Electronic Arts The Orange Box (XB360)

$22.10 to $37.60 from 11 sellers

XB360

Rating: 10 9.76

The Orange Box includes Half Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 in addition to full versions of award winning Half Life 2 and Half Life 2: Episode One for an engrossing first-person action experience.

bit-tech Review

"Like any multiplayer game all it really is, when all else is stripped away, is a set of rules and areas in which people come to have fun. The areas dictate where they will have fun and the rules dictate how they will have fun.

By that rule, Team Fortress 2 is simply the most concisely written rulebook we’ve ever seen, dispatching with all the chaff and addendums and leaving only a set of guidelines which will lead players through an assault course that finishes in multiplayer heaven. A brilliant sense of style and an established community can get you so far, and Team Fortress 2 already has both of these.

What really brings it into its own though is the sense of flow to each game and the uniting feeling that each player is somehow connected in their pursuit of victory on any given map. And by that yardstick, Team Fortress 2 proves itself to be the title which all other multiplayer games want to be when they grow up.

We love Team Fortress 2 and it's truly a breath of fresh air in the world of online multiplayer first-person shooters but, like World in Conflict, there is something we can't quite explain that prevents us from giving this game a 10/10 score. It's a game that we'd give 19 if we scored out of 20, it's a game you should go and buy right now if you haven't already, and it's about time I shut up so you can get on and play..." - 10th October 2007

Read the full Team Fortress 2 review

Review Date: 27-Feb-08
shrike424242

Rating: Rating 10 10

Time with product: 3

Strengths: Five full titles in one package, including 20 hours of Half-Life 2, a great online game and a intelligent puzzle game

Weaknesses: None apparent

Summary: The Orange Box has five full games inside of it. The main attraction is Half-Life 2, with the two follow-up episodes containing new content. Half-Life 2 shows its age well, as it still is entertaining to this day. The two episodes carry the story further forward and leave with an amazing cliff-hanger at the end of Episode 2. Portal is a very unique puzzle game that requires the careful use of dimension-shifting portals to work through to the end of each level. Team Fortress 2 is a very diverse online-only multiplayer game that covers different game modes. Overall, it's a fantastic value for all types of gamers.
Review Date: 06-Feb-08
ssession

Rating: Rating 10 10

Time with product: 4

Strengths: Portal, Portal, Portal!

Weaknesses: I had already played Half-Life 2 and Episode 1 on the PC.

Summary: This is the best value in gaming right now. Essentially 5 games in one box. Let me start off at the top: Portal. Portal is probably the most innovative and fun game I have played in a really long time. Its funny, frustrating, fun, and mind bending. You really have to think to play it. TF2 is fun, but I really don't play it much. I see my brother online playing it every day though. What can be said about Half-Life 2 that hasn't be reiterated through numerous awards. The same great game brought to the 360. Episode 2 just continues the awesome franchise.I hope they release more levels for Portal in the future.
Review Date: 26-Jan-08
monsoonman

Rating: Rating 10 10

Time with product: 4 Months

Strengths: +5 solid titles+valued price+great graphics+great replay ability

Weaknesses: -portal more like mini-game (too short)-team fortress 2 online only-lame cover art

Summary: The Orange Box is a collection of 5 great titles from Valve. Included in this awesome package are Half Life 2, Half Life Episodes 1 / 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. Half Life 2 is the same game as the old xbox game but with updated graphics. Despite being somewhat old, Half Life 2 still holds up well. Episodes 1 / 2 continue the game play found in Half Life 2. Portal is a mini game that challenges players in new, fun, and creative ways. Team Fortress 2 is an online only shooter that allows players to assume the role of different classes that each has their own unique abilities. All of these games come in one disc and for the affordable price of a regular 360 game. The only complaint I have with the Orange Box is that the cover art is very bad. Don?t let the covert art fool you, the Orange Box is a great value and a must own for 360 owners.
Review Date: 07-Jan-08
mchenoweth16

Rating: Rating 10 10

Time with product: 10 Days

Strengths: Some of the best games around, all in one

Weaknesses: slightly old game shows a little age as far as graphics go

Summary: Half Life 2 is one of the standards for games and with this package, you can keep enjoying it. The game runs great on the 360 and the new games are well developed. Although the graphics don't use all of the latest tricks, they still look good. The science fiction story is right up there with the best you can find in games. The new puzzle game, even though short, is a blast and the new team fortress shows some style. If you like Half Life 2 or just science fiction, this is definitely a great buy.
Review Date: 31-Dec-07
dafunkk12

Rating: Rating 10 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: 5 games for the price of one, all of them winners

Weaknesses: Half Life 2 not as good-looking as the other games in the box

Summary: Valve is really spoiling gamers with this set. First off, there's Half-Life 2 and its two current extra episodes. These are top-notch story-centric FPS, and the characters are far from disposable.Next is Portal, which is a truly inventive puzzle game. You'll have to think like MC Escher to solve some crazy puzzles. Please know, though, that there are some reflex-based areas, so it's not entirely slow-paced. The writing is absolutely hilarious, which is just the cherry on top of an already stellar product.Finally, the set include Team Fortress 2, which does a fantastic job of showing the significance of working as a team. Each of the 9 classes is visually and functionally distinct, which adds a whole new dimension to the way you'll play online shooters.

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