Half-life 2

There are two kinds of masterpieces in gaming. The first kind are games that innovate, providing an experience completely new and unique that will be copied for years to come. The second kind utilise existing ideas, then polish them so finely that we feel like we're playing something new, but we have the comfort of the familiar. Half-life 2 is the second kind of masterpiece. Valve have built the game around simple, solid shooter mechanics, but have designed the world and characters so cleverly that they feel real and important. We feel part of the world, partly because at no point do we leave Gordon Freeman's perspective, but also because the levels necessitate a high level of interaction; Half-life 2 is so much more than the loose selection of shoot-outs you'll find in modern military shooters. Most importantly, we as players are not spoon-fed unimportant information about the details of the setting: things are as they are, though the information is there for those who look for it.

The second chapter in Gordon Freeman's story is set an indeterminate amount of time after the events at Black Mesa, in Half-life, which are important but not vital. The adventure begins in the train station of City 17, an unknown European city. The world is different: the population live under the oppressive rule of the Combine, a multidimensional empire. There's an underground movement to fight the Combine rule, and Gordon must join this band of rebels to liberate humanity.

Endless jokes have been made about the opening gameplay sections of Half-life 2. “Gordon, you're the saviour of humanity. Here, have a crowbar,” for example. However, it's not long before you pick up the pistol, your basic weapon, followed by a sub machine gun, and the action starts in earnest. The game takes it's time in presenting the gamer with new weapons. Whereas in many games you'll have practically your full arsenal fairly early on, in Half-life 2 you find the final weapon nearly ten hours in. Valve demonstrate a huge amount of confidence in their level design: we don't need the more interesting guns to keep us entertained, because the levels themselves are so thrilling. Consider the early escape from City 17, across rooftops and through sewers and canals. The excitement is in no way reduced because the bigger guns aren't available.

There are also many sections that involve careful thought to proceed. Half-life 2 isn't just a game about shooting, you must also work your way around complex and often dangerous environments. The best example places you on an enormous, decrepit bridge, high above a lake. You must find your way across several precarious gaps in the structure, judging whether or not you can make jumps and find safe walkways. And defending yourself from enemy gunships, of course.

The world of Half-life 2, predominantly set in and around City 17, is wonderfully brought to life. The game is simultaneously familiar and alien. The visual style is realistic: the architecture of City 17 could comfortably exist today. However, small details contradict this recognition: the imposition of the Citadel on the skyline, for example; areas of dilapidation; all the people wearing the same grey clothes; the gas-mask style white helmets of the Combine soldiers.

The shooting mechanics in Half-life 2 are fairly standard. Players used to modern shooters might miss the iron-sight, or the added challenge of being limited to two guns, but Half-life 2's strength is in it's level design, not it's shoot-outs. There are two aspects of the gameplay that distinguish Half-life 2 from other shooters: the vehicles and physics. You'll get to drive two vehicles during the game, both of which handle very differently and break up the gameplay nicely. Across the vehicle sections there are numerous exciting encounters, particularly involving Combine gunships.

The game's biggest point of innovation was, and still is, the complex physics and, more importantly, how they're incorporated into the gameplay. The Gravity Gun can be used to pick up objects, move them around and even fire them at enemies, causing damage. You will frequently need to move objects around to solve puzzles, bearing in mind their weight or buoyancy, as many puzzles involve water or balance. These are the kinds of gameplay elements that simply aren't seen in first-person shooters any more.

In 2004, Half-life 2 looked the business. Even today, it still looks very good. Fine detail and advanced lighting might be absent, but there's more than enough here to bring each character to life. Complex and realistic animations, in terms of bodies and faces, have turned characters such as Alyx Vance into fan favourites. These characters are far easier to empathise with as a result. The fact that the camera never leaves Gordon's perspective only implicates us into the world even more, making us feel a part of it and, consequently, even closer to the characters. If the story can be a little generic in places, it's the characters that anchor it and make it unique.

If there's a major issue with Half-life 2, and the Half-life series in general, it's the G-Man. Fans of the original will know him as a Man in Black type of character, who has the power of inter-dimensional travel and who has taken an interest in the fate of Gordon Freeman. It's the G-Man who sends him to City 17 in the first place: his murky motives and deus ex machina utilisation will frustrate as many players as they fascinate.

This is barely a footnote of a complaint when compared with the rest of the game, however. Half-life 2 is staggeringly epic, yet incredibly personal. The storyline deals with an important few, deeply human, characters, as well as the fate of all of humanity. The impeccable pacing across 15+ hours of gameplay is riveting: exiting the game for things such as food will seem like a difficult task. Shooters, unfortunately, just aren't made like this any more. If you haven't played Half-life 2, then it's a must play game; an example of just how good video games can be.

Written by Tom Dann

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