A game which touts its dominance over all other fps's ,and deserves to.
That wasn't so bad, wait a sec isnt this half life 2? THE half life 2? sure, the graphics are good but come on...its not REAL like i heard it was. So after the disappointment subsided i began to embrace the game's unique features, like how realistically animated and believable the character's were, and how menacing the combine were made out to be. As soon as you step off the train you are hit with the real meat of the game, The physics and lighting. Papers and empty chinese take away wrappers sway past and..whats this? you can pick them up? AND THROW THEM!? Incredible.
Desperate to admire the rag-doll physics i roam around looking for something to kill, too bad it takes nearly an hour until your first fight, but its absoulutely beyond a doubt worth it. Enemies recoil and react to specific body parts as you swing your trusty crowbar and crumple to the ground realistically twitching before finally dying..wow, that was COOL! the gun mechanics aren't half bad either, each gun is unique with various attributes and fire power and the realistic sheen on your hand-gun as you step out of the water shall enduce drool even in the toughest of gamers.
About 1/4 way into the game you comandeer your first vehicle. Well, i never thought the idea of vehicles in first person shooters would work...but oooohh how wrong i was. Its just like walking and even more responsive and its at this part of the game where the physics really comes into play as the boat topples and sways the harder you hit the surface of the water, and the speeds fluctuate as you skim across certain surfaces, aswell as the immense satisfaction you get when you first crush combine cannon fodder beneath your boat is indescribable.
The games physics engine is fantastic, exemplified by the now legendary gravity-gun, you can kill, crush, lift, throw and basically bend gravity to a way in which you see fit, which is what i love. When developers create a game entirely under your control.
Half life 2 may not be the revolutionary game generation changing video game, but its a testement to the incredible fun you can experience by playing games with their own unique formula. A masterpiece.