Half Life 2: Episode 1, page 1

Got the game awhile ago, and with my PC I can run the graphics pretty high so it looks decent, but where to begin...

First, the commentary option. You can choose to have the commentary bubbles, like those in Lost Coast, on. You will hear the creators talk about whatever, and learn more about the game. You will hear how ideas were formed, how they did several effects, and mostly how they changed things because of response from the people who tested the game. There are some great ones, my favorite being how they came up with the idea to get you across the Gorge. It started out as a joke at a meeting, but then they thought hey, that would work, look cool, and be exciting.

Second, the graphics again blow Far Cry, Doom 3, Quake 4 so forth out of the water. The Gravity Gun by far is the coolest, again, with what it can do. So much fun to play around with things.

Third, Alyx Vance is with you most of the way. This brings on team work early in the game when all you have is the Gravity Gun and some touching moments since youa re alone so much. The underground garage scenes are great to, and when she makes the Zombine joke, fun stuff.

Fourth, it is short, as it is episode 1 of 3, but costs less then a full game, so cheap enough to buy and not have half your gas money for the week taken.

Fifth, once you play throught with, or without the commentary, you can go back and do the other option. I chose to go through without so I wouldn't miss anything said by Alyx and others, but going through again hear and see the things that you normally wouldn't. There was only one part that made me mad, that took me more then twenty minutes to get past, and that was because the game cheated.(So I think) but the game, over all WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!

Half Life 2: Episode 1

Graphics 10:10
Game Play 9.2:10
Replay ability: 10:10 the first time you play through again with/without commentary, whichever you did first, and 7.5:10 after
Originality 8:10
Addictivness 14:10

[edit on 11-7-2006 by Johnny Ohm]