So, i'm thinking about playing Half Life 2

[Pvt Talo]

For a while now i have wanted to play Half Life 2, but i have been putting it off because i have never played teh first one. So of course i dont know the general story behind it.

So what i am asking is. Do i need to have played Half Life to understand number 2?
If so could anyone give the general rundown of the story?

 

[WelshDanny]

I don't think you need to play the original to understand the sequel as it's set in a different environment, though there are characters and back story it'd be useful for you to know about.

You can probably pick the original up off Steam for less than a fiver nowadays, if you don't mind playing something from the late 1990's!

 

[Tharwen]

I've never played Half-Life and still love its sequel. That should be all you need to know.

 

[Hisshiss]

I was gonna get around to doing that too but since my computer is teh suckass I would probly just go pick up a cheap copy of Orange box for the 360, get a free shot at getting past level 30 on portal again..but yeah, if you have an xbox, orange box has half life one and two, so if you can sink the extra time its a fairly cost efficient shot at getting the whole picture.

That being said, a steam buy of number two is probly easier.

 

[Pvt Talo]

That's good to hear then. Thanks a lot guys. ^^

Oh i have the orange box, I was originally going to purchase Team Fortress 2 at my local gamestation then found the orange box was only a tiny bit more costly, so i thought why not? and bought it.

 

[Palademon]

Even if you do play it, you won't understand the second one.

 

[Pegghead]

I played half life 2 before the first game, now it's my favourite game of all time.

All you need to know is there's a guy called Gordon Freeman who used to work at Black Mesa and G-man (The guy in the suit) is always mysterious.

 

[XzarTheMad]

You could go to the half life wiki and read up on the story. Basically, the two games are very thinly related, only in terms of some of the creatures (vortigaunts, headcrabs etc.). Most of it is new and standalone, though. Sure, you might miss out on a few in-jokes, but if you don't mind that, just start with HL2 and go from there.

 

[therandombear]

I was gonna get around to doing that too but since my computer is teh suckass I would probly just go pick up a cheap copy of Orange box for the 360, get a free shot at getting past level 30 on portal again..but yeah, if you have an xbox, orange box has half life one and two, so if you can sink the extra time its a fairly cost efficient shot at getting the whole picture.

That being said, a steam buy of number two is probly easier.

Orange box is Half-life 2, ep 1 and 2, not half-life 1

OT: You don't need to play half-life 1 to play number 2, there are some backstory, but you could just read that if wiki or some other site for half-life 1 story.

 

[TelHybrid]

It's not mandatory, but it does give you a better understanding of some events and plot points.

I would recommend playing the original anyway just because it's a good game, as are its expansions.

Edit: Why are people so against playing the originals? So many threads saying "should I play *insert sequel name here* without playing the original?", are people really that against games because of a bit of graphical ageing.

 

[Tharwen]

That's good to hear then. Thanks a lot guys. ^^

Be careful not to be a victim of overhype. Treat it as you would any other game and you won't be disappointed. If you start it assuming it'll be teh best gaem evar, it probably won't live up to that sort of expectation.

You have been warned!

 

[captaincabbage]

Seriously, don't worry, there's the weakest link between the two story-wise. I played HL2 before HL1 and I picked up the backstory along the way quite fast. It's actually a really clever bit of story-telling, to tell a story, give you objectives and fill you in of the story so far all at the same time.

I'll say go and buy the Orange Box if you don't have TF2 or Portal, since they need to be played too.

 

[fix-the-spade]

So what i am asking is. Do i need to have played Half Life to understand number 2?
If so could anyone give the general rundown of the story?

No, 2's story is self contained. If you play through carefully and take you time to look around the world, you can pick up most of the story of 1 while you're there.

 

[Pvt Talo]

That's good to hear then. Thanks a lot guys. ^^

Be careful not to be a victim of overhype. Treat it as you would any other game and you won't be disappointed. If you start it assuming it'll be teh best gaem evar, it probably won't live up to that sort of expectation.

You have been warned!

Oh yes i learned that lesson long ago, March 09 2010. Final Fantasy XIII had just been released and i was on top of the world when i brought home my copy. . . . I tried to like that game. I really did. -cries-

 

[maddawg IAJI]

All you basically need to know is that Gordon Freeman opened a rip between worlds and is put into a deep sleep by the G-man, who wakes Gordon up to find the planet has been taken over by the Combine, trust me, it's not that hard to get by in the end.

You could also just watch most of Freeman's Mind so you can get a basic idea of the story without feeling bored.

 

[notsosavagemessiah]

i'd leave it alone, simply because it's so incredibly overrated. Also, gordon freeman is the blandest lead character ever.

 

[Aerowaves]

Nice for a bit of context, so I'd recommend playing the original, but no, it's not necessary for the enjoyment of the sequel. Have fun!

 

[Betancore]

Definitely play HL2; it's not that hard to find out what went on in the first game. Just look it up, or read the other posts in this thread. Even as a sequel, it's different enough that you'll enjoy it on its own. At least I did. But for the most part, it shouldn't detract from your enjoyment of the game. I did end up playing the first game, but it didn't really tell me anything new, since I'd figured most of it out while playing the second game.