After being truly astounded (and terrified) by the original Half-Life, Valve has outdone themselves. HL2 isn't quite as scary as the original, but it more than makes up for it in other ways. The graphics on this game are just unbelievable! I have never seen water effects so realistic in a game before. Everything about this game reeks of realism, from the weapons damage to the physics. The physics are truly amazing. Objects, especially bodies, move in truly realistic fashion. The first time I shot a Combine soldier and he fell off a ledge, bouncing and flopping all the way down, my jaw was on the floor. The physics modelling also makes for some great puzzles. They are just difficult enough to keep your brain working without giving you a migraine. The bridge sequence where you have to walk on the girders is not for those who have acrophobia, that's how much this game sucks you in. The sound effects are incredibly well done, especially if you have surround sound. The sound of the wind in some areas is so good you think you should feel it in your hair. The only downside to this game, and it isn't really, is that you do need a lot of horsepower to make it look good. However, that is to be expected for graphics this realistic. When I played the demo, I had an ATI 8500 LE w/128 MB RAM. That didn't cut it so I upgraded to an ATI X800 PRO w/256 MB RAM and the game runs smooth as silk. This game alone is enough to justify upgrading.
1998, half life comes out, rocks the planet. Six years later, half life 2 comes out, rocks the galaxy. Gordon is back and so is perfection. For six years the world has been waiting, and now it is here. The game play ... Read Full Review
First person shooters changed forever in 1998 when an unknown gaming developer known as Valve released a game known as Half-Life. It revolutionized the genre with cinematic gameplay, intense combat, and a story filled wi... Read Full Review
