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So, what is it that sucks about HL2?

racofer

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Besides the evil copy protection scheme that steals private identifiable data, deletes porn and shoves unwanted patches down your throat, all for the sake of making the aforementioned big brother system look useful, what else bothers you immensely with this game?

Despite good visuals, the game is very mediocre in my opinion. Gun play is highly underdeveloped. In comparison to CoD, a game released prior to this one that uses an engine from 1999 with all limitations that came with it, and features no advanced physics at all, I seriously cannot imagine how valve screwed up so much with the weaponry. All weapons feel completely weightless, there's no "punch" when you fire them nor the sounds they make are any convincing. When you shoot at combines or whatever, it's like the bullets simply pierce through them, there's no "physical response" from the enemies. At most you see their heads jiggling back, slightly. When you compare this to CoD, when enemies would fall on the ground, groaning in pain... it feels like HL2 took ten steps backwards. Even headshots aren't real headshots in HL2, because it takes like half a 9mm clip to the head before they die, while in CoD, even on the highest difficulty, a headshot means death. There's also the aiming system in CoD, where you could aim down the sight for precision shots. Pistols also didn't have an unlimited reach, not to mention that HL2 completely lacks recoil.

When it comes to AI, HL2 is a disaster. Taking cover (on the rare occasions they actually take cover) behind exploding barrels rewarded me with many lulz, and also tears of rage at how, how could someone make such a disgraceful AI for such a "high rated" game (that's not to say overhyped piece of shit). The original HL had AI then mega fucking times better than this one. The marines would try to outsmart you very often, and would succeed most of the time. If zerg rushing is what valve considers state of the art AI, I would rather play Doom, because at least with Doom the shooting aspect of it blows HL2 away in every possible aspect, specially when you take into consideration the boring boat and car levels.

Now what really pisses me off is how every HL2 fanboy will jump into any HL2 discussion going on, and yell: OMGZ U NOOB HL2 HAZ TEH MOST AWESUM HISTORIE IN ANY FPS GAEM EV4R!!. I mean, what the fuck? You begin the game knowing nothing about what happened in the past game, no one bothers to tell you, or the game never mentions anything to the player, other than showing a few newspapers in a specific level, that don't tell too much. This game features one of the most lackluster stories I've ever seen. It's so full of shit, I can't even comment much about it, because there's nothing worthy to comment. It's shit. *Blarfh*

Discuss.
 

Darth Roxor

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/agree

I'd also add to that how everyone seems to claim how much of an 'INTELLECTUAL FPS D: !!!! ' it is, yet some levels (like mowing through hordes and hordes of respawning combines with shitty AI when you return to the city and in the citadel) look like taken from some kind of Serious Sam's retarded twin brother.
 

racofer

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Darth Roxor said:
/agree

I'd also add to that how everyone seems to claim how much of an 'INTELLECTUAL FPS D: !!!! ' it is

Oh yes, this is gold when it comes into conversations. If you say HL2 sucks because of whatever reasons you present them, fanboys will simply reply that 'YO SIMPLY DIDNT UNDRESTAND TEH GAEM! GO BAK TO HALO NUB'.
 

Wyrmlord

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Seriously, Doom on Ultraviolence. That should be the benchmark for all FPS developers.

Valvefags are the kind of people who throw out platformers and present them as FPSes.
 

Tails

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hm I never finished HL2 (get bored in some part) but well the atmosphere is alright. The only thing I like most was that level with wicked priest & head-crab zombies.
 

DraQ

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I mostly like HL2.

Still, it's far from perfect.
Apart from steam, one thing really pisses me off in HL2 - arcadization.
It manifests in many things, among them are pattern-attacking bosses dropping glowy, beepy mines and relative harmlesness of APC fired rockets - HL1, while by no means realistic, at least had decency of turning Gordon into a freasy spot after he intercepted a rocked with his spectacled face.
 

Deleted member 7219

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"So, what is it that sucks about HL2?"

Nothing.
 

Major_Boobage

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bur6.jpg
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Lyric Suite

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The first HL was a much better game, despite not being dramatically different. Something fundamental was lost with the sequel that hasn't been regained.
 

Tails

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Lyric Suite said:
The first HL was a much better game, despite not being dramatically different. Something fundamental was lost with the sequel that hasn't been regained.
Agreed. Maybe the gore + availability to kill everything.. (except few important npcs)

Btw. anyone tried out Half-Life: Source (first HL on source engine)? It's the same thing like H-L1 with upgraded graphic or it's worse crap with better graphics?
 

Mister Arkham

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Lyric Suite said:
The first HL was a much better game, despite not being dramatically different. Something fundamental was lost with the sequel that hasn't been regained.

I think that part of it is the lack of isolation. In the first game, you could go for quite some stretch between encounters with living allies. The second has this tendency to focus more and more on the other characters, which, while the characters are well designed and well written, feels ungainly because Gordon never interacts with them. That has a tendency to pull me out of the game a lot, and I think that it dramatically alters the atmosphere of the game.

Otherwise, I think that the game is a bit too short, a bit too linear, and ultimately feels too easy, even on the harder difficulties. By and large though, I find it to be one of the better and more memorable games released in the past decade.

Tails said:
Btw. anyone tried out Half-Life: Source (first HL on source engine)? It's the same thing like H-L1 with upgraded graphic or it's worse crap with better graphics?

It's a semi-upgraded version of the first game. Higher resolutions, somewhat better textures, and HL2's water effects. Otherwise it's the same game visually, and in terms of play. There is a full conversion project out there though, Black Mesa: Source I think it's called. I don't think it's finished yet, but what I've seen of it is quite impressive.

Edit: BM:S page http://www.blackmesasource.com/
 

Phelot

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HL2 felt like it was more a showcase of Valve's cinematic abilities rather then it's game development. And thinking game my ass, it's more frustrating having to pile a bunch of stone blocks on a board so it shifts the other way so you can jump to some other ledge. It's like the game is stuck between trying to be an FPS and an adventure game. Some of the little puzzles were nice I guess...

The story was pretty booty. The game felt so long and the only real plot and dialogue relates to Alex having jungle fever and her dad stumbling through his lines. Whenever Gordon, Alex, and whoever else are babbling about something, I'd be busy shooting them, their office, everything all the while laughing at the fact that they don't notice this.

You want a story in an FPS game? Play Marathon... greatest story EVAAAAAAR!
 

Tails

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Mister Arkham said:
entire post
Well said, it's hard to not agree.
Mister Arkham said:
It's a semi-upgraded version of the first game. Higher resolutions, somewhat better textures, and HL2's water effects. Otherwise it's the same game visually, and in terms of play. There is a full conversion project out there though, Black Mesa: Source I think it's called. I don't think it's finished yet, but what I've seen of it is quite impressive.

Edit: BM:S page http://www.blackmesasource.com/
Thanks mate for post & link, gonna check it out.
 

doctor_kaz

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racofer said:
Besides the evil copy protection scheme that steals private identifiable data, deletes porn and shoves unwanted patches down your throat, all for the sake of making the aforementioned big brother system look useful, what else bothers you immensely with this game?

Despite good visuals, the game is very mediocre in my opinion. Gun play is highly underdeveloped. In comparison to CoD, a game released prior to this one that uses an engine from 1999 with all limitations that came with it, and features no advanced physics at all, I seriously cannot imagine how valve screwed up so much with the weaponry. All weapons feel completely weightless, there's no "punch" when you fire them nor the sounds they make are any convincing. When you shoot at combines or whatever, it's like the bullets simply pierce through them, there's no "physical response" from the enemies. At most you see their heads jiggling back, slightly. When you compare this to CoD, when enemies would fall on the ground, groaning in pain... it feels like HL2 took ten steps backwards. Even headshots aren't real headshots in HL2, because it takes like half a 9mm clip to the head before they die, while in CoD, even on the highest difficulty, a headshot means death. There's also the aiming system in CoD, where you could aim down the sight for precision shots. Pistols also didn't have an unlimited reach, not to mention that HL2 completely lacks recoil.

When it comes to AI, HL2 is a disaster. Taking cover (on the rare occasions they actually take cover) behind exploding barrels rewarded me with many lulz, and also tears of rage at how, how could someone make such a disgraceful AI for such a "high rated" game (that's not to say overhyped piece of shit). The original HL had AI then mega fucking times better than this one. The marines would try to outsmart you very often, and would succeed most of the time. If zerg rushing is what valve considers state of the art AI, I would rather play Doom, because at least with Doom the shooting aspect of it blows HL2 away in every possible aspect, specially when you take into consideration the boring boat and car levels.

Now what really pisses me off is how every HL2 fanboy will jump into any HL2 discussion going on, and yell: OMGZ U NOOB HL2 HAZ TEH MOST AWESUM HISTORIE IN ANY FPS GAEM EV4R!!. I mean, what the fuck? You begin the game knowing nothing about what happened in the past game, no one bothers to tell you, or the game never mentions anything to the player, other than showing a few newspapers in a specific level, that don't tell too much. This game features one of the most lackluster stories I've ever seen. It's so full of shit, I can't even comment much about it, because there's nothing worthy to comment. It's shit. *Blarfh*

Discuss.

Agreed on some points, but not others. A lot of HL2's weapons are kind of crappy (the shitty 9mm sounds like Jiffy Pop), but CoD's single player game sucks monkey balls. It's basically a Medal of Honor ripoff with the same boring linear and cliche level design and the same enemies who don't do much special that the enemies in HL2 didn't do. HL1's marine AI is vastly overrated. It's cheap instead of being robust. Marines just scamper back and forth with their magical 100% insta-aim/wallhacking capabilities picking you off while they can take an entire clip of sub-machine gun ammo to the face. I agree that the story is annoyingly overrated. I say "annoyingly" because the fanboys think that it's some kind of masterpiece when it's really not, and the game is constantly sacrificing quality so that it can maintain the "main character doesn't speak" gimmick. The truth about the story is that Valve is probably making it up as they go along and it will either never end or the end will be really shitty and lame.

The gravity gun was really fucking awesome. I think that Adam Sessler said it best when he said "if this is not fun for you, then you are in the wrong hobby". The sound effects are the best ever in a video game. Half-Life 2 did for video game sound what Star Wars did for movie sounds. The graphics were incredible too and have held up wonderfully for the past 4 and a half years. Atmosphere was fantastic and pacing and level design were both really good.
 

Jormungandr

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Mar 16, 2007
Messages
127
There are a few good things about HL2 that I really appreciate:
1. The atmosphere; I actually enjoy how the lack of story is presented, and that everyone does just assume you know what's going on, despite all that's happened since the events of HL1.

2. The4th wall is made of freaking diamond. In an age where pop-up hints and "I'd sure talk to so-and-so if I had questions about Heavy Armor training", it's nice to have a game that not once tries to remind you that you're playing a a game.


Of course, when you boil it down, the story of the game consists of you escaping the city so you can get back into the city. Seems kinda pointless when you look at it. Also where you go to great lengths just to detour around a simple locked door.
 

HanoverF

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MCA Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Codex USB, 2014 Divinity: Original Sin 2
HL2 is fail in that it constantly locks you in a room with some scientist (or whatever) who then talks you to death while you want to shoot shit. It's not that bad though, it just gets more acclaim than in deserves. A much worse game that gets more acclaim is Halo/Final Fantasy/Deus Ex
 

DemonKing

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I think for me the problem with Half-Life 2 is, at its heart, its just a corridor shooter (albeit with awesome physics and facial animations).

Compared with Far Cry (released the same year), where one could be confronted with objectives miles away which you could walk, swim, drive, glide or boat towards and confront with a number of different approaches (eg stealthy sniper, bulldozing vehicular assaults, heavy weapons dude tec) it was pretty disappointing and not exactly revolutionary.

Saying that the story-telling aspect is very well handled and integrated into the gameplay. It certainly makes the Bioshock approach (where everyone seemed to leave their innermost thoughts lying around on an audio tape for you to pick up) look tragically comical.
 
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Half Life 2 sucked until a man... a man by the name of Jimbob turned it into something wonderful.
 

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