The Orange Box Worth Twice As Much As What You Are Paying
Half Life 2 Episode 2 is released...
Ok lets start by saying WOW! This game is phenominal. Much better than Episode 1 and a cliff hanger ending (DONT WORRY I WONT SPOIL IT) leaves it open for another game to follow in its success.
Also Team Fortress 2 is released...
Ok WOW again this is probably the best way to follow up Team Fortress 2 as the game is so brilliantly fun and charming. I'll be playing this for a while.
And also Portal is released...
Ok Valve you made my jaw drop (thats not nice too many amazing games at once). This is without a doubt the best looking puzzle game in the world. It the best to play and also the funniest to play. Valve I take my hat off to you (If I was wearing one).
Ok all these games are brilliant and released on the same date. Not only that they are released together in the same game along with the Half Life 2 prequels to Episode 2. Also released on Xbox 360 and PS3 ( I bought it for Xbox 360). And only £40-£50.
OMFG!
OK now for some in depth look at each of the aspects.
HALF LIFE 2 & EPISODES
GRAPHICS: Half Life 2 is approximately 3 years old and it still looks good even compared to other newly released games. The facial animation of all of the characters in all the Half Life games is the best around (easily). Also they have brilliant scenery that can be seen for miles which looks as good today as it did ages ago.
GAMEPLAY:
The controls are simple (which is all you can really ask for). Easy enough to get the hang of really quickly and continue using. They don't get frustrating even when you have the combine running towards you thanks to great AI. The physics are as realistic as you can get as you can tell from the see-saw puzzles in the game.
SOUND:
As all major game points are done through first person and not through cut scenes like many other games oyu can see how good the sound is because if you walk away the characters voices get quieter. Speaking of voices, the voice acting here is solid and helps you relate to the characters better as they show emotion. All sound effects, grenades, vehicles etc., sound lifelike aswell. Background music is also intergrated well into the background (I mean would Ravenholm be as freaky without the eeirey music in the background).
Well thats Half Life. Now onto...
PORTAL
GRAPHICS:
It's set in exactly same engine so not much else to say except everything that applys on Half Life applys here too.
GAMEPLAY:
You'd think a game that sounds complicated when you talk about it would be complicated. Well this isn't the case for PORTAL. It's practically the same simple contols as Half Life (jump, crouch, use) and each different portal is a differnt trigger so it's as easy as you think it should be.
SOUND:
Ok this is where it distinquishs itself. The voice acting here is still top noch but it is an annoying robot thing talking. The thing is you get used to it. Not only is it brilliant but it's absolutely hilarious. The first time you here COMPANION CUBE you think OMFG what were Valve smoking when they thought of that and where can I get some.
Portal done its time for...
TEAM FORTRESS 2
GRAPHICS:
Ok this one stands out as the charming cartoon game evryone will love. Wrong. It's awfully bloody for a cartoon game and a hell of a lot of fun to play (veterans of Team Fortress will know what I'm on about). They are unique and brilliant because of it.
GAMEPLAY:
Frantic and easy to control. That's all you can ask for isn't it.
SOUND:
Try taunting (Press X).
Go on try it I'll wait...
...
...
How cool is that now we have a new teabagging on the Xbox.
The voice acting is as stunning as all of Valve's games and so are sound effects.
Ok all of the things reviewed. Lets sum it all up.
VALUE:
This is the best deal in all of gaming history and if you don't take Valve up on this magnificant offer then you are a fool.
TILT:
This is one of the games that you' ll be hearing about for a while as it's that good. So much for so little money. BUY IT. It deserves the 9.5 I'm giving it. (I'm only putting it as 9.5 because I bought it from my town's GAME the minute it came out, then I heard that my mate bought it an hour later for £5 less. I was punished for being eager. GUTTED. Ah well worth it still).