Sweet, 5 games for $50 and I don't need to keep the disk!
(All of my ratings are in increments of 0.5 and are out of 10)
Alright, the review!
******HL2, Ep. 1&2
For those of you who don't know, you play as theoretical physicist and crowbar connoisseur Dr. Gordon Freeman. You are, essentially, representing an alien race who's contact "saved" you in the first game. You are his wench until further notice. He drops you off in a future time where you've become somewhat famous. He gives you a shove and you're off. I won't go into the plot but you should know that it's good.
Story: 9.5
This game's story rivals that of Metal Gear: Solid and the Resident Evil series with its depth and color. If you like puns about crowbars, ventilation shafts, and zombies, you need this game.
Control: 10
It's a PC game so you can change the controls. I can imaging the console versions aren't too bad.
Sound: 10
Stunning effects. The voice acting is top-notch with voices like Lou Gosset Jr. and Robert Culp (I Spy). Amazing.
Graphics: 9
I've seen better, but the fact that it looks great and runs maxed on my XPS laptop with 6x anti aliasing means that it looks reaaaaalllly pretty. Facial detail is stunning.
Replay Value: 8.5
The replay value is kind of "meh..." because the story is pretty linear. There's always the achievements in Ep. 2, Portal, and TF2.
Overall HL2 pack: 9.5
*******Portal
Story: 8
It's "okay". There's a plot, but it's a bit lame.
Control: 10
Again, it's a PC game.
Sound: 10
Stunning! The sound effects and voices are great. The turret voices are *ADORABLE. Also, the credits are the best part of the game.
Graphics: 9
Again, I've seen better. I couldn't run this maxed or with AA, but it still looked great.
Replay Value: 10
There's a bunch of achievements to unlock that level your Steam account. There's also a bunch of new levels that you unlock when you complete the game. Additionally, the game's relatively difficult, so you'll want to perfect your fifteen minute run.
Overall Portal: 9.5
Well worth the money, even if the game is less than 3 hours long. Even the first time.
******TF2 (Team Fortress 2)
Story: N/A
You kill stuff; as much plot as Counter-Strike.
Graphics: 9.5
The cartooney look of the characters gives the score a little boost. It didn't need an upgrade.
Sound: 10
Just AWESOME. The voices are funny and the guns sound great. What else could you ask for?
Control: 10
PC game.
Replay Value: 10
Like America's Army, Counter-Strike, etc., the game is online only so you'll always have a new experience.
Overall TF2: 9.5
Sweet.
******Orange Box******
Overall: 9.5
Pros:
-Respectively cheap: $50 for 5 games, though there's a price drop either out or soon to be released.
-It's Half-Life! What more do you want?
-Graphics
-Control
-Story
Cons:
-15 GIGABYTES OF HARD DRIVE SPACE; yeah...it's big...
CONCLUSION:
Buy this game. Now.