As your average gamer, I have a shameful backlog of games I need to play.  In a desperate attempt to both polish off some of these games and write reviews, I combine the two and write reviews several months or years after the games come out.  It's intended less as review for the consumer and more for the casual reader.  Today I review the Half Life 2 saga so far - the first of many PC reviews to come.  Enjoy!

As a life-long console gamer who never had the resources to own a PC, building a desktop for the first time a month ago was a pretty big deal to me.  I now had a fast (and I mean fast) computer which could not only boot in a few seconds, but I could also play games that I hadn't been able to run for years - beyond StarCraft and Half Life, computers I owned were strictly NOT for gaming.

My library of options opened up ten-fold, and I put my console fix on hiatus as I started to polish off a severe backlog of old (and new) PC games.

So what better way to start than with the Orange Box?  Half-Life 2 is often heralded as the greatest PC game of this generation, and with "Episodes" 1 and 2 bundled in, it was a perfect buy.

Part of me was worried that the nearly 5-year old HL2 would have aged poorly - the series has a characteristically linear nature and doesn't sport modern FPS standards such as auto-regenerating shields and limited inventory (outside of ammo restrictions).  A few hours in, these fears subsided.  Half Life 2 remains a staggeringly relevant game that should not only have set standards 5 years ago, but could still teach a thing or two to game developers today.

A realistical physics engine bolstered by impressive graphics (even by today's standards), tremendous variety and unparalleled scripting makes HL2 an FPS worth playing, even though it's own scripting gets the best of it sometimes.

In many ways, HL2 is a throwback to the old mechanics of an FPS.  Halo fans might find themself a bit dizzied here - there's no regenerating shields, no limited weapon inventory, and there certainly isn't a lot of sandbox areas.  No, instead HL2 is a homage back to N64 and earlier shooters and, of course, the original Half Life.

The impactful narrative style of Half Life also returns in HL2 -- you star as Gordon Freeman, a physicist who summarily finds himself against the odds in precarious scenarios thanks to somebody known simply as the G-Man.  Those looking for answers or closure won't find it here -- at least not in the first two episodes.

The G-Man (and the HL2 story in general) is just as odd and mysterious as before, except now Gordon finds himself meeting more memorable people along the way and forging a story of his own within the universe.

And indeed, the characters of HL2 are truly what make the game's story so enjoyable - each character is as relatable and believable as your own friends and family.  Animations are done so well it's almost hard to believe you're only watching a videogame sometimes -- characters eyes lead their movements, in-game friend Alex will say what you're thinking ("I hate these things!"), and you'll genuinely care about those around you.

The story drags a bit - especially through the main game and Episode 1.  It was clear that Valve felt the need to move the story along in Episode 2 - more significant events take place, and the developers make it apparent to you how much you really do care about the characters in the game.

As with the original Half-Life, this is done through extremely heavy scripting.  All "cutscenes" in the game take place in game, through your first person view.  For all intents and purposes, however, the entire game feels like one carefully contrived cutscene.

Scripting is a way of life for Valve here - absolutely everything, from falling debris to enemy ambushes - is constructed so it appears at precise times and makes you feel a true sense of immersion.  Modern FPS philosophy lies in stark contrast to this method, where the player is typically "dropped" into a universe, and his or her actions will dictate what happens next.  Both have their advantages, but when scripting is done this well, it's hard to argue against it.

At times you do feel helpless, as though your actions are trite against the narrative hunger of some greater being, but usually the result is one of riding a great roller coaster -- you know you didn't do much to move the ride along, but you still had a damn fun time.

Of course, even top-notch scripting cannot sustain a game by itself.  Valve helps keep things fresh by typically keeping locales varied and consistently introducing new gameplay ideas.  New weapons and new abilities are sprinkled in carefully to keep things varied, and very interesting gameplay scenarios are crafted to entertain the player from the opening credits all the way to Episode 2's climactic finale.

This isn't always the case, as Gordon seemingly finds himself in dark government buildings a little too often, and jumping across radiation can get old pretty quick, but for the most part things remain fresh enough to prevent boredom from setting in.

Strangely, Episode 1 does not offer up as much variety -- especially in comparison to its two HL2 counterparts, it is mostly a bland adventure that recycles much of its gameplay from HL2.  It's still fun, because the core mechanics are still there and are still very solid, but it's likely that Valve underestimated how old their scripting can get when nothing new is introduced.

Scripting also manages to manifest in the way of vehicles in HL2, which helps to break up the tedium (right?) of traversing quiet locales and killing strange creatures or guys in hazmat suits.  It can be hit or miss though - Valve clearly had a harder time holding the players hand in these sections of the game, probably due to lowered reaction time required by the player.

If you go through these sections as intended, they can be a blast.  If, however, you miss a ramp or run into a wall, it severely hampers the intended cresendo of these vehicle segments.  With practice, the vehicles become second nature, but there is almost a guaranteed amount of frustration that will accompany the typical excitement.

Other FPS staples are here as well; a very solid AI makes battles surprisingly interesting and (ironically) unscripted.  On several occasions the AI would "outsmart" me by moving when I didn't expect them to, or by sneaking up behind me.  Soldiers who break into a room will actually have to look for you first.  It's remarkable that 5-year old AI can be so good, and other games can still sport such frustratingly dumb opponents.

Don't be fooled by the AI though.  Half Life 2 is a game that would be best touted as an "experience" than a true video game, and it knows it.  The enemies are there for you to shoot with whatever gun you see fit, but everything else is at the disposal of the game.

It's a game that is ultimately stuck between being a really good movie and a really good videogame, but fortunately for the gamer, the two can mesh surprisingly well.  Solid FPS mechanics, incredible scripting and undeniable longevity make this a game worth having, even five years down the road and likely five more.  If you're a console junkie who hasn't given this PC game a second thought (or if you own a 360), it's time to get around to it.

It may be the best rollercoaster you'll ever take.

9.0/10