Half life 2 is a spectacular first-person shooter, better than most shooter out there. Overall a 9.3/10 rating.
+Excellent graphics and physics engine
+Stellar gameplay
+Sound, music and dialogue are well presented
+Good arsenal of weapons, especially the gravity gun
+Flexible online multiplayer with plenty of maps
+Level design hardly get repetitive
+Great use of vehicles
+Very good pacing
Cons:
-Confusing storyline
-No offline multiplayer setup
-Linear level design
-Not challenging for stellar gamers
-Annoying load times
-Steam sucks
Half life 2 doesn't quiet live up to the original half life, but it still offers a robust first-person shooter experience..The graphics and the physics engine used in this game are excellent. The visuals are neatly presented and look attractive. The gameplay is stellar, it always keeps you in action, as the game progresses, the gameplay gets more intense. The sound, music and dialogue are well presented, the characters sound flawless. Gravity gun is one of the highlights of the game. Practically the gun lets you use objects around you as weapons. I like half-life 2's idea of not having too much weapons and not too little weapons. The multiplayer has lots of maps and flexible setup options. The level design is awesome, it hardly get repetitive and the game progresses very well. Half life 2 make a great use of vehicles even though there are only two vehicles, you will still have a lot of fun with them.
On the downturn. The storyline is confusing and I failed to find the connection between the original half life and this game. The game has no offline multiplayer setup which means you have to play it online. The game is linear, it is hardly open ended. There is always only one route to progress to the next level. The game is actually quite easy and may not offer a real challenge like the original half life did for more experienced gamers. There are lots of annoying load times in the game which actually reduced the intensity of the gameplay. And finally the steam sucks. I don't why valve decided to make half-life 2 run in steam.
Half life may not be as good as the original half life and it is definitely not the "best game ever made". However it is ONE OF THE best games every created and offers a solid experience to any gamers regardless of whether you are a first-person fan or not.
Overall rating: 9.3/10