In this review, we get stomping on those grubs in the PC/Steam game Half-Life 2: Episode Two. We find out how well this FPS game plays.
This game was released in 2007 and would be the last episode released for the second game in the era. This game was also the subject of a first impression video as well.
We have a pretty solid amount of knowledge of this series. We first tried Half-Life for the PC. That game wound up being OK, but nothing huge. Next up, we tried Half-Life 2 for the PC. That game ended up earning a great score. We then dove deeper into the expansions by first playing Half-Life 2: Lost Coast. That game was decent enough, though quite short. Then, we played Half-Life 2: Episode One. That game got a solid score. So, we wrap things up with Episode Two.
The story continues on where you left off last. You had just finished escaping City 17. The train you are on suddenly derails as it passes over a bridge. Next thing you know, you are in one of the cars as it sits precariously on the edge of the gap in the bridge. You climb down and eventually see Alyx. She finds the gravity gun and pulls the door open for you. Happy to find you alive, you venture with her towards the white forest.
Nothing has really changed with the weapons you have access to. Although you lost all of your weapons and ammo at the beginning, you’ll eventually come across the vairious weapons you are initially mysteriously missing.
As you move along, you’ll find antlion grubs. Squishing them will reveal a little yellow pellet. This can restore small amounts of health.
Another difference in this game is the fact that there are a few new enemies you can encounter. One new enemy is the acid antlion which shoots acid at you. while there is a delay most of the time, getting hit will cost you a fair amount of health. Meanwhile, the Combine also now have what are known as Hunter units. They fire explosive darts at you. Even if they miss, they can still cause damage if you are near one of those darts.
You’ll find yourself traversing a few different environments. This includes forest areas, mines, and even a small village at one point. Still, you will be able to drive a car at one point, so even though you have quite a bit of distance to cover, you’ll be able to cover that ground quickly in most areas. You’ll even get two new radars in this game that will help you along the way, though this isn’t until later on in the game.
One thing that I did notice about the game is the length. It took me all of two days to complete. It’s not short enough for me to really complain, but some certainly found this to be annoying. To me, it borders on being too short, but that’s about it.
There is an assortment of puzzles as well. This, along with the car sequence, really did help offer some variety as I went along.
The problem for me is that this game really does little to break new ground. There isn’t really anything amazingly new in the way of an arsenal and until you get to the end of the game, there isn’t much in the way of groundbreaking new features. Just a few minor additions here and there. I personally would have liked to have seen more to help keep the game fresh. If you like the game the way it is, the formula doesn’t necessarily change a whole lot.
Generally speaking, this expansion does offer more of that Half-Life 2 feel. If you were hoping for something impressive that sets itself from the rest, you better hope you were after environment. Otherwise, there isn’t really a whole lot here. The length is a bit on the short side and there isn’t necessarily an amazing amount here that is breakthrough innovative necessarily. Still, it’s an expansion that will probably satisfy the big fans of the series.
Graphically, the game does manage to keep the trend of great graphics going. The environments are quite impressive and the level of detail is certainly there to warrant praise. There’s the reflective rock surfaces, the water effects, and a whole bunch of other special effects and animation sequences that helps push this game to being a frontrunner in the graphics realm. I personally can’t really find much to complain about here.
Audio, meanwhile, is pretty decent. The effects of the guns and various Foley does give this game good atmosphere. The splashes of music here and there also works to add a little life to this game as well. The voice acting is also gets a positive review from me. So, this game gets a thumbs up from me on that front.
Overall, if you are hoping for simply more Half-Life 2, this expansion works quite nicely and fits the bill. It’s a bit on the short side, though nothing too dramatic. It would have been nice to see something new and refreshing in terms of features to help keep the series, well fresh. Still, it’s a pretty solid package of a game. The graphics are great and the sound is quite decent. So, an overall very solid game that is worth playing.
Overall
Furthest point in game: Beat the game.
General gameplay: 21/25
Replay value: 7/10
Graphics: 8/10
Audio: 3/5
Overall rating: 78%
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
