The best single player experience of all time.
After beating this amazingly ambitious FPS for the first time, and watched the end credits roll by me, I could only think of one thing: "Wow, this may be the best game I have ever played." Everything about this game is as close to perfect as it gets folks. The setting, story, graphics, gameplay, sound, music, characters, just..everything.
The game takes place in the fictional dystopian city of City 17. As Gordon Freeman, your job is to wander through the City and other areas in order to confront the enemy of the game: Dr. Breen. You shoot your way through the governmental organization called the Combine. Most of the enemies you encounter are humans, but you also fight a variety of enemies including massive mechanical like spiders called Striders.
This all makes the game very cinematic. The entire game feels like a massive set piece. However, it does this without feeling way too tiresome and repetitive. One moment you may be on a small boat shooting down a helicopter, and the next in a calm, story driven scene that you participate in.
The entire game is uninterrupted by cut scenes, save for the ending and beginning. This technique immerses you in the game without yanking you out through story driven cut scenes, you literally walk around in them!
All of the characters in this game are likable, and you occasionally you receive help from them and other members of "The Resistance", but unfourtanately they are fairly weak and die easily in later parts of the game.
The graphics in this game are mind blowing. The water effects are so amazing, that I just felt compelled to look at the water effects for a few minutes. The lighting is not that great however, as it uses an older game engine. Shadows are not dynamic, but the effects that are there are definitely alright. You do not need 1080p graphics to have a visually pleasing game, the art direction is way more important, and this game succeeds on both fronts.
The voice acting is absolutely incredible. The actors make the story extremely believable and riveting. High octane music kicks in all at the right times in the game, as the action ramps up, so does the techno-esque music.
The most unique feature of this FPS is definitely the physics engine, every object can be moved and some objects can be used as weapons with the gravity gun weapon. You can go through most of the game hurling sharp objects at enemies, which is hilariously fun to do!
There are not really any extras, but whats included in the long, 12 hour campaign is more than enough to buy this game. And as of now, this game is very cheap and is included in the Orange Box compilation. This game alone is enough to buy that set of games.
Overall, I think it is safe to say that this is the greatest single player experience ever in a videogame, it combines what is great about every kind of media. Whether it be homages to film, literature, other videogames etc. This is definitely a must own and should be played no matter what genre of games you prefer.