Entertaining but OUTRAGEOUSLY short
Episode 1 is actually, as a game, somewhat better. I'm not sure why, but the gameplay and the atmosphere just seem to work better. Graphics are outstanding and sound is excellent.
However (and this is a big however), it really is one of the biggest rip offs that I've ever bought. Not only is it astonishingly short (just finished it in an afternoon's play) but the amount of gameplay is further reduced by the sheer volume of character chat. I know this is probably a reflection of the developers trying to address the criticisms of HL2 that it no more than a dressed up run and gun, but really - I'm not kidding - large amounts of the game (particularly at the beginning) are taken up with Alex talking at you. It wouldn't be so bad if all this chat actually imparted plot or anything useful - but sadly its just character building guff that adds little to the game at all.
So although its actually quite a good game the publishers are visiting an outrageous con on players; pay for a full length game in three parts that are individually priced less than a full game but surprise surprise, when you add their prices together you actually end up paying way over the odds for a full length game. Add to this the ever annoying and highly intrusive Steam software - having paid over the odds for a very short game I then have to have an internet connection to actually play the thing and down load software I didn't buy and don't want - and the pros of the game itself are outweighed by the cons.
Shame because actually, if it had been 3 times as long and the standard price for a game it would (IMO) be a better buy than HL2. Hence I've given it a 3 for value as its a third of a full game.