Valve's newest complilation with a funny name turns out to be the best $50-stuff you can imagine in gaming and beyond.
Half-life 2
What really can I say about "HL2" three years after its release? It's probably the best game ever made for personal computers, period. You don't need recommendation on this one because it's an ultimate classic which still plays great no matter how many times you finish it.
Half-life 2: Episode One
Gameplay-wise it's even better than "HL2". The only problem is that it's very, very short and leaves you desperately craving for more. "Episode One" is a great, intense shooter but it doesn't bring much new stuff to the series. It's all about co-op with AI-controlled Alyx throughout the entire game and that mechanism is surprisingly well executed. It's a game you can't miss but after you finish playing it go ASAP and play "Episode Two" because that, that is what brings the new quality to HL series.
Half-life 2: Episode Two
The second installment in the trilogy of sequels to "HL2". Fans have been waiting for it more than a year. Waiting to find out what has happened to Gordon and Alyx after the spectacular cliffhanger finale of "Episode One". Without spoiling anything it turns out that somehow you managed to survive the crash. Surprising, isn't it? Your new objective is to get to the White Forest but that of course won't be easy. Combine forces are all after you. They deployed new deadly force which is the creature called Hunter. Except Hunter there a few new enemies worth mentioning and one of then is antlion worker. Quite a nasty monster and a very intelligent one. Again there are no new weapons but the current arsenal is really all you need. There is however one kind of weapon that you can use with your gravity gun and I'm talking about strider buster which is great fun. There is also new car and couple of riding sequences which are in fact more interesting that those from HL2. For me Half-life has always been a combination of great, intense gameplay with outstanding storyline, and that's what "Episode Two" can bu summed up with. It features some of the best fights in the series at the same time delivering absolutely enthralling story with a shocking ending. If you're looking for the best "oh my God" moment of the year just play "Episode Two". It's the best installment in "HL" series to date and one hell of a teaser of what's to come in "Episode Three".
Portal
This is quite a strange game. It starts like a little innocent title and ends like a grand masterpiece (sort of). You take control of quite attractive young woman Chell. You wake up in a strange place and basically your goal is to go through sequence of 19 test chambers with use of Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device also referred to as portal gun. The only other character that you will have any contact with is GLaDOS, an AI entity. So, "Portal" is a puzzle game where you can create two portals one being the entrance and the second one being the exit. It's up to you what you're gonna do with it. The game is better than I expected it to be. It's totally hilarious. It's probably the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. That would be enough reason to play it but of course there's more. Core of the game are all these mind bending puzzles but after beating the main game you unlock advanced maps, and you may take challenges. Like in all three new games in "The Orange Box" compilation there is also commentary feature and achievements to unlock. There is also an option to import custom maps, so it turns out that "Portal" although fairly short, has a lot of replay value. Just play it, you will love it.
Team Fortress 2
After nine years of development hell Valve finally released their sequel to the grand daddy of team-based multiplayer games "Team Fortress". Expectations of the TF community were obviously very high but personally I have never played the original "TF" so I won't be comparing these two games with each other. Actually I was never really into team-based mp games so I wasn't necessarily excited when Valve announced that "TF2" will be a multiplayer component for "The Orange Box". Well, now after playing it for some time I'm totally addicted. There are nine classes in the game and currently three game modes: capture the flag, or rather should be capture the intelligence because that is what players of both teams are after; control point; and territorial control. There are only six maps but that's fine for now, all of them are very well designed and play great. Classes are well balanced with their advantages and disadvantages and there's something for every gamestyle that one prefers. Cartoonish graphics with great art style fit the game perfectly. This is the best online mp shooter I've ever played, no matter if it's "Counter-Strike", no matter if it's "Unreal Tournament", you name it, "Team Fortress 2" beats them all. This game alone is worth this fifty bucks that Valve wants for the entire "Orange Box" so grab your copy and play it immediately.
Peggle Extreme
A nice little bonus. "The Orange Box" themed 10-level edition of PopCap Games' "Peggle Deluxe" is a fun game to play between a session in TF2, busting striders in Ep2 and solving puzzles in "Portal". It's nothing that much special, just a little addition to show you how much fun you can get with "Peggle Deluxe".
So, concluding, "The Orange Box" contains two classics "HL2" and "Ep1", "Episode Two" - an instant game of the year, "Portal" - something you've never experienced before on your PC... nor Xbox360 I'm sure, and "Team Fortress 2" - multiplayer game that will steal your private life. Don't hesitate, just buy it right away, it's worth spending your last cent, penny or whatever currency you have in your country, because you don't pay for just a video game, you pay for great value and an outstanding achievement in not just games but entertainment generally and perhaps should I say... in art.