Smart First Person Shooter
Half-Life 2 is a real treat! It came out at a time before cover-based shooting became the norm. It was a smart person's game. Running and gunning will just get you killed in this first-person shooter. Half-Life 2 has a collection of weapons instead of the later standard two. Health and armor are numerical and do not naturally regenerate. You have to find health packs and energy packs, just like the better games of the era. One of the signature features of HL2 is the physics. Using the environment will be necessary to success. The gravity gun is one of the most interesting additions to first person shooters in a decade. The sequel builds upon the story and relationships established in the first game, although Gordon was never really very talkative. The random scientists you met in the first game get names, families, and histories. You don't miss much by not having played the first game, but that depends on how much you value nostalgia. It's won Game of the Year as seen by this Game of the Year edition. If you want something challenging, play HL2. If you don't like to use your brain, go play Medal of Honor, or Call of Duty.
