disappointing

expected

I pilfered Halo from my friend's roommate two days ago, and I'm already pretty bored with the game. Even online.

Just an observation. I was unimpressed (for computer, of c ourse, but it's the same game (with, I think, improvements, actually)).

Oh, so I must have Halo 2! Never mind I have absolutely no use for it because I neither like the genre nor have the system, I must have it! Oh, and GTA! Yeah, it's a game with gameplay that doesn't amuse for more than five minutes but I must have it! And of course Half-Life 2, yet another generic run-and-gun FPS! Well, okay, so I have that already.

"Must buy" is a stupid descriptor. And I'm not planning on buying any of those games soon (well, except for HL2 which I already have but that doesn't really count because I had it before the "holiday season").

Is Half-life 2 any good? Because I've heard it is, and it looks good, but I haven't had any reliable feedback on it.

It's a run-off-the-mill straight up FPS. While there are talks about a better than average storyline people said the same about HL1 and I haven't seen much of a storyline in there. The only real difference to other FPSes is that they put "physics puzzles" in there which means you have to use the weight of objects to tilt a teeter-totter. And of course crate stacking. Oh, and it almost seems to have more levels where you drive a vehice than ones where you're on foot. With the obligatory regular bit on foot to get the vehicle further that has been in FPSes since HL1 or at least Gunman. A positive thing is that the number of small enemies with melee attacks is kept relatively low but it has small melee thingies that reduce you to 1 health when they hit you.
Some say HL2 is the best game ever or something like that but I don't think it's more than an FPS and it's definitely not as original/interesting as Metroid Prime.

Half-Life 2 is hardly run of the mill. It was an experience.

Ah, yes, that mysterious term. People say Halo was an experience. People say Half-Life was an experience. Some even say that about Doom 3. You know, sometimes I get the feeling "experience" means "average game that we expected so much from that we have to make up a reason to love it".

I wouldn't call halo an experience. The first two levels were a great time. It was downhill from there. Doom III was creepy as hell, and I'm still not sure why I never finished it. Half-life 2, I just loved. As did many people.

Have you even played the game? Looks like you're just hating on it because so many other people have enjoyed it.

Halo's first two levels of the game were the best? That's funny, because after finally getting my hands on a PC version I was completely and utterly tired of it and I never finished the second level.

Now there's actually SUBSTANCE to my Halo insults
that seems to happen with wildy popular games like that. I couldn't stand Vice City.....which actually taught me a valuable lesson. When you research a game, the score reviewers give means nothing. But we all knew that, right?

Oh yeah, very predictable.

Have you even played the game? Looks like you're just hating on it because so many other people have enjoyed it.

'course. Whats the point of buying it when you don't play it? Should've gone with my initial plan of waiting until the mods are out before I buy it but people talked about it like it was the best game ever and I wanted to see what made it great. I'd rate it 80%, "solid game that doesn't bring anything new to the table", same as Doom 3.
I don't get why people call Doom 3 creepy, it's about as creepy as Quake. Well, it pretty much IS Quake with more linear levels.

Geez people, one persons opinion of a game doesn't make it bad or good.

There is no accounting for taste, dig?

Same with me, knowsnothing. I never beat the second level.

Usually I agree with KDR, but in this case I will make an exception. Half life 2 isn't your run of the mill RTS. There I said it. But, it isn't more then one by much.

I got the game, not because I was super stoked about it, but because I was curious. I wanted to see what the hype was all about. (Same thing with Halo 2, but I never actually did go buy an Xbox for it). I played the original Half Life, yes, but to a point. There was a point in the original *spoiler* that all your gear gets jacked. I was very put off by this, and quit. That was all I knew, and that was years ago.

What Half Life 2 has going for it, is that it doesn't spell anything out. It is the "experience". The plot, even after you beat it, is never fully finished. By playing through the eyes of Gordon Freeman, you learn everything he learns, and likewise. Anything you do, he does. It's an interesting twist, that is able to keep you in suspense longer then if you weren't inside his head.

Contrary to what KDR says though, there are 2 driving missions. I won't ruin the total number of missions for those still playing/wanting to play, but there are more then 5 times that number of regular type run and gun missions.

The gameplay in and of itself can sometimes be a bit shallow. Possibly it was the difficulty I was on, not requiring more, but I really only ever used 2 guns. (shotgun and magnum)

The characters they talk about, and the water to go with it, are both top notch. Best faces ever, and best water yet. Period. End of sentence.

Basically, if you would like to be wowed, perplexed, and definatly confused, play and beat the game. If you want a deep actioneer, look to Prime 2. It's that simple. Oh, but did I mention it's fun? That needs to be said somewhere. The last mission especially.

Now if you will excuse me, and hopefully forgive me for such a wandering post, I must go.