λ²
Okay, so it's been a week since I completed Valve's Half-Life 2. I thought I'd be able to just put it down after that and shift my focus onto something else. And yet, everyday for the past week, I found myself going back to the game and replaying bits and pieces of it here and there.
It's not like it's the be all and end all of games, though it's not like there's much else that's able to set the bar so high.
I mean, the levels are linear for the most part and not really opened in quite the same way that GTA is, for example. And like most FPS games, the enemies you shoot at are the pretty standard fare of aliens/demons/zombies/Nazi-esque soldiers. Y'know, the kind of enemy that has no redeeming characteristics and exist largely so you can blow them away.
Having said that though, there are a ridiculous amount of things that are right with this game, as evident of keeping me focused well beyond my usual attention span limits.
Most importantly, you really have to appreicate the length that they've gone to to make you feel like you're in on every part of the action. Apart from maybe Deus Ex, I don't think ANY other games has this sort of level of immersion. There are no cinematics in the game, and you're able to interact with most things during scripted events. Apart from a few moments when the game has to pause to load the next section, moving to and from places is really quite seamless. I know this may sound like it should be standard, but going from outside into a building, walking up the stairs and then looking out the window back down at the street you were just at really adds a lot the illusion of being a part of the world. Normally, there would be a load screen in other games when you step into a building, and even with that, if you want to look back, the door behind you has usually closed or the windows are all tinted or something else would prevent you from looking outside once you're inside, and vice versa.
I suppose the only other occasion where there's that seamless blend from indoor and outdoor can be experienced is in deathmatch FPS games, simply because the nature of them require that kind of structure. Thing is, in those situations, the maps are generally really small or the number of indoor hiding places are really limited.
Speaking of inside and outside, it's really nice how there's such a variation between cramped buildings and alleyways to wide open areas like coastal roads and rivers. It's probably a subtle thing, but you really don't feel like you're being confined to one sort of setting which, again, adds to the feeling of being in a world and not just in a level.
It's nice to have the difference between day and night as well, although I do have a little complaint in that a lot of the places are very dark. Even if it's meant to be day light, any sort of shadow that gets cast almost guarantees that you'll need to bust out your flash light. At least the folks who made this game were thoughtful enough to allow you to duct tape your torch to your gun, unlike in some other games. *cough*Doom3*cough*
But while I'm on the topic, I must say that those zombies really do give me the jibblies, especially those in the survival-horror-esque Ravenholm section. You'd think that after playing though other horror games like the aforementioned Doom 3 or Resident Evil 4, you could expect to get a little desensitised to that kind of stuff. I dunno, I think there's something about a shambling bloody mess slowly creeping towards you that I'll always find a little unnerving.
Although, I have been messing around a bit and going through Ravenholm again with an ammo cheat and generally playing hey-you-catch-my-grenade with said zombies. It's almost amusing to make them set new long jump records in the process, too.
One thing I will say though is that at least Valve were thoughtful enough to provide you with a number allies during the game, particularly during some of the zombie areas. So, at least you didn't feel helpless during desperate times.
On the topic of allies, the NPCs in this game are really top notch. From facial animations to body language to spoken dialogue, a lot about them makes it seem as though they're living breathing people and not just other stupid, souless bot to be used as canon fodder.
I've been watching playing through some of the scripted moments again just so that I can focus my attention on something else during the action. You really appreciate the level of detail that they put into those moments when you notice all the little nuances in the characters' gestures - some will shoot you a glance when your name comes up in conversation, some will smile at you when asking for something of you - that kind of thing.
And you really have to go out of your way of looking for these things too. The guys who made that stuff really have a way of directing your attention as things happen much like how a stage magician can make you focus on certain things and make you overlook other things. So, unless you know the script, chances are you're going to be looking exactly where they want you to be looking.
The end result is that I've begun to notice a lot of otherwise minor things during the major moments of the game. For example, during the civil revolt when you're at the train station for the second time, there's a clock on the exterior of the building. However, the first time you step out of the station at the start of the game, the clock is no where to be seen. At least, that's how it is on the PC version that I've been playing.
Anyway, I could go on, but to cut a long story short, there are many reasons why I think this game is hot, and it's not just because you start off on a train at the beginning. Although I do like my trains, make no mistake about it.
So now I'm really tempted to go get Episodes 1 and 2. Even though I've pretty much seen all the important bits on YouTube, it's definitely one of those things that is going to have to be experienced. Maybe I'll wait until Episode 3, and then get them all at once.
"In the mean time, this is where I get off."
On a completely different note though, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asx4jz0KgI
It's not like it's the be all and end all of games, though it's not like there's much else that's able to set the bar so high.
I mean, the levels are linear for the most part and not really opened in quite the same way that GTA is, for example. And like most FPS games, the enemies you shoot at are the pretty standard fare of aliens/demons/zombies/Nazi-esque soldiers. Y'know, the kind of enemy that has no redeeming characteristics and exist largely so you can blow them away.
Having said that though, there are a ridiculous amount of things that are right with this game, as evident of keeping me focused well beyond my usual attention span limits.
Most importantly, you really have to appreicate the length that they've gone to to make you feel like you're in on every part of the action. Apart from maybe Deus Ex, I don't think ANY other games has this sort of level of immersion. There are no cinematics in the game, and you're able to interact with most things during scripted events. Apart from a few moments when the game has to pause to load the next section, moving to and from places is really quite seamless. I know this may sound like it should be standard, but going from outside into a building, walking up the stairs and then looking out the window back down at the street you were just at really adds a lot the illusion of being a part of the world. Normally, there would be a load screen in other games when you step into a building, and even with that, if you want to look back, the door behind you has usually closed or the windows are all tinted or something else would prevent you from looking outside once you're inside, and vice versa.
I suppose the only other occasion where there's that seamless blend from indoor and outdoor can be experienced is in deathmatch FPS games, simply because the nature of them require that kind of structure. Thing is, in those situations, the maps are generally really small or the number of indoor hiding places are really limited.
Speaking of inside and outside, it's really nice how there's such a variation between cramped buildings and alleyways to wide open areas like coastal roads and rivers. It's probably a subtle thing, but you really don't feel like you're being confined to one sort of setting which, again, adds to the feeling of being in a world and not just in a level.
It's nice to have the difference between day and night as well, although I do have a little complaint in that a lot of the places are very dark. Even if it's meant to be day light, any sort of shadow that gets cast almost guarantees that you'll need to bust out your flash light. At least the folks who made this game were thoughtful enough to allow you to duct tape your torch to your gun, unlike in some other games. *cough*Doom3*cough*
But while I'm on the topic, I must say that those zombies really do give me the jibblies, especially those in the survival-horror-esque Ravenholm section. You'd think that after playing though other horror games like the aforementioned Doom 3 or Resident Evil 4, you could expect to get a little desensitised to that kind of stuff. I dunno, I think there's something about a shambling bloody mess slowly creeping towards you that I'll always find a little unnerving.
Although, I have been messing around a bit and going through Ravenholm again with an ammo cheat and generally playing hey-you-catch-my-grenade with said zombies. It's almost amusing to make them set new long jump records in the process, too.
One thing I will say though is that at least Valve were thoughtful enough to provide you with a number allies during the game, particularly during some of the zombie areas. So, at least you didn't feel helpless during desperate times.
On the topic of allies, the NPCs in this game are really top notch. From facial animations to body language to spoken dialogue, a lot about them makes it seem as though they're living breathing people and not just other stupid, souless bot to be used as canon fodder.
I've been watching playing through some of the scripted moments again just so that I can focus my attention on something else during the action. You really appreciate the level of detail that they put into those moments when you notice all the little nuances in the characters' gestures - some will shoot you a glance when your name comes up in conversation, some will smile at you when asking for something of you - that kind of thing.
And you really have to go out of your way of looking for these things too. The guys who made that stuff really have a way of directing your attention as things happen much like how a stage magician can make you focus on certain things and make you overlook other things. So, unless you know the script, chances are you're going to be looking exactly where they want you to be looking.
The end result is that I've begun to notice a lot of otherwise minor things during the major moments of the game. For example, during the civil revolt when you're at the train station for the second time, there's a clock on the exterior of the building. However, the first time you step out of the station at the start of the game, the clock is no where to be seen. At least, that's how it is on the PC version that I've been playing.
Anyway, I could go on, but to cut a long story short, there are many reasons why I think this game is hot, and it's not just because you start off on a train at the beginning. Although I do like my trains, make no mistake about it.
So now I'm really tempted to go get Episodes 1 and 2. Even though I've pretty much seen all the important bits on YouTube, it's definitely one of those things that is going to have to be experienced. Maybe I'll wait until Episode 3, and then get them all at once.
"In the mean time, this is where I get off."
On a completely different note though, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asx4jz0KgI