bit-tech Shopping: Electronic Arts Half-Life 2 (Xbox)

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Years

Strengths: Amazing, Original storyline,Great Voice-overs,Smooth NPC actions and Accurate weapons,Lots of re-play-ability,Environments and Locales are never the same,Gravity Gun = *^_^*

Weaknesses: No Multiplayer;Load times are tolerable;Slow framerate for two seconds after Loading Screen/Lots of action, enemies, or 20+ items attached to the magnet crane on Highway 17

Summary: The Xbox version was toned down from the PC version graphically and, contrary to popular belief, in some of it's gameplay. Some sections were removed from the Xbox version that were found in the PC version, of this I am SURE.For instance, I played a bit of the PC version at a friend's house, and in one situation on Highway 17, a house containing some Combine Overwatch soldiers also has a set of binoculars posted in a window - looking into them, you'll look across the bay to a house in the distance, seeing the elusive G-Man talking with someone - NOT entirely sure if it was the Combine or members of the resistance, it WAS a long time ago. Either way, I am 100% sure this scene WAS in the PC version, and NOT in the Xbox version. I'm also certain more parts were cut, I'm just not sure what, not having the full PC experience.Nothing pertaining to the MAIN story was cut, but still, missing some little geeky bits, and potentially some locations and situations, it's something to maybe piss and moan about, and forget a few seconds later.This game, however, is surely my number-one favorite single-player FPS. I'll admit, Halo took up a good two years of my life - I even started a club for LAN parties Junior year of high school, and I was a complete Halo Fanboy.Take it from me: If you own an Xbox, you need Half-Life 2. Same goes for Halo, but everybody already knows that.I've found it's RE-playability to keep me up many a night, and I've played fully through the storyline Four times now. Finding new way to take down those awe-inspiring, however frustrating, Gunships is great fun with the tweaked-out laser-guided Uber-agile rockets, and also using barrel and crates to climb to new hights in some levels to explore that which you shouldn't see (Invisible textures and just geeky fun). I seriously played around with the Crane Magnet on Highway 17 for maybe four hours straight, with 3 containers and 16 barrels attached to it at once, playing with the physics, giving the framerate a seizure...*^_^*You'll also find yourself sitting still in-game, listening intently to Dr. Breen's numerous speeches progressing through the game. He is constantly providing a very believable argument for the Combine, but his motives are certainy questionable.Either way, there is way too much fun to be had and way too many people to meet through all of City Seventeen, the Canals, Ravenholm, Highway Seventeen, the Sandtraps, Nova Prospekt, and finally, the Citadel of Dr. Breen...You will never regret buying this game. Just try setting one of the Headcrab Zombies on fire. The Malicious, Evil laughter WILL be your own.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Year

Strengths: The level of response of creatures to your actions is high and hence, they are tough.

Weaknesses: Not enough soldiers so even though it is challenging, it is possible.

Summary: Playing my second time through the game and find it much easier, although still difficult. Exciting game has me playing a few hours at a time. Then when I get tired, I start getting my ears bent.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2

Strengths: Great graphics, great levels and fun weapons

Weaknesses: FPS is a little harder to control on xbox

Summary: Half life 1 revolutionized the way we play first person shooters by expanding upon what was thought to be an already stale genre. It added RPG elements and new ways to use weapons and tell the story. Half Life 2 does all that and ups the ante even more. It contains realistic physics to allow realistic gameplay responses to your actions. The physics gun weapon allows you to manipulate many of the items around you. As always the gameplay is fast and furious and the graphics are amazing. The story moves at a brisk pace and it will suck you in immediately.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Days

Strengths: Great story, graphics, physics

Weaknesses: No multiplayer, pushes the Xbox to the limits and it shows

Summary: Half-Life 2 is one of the most critically acclaimed first-person shooters in history and for good reason. It's definitely not your standard corridor shooter and it immerses you in the environment like few games can. The story is well down and the graphics are among the best the Xbox has to offer. The physics in this game are amazing as well and some of the weapons get extremely creative. Unfortunately, there are no multiplayer modes in this game. Another slight downfall is that this game really pushes the Xbox to the limits and there are times that the game shows a lot of slowdown. Overall, though this is a masterpiece of a game and I highly recommend it to any first-person shooter fan.

Rating: 10

Time with product:

Strengths: great graphics, fun gameplay

Weaknesses: frame rate can stutter at times if there's too many enemies

Summary: Half-life 2 is one of the many the first person shooters out there for the X box. It is also one of the best looking, with gorgeous graphics that rival even those of Doom 3 and The Chronicles of Riddick. It is extremely faithful to the PC version?s single player campaign( but there is no multiplayer available for this version) One has to commend Valve Software for being able to pack all that into an X box disc . you once again take the role of scientist Gordon Freeman and battle the invading alien Combine and its occupying forces. The storytelling and the voice acting is top notch and really draws you into the experience. The Story is seamless and and has no cut scenes so it is as if you were living the actual game itself. You have the same weapons you had from Half life 1, such as the crowbar, machine gun, a shotgun, and the crossbow. You also have three new weapons, such as the pulse rifle and the gravity gun. The latter is the best weapon in the game because with it , you can pick up almost any object in the environments and use it to your advantage. The dining table you saw can now be used as a makeshift shield or you can pick up a fallen saw blade and fling them at enemies and behead them. You will also take control of vehicles such as a fan boat and a dune buggy. My only complaint is the lag and slow down that sometimes occurs when there's too many enemies or objects on screen. But I guess it's a small price to pay to be able to play one of the best games out there for both the PC and the X box.