unogueen Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 HL2 is basically my favourite game. It conforms with its predecessor in having a no break presentation that never infers above action, endearing itself to a core puzzle logic that was intrinsically tied to the gameplay(hello gargantua orbital blast), but on a personal note, invoking a distinct weird pulp science motif(without the sex, natch). HL2 grew in PR during development as a what would be THE showcase for physics. Earlier games like Max Payne did have realtime physics, but as window dressing largely distinct from the moment to moment gameplay. What HL2 delivered was the most cogent video game experience I've had so far. It begins with a thin palette. It's drab and mute, very boring, the aesthetic of formica. And between that is the 'technology', which seems awfully prone to prongs. From there the game begins by stacking boxes. Then you're counterbalancing a swing, and somewhere down the line you use buoys to lift an aquatic ramp to guide a fucking redneck jetski over a gate. Every puzzle in the game, especially playing with Dog, is a natural interaction with the world. There's no sliding tiles, some other fucking grid thing, arbitrary targets. The logic of this game is beyond match even today. In fact you don't even know who you're playing, but their importance seems entirely circumstantial. And that's important. The real kicker is what came from it. Dear Esther was a HL2 mod widely credited as one of most important walking sims. The first person puzzle logic would be a silent influence in future titles like The Talos Principle, The Witness, Portal lol This game has done a fuckton. But it loses points because Valve runs a store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLeon Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Man, remember when Valve made games other than DOTA? Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 32 minutes ago, TheLeon said: Man, remember when Valve made games other than DOTA? Good times. Aperture Desk Job was pretty tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 I don't think I ever got to play HL2. Never had a pc that could run it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 43 minutes ago, best3444 said: I don't think I ever got to play HL2. Never had a pc that could run it. Didn't have an Xbox 360? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodporne Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 One of those "wow, we can do that now!?" games for me. It felt way ahead of its time, that's what I remember most about it. That and that it felt like a lived-in world. Would love to revisit it. I guess PC is the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 6 minutes ago, Bloodporne said: One of those "wow, we can do that now!?" games for me. It felt way ahead of its time, that's what I remember most about it. That and that it felt like a lived-in world. Would love to revisit it. I guess PC is the way? Act now and get all valve games for under $8 Save 96% on Valve Complete Pack on Steam STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamer.tv Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 It feels wrong that The Orange Box isn’t on every device possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodporne Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 22 minutes ago, gamer.tv said: It feels wrong that The Orange Box isn’t on every device possible. I'd actually get that on PS4/PS5 instantly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 32 minutes ago, gamer.tv said: It feels wrong that The Orange Box isn’t on every device possible. 10 minutes ago, Bloodporne said: I'd actually get that on PS4/PS5 instantly The Orange Box is BC on XBoxSX and Bone The Portal games made it to switch. Dunno about Playstation. Maybe check. 🤷♀️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 One of the best pairings of gameplay sequence and soundtrack music: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 2 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said: Didn't have an Xbox 360? Yea. I wanted to play like the cool kids. It was a revolutionary game that needed the top of the line card to run it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unogueen Posted December 31, 2022 Author Share Posted December 31, 2022 37 minutes ago, best3444 said: Yea. I wanted to play like the cool kids. It was a revolutionary game that needed the top of the line card to run it properly. You've probably played Half Life 2 a dozen times over. Children of Men is a late cousin. That never fucking happens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 16 minutes ago, unogueen said: You've probably played Half Life 2 a dozen times over. Children of Men is a late cousin. That never fucking happens. I've always referred to Children of Men as "Half-Life 2: The Motion Picture". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLeon Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 8 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: I've always referred to Children of Men as "Half-Life 2: The Motion Picture". Now I’m picturing Clive Owen with the Gravity Gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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