This is quite simply the best videogame deal in history. -Contains Spoilers-
Half-Life 2 Review
Half-Life 2 tales place in a place called City 17. You play as Gordon Freeman, who was also the main protagonist of the original Half-Life, as he wakes up randomly on a train heading to that exact City. Upon arrival, you notice everything is different. There is an alien force patrolling the different cities in the world, known as Combines, who have an Iron Fist, and control mostly everything. As Freeman you must join forces with the Resistance to try and take down the Combine. The story is awesome here, as it immediately sucks you in right from the start, and is sometimes hard to turn away from, or stop playing altogether. There aren't any cutscenes in the game, and instead you see everything from the eyes of Freeman, and it actually seems like you are him a few times throughout the course of the game. It'll take the average gamer approximately 10-15 hours to complete this journey, but since it goes by real fast, it still seems real rewarding at the end. The ending is also a big cliffhanger that leaves plenty of open room for Episode One to come in. But overall a superb story here.
The gameplay for Half-Life 2 is amazing. The gunplay is addictive, high-paced, and intense. The driving missions aren't so bad either, since you are forced to get off the vehicle you are commandeering, and solve a puzzle or participate in a gunfight, instead of doing the same repetitive driving sequences again and again. The weapons here are standard, while some you will use a lot, and others not so much. They range from a crowbar, pistol, shotgun, SMG, a Crossbow that acts like a Sniper Rifle, and the all amazing Gravity Gun, which is probably one of the best, if not the best, weapon I've ever seen in a video game. With it you can pick up anything from boards, toilets, rocks, and at a point in the game actual Combine, and throw them straight at the enemy for a fun bloody effect. Overall the gunplay is fun and the gun battles you participate later on in the game are intense and very rewarding.
The graphics and voice acting are also good here. The graphics have been improved since the original XBOX release, and look a little bit more up to the 360's standards. The voice acting makes the characters truly believable, and since the lip syncing is so on tact with it, it truly feels remarkable.
The A.I. isn't so bad here either. As the Combine may flank you, knock down turrets you may have set up, and much more. Although the friendly A.I. isn't exactly the same, and will most of the time not move out of your way if you're trying to get through a doorway, to their weird acts while in combat, as they'll head right toward the opposition. Also Alyx's A.I. later isn't too well as she'll also occasionally get in your way. The other characters in the game are very memorable, from Barney, Dr. Kleiner, Lamar, and DOG, the big lovable robot companion that acts as Alyx's best friend, and a big help during the game near the ending levels.
All in all, Half-Life 2 is one of the best games out there right now, from the amazing combat, story, graphics, and so much more. It also has a very creepy places called Ravenholm, which I won't go into depth about, since it's an experience you'll want to have on your own. This is one of the stronger games in the Orange Box that truly gives players a monumental experience, and the ride of a lifetime.
Half-Life 2: Episode One Review
Episode One takes place immediately after Half-Life 2, after the explosion at the top of the Citadel, Gordon and Alyx are rescued by Vortiguants who transport them to rubble a couple of miles away from the Citadel. DOG uncovers a few rocks and Freeman pops up, and immediately from there you have joined a force with Alyx and together you have to wake your way through the Citadel to meet up with Kleiner and Eli. The story in this Episode is decent, but in the long run with Episode Two and Half-Life 2, it is the weakest story, since it is mostly straightforward. It's simple to beat in around 3 to 5 hours. Decent overall.
The gameplay is the same here, but this time you'll obtain the blue Gravity Gun a lot longer while in the Citadel, and acts as your primary weapon until it is destroyed. The other weapons you can get are also here and are still fun to use. The short car ride at the beginning is also extremely fun to ride. The flaw I had with this though was that some of the Citadel levels seemed to get repetitive after awhile.
The graphics have been improved slightly over Half-Life and it is still easy to make out everything, and the explosions are great. The primary voice you'll be hearing throughout this journey is Alyx's, since she is your companion throughout the course of the game.
Another flaw I had was that Alyx's A.I. was slightly undertoned, and she would sometimes just stand there as you would have to fight off hordes of Combine by yourself, and it is hard to remember that she is there.
All in all, Episode One is pretty good, since it also adds the team based squad also. Though not the strongest in the series due to repetitive areas and bad A.I., but besides those flaws it is definitely a great game that was added to the box that continues the Half-Life series and leaves a gap open for Episode Two.
Half-Life 2: Episode Two Review
Episode Two also takes place immediately after Episode One. The train out of City 17 has crashed in the middle of the forest, and Gordon and Alyx escape it and eventually have to fight their way to White Forest to assist Dr. Kleiner and Eli Vance in the fight against the Combine. The story here is amazing, and feels like something extra was added on to this one to make it the best in the series. The plot hardly has any plotholes, and has many twists and turns throughout that will keep a lot of people on the edge of their seats. Also about half way through the game, you'll be able to take charge of a car that looks like a Charger, and those levels are also good, as you'll be fighting your way through the forest on a fast car. And then the ending results in an epic and amazing battle between the Combine. This is easy to beat in about 4-6 hours, about an hour longer than Episode One, and after it's over, it makes you crave for more. Truly this is one of the best stories I've seen in awhile, and lives up perfectly and farther than Half-Life 2.
The gameplay in here is amazing, yet again. The first quarter of the game you'll be fighting through old mines, helping holding off a huge amount of Ant Lions, and eventually fighting a queen. The second quarter is the driving sequences while are fluently done and are hardly repetitive. The third quarter of the game is the final battle versus the Combine which is just simply fun. The weapons are the same here, and instead of getting each individual one scattered throughout the game, you get most of them at the start of the game while fighting through the mines. The Gravity Gun is also still here and still adds a lot more fun to the game.
Graphics and voice acting are the same as Episode One and continue to live up to its predecessor.
A.I. is also good here, though Alyx's character is very lazy later on in the game, and you'll mostly have to fight your way through the game by yourself, or with hardly any help from Alyx, which I found to be a little challenging in a few parts.
Episode Two is quite simply amazing, and is probably the best that the Half-Life series has to offer right now, and with a big cliffhanger ending again, it leaves a lot for Episode Three, which I hope to get when it launches. This is quite a unique experience for Half-Life fans or anybody that wants to experience a fun and fluent FPS.
Portal Review
Portal takes place in a Research Facility, where you play a Test Subject that uses a prototype Portal gun to make your way throughout the facility. The story may not sound intriguing, but is actually very enjoyable and extremely funny. And if you make it through the facility, you are promised cake. You can probably beat Portal in about 2 hours, but since it adds some extras after completing it, and since it's so fun, you'll want to keep coming back to it again, and again. I've already played through it about 3 times.
The gameplay is fun and very unique here with the addition of the Portal gun. Which will bewilder and bend your mind, and it's fun to keep zapping holes through the floor over and over. Some of the levels will make you think, while others are just a simple shoot here shoot there type of room.
The graphics are really good here, everything is clear and always pleases the eye. There is only one voice actor here and that is of GLaDOS, who plays the master computer that watches your every move, and that is simply hilarious, and will most likely make you laugh almost every time she makes an appearance.
While there is really no A.I. here, except for a few turrets, which are pretty average, are kinda challenging to get around if you don't know how to.
Portal is the best the Orange Box has to offer, and it's simply amazing. Mindbending puzzles, funny dialogue and so much more make this a true journey that everyone will enjoy, and with no flaws, it's the best in the box. The ending song during the credits is also one of the funniest songs I've heard in quite some time. Cake!
Team Fortress 2 Review
Sadly, I did not get the chance to play TF2, since I still don't have Live yet, but if I do get it sometime in the future, I will definitely be looking forward to playing it, since it has gotten a lot of good review and praise from both players and critics alike.
Recap
Half-Life 2
Good:
+Fun combat
+amazing story
+great characters and places
+a long and rewarding story
Bad:
-Some bad A.I.
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Good:
+Fun combat
+decent story
+good characters
Bad:
-Bad A.I.
-repetitive areas
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Good:
+Fun combat,
+a new addition to the series
+feels fresh
+amazing characters
+amazing story
+a fun driving sequence
+an epic ending battle
Bad:
-Some bad A.I.
-lazy Alyx
Portal
Good:
+Fun puzzles
+funny dialogue
+GLaDOS
+Cake
Bad:
-None
Team Fortress 2
Good:
+Looks fun
Bad:
-Only a few maps
Overall the Orange Box is simply the greatest deal in videogame history. 5 great games with hardly any flaws in one box=a great buy. It'll help start any FPS fan or gamer fan into the Half-Life series, even though Half-Life should of been added. Even though Episode One isn't the strongest in the series the other games in the package make up for its loose effort with sincere gameplay and style. This is truly a remarkable package that will be remembered for a very long time, buy this game now and I highly doubt you'll be disappointed. A perfect 10 out of 10.
-horrorboy