Half-Life 2: Episode One
It looks like Half-Life 2: Epsiode One launching in just over a month.
Check it out: http://ep1.half-life2.com/
Anyone else as excited about it as I am? The trailer makes me happy. Haha.
Check it out: http://ep1.half-life2.com/
Anyone else as excited about it as I am? The trailer makes me happy. Haha.
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I just got Tomb Raider 7. It was a full priced game that lasted 8-10 hours and used 7.8Gb HDD space. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come, lovely graphics but very short games.
Each episode will also include a new technology update to the engine, made possible thanks to Source's modular design.
The first Sin: Emergence episode will also be out on the 11th. I'm all preordered and pre-loaded up!
Or... they could just release them more frequently. People are fools if they think they haven't already completed them (likely done with the game itself) and then just delay them so people hype it up for them which increases profits.
$20 for 4-6 hours of gameplay really isn't good value for money in my oppinion. Max Payne 2 was as bad. Completed that in 4 and a half hours. What happened to all the epic games, those were my favorite, immersive and actually decent value for money... buuut, it's Half-Life 2, so everyone knows people are going to buy whatever they release for it regardless of how short/expensive they are anyway.
On a related note: Has anyone checked out Valve's store? They have headcrab plush toys available!
Naturally I had to buy one, plus the poster of DOG ripping the **** out of a gunship.
One of these days I plan to buy the Citidel lithograph too.
/me goes to look.
Oops, spoke too soon!
Agreed. And stop being a shill SMJ
Looking forward to this one..
There are a couple of new teaser videos out now that outline some of the new engine enhancments. I've had this preordered since May 1st, and I have every intention to start playing the moment it's available.
I can't wait to play!
I kinda agree with ya hear BUT..i personaly can easily sit down any givin night and game for 4+ hours I LOVED HL2 and the single player action along with the story..The problem for me is that 4 hours really isnt that long for game play.
$20 bucks might just be worth it but depending on how many "episodes" there are it could really add up if eaqch "episode" is only 4 hours.
Cant wait to continue the story!
I'm also still waiting for Star Wars to be all three movies on DVD with extras for less than $50, and I'm waiting for the latest Harry Potter book to be printed in mass market paperback. I also almost always wait for movies to hit the $2 theater before I will see them. Part of it is because I'm thrifty, but mostly, it's because I'm patient. I'm fully capable to enjoy something months after it comes out, so I might as well save the money...
//edit: clarified statement
When HL2 was first released it was $50, and playtime was estimated to be around 15-18 hours depending on how you played. If you take the lower end of the spectrum (as you did for EP1's 4-6 hour estimate) you'd have $3.33/hour of gameplay.
Take into consideration EP1's new commentary feature which has over 100 "commentary bubbles" (like in HL2: Lost Coast), and assume you played once through with it off, and then again with it on, you'd get closer to 8-12 hours of gameplay, and the lower end is if you played it on too easy a difficulty and rushed through w/o taking the time to explore and listen to the character dialog. If you do all this, it'll come out to around $2.22/hour at least.
Anyways I'm loving the new episode! Outside of the storyline, they explore a lot of new meathods of gameplay (which were possible but never touched-on during HL2) and lots of new environments. I say it's very much worth the $20.
And, I freakin' love D0g! I wish they would make a D0g plush or robot toy or something. I bought the poster. Haha. He's so cool.
http://www.firingsquad.com/features/hl2_episode_1_interview/
I forgot to mention before that the choriography they've done for the characters really blows me away- even in comparison to HL2.
The game still looks quite good, however, and features full HDR for some nice lighting effects. The facial animation is still top-notch, the voice acting is great, and the art style is gritty and detailed. Alex is with you almost the entire way, and she's typically more of a help than a hindrance, which is a refreshing change. The rebel squads in HL2 tended to get bunched up in hallways, making it difficult to quickly and tactically respond to a threat, so it's nice to just deal with one capable individual. And she's not invincible. There was one section where I had to do a lot of running around, and I left it to her to deal with some problems while I did my thing. Unfortunately, she died, and game doesn't let you progress when that happens. I was more conscientious of her situation from that point on, but there's only so much I can do when I don't get an indication of how much health she has, or if her health regenerates after being out of combat for X amount of time. I'll take her over an invincible ally, though, or over a slew of constantly restocked but faceless buddies.
Finnished this is just over three hours - hard setting, do not play on anything less.
Will not include spoilers
Impressions
- A little too much "walking doing nothing" but then the scenery is impressive, just showed how much space was available
- The dark areas with very little ammo are very challenging, have heard people saying "dark like doom" but I did not get that impression, I found this much more challenging than dooms - "walking into room, lights go out, turn and shoot demnon that appears behind, turn and shoot demon in front, move forward" - the dark areas in HL2 where very free form and those freaky fast zombies charging at you out of the dark...shudder
- Graphics and models are superb, as well as HDR (I have a GeForce 7800)
- The long scenes of the landscape and the citadel where very impressive
- Puzzles not hard but not overly simple, good balance
- due to reduced ammo supply in many areas I tended to be more selective with my weapons than just play through with one weapon, this made this game very enjoyable for me. I also used the grav gun as a weapon WAY more in this than in HL2, I really enjoyed that as well.
- Was interesting having Alyx as a side kick, her AI was not too annoying, only a few times did she get in my way and I am guilty of blasting things in her area knowing she can take the damage.
- wish there was more dog - he is SO cool, but the game balance would just be screwed with him, he's pretty uber.
- Story line, loved it - give me more
- the trailer for episode 2 at the end is damn excellent
Going to play through now with the commentary on - it's that fascinating