Half-Life 2 to Windows

In projects that are released today, and even those that were released in the early 2010s, object physics is commonplace. But back then, Valve revolutionized things with a sequel to one of its most successful games. Objects reacted to hits and shots, had weight - spatial physics puzzles were even added to demonstrate.

At the same time the main gameplay aspect was not lost in quality - even now Half-Life 2 feels like a great shooter, moderately complex, dynamic and diverse, despite the corridor. The developers adopted a number of successful solutions, thanks to which each episode is very different from the previous and the next - this contributed to the elaboration of the locations, a variety of enemies, diluting action puzzles and non-trivial tasks.

The advantages of the game:

• An elaborate universe. The world of Half-Life is very well thought out and described, and if in the first part the technical aspect did not allow to show it in the proper way, in the sequel new details are revealed in each episode.
• A massive plot. Half-Life 2 was conceived as part of a series that would show the resistance fighting an almost invincible enemy. Quality work on the script allowed the story to combine global objectives with more chamber episodes in excellent proportion.
• The physics model. Now, object and enemy physics are in almost every game, but the execution of such a model in Half-Life 2 is still noteworthy even 16 years after release.
• Unique approach to storytelling. The thing is that in Half-Life 2 there are no cutscenes at all - all the conversations with characters take place directly in the game, on the engine. Instead of the usual roller starting at the right place the gameplay continues - the player can even move and perform any actions during the dialogue.
• Balance and gameplay variety. Despite the corridor-like nature of the game - which is the norm for shooters at the time - it almost doesn't feel like it. The main reason for this is the variety of gameplay episodes. The player has to use vehicles, swim, sneak into hard-to-reach places with knowledge of physics and look for hidden areas.

Even now the game looks great in every aspect - it is hard to call it outdated, as a well-made product ages very slowly. But even if you are used to much more beautiful and realistic shooters, you should not miss such a cult project.

The game received several addon sequels in the form of small episodes - they are the direct continuation of the story and reveal the lore and plot from the additional sides.

You should try Half-Life 2 if you:

• Have missed it at one time - the project is worth it;
• You like games with storyline based on science and science fiction;
• like tactical shooters with challange and possibility to use environment;
• prefer to play solid story-driven adventures;
• like to play with physics and projects in which the main action is diluted with puzzles, chases and peaceful episodes.

Despite the fact that Half-Life 2 was released more than 16 years ago, it still has something to surprise the player at a time when almost all genres have been "taken over" by open worlds, huge maps and lots of extra activities that make no sense for the development of the story.