Can someone please tell me why Half-Life 2 has such appeal?

[Dexiro]

It's very dated! For it's time it was amazing, everyone was jizzing over how amazing the graphics and physics were and it is a genuinely well made game.

What it does have is a great narrative, using subtle clues in the environment and dialogue to tell part of the story indirectly, rather than having someone say "THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING".
That seems to put a few people off though, for people that are more focused on shooting people than exploring the finer details of the environment they'll miss a great deal of information and be a little clueless about what's going on.

Other than that it just has some really solid gameplay, though it might seem a little dated to some, and the atmosphere is brilliant.

 

[ksn0va]

Garry's mod [/thread]

 

[epikAXE]

I too would like an answer to this question. I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE". I thought it was alright, but no more.

Well you just listed three valid reasons, well done.

"Its Deep," I like the story. it's a totally valid reason

"Its a thinking mans FPS" Its fun in a way some other FPS games cant match. Your thinking about shooting, keeping your character alive, but it also has an engaging story, so your thinking about the weight your character, and other character's actions hold. This is somthing that Bioshock does really well too.

"It's made by Valve" Hey i like Valve, they are good to thier fans, but your right on this one, liking a developer is not a legitimate reason for liking a game.

 

[LiquidGrape]

It's the most successful example of interactive narrative around.
Next question.

 

[Wintermoot]

a smooth flow (showing why you cant go back) its also interresting and long (in a good way)

 

[repeating integers]

In the title you ask if anyone can tell you wherein lies the appeal of Half-Life. The answer is: No. No one can ever tell you why you are to like something. If you don't like it, you aren't going to see it as being good.

I too would like an answer to this question. I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE". I thought it was alright, but no more.

Wait, what's the problem? "I've never seen anyone provide a reason that isn't a legitimate point in the game's favor." It would seem that people have told you plainly why they like the game, but you don't, so you didn't accept their answers. If you wanted to know why the game was good, you would have known by now. I'm not going to explain why I like the game, because you most likely have heard it already, but rejected it.

No, it was more like they said it was deep, but didn't explain why. I was left wondering what they meant by "deep" or "thinking man's FPS".

 

[Hawk of Battle]

Oh god this thread AGAIN?!

People liked it, for the same reason people like everything else you don't. If you didn't like it, fine, don't play it.

Jesus fuck people can we not accept that people have different interests that may not be exactly the fucking same as everyone elses??!

 

[repeating integers]

That's the thing, I actually prefer Halo to Half-Life (don't worry, I won't get out my flamethrower, it's out of petrol and rusting at the moment anyway). Largely due to the gameplay (especially the enemy AI). But I also find it feels more polished and that Bungie have put loads of effort into it, which really brings home just how subjective this all is.

I'm guessing you are really into action shooters (Halo/CoD/GoW)?

And yes, if someone likes a game or not it is absolutely subjective, some like it some don't, the end.

(This may be a double post, depending on if anybody's responded since my last one)

I don't like CoD, actually, because the gameplay isn't my thing more than anything else. It's so fast-paced, my reflexes aren't good enough. As for Gears of War, I've never tried it.

I do, however, like Bad Company 2. This is only for the multiplayer, though. The campaign was decent, but the last level was the most terribly designed, anticlimactic and arbitrary piece of shit I'd ever seen. Also, I like the Mass Effect series, and Metro 2033 is pretty cool so far.

So when it comes to shooters, I don't just like action shooters. Halo's a bit of a departure for me, come to think of it.

I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE".

Yes, you have.

I've seen you on many previous "why do people like HL2" threads. In fact, I think I've seen you on every such thread. You have seen plenty of answers that didn't consist of "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE".

You clearly didn't agree with those answers, but you've seen them.

Now, that's irritating, because it looks like I missed those answers (evidently I either passed over them or left the thread before they arrived). Could you link me to some? (Though I have seen some in this thread as well, so that may not be necessary - and yes, I do disagree with most of them, but at least I understand them now).

Also, OMG STALKER!!!one! etc.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I'm perplexed by the same thing, but the conclusion I've drawn is that it had phenominal technical prowess for the time giving it nostalgia appeal, it has a good atmosphere, and people really like the mediocre writing and characterization for some reason.

 

[UNHchabo]

I was told I'd love the Half life series "becuase you're a physicist and stuff". Incidentally all my physics background led me to is the annoyance that the symbol lambda represents the decay constant, not the half life in real physics.

Your goal for most of Half-Life 1 is to head to the "Lambda Complex", where a group of scientists help you. It's largely because of this that the lambda symbol becomes the sign of the resistance movement in Half-Life 2.

Also, the fact that lambda is the decay constant in the half-life of radioactive material is fine for me; would you rather they have used Tau? They're equally related to half-life...

I don't think it was right for someone to pitch that you'd like the Half-Life series because you're a physicist, but I think you're taking this too seriously.

 

[hilarius117]

People like what they like... I think it is as simple as that. My "Greatest Game Ever" is RE4, but then again, some people will disagree. It is just the game that I had the most fun with...

 

[Tyro The Fox]

Al-righty then...

I am a fan of Valve. I have yet to play a game of there's I didn't rate-highly. All characters have richness, colour and I can actually believe that they might be a human being for a fleeting second rather than a collection of subroutines jerking a puppet around. But! I've got to narrow this on Half Life Two. Hmmm...

Well, the writing is what always comes to the forefront in my mind. Its pretty good, in my opinion. The Professor is mild mannered but a little eccentric, fleshing out the scientist model from the first game in order to make things familiar as a Half Life game. Pacing is interesting as well as the way the world sets the scene by letting you actually see the Combine as corrupt oppressors with weird surveillance that keeps tabs on everyone at all times. Brean is seen everywhere with his voice carrying his message of obedience and docility to almost everywhere. Its curious to see. Its like walking around a painting.

The Gravity Gun might be where the Gameplay has moments of joy or pointlessness. Its almost useless in a combat situation...Unless you toss an explosive barrel around, its only for puzzles. I don't think their that new to FPS's at this point but the 'Physics Puzzle' is Valve's thing. Its just how they like to break up the action a bit. Juxtaposition of quiet thought and fast-paced killing is a good thing. Valve like to do it by playing with the laws of Physics as simulated by the Source Engine. You can look at it doe-eyed with amazement or dismiss it as gimmicky tat. Its down to the individual.

The Super Gravity Gun you get in the Citadel was good fun to use though. I felt like a wizard! Or maybe Emperor Palpatine.

 

[Solo-Wing]

Well I Like it but had a hard time getting into it. Mainly because I was always looking the wrong way during events so I had no idea of what was going on. EXAMPLE: At the beginning of episode one where Dog throws the car for you to get into I was not watching and the car landed on me killing me. That was a bit of a piss off.

 

[boholikeu]

I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE".

Why isn't "it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS" argument a proper reason? It is a thinking man's FPS:

-The HL series tells much of its story through exploration, implication, and the environment rather than simple cut scenes. That's pretty much the video game equivalent of "show, don't tell".

-The story has ongoing themes and metaphors, most of which are reflected through gameplay/level design.

I never really said I hated Half-Life 2, I just didn't see why legions of fans are all about it. For some mental reason I really like the Band of Brothers games (don't ask why), but I totally know that it is a taste thing on my part. When I tell people I like Bioshock there is no surprise since that game was amazing on many levels (but not without its problems.) The "special place in my heart" argument also works. I thought there was something I was truly missing but it honestly seems that I just missed the boat on it by a year and didn't have the buy-in.

Anyway, apologies if this thread was redundant, and I don't want to give the Half-Life 2 haters a sense that I too hate the game. I really wanted the discussion to be informative and I wasn't disappointed. Thanks for the great responses!

Let me put it this way: both of the games you mentioned above owe a lot to HL2. The Half Life series pretty much taught developers how to successfully integrate story into action games without resorting to excessive cut scenes/text dumps. People love HL2 so much because it pioneered so much for video game narratives.

 

[Trolldor]

Repeat thread is repeat.

The appeal In half-life 2 and the original half-life is variety. You won't like it if you don't like shooters that reward you for using your head, and you won't like it if you like your straight-forward scripted encounters.

 

[repeating integers]

I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE".

Why isn't "it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS" argument a proper reason? It is a thinking man's FPS:

-The HL series tells much of its story through exploration, implication, and the environment rather than simple cut scenes. That's pretty much the video game equivalent of "show, don't tell".

-The story has ongoing themes and metaphors, most of which are reflected through gameplay/level design.

Thank you, for actually EXPLAINING the viewpoint "it's a thinking man's FPS". You see, the reason that I wasn't satisfied with it was because nobody ever explained what they meant (beyond "yo, thar be physics puzzles", which DID encourage thought but weren't enough on their own to classify it as a thinker's FPS IMO).

You do make good points, as well. I didn't notice the themes and metaphors. I'm going to have to look out for those next time I get the chance to play it.

 

[Trolldor]

Actually, it's a little more than that. It's a thinking man's FPS in that combat offers alternate solutions too.

For example, in Ravenholm, there's a section where you could just shoot all the monsters, or you could realise that the little yellow motor on the ground is the motor for a helcopter trap. You can then hunt for the blade, attatch it to the motor, turn it on, duck under it and pull all the zombies in to the whirling blades of death, saving all your ammo and giving you a fairly amusing show.
It's a thinking man's FPS in a lot of different ways.

 

[Something Amyss]

I too would like an answer to this question. I've never seen anybody provide a proper reason why they like Half-Life 2 that isn't "It's DEEP/it's the THINKING MAN'S FPS/ It's made by VALVE". I thought it was alright, but no more.

Well, being made by VALVE appears to be all the reason you need....