas profundo, variado, imaginativo y divertido que existe!
Una obra maestra que aunque tenga ocho años, sigue siendo imbatible hoy en día.
Gráficos: 10 Sonido: 9 Diversión/jugabilidad: 10 Duracíon: 8,5… Expand

Why isn't there a 11 button? If you think you are a real gamer, you need to play through half life series. Really. Try it.
Graphics for year 2004:10/10
physics!:11/10 still this day almost every game has worse game engine
gameplay:10/10
Overall:10/10 and a game you have to play before giving negative feedback.

Half life 2 is truly the best single videogame I've ever played. Great graphics, physics, level design, plot, characters, weapons, difficulty, enemies, and overall gameplay experience I have had and probably will have for a long time. (Read: When HL3 comes out) And once you've finished the game, you can enjoy going back and finding all the subtle things you missed, or try out some of the community made mods for the game. You can get this game for $10 which is just about the best price vs. entertainment factor I've ever seen. Ever.… Expand

Not much to add here- a game every gamer should play at least once. A story, soundtrack, and experience to rival that of any other piece of fiction. Despite not really enjoying HL1's overall gameplay (and horribly dated graphics), HL2 more than makes up for it. Anyone who dismissed this game after having an unfavorable experience with its predecessor absolutely should give it a second look.

HOLY **** THIS IS MY FAVORITE GAME EVER not kidding, the graphics are not great but so what with the amazing story line and challenging puzzles half life 2 is up in my favorites in steam lets also talk about the hammer editor great editor too but yes there are always flaws (the game ) one is sometimes you commit suicide by alyx or barney bumping you the rocket is a bit under powered and the poison zombies are a bit headless is what im thinking but except all of that best game ever ( not episode 1 or 2 they are great but not half life 2 great)… Expand

Look no further - THIS IS THE BEST FPS OF ALL TIME. The source engine at its finest delivers amazing graphics. The game itself is essentially bug free. The supporting Steam platform is flawless. The world savior Gordon paves way for many alien-invasion-and-world-saving-by-a-one-man-army all came after this game, and all have failed to surpass this milestone.

The most overrated game of all time. The silent protagonist is dated even by 2004 standards. The graphics are good, but lack spirit. The guns don't feel quite powerfull enough. The story is nothing special, unoriginal even. It feel like they just made it up as they went along.
It's not a bad game, but it definetly not a great game let alone a classic one.

There is a good structure of level design, which varies from: run and gun, tactical shooting, alien survival, and the physics puzzles. The physics, by thw way, are amazing. Each object behaves like you'd imagine it to, and it all adds more depth to the game. Also, I'm a huge fan of how the involve all the story and dialog in the game itself, (without taking you into a cut-scene).
Overall, the game is a great advancement in the area of First Person Shooters.… Expand

The perfect shooter. It doesn't get boring after what must be the 20th replay. Incredible level design, creepy enemies, amazing atmosphere. The benchmark of FPS since 2004 that many have tried and failed to top.

Halfe-Life 2 is a big name really, it looks like a 2020 game, very smart and exciting. I love it, the gravity gun, the big bugs, they are endless and really annoying, but once you kill their mama and take its organ they will all become your slaves, your loyal army. I really like that part.

I rarely see a game with such an engaging narrative and storyline. This is my all-time favourite FPS. Even after more than 8 years since its release, Half-Life 2 has everything an outstanding game has. The graphics are still awesome, the physics are realistic, the action is nearly unstoppable and it never gets monotonous. Every time I go through the levels I have an amazing dose of fun! Every aspect in this game seems to have been carefully thought in a way that the player will always feel engaged in the action packed shoot outs - the developers truly made a masterpiece.… Expand

A very diffrent type of style for a FPS then any other FPS game I have ever played. Its a interesting FPS with a little puzzle to it. Very good story and fun missions. Half-Life 2 9.6/10

This is not perfect or revolutionary but it sets the benchmark. This is the quintessential linear FPS game by which all other linear FPS games are compared.

Took me eight years to finish Half-Life 2, but it was certainly worth the wait for my sake. Sure, I wish I'd finished it when it was newer, but better late than never. The story is great in traditional Half-Life tradition, and if you haven't gotten around to play this game you'd better make sure you do now!

This game was okay, as I am a fan of FPS games in all of their glory, I gotta say I can spot a linear game from a mile away. I have played through the entire game (plus Ep.1 and 2) and it was a average game but it wasn't mind-blowing in my opinion. I am also not saying the game was bad, hence me scoring it a 6.

This game has a heart like no other, except the first one. The best sequel you could ever imagine. Great graphics and very few bugs. -I have now completed it 5 times and it never gets boring.

If you didn't like this game, well, you are likely not playing any games now. Gameplay was fun, story was fine, and it brings back good memories. .

Perfect game for its time. I've played it many many many many many many many many times through. I still play it from time to time years later. No game like it. Deserves the top of the list and can't wait for the next one. Thanks for an amazing game valve.

Best game ever at time of release. It pushed the limits of creativity, story telling, engine, physics, action thrills, etc. Since then, a few games I have played have exceeded in one of those categories but not everyone.

Half-life 2 a true awesome and fun game especially the gravity gun, i don't know why people say i has bad graphics for today standards, Source engine it's one of the most optimized game engine, to all that people i want to say, you can play Half-Life 2 on almost every computer nowadays even with integrated graphics, but you cant play other games like crysis or any other game that require more resources from your PC, for crysis you need a decent powerful PC but you dont need that much power to play Half-Life 2.
I loved Half-Life 1, Half-Life 2 and episodes. If Valve don't want to release Episode 3 on 2012, well i guess they want to go slow but carefully.… Expand

The greatest FPS ever realesed: the storry is wholly engrossing, the gameplay is everything from frantic and exhilerating to quiet and terrifying. The only flaw I can give it is that it doesn't have the best graphics compared to modern games, but since it was released eight years ago, it actually has incredibly good graphics for its time.

Pretty much the perfect FPS, really can't think of a better one.… Expand

This is the greatest game of all time. period. When I first played it it reminded me of the magical feeling of when I first had sex, or when I first feel in love... its that **** good! And even years and years later, I decided to play it again,.. and I was pulled into it just like the first time; I played it all the way through, and completed episodes 1 and 2,.. and loved the whole expierience just like the first time! FPS games that have consistant negative reveiws have only to look at what this game does. Do what this company does!, and listen to the gamers!.. its pretty simple what are demands are.. We want fun gameplay, We want a great story that makes sense. We want a great sound track and sound effects. We want good dialog!!!! (I cant count how many times I've played a game and heard the cheesiest voice acting or stupid ass dialog and wanted to throw the game out the window... This game should be the example of how voice acting and dialog should be. PERIOD. even though game developers know what we want... we still get Sh*t like max payne 3 and the new deus ex... I feel like the video game world is coming to an end and there is only one light left in the distance: VALVE @ Half-Life 3. Deliver us from **** games Valve,.. bring us Half-Life 3!!!… Expand

One of the best games in gaming history and the best FPS game ever. Puzzles, shooting elements, characters, and of course, Valve quality.

The best game ever made ? Seriously look at the gameplay, dialogs and other tips... This game is epic! The history is clever and easy to understand, and it offers a lot of happy hours in front of your screen. Graphicly, the source engine is very nice and can be changed by download some HD textures packs... So, i just want to thank Valve for this amazing work!!!

This is an excellent shooter with a good storyline, characters, and environment. The game starts out a bit slow, but it does a good job of pacing and building up to the big action. The physics in the game are fun and make for some interesting possibilities which were impressive when it was released. The episodes do a good job of building on the story and offering some improvements without changing what makes the game good. Personally I found it very refreshing to have a female character/sidekick with an actual personality and skills, rather than someone who was just there to be a tough dude with boobs.… Expand

And in response to some fa**ot that commented some time ago: I'm sure in 2004 this was the best game ever and blew minds, but this is 2012 and I'm judging it by 2012 standards. -ok fine 1) the game is 100% linear, claustrophobically linear. -Sometimes linear is needed for a storyline to be followed right. 2) it handles like **** The controls are not responsive, jumping is a pain, etc.
-The handling is just perfect.
-The controles are responsive, just not for your **** HP wireless keyboard, or maybe you're playing it on ps3/xbox.
-You can jump by pressing space.
-etc.
3) The guns are really dull except for the gravity gun.
-That can be set by setting difficulty.
-It could also help a whole lot to aim at the enemy.
4) The enemy AI is beyond retarded.
-Set dificulty higher.
5) The story is an incoherent mess.
-Follow the storyline. It aint hard to understand if you understand english.
6) the art is soviet era rot, brown and grey and depressing That is because the enviroment is supposed to be depressing. It aint Angry birds you're playing.
7) the assests look like they are from 2004, you know when videocards had 128mb of ram and people were playing games on the ps2 and original xbox? And don't forget that this game was made for original xbox. -The game is for 2004, so I guess it looks like it's from 2004.
8) puzzles involve moving boxes around, and platforming with above mentioned **** controls. All in all, this game just does not stack up to great shooters like like crysis, Stalker, Metro, New Vegas, DayZ, etc. I supose if you are into playing old games like Fallout 1&2, Thief, etc., then you'll like this one. But if you are like me and find old PS2/xbox era games totally unfun, then stay away. YMMV blahblah.
-Physics were new at that time. If you know how to think through obstacles and can actualy use a keyboard, it's no problem solving.… Expand

This is one of the best games I have ever played. I played through it once when it first came out, then again a few months ago and it hasn't aged a bit! The physics, the graphics, the story, the ai, the gameplay, and the source community makes this a must have game for ANYONE. not just fps lovers but anyone. go pick up this games, Zombie panic source and Insurgency for just $10 and you will be satisfied for months. Buy this game. right now. you owe it to yourself!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is honestly one of the Greatest FPS! It is a lost art for today's games to take you on an adventure like HL2 does. The ability to play this game again and again without ever getting board is mind blowing. Great game for the mind and the trigger. All around great game. I do like how it takes you into a mystery at the end of where you are and who's watching you. Great concept.… Expand

Exellent Game and one of my alltime Favorites. A Milestone in the Gaming History, well worth to Buy. This is probably the best sequel to any PC Game there ever was +10!

One word, "Amazing" This is one of the cases where a sequel doesn't ruin the franchise. The graphics are amazing for a game made in 2004. It is powered by the Source engine, which allows mods to easily be installed along with its great physics engine and lighting. My only problem is the vehicles are quite cumbersome. But, it the controls aren't as bad as some of the racing games I have played. What makes this game great, is that you NEVER feel safe and nearly everything goes wrong.… Collapse

With It's outstanding story, fancy graphics and a fast paced, fun gameplay, Half Life 2 easily is a masterpiece. Graphically/visually is so realistic that the game comes to life, because of the impressive Source Engine. And the long, enjoyable story is remarkable. From these words, this game is perfect. 100 out of 100

Incredible FPS Action game, out of the hundreds of single player games i have played this one really touched me in story, gameplay and graphical ways. This game is very good for anyone who enjoys playing fps, story or adventure games. You might think Half Life 2 is a little outdated but believe me it is still one of the best games I have played up to today. Playback on this game is really good too, I have played this game over 4 times now trying out different difficulty modes, getting achievements and exploring the fairly big world. You will find it very detailed and a regular play through will take an average person 14-20 hours. Half Life 2 is worth every penny and is a great addition to any gamer's library.… Expand

This is a darn near perfect game. A bit gruesome for my tastes but very well written and genuinely gripping. At times I find my self truly startled by the game. The combat mechanics are stellar. The puzzles take thought but are not overly difficult to figure out. The animated scenes that play the role of the "cut scene" are not true cut scenes as you stay 100% involved and able to act as the NPCs talk to you and the story plays out. The only real downside is the lack of a voice for Gordon Freeman the silent protagonist AGAIN but that is pretty minor. The graphics turned up to max look incredible given the 2004 release date and run very smoothly. Check points are liberal enough to not have to curse yourself and replay something difficult if you blow it. Valve has an incredible IP and I only hope that eventually there will be a half-life 3.… Expand

I played this game back when it came out, and sure it was fun, but it wasn't as great as it's made out to be. Sure I'll be hated for this, but the game is really just an above average shooter. The enemies are extremely repetitive and the AI is pretty useless considering 70% of the time they just stand still and shoot. Ravenholm isn't scary and the zombies are easily killed. The best part of the game is the story and characters, for that it deserves genuine praise. From a 2004 point of view, some aspects were groundbreaking, but fact is, you can't give a game so much praise just because it's amazing in some areas, and average in others. I know this isn't popular opinion, but I genuinely feel this way about the game. Overrated? Yeah, I'd say so. Not too much, but still by a bit.… Expand

Outdoing the original Half-Life is no easy task, but I am happy to report that Valve has succeeded in exactly that. Half-Life 2 is a breathtaking FPS that will have you on the edge of your PC chair from start to finish. Story: (10) Just as good as the first, Gordon is one of the best characters of a game. There are even a few unexpected twists and parts that are actually scary. Graphics: (10) Some of the best available when released, this game looks awesome on full settings and still respectable today. Sound: (10) Best of the best sound effects and background music. The soundtrack is definitely worth checking out. Gameplay: (9) Just as good as the first, if not better. There are several challenging areas and some of the boss fights are epic. The shooting feels more accurate and I must say the AI in this game is incredible. Endgame: (8) It is fun to go through again on harder difficulties but I would have loved to see some sort of multi-player support besides deathmatch. Overall if you are a PC gamer you CANNOT pass this game up. Just the story alone is enough to keep you going and the suspense builds at every corner. Still to this day the graphics hold up really nice and the source engine is smooth and a blast to play. Overall: 9… Expand

Half-Life 2 is very good game. But i just liked HL1 (Half-Life 1) much more. I think level design combat were better in HL1. There is even no Xen in HL 2 Weapons and enemy types are much worse than in original HL too. HL 2 is one of the best FPS game, but first Half-Life was just better in mine opinion.

A brilliant game and an epic sequel to one of the best shooters of all time - making it also one of the best shooters of all time. I could elaborate more but instead I think I'll just say you REALLY have to play it if you haven't already and if you have played it you know it's the best!!

Best shooter ever, best computer game ever, best physics in games ever, best game ever, it is possible not to love science fiction, it is possible not to love shooters, but not to love this game it is impossible.

Half-life 2,like its predecessor, is one of those games that leave a mark. Masterpiece of fps games! run to buy this game if you haven't already done.

I don't think that this is the greatest PC game of all time, though that doesn't mean I hate it, I still think it's great. Everything about is great, the controls, story, voice acting, settings and game play. A must have.

The game is really fun. The graphics are nice, the gravity gun is very cool, the story is nicely told but generally quite a mess. It is a first-person shooter with nice dialogs (or rather monologs, you see, Gordon is obviously mutant), movement freedom and many physics. Nothing less, nothing more.

A first-person shooter with incredible storytelling, a groundbreaking technical achievement, plenty of atmosphere and intensity. Nothing less than revolutionary.

How people can even dislike this? I will be short: "Rise and shine, Mr. Freeman." Half. Life. Two. One of the best game ever made. A perfect sequel, a perfect game.

Definitely one of the best FPS games ever. This game is what really started it all for Steam. It was a beautiful game back then and still stands the test of time today without any modding. It's packaged in a multitude of bundles and is on sale regularly so it's a real shame if you haven't played it within the past 8 years.

Quite possibly the greatest FPS of all time. There is almost nothing in this game that is bad. I love how the game puts you in control of the character and never says "I'm gonna take away your power, a cutscene has appeared." There are no cutscenes. The level designs are detailed, the Source engine is fantastic, the main characters are memorable, the Headcrabs will make you nervous, and the plotline will make you want to keep on going right to the very end. The only real problem? Valve, apparently, isn't very good at giving us information on a Half-life 3. If you get this game, expect a wait for the next one. And trust me, you'll really want another Half-life.… Expand

What i like the most about it its that it doesn't feel any linear, you get so into it that it really feels like it flows, i say it stays at the top even if it is almost 9 years old O.O holy crap! yes, its that good, that's the thing that hooks me the most, its pace, it really is a MASTERPIECE and you should definitively try if you haven't, get the orange box, one of the sweetest deals that you can have… Expand

Amazing follow up to a great game. Amazing physics and graphics at the time as well as an enthralling story make this a must for any PC gamer looking for a quality SP experience.

Good game.
If every software house did a game like that, we would all be happy: challenging gameplay, good story, pretty good graphics and good longevity.

This is the game of all games it is a FPS but is not really a FPS is more like a journey a road movie.... or road game into what was possible to make in 2004. It is to me the most beautiful game I have ever played or will play. The story line is TOP, game play is the best, Graphics is just a dream it is more like a vision of one man.

When I play half life 2 you are on a journey where u discover is not so much of shooting you are in a journey. So next time try to play it as a discovery look, learn, and watch. No Mather how many times you play this game u will always find something new.… Expand

This game combines the genres of strategy and shooting. We focus on Gordon Freeman explains that although the alleged "deal" he made with Gman. Well in this game you have to solve puzzles while killing the soldiers of the alliance. Good story even better to Half life 1 and the best part is when you make your rebellion with civilians. If I win in VGA "game of the decade"

To today's standards, Half-Life 2 is just a regular game. When it came out, it was just amazing. It was the best example of physics, puzzle game play, and story telling. That's why it's rated way up there. It was a first, a specialty. But what about now, how does it hold up to modern games? The story-line. It holds by it's story-line. If you are going to play HL2 right now, focus on the story-line. It's very well directed.… Expand

This is my favourite game series of all time. The story in this game makes you feel like you're actually the person you're playing with great physics, graphics and story telling.

That is why my computer to play the game. I'm grateful to uncover the phenomenon of gaming story. period and the legendary gameplay innovations brought to the game will remain a memorable one every time. crowbar crowbar crowbar

Half-Life 2 is probably my favourite game of all time. There's nothing else like it. By today's standards it may seem slightly cliche', but Half-Life 2 was the most ground-breaking game of the decade, it innovated and created the standards that newer games have since followed. I've played through it 5 times, each as enjoyable as the last. It's not just a game, it's a legacy. The source engine has branched off in so many amazing new areas following Half-Life 2. The modding community is like no other. Really, I just love it and everything about it.… Expand

Definitely the best FPS game I have ever played! The gameplay is very fun, the story never gets boring and the graphics are AMAZING for a 2004 game! It is much better than call of stupid duty and horrible halo! It is also a steal for just £6.99 on steam so be sure to get it!

Finished it a couple of months ago, it is definitely a classic. Fun and interesting setting. Gameplay and pace are really good Only shooters that can surpass it borrow a lot from it and came out years later.

Best game of the decade, hands down. The Source engine rivals most games today graphics wise, and yet it was released back in 2004, more than 8 years ago. Amazing. It's not just it's amazing engine, it's also the gameplay as well as the subtle story that makes this game what it is. Half-Life is probably the best known video game franchise ever, spawning loads of spin-offs and mods to make Valve loads of money.… Expand

A game must be fun ,entertaining, have good visuals (not good graphics) and get your attention with the storyline. and Half-Life 2 is one of the most impressive games of all time, because it has all of this.

It's 3 games in one really, It's an FPS with Puzzles and mild horror.
The shooting and gun feedback is top notch and enemy AI, especially on harder difficulties, is challenging. forcing the player to take on enemies with strategy rather than waiting behind conveniently placed shoulder high walls while your health regenerates.
The puzzles are perfectly timed to break up the action, so you aren't just shooting things until it gets boring. The addition of the gravity gun later into the game really adds depth and weight to the gameplay as you find yourself clearing hallways of debris and quickly switching to your crowbar to kill head crabs in the places you discover doing so.
There are a few annoyances though. First off Squad AI is not broken, but annoying. An example being that Team mates often block doorways or trap you in a corner. Whoever's idea it was to combine flash light, Sprint and oxygen into one bar needs shooting, It means you can't sprint with the light on, or even use a light while holding your breath under water.… Expand

this is the best game i have ever played awesome graphics,awesome voice acting,awesome gameplay and story it is a must for you to play this game and you will addict to this game,best pc game ever made
it really deserves 50 game of the year awards

This game is genius, the graphics and gameplay have stood the test of time and every single inch of the game has had massive attention paid to it. How anyone can say this is a bad game is under age of 16 or they have a terrible choice in games.

Graphics are fair by nowadays standards, but plot is still quite good. Althougt gameplay is like going in the tube and there is no interactive options with storyline. Still after nearly 10 years this game feels like futuristic.

Excelente game, Half-Life pode ser considerado o melhor jogo que já existiu Gabe Newel pode ser considerado uma das mentes mais brilhantes que existiu a prova que gráficos não significa qualidade!

It's like a science-fiction 007 movie set in a 1984-esque world. Your first playthrough will blow you away, so cherish it and kick the difficulty up to Expert.

Probably the best game ever made.

This game is the best FPS I've ever seen. No, absolutely not exaggerating. Even if one does not fire the story of the game from start to finish, the action in place, beats the feeling satiated. Valve until it's going to be the best.

Half-Life is one of the best first-person shooter games out there! Even though it came out in 2004, its still GOOD! You can get on Steam for a few bucks. You can buy the entire Half-Life series on Steam just for 40 bucks, one new video game is 60 bucks. There it looks like you really got the entire series only buying the series with 40 bucks. But anyway the graphics of the game is good, the story-line is interesting, but Ravenholm level is quite scary (for most people it is). GO ahead and download the free demo of Half Life 2 to try it out, the demo is on steam!… Expand

Lack of story telling; leaves you with a mindless fast paced shooter that gets old after a few hours of gameplay. Cutscenes are non existent as well which only enforces the lack of story this game has, which is unfortunate because with a simple google search you can discover how in depth it truly is.

Half-Life 2 is now freaking 9 years old, but still remains a hell of a classic. Back in the day it was released it featured revolutionary graphics, and even now they can keep up with most of the games.

But Half-Life series never was about the graphics. It was about new techniques, and new stories. new experiences. And Half-Life 2 truly took everything from it's predecessor and upgraded it in every way. Smooth and natural storytelling combined with an awesome FPS mechanics and the famous gravity gun give you almost the best experience a shooter can provide. And nowadays it's cheap as chips, so you can just but it and won't be disappointed for sure.

I'm giving Half-Life 2 9 out of 10. Why not 10? Unfortunately 2 days ago BioShock Infinite came out, and nothing can keep up with it. I seriously doubt it I will ever give 10/10 to any game out there after playing Infinite. Sorry fellas.… Expand

They say this was a really great game and I bought it on steam. I played this game for 15 hrs and all I can say is it is not engaging and really boring. It is a big letdown and I dont even know why it is great. Maybe in the middle of the game it got good? Maybe if I get time i will try to continue but so far it is boring as hell. Borderlands was great and engaging, this one is not.