Poll: Do you care about the story in Half LIfe?

[CarlMin]

I ask this because I've been playing Half Life 2, watching LPs of Half Life 1, reading about it online. The story does not make much sense.

I'm not saying it's absurd, I'm just saying the biggest mystery and what seems to be driving the main events of the game is the G-man. He appears out of nowhere to end the first game, again at the end of Half Life 2, and the fans are just okay with that?

I'm not insulting or anything, I just wanna know if that's why you like the game, or if it's because of other reasons. The scenario seems LOST-like : action, characters development, then ending and starting with a "WTF just happened" moment riddled with mysteries.

LOST lost (lol) a lot of fans throughout the years as some lost faith in the creators of the show ever answering the mysteries with good explanations that make sense. Do you think that too, and play the game for other reasons, or do you have faith in Valve to answer the many questions asked in all of the installments of Half Life?

G-man is the personification of an angel. He answers to some unseen higher authority which he refers to as simply his 'employers', which is probably an metaphor for the unseen creator. He can manipulate the universe and change the storyline and he seems to have a mandate of some sort.

Many strange mysteries are attributed to G-man. However, while a few character claim to have had contact with him, he is never actually seen interacting with the real world. Therefore, he remains an illusion and also a symbol for Freeman's (and the human race's) complete lack of control and helplessness.

In the comment section of the "npc_gman.cpp" file of the Source SDK, it states: "// Purpose: The G-Man, misunderstood servant of the people." The story does not circle around G-Man, though.

 

[repeating integers]

I think Half-Life 2 has a shit story. The atmosphere was great, the way it clued you in on the backstory through the environments was clever, but the game's actual active story was pretty bad.

IMO, if you want to make a story-based game, there is one basic guideline you should follow: have a story. Half-Life 2 only half succeeds at this - which I suppose fits its name, but that doesn't make it any better. (spoiler warning, etc.)

From level 1 up to and including level 6, the story is "run away". No, not "can be summed up as" - that is the story. Very, very little simplification has been done here. Escape from the Metrocops to get to the lab. Escape from City 17 before anything is explained due to an easily predictable teleport failure. Escape from Eli's Lab after some small plot details have been explained, but not much. Half-Life 2 is a long game, so that's pretty much the entire length of Halo 3 that is virtually plotless. Or in other words, filler.

Then, at the end of the sixth mission, you gain a simple objective: save Alyx's dad, Eli. But before you can do that, you have to trudge through two annoying, padded out driving levels which add nothing to the plot. So, that's half of the game, dedicated to filler. SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG..

Finally, in mission 9 (out of 14 ffs), the "saving Eli" plot you were given two missions before actually starts, thus giving the game a proper story. Valve even throws in one(!!) plot twist that isn't ridiculously predictable, in the betrayal of Dr. Mossman, and the story then proceeds to pick up further with the revolution you take part in. But even then, it's not special, like some people apparently believe. It serves, that's all.

The episodes are little better. Episode 1? Escape city 17 (AGAIN). Episode 2? Well, at least you're trying to get to White Forest rather than escape from it. About the only truly unexpected plot twist I can recall happens right at the end of episode 2.

Now, I'm reasonable. I quite often like slow-paced things, and don't get it when critics complain about them. But taking half the game to start is beyond even my tolerances.

It honestly boggles my mind that Half-Life 2 is considered to have a better story than the Halo series, which has consistently had an good, well-told, intense story that has thrown me with unexpected developments at every turn. So I'll leave this here while I go and watch Game of Thrones, in the hope somebody will explain it to me.

EDIT: Nobody wants to explain it to me? Aw.

 

[HerbertTheHamster]

Story is decent, I suppose. The original Half Life is better though because of the atmosphere.

There's really no other reason to like Half Life 2 other than the story since the gameplay is fucking awful and the puzzles are all the same goddamned physics shit.

 

[thejackyl]

I never really saw much story in the first one part from:

1. You are a scientist, do some "routine" work
2. A disaster happens
3. Crowbar
4. Survive

I also didn't really see the continuity between 1 and 2 at all. Gordon defeated the giant baby thing, and is teleported onto a tram into the near future?

Either I'm missing something, or there's no explanation, but I enjoy the character interactions and such more that an over-arching story. They actually act like real people. Also, why are the Vortigaunts friendly? Didn't we murder hundreds of them in Half Life one?

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Half Life's story is simply epic and one of my favourite video game storylines. AS many people have already said it is the WAY in which it is told more so than the actual content.

Half Life 2 and Ep1 didn't really have much of a story other than to set the scene. Only we're given very patchy and vague details so we're left with a million questions and a plot with enough holes to fill the Albert Hall (Cookie for the reference) BUT this is how they get us, it's all those tiny details that we're hankering for. It would seem Valve cheat at story telling.

Anyone who doubts the games should play Episode 2 though, because I'd say that game advances the plot much more than any of the others. Shame it came to a grinding halt through a lack of... well you know, a game to freakin' END THE STORY!

 

[Sniper Team 4]

It makes sense to me. Freeman and Black Mesa are doing secret experiments with aliens and items they got from Xen, given to them by the G-Man (who doesn't not just appear, he's in the entire game, you simply need to find him). This is shown in Half-Life. Government knows about said experiments, because when things go FUBAR, government sends in clean up team. A separate secret organization sends in its own Black Ops team who kill everyone, including government troops, on sight. Speculation: Probably trying to get the research for themselves in all the chaos. Stuff goes down, Gordon goes to Xen and kills the mutant baby. G-Man gives Gordon a 'choice,' which is actually an illusion as he saves him regardless.
Gordon wakes up years later on a train, thanks to the G-Man. Earth is overrun by aliens because of the death of the Mutant baby and the Combine finding Earth. Gordon sparks a revolution and the Combine begin to lose ground. Escape from City 17, meet up in the forest, launch a ship to shut off the Combine backup. Straight forward to me. Now, does that explain everything? No. Who is the G-Man, what does he really want, who did he work for? The only things that don't make sense regard him, and I personally love that. Just when you think you've got it figured out, he throws you another loop.
I will be sad when Valve finally does reveal everything about him, because then the mystery is over.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I also didn't really see the continuity between 1 and 2 at all. Gordon defeated the giant baby thing, and is teleported onto a tram into the near future?

Either I'm missing something, or there's no explanation, but I enjoy the character interactions and such more that an over-arching story. They actually act like real people. Also, why are the Vortigaunts friendly? Didn't we murder hundreds of them in Half Life one?

You missed something, and unless you're paying a crazy amount of attention (or read the wiki like me), it's hard to catch. The mutant baby had the Vortigaunts enslaved to do its bidding. Remember the green collars? They don't have them in the second one, save for the one that is working for the Combine at the beginning. That's supposed to show that the Vorts were slaves. As for the Combine coming to Earth, Xen was the last hold out for the mutant baby, and when it died, the Combine became aware of Earth basically went, "Oh hey, look. New world. Let's go get that instead." This all happened while Gordon was in stasis. If you want the detailed stuff (and there's a lot), go read the wiki. It's actually very fascinating.

 

[Yellowbeard]

I'm in love with Half Life's story, but not just as a chain of exposition. There's the actual story like G-man with his enigmatic ulterior motives, death of the Nihilanth allowing the Combine invasion, the rebellion, the White Forest rocket, etc. but the experience is a lot wider than that. The story's all there, if you look for it. How many people talked to the All-Knowing Vortigaunt above Black Mesa East?

It's becoming a part of the unique world that does it for me. Carefully and richly detailed, and understated enough to let me imagine it's Earth, in real life. The first time I stepped out of the train station and saw the citadel, for example, there's no cutscene, no musical punctuation, no dark clouds or lightning storms or giant eye of Sauron saying "BAD GUYS LIVE HERE," it's just there, and the nature of it becomes apparent.

The characters, including the generic ones, are all believable. Some people criticize them for being flat, bland or "not having character growth" throughout the game. That's precisely what makes them feel human to me, among other things. The way they slump miserably against walls after gunship attacks, or the whooping enthusiasm during the rebellion where the fight is going well. They apologize for bumping into you in the heat of battle, but hell, if I bumped into Gordon Fucking Freeman, the guy who beat an alien overlord to death with a crowbar, I'd excuse myself too. You see where they eat and sleep. Then there are the suicide cases, like the man who hid behind the fuel tank at the highway petrol station until he gave up and blew his brains out with his .357.

There's the wide, sweeping spectacle of an industrial city turning to ruins, a global ecosystem destroyed by the alien species that came from Xen. You can extrapolate from City 17 what shape the rest of the planet must be in, and you can imagine what a crippling task it will be to rebuild it if the Combine are ever removed. You can imagine that thought hovering in the back of every character's mind, even when the only alternative is submission and assimilation (or death). I always stop and look at the graffiti for a bit, especially the "Caste" image, with the baby.

And there's Gordon. No character traits are thrust upon you and no choices are set in stone. When I'm Gordon he favors the Colt revolver, climbs up onto the ledge after emerging from the Ravenholm mines and ponders his predicament, the insanity of what he's been through and not knowing what he's going to do next.

 

[ethan22122]

Yes, It's one of the main reasons that I play the series.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

I feel like they just use G-Man as shock value. It really IS kinda like the smoke monster from LOST. It'll come back to bite them in the end. However, it doesn't mean that when that "end" comes, I won't be there.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Sir, have you ever watched Lost? It was a great show that made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AT ALL even after it was finished.

Let me explain lost to you.

In a nut shell:
They all died in the Plane Crash and the Island was a sort of limbo for them to resolve their issues before passing on to the afterlife.

In other words:
"HURP DURP FAP FAP FAP"


I know this because I stopped watching the show after three episodes and picked up the last few minutes of the last one.

Well thanks for spoiling a whole series for me mate, i really appreciate it.

OT: No not really, the gameplay bored me and the story wasnt interesting enough to get me to play more

 

[Goofguy]

It may not necessarily be the story that draws me in but it's definitely the way it is presented. What you know as Gordon Freeman is limited to what you see in the first person. It definitely gives meaning to "your perception is your reality". Does that mean I know exactly what's going on? Not at all but that's part of the charm to me. We don't see third person cinematics of the G-Man plotting in the background or of Breen ordering the Combine forces to go get you in the sewers, we see what Gordon sees and the fact that he doesn't talk may also make us feel like we are in his shoes.

 

[Trolldor]

Sir, have you ever watched Lost? It was a great show that made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AT ALL even after it was finished.

Let me explain lost to you.

In a nut shell:
They all died in the Plane Crash and the Island was a sort of limbo for them to resolve their issues before passing on to the afterlife.

In other words:
"HURP DURP FAP FAP FAP"


I know this because I stopped watching the show after three episodes and picked up the last few minutes of the last one.

Well thanks for spoiling a whole series for me mate, i really appreciate it.

OT: No not really, the gameplay bored me and the story wasnt interesting enough to get me to play more

Spoil?

Hardly. I saved you from having to watch the last one.

 

[de5gravity]

Sir, have you ever watched Lost? It was a great show that made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AT ALL even after it was finished.

Let me explain lost to you.

In a nut shell:
They all died in the Plane Crash and the Island was a sort of limbo for them to resolve their issues before passing on to the afterlife.

In other words:
"HURP DURP FAP FAP FAP"


I know this because I stopped watching the show after three episodes and picked up the last few minutes of the last one.

Well thanks for spoiling a whole series for me mate, i really appreciate it.

OT: No not really, the gameplay bored me and the story wasnt interesting enough to get me to play more

Spoil?

Hardly. I saved you from having to watch the last one.

Also this is NOT how LOST played out. He did not spoil you anything.

 

[Korten12]

Meh, I thought the story in HL2 was okay.

 

[Zaik]

I absolutely love the story of Half-Life and the G-Man is one of the best things in that game. I hope we'll never really know who or what he exactly is and why he does what he does. Because that's one thing that keeps me interested in him. He's this mysterious being that you try to grasp but whenever you get close to him he escapes you. It's the mystery around him that makes him so interesting. As soon as they would just flat out explain everything about him, I'd lose interest in him, so I hope that they'll just leave hints about what he might be and it's up to the player to interpret those hints.

And if you want to get more of the story, you have to pay attention to the surroundings for example. Valve tell a lot of the story through the environment Half-Life. You have to think on your own and draw the conclusions yourself of what has happened and what it might mean. Sure you can just listen to the basic story but there is much more in that game.

He's an alien, just like the Vortigaunt. He collects "heroes" in a sense, like Gordon Freeman and Adrian Shephard and leaves them in stasis until he receives a contract for whatever passes as currency to do some sort of mercenary work, at which point he yanks them out of stasis and dumps them into a situation he's engineered behind the scenes that, no matter what they do or how they do it, will result in the contract being completed as long as they don't die.

After it's done, he scoops them up and sticks them back in the fridge until he needs them again. He's more or less runs an intergalactic PMC plus slaver.

As to why he can appear and disappear at will, it's the generic other dimension stuff. He can freely move through it and pop out more or less wherever he wants outside of it. The Vortigaunt do the exact same thing, but not nearly as well. At the beginning of episode 1, like 12 of them are able to restrain him, but only while entirely focused on it.

So, that's it. Mystery is over.

 

[AyreonMaiden]

I liked the manner of exposition a huge hell of a lot, but I'm not like a lot of people here who make it sound as if this is the best way to present a game story period-end-of-discussion. I also like the atmosphere a lot, but I don't really care much for anything else outside the idea that maybe someday I'll rebel against the G-man, and honestly, the true nature of the G-man is something I get the feeling is better if it remained a mystery.

I'm in the middle of Episode 2, and while I like the characters in that they sound good, look good, and don't particularly suck, I don't care about them much. I spoiled the end of Episode 2 for myself simply because it's been 3 months since I last touched the game, and I wasn't like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO or anything at learning what happened. I'll get around to it eventually but I couldn't care less if the series is ever finished. I've played games with better stories since HL2, and if I want something exposed in a similar way as Half-Life I'll play Metroid Prime or Bioshock.

That's not to say it isn't an excellent game, cause it is. It's just the narrative presentation is what's clever for me, not the story or characters in particular.

 

[mexicola]

Yes I care about the story. As for the G-man the tease-don't-show thing around him is the best part. If they went and said "Oh he's an agent of humanity from future" right from the start (or whatever other explanation one might come up with irrelevant to my point), the story would have lost a lot of it's appeal to me so I like it the way it is right now.

I think nerds have been a bit spoiled with all the additional books, maps charts etc. that explain in excruciating detail everything that happens in a game that's trying to appear complex. It isn't necessarily a bad thing and sometimes it works, but I think there's a lot to be gained by not revealing everything and not just so you could "tease" your audience into buying the next sequel.

 

[Beryl77]

-snip-

Nice theory and I agree on some points but it's still just a theory. I have my own theories about him but that doesn't make him less mysterious. But that's exactly what makes it so great. It animates the players to think about it, make up their own theories and discuss it with others.

 

[Juk3n]

Story in HL is easy to follow. It's Alien Invasion 101. Gordon is so sought after in HL2 because he's become a legend from Black Mesa, The Free Man. The human underground is fighting the invasion, and Gordon and co are fighting also.

Whats so hard to understand? As for it being good? Well..it's certainly enough for me to play through it in one sitting the way i did, without so much as turning away from the screen..

Each to there own.