The Orange Box

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TBert
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The Orange Box

Post by TBert » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:43 pm

I don't know if any of you are first-person-shooter enthusiasts, but I have to share my recent experience with Valve's latest releases. They'll probably sound like commercials, but I'm an avid fan of most of Valve's creations, so... you'll be alright.

If you've never played any of the Half-life series, you probably don't care, but if any of you have... you need to get The Orange Box. Team Fortress 2 is an awesome remake of TFC, with a cool retro graphic feel and simplified gameplay that lets you focus on the action. Portal is a short but mind-bending game involving a gun that lets you create portals from A to B and back, and the ending is far from anything you'd expect. And HL2 Episode 2... had more emotional highs and lows than HL2 and Episode 1 combined.

If this sounds really really interesting to anybody, I have 1 free gift of HL2 and HL2:EP1 left to give somebody, since they came with The Orange Box and I already owned them.

Has anybody else played/completed any of these games? I'd be interested to discuss some of the story and your favorite parts, if so.

On an overall note... it's rather sad that I can't find anybody I know that plays a computer game... other than WoW. I've asked around and most people don't even know what Valve is (the company that started out with Half-Life, then grew huge with the advent of Counter-Strike).
pro libertate eos occubuisse - "they died for liberty"

Clan Head - Valn Ohtar

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23-year-old father of 3 - really needs a beer

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Post by Tinker » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:04 pm

I'm not a rabid fan, but I've played the original Half-Life, Opposing Forces, and HL2. I really enjoyed some of the sequences in HL2 but I think OpFor wins for me when it comes to fun.

I don't play online shooters due to my overwhelming suckitude, but I do enjoy the single player versions. I'm currently working my way (slowly) through BioShock, which is every bit as good a shooter as everybody says it is, though it is, still, just a shooter and not a revolution in gaming.
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Post by Mullog » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:12 pm

I tried the demo of Bioshock and I didn't like it. A real disappointment if you ask me.

But Half-Life is a great series! I'm not sure which I liked best. HL1 or HL2 but they were both wonderful.

I think my favourite part in HL1 is when you meet the huge tentacle monster with the claw. The one you must lob grenades at. The sound of that claw was horrifying and the scene with that scientist (or policeman) that gets eaten is incredible!

The best part of HL2 must be the one where you drive the ... mudcraft (?) while being followed by the helicopter. It's so intense!

Hmm... Maybe I should reinstall HL2... :)

I never tried episode 1 or 2, maybe I should try them.
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Post by Lardmaster » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:43 pm

Half life 2 is the best game I have ever played and I am more of a strategy gamer so that says a lot. And I have played a looooot of games :)

Mullog, Bioshock is pretty awesome to be jhonest but not quite as good as the ravers make out. Easily worth buying though IMO. The entire game is worth it just for the whole episode with the mad artist.

The only down side to the whole vavle thing is that Steam sucks big style.
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Post by TBert » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:17 pm

I have trouble replaying HL now that I've played HL2, I tried just last week after re-beating HL2 in preparation for Episode 2's release, and I just couldn't do it. I beat it twice when it first came out, I think that's good enough for me. I think I also got about halfway through Blue Shift, and never really gave OpFor a try, though I got it in a giant game pack I bought in 2002. The vast majority of my Valve time has been CS:Source, TFC, HL2, and now TF2 (I'm a KILLER Engineer).

The one problem with the Episodes is that they cost I believe $20 or $30 (though if you buy the Orange Box you can get HL2 + Ep1 + Ep2 for $50) and they only add about 5 hours of gameplay, as opposed to HL2's 15-20 hours (I get every single box and clear every single random house :twisted: ) But Valve has said that Episodes 1-3 are essentially HL3, so if you're not a huge fan or don't like dealing with 2 more cliffhangers (and the one at the end of Ep1 is a doozy) you can just wait for Episode 3, which'll be another year or so since Ep2 came out just this week.

As far as favorite moments, my favorite HL2 chapter is a tie between Water Hazard (the boat chase) and 'We Don't Go to Ravenholm.' I love HL2 for it's capacity to keep me on edge better than Doom 3 while maintaining a much better story and characters.

Episode 1 is just as good as HL2, but I haven't replayed it recently because there's a scenario in there involving a slow-moving elevator, a pitch-dark basement with a few flares scattered around, and hordes of zombies. I've done that scene at least 20 times, and I've survived it twice, and it's enough to leave that game out of my replay list. Don't let that discourage you, it's a huge adrenaline rush, I just... can't handle it any more.

Episode 2 is awesome because you have a Vortigaunt companion for a good chunk of the game and their abilities make negotiating a giant ant lion nest much less dangerous, though still nerve-wracking. The best part of the whole game was the end battle, involving at least 15 striders, probably 30 hunters (new enemy, you'll be introduced to them early - and dramatically) and about 20 human defenders. Oh, and Gordon Freeman, of course expected to be the hero and save the day.

If any of you guys are into multiplayer shooters, give TF2 a try. I might be on, or you can add 'TBert' to your steam friends list and let me know when you'll be playing and we can blow things up together.

Mullog, if you're interested, let me know your steam account name and I can gift you Episode 1. If anyone else has never played HL2 and thinks they might be interested, I can gift you HL2 also.
pro libertate eos occubuisse - "they died for liberty"

Clan Head - Valn Ohtar

SGT - US Army

23-year-old father of 3 - really needs a beer

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Post by TBert » Sat Oct 13, 2007 6:37 pm

Mullog is set up with his Episode 1 gift. It was actually staggeringly easy to send it to him, once he was on my friends list it took 2 clicks and he got a big popup window for it.

Anyone interested in a gift of Half-Life 2, one of the best FPS ever made?
pro libertate eos occubuisse - "they died for liberty"

Clan Head - Valn Ohtar

SGT - US Army

23-year-old father of 3 - really needs a beer

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