Video games...what ya playing? And what are you looking forward to? (7 Viewers)

[jwb]

Had been playing Kingdoms of Amalur up through last weekend. Digging it but not loving it. Skyrim meets Borderlands. However, on Sunday I was playing and I got killed (surprisingly as I'd been mopping up a lot recently). Turns out I hadn't saved in several hours and for some reason the autosave re-loads at a point after I was killed (after getting killed I left it on and went and did some other stuff and apparently in one of the worst design decisions ever, the autosave continues to run in that scenario). I likely won't pick it up again for a while until the memory of the lost missions I did fades enough.

The game was plagued with tons of horrible bugs and design flaws. Its a shame as they were a startup and invested a ton of money and time into that game and it failed completely killing the developer.

Killed Curt Schilling, more like. He invested just about everything he had into it.

It sucks to see people take risks like this with big ambitions and failing. They brought in a lot of outside talent to work on the game, including Todd Mcfarlane as the art director.

Yea, but part of the problem was bringing in Todd, and RA Salvatore to write the story.

Art and story are fine, but gameplay trumps everything. And this game didn't have it - it was ok, but nothing special. I think they focused way too much on the story and such (and it wasn't that great - no better than Skyrim's "dragonborn" or whatnot)

 

[IvanKaramazov]

So Valve made their 2nd announcement, it was about the SteamBox now titled Steam Machines, plural as they have said in the past, there will be multiple tiers of units, although they didn't mention if they are still planning on using modules to allow for easy upgrading.

They also announced they will be doing a beta test run of the Steam Machines anyone is eligible but you have to jump through some hoops to qualify and after that only 300 people will be selected. They announced that the beta test run of the consoles will ship this year and that "Beginning in 2014, there will be multiple SteamOS machines to choose from, made by different manufacturers."

Now for speculation about announcement 3:

-Half Life 3

-Steam game market/game sharing

-More SteamOS features

So, just to understand this, these machines will run Linux and be able to run some games. But other games on Steam will only be able to be run on a windows box and can be streamed through the SteamBox. So for all PC games to be able to run you need two boxes?

What? No.

A steam box is not required at all. A Windows machine, and likely a Mac/Linux machine (with reduced compatibility) will all be able to run SteamOS, or alternatively take advantage of all the features of SteamOS and stream directly to your television.

Steam for Linux is already working fine with most titles and when SteamOS comes out they've said that 3000+ titles will be compatible on day 1 (I think theres ~10k titles on steam), but that they are working internally and with developers to make most if not all future titles compatible with both. Pretty much the only reason a new title wouldn't be compatible with SteamOS is because it was developed specifically not to work on SteamOS, which is unlikely even for games owned by Microsoft (who still license their games out to Steam). That being said, its a Linux based OS, steam will be developing patches constantly to make compatibility not an issue they want people to stop using Windows essentially while still supporting both.

The Steam Machine is just an entry level product to appeal to the console gaming market. You get the security of a console with the utility and customization of a PC. Open source development raises appeal further, anyone can develop for it, for free. The machine itself is meant to be cheap but still high performance, but upgradeable so that you don't have hardware limitations that consoles suffer from. Instead of buying a console every 3-5 years you buy parts packaged as easily installed modules.

Yep, this all still sounds extremely appealing. I'm looking forward to getting more information on pricing and performance. I don't see myself being there on day one for this, but I can easily imagine picking one of these up if the numbers work out right.

 

[Chaka]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die (PC) is on sale for $7.49 on Steam.

ETA: The sale ends at 7 pm eastern time.

 

[Sand]

So Best Buy has decided that the release date of Assasin's Creed IV for XBone has now moved up to 10/29.

Someone there is hitting the ganja.

 

[E Street Brat]

I just received my Alpha Invitation for the newest Command and Conquer game. I forgot I even signed up for it,

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Does anybody want Madden 25 Anniversary Edition being that BB wouldn't buy it from me?

 

[East Coast Bias]

Does anybody want Madden 25 Anniversary Edition being that BB wouldn't buy it from me?

Amazon will give you $30 if you don't find a taker.

 

[SlaX]

Does anybody want Madden 25 Anniversary Edition being that BB wouldn't buy it from me?

Amazon will give you $30 if you don't find a taker.

Amazon had Madden 25 for $5 for a very short lightning sale last night. I hate that I missed it.

 

[Sand]

I just received my Alpha Invitation for the newest Command and Conquer game. I forgot I even signed up for it,

Whoah - had no idea. Loved C&C.

 

[Ashem]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die (PC) is on sale for $7.49 on Steam.

ETA: The sale ends at 7 pm eastern time.

Since Microsoft closed the GFWL marketplace on August 25, 2013, and with speculation that GFWL will be shut down in about a year, and Dark Souls requiring GFWL, isn't Dark Souls an avoid?

 

[Run It Up]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die (PC) is on sale for $7.49 on Steam.

ETA: The sale ends at 7 pm eastern time.

Since Microsoft closed the GFWL marketplace on August 25, 2013, and with speculation that GFWL will be shut down in about a year, and Dark Souls requiring GFWL, isn't Dark Souls an avoid?

Not sure about the Steam version requiring GFWL, but if that does happen there are several working cracks. Source: I'm using one.

 

[SlaX]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die (PC) is on sale for $7.49 on Steam.

ETA: The sale ends at 7 pm eastern time.

Since Microsoft closed the GFWL marketplace on August 25, 2013, and with speculation that GFWL will be shut down in about a year, and Dark Souls requiring GFWL, isn't Dark Souls an avoid?

Word is that Microsoft will release a DRM removal via update prior to the GFWL service ending in July 2014. Although, I doubt that all games will work without GFWL that required it.

 

[Ashem]

Dark Souls Prepare to Die (PC) is on sale for $7.49 on Steam.

ETA: The sale ends at 7 pm eastern time.

Since Microsoft closed the GFWL marketplace on August 25, 2013, and with speculation that GFWL will be shut down in about a year, and Dark Souls requiring GFWL, isn't Dark Souls an avoid?

Word is that Microsoft will release a DRM removal via update prior to the GFWL service ending in July 2014. Although, I doubt that all games will work without GFWL that required it.

 

[fasteddie_21]

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

 

[E Street Brat]

I just received my Alpha Invitation for the newest Command and Conquer game. I forgot I even signed up for it,

Whoah - had no idea. Loved C&C.

It's actually the long overdue Generals II

Here's the trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=80_x6bmzluc&om_u=2412612553&om_i=_BSRIQ5B81WOBM4.

 

[Sand]

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

They are going to pay through the nose for this and the cancellation is the official "freak out mode" reaction from the EA legal team. Karma's a #####.

 

[Dickies]

I just started playing Borderlands 1. Fun game, but I feel Borderlands 2 improves on it in just about every way.

 

[Chaka]

I just started playing Borderlands 1. Fun game, but I feel Borderlands 2 improves on it in just about every way.

I also played BL1 after BL2 and I agree, however I feel BL1 is worth it if only because it gives you the backstory on all the characters.

The one place I think BL1 is better is with close quarters combat, I almost never use a shotgun in BL2 and hand-to-hand is entirely useless in BL2 but in BL1 they are both absolutely viable options...well they are if you play BL1 as Brick.

 

[Run It Up]

10 Minutes till the 3rd Valve announcement.

Get your bets in now.

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Edit: I am disappointment.

Continuing the horrible trend of the past decade, a bunch of gimmicky features that make no sense for a gamepad.

Features: a touchscreen (ps4), instead of dual analogs you will have dual track pads, you heard that right, technology that was #### for laptops 20 years ago, on a 21st century gamepad; four buttons, placed symmetrically on both sides of the controller instead of being localized to one side. Four shoulder buttons instead of triggers, two of which oddly resemble gamecube shoulder buttons (not a good thing).

I'm amazed that they came to the conclusion that using two track pads simultaneously was a step in the right direction when it comes to the problem of mouse driven UI and gameplay. There is a reason we use our entire hand and not just our thumbs for mice.

What even is this? "Please kill me" - Steam Controller

 

[SlaX]

Steam controller looks f'n stupid. I'll reserve judgement until I actually use the thing. But it looks like I stick to kb/mouse or XB360 controller.

 

[bagger]

downloaded the Brave New World expansion for Civ V this week.

Really fun, playing the Shoshone is amazing. Expanded tiles when founding a city, start with a scout who is strong as a warrior and upgrades to a composite bowman, you get to pick which benefit you get from ruins, and get the Comanche Rider as a replacement for calvary, and all units get 15% bonus fighting in own territory.

The ability to get essentially a perfect start to a game by picking technologies, unit upgrades, or culture/faith from ruins as well as ability to work a lot more "good" tiles early on goes right into my playstyle of going wide to keep happiness up throughout the empire.

 

[Dickies]

I just started playing Borderlands 1. Fun game, but I feel Borderlands 2 improves on it in just about every way.

I also played BL1 after BL2 and I agree, however I feel BL1 is worth it if only because it gives you the backstory on all the characters.

The one place I think BL1 is better is with close quarters combat, I almost never use a shotgun in BL2 and hand-to-hand is entirely useless in BL2 but in BL1 they are both absolutely viable options...well they are if you play BL1 as Brick.

I actually use shotguns much more in BL2, but assault rifles are actually quite strong in BL1, but totally useless in 2. I am very much enjoying the game, and I like that legendary guns seem to drop at a much higher rate than in 2.

 

[Worm]

I like the steam controller...

 

[NewlyRetired]

I just started playing Borderlands 1. Fun game, but I feel Borderlands 2 improves on it in just about every way.

If you have access to it, make sure you play The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. It is my favorite DLC from any game I have played.

 

[Chaka]

I like the steam controller...

I think it looks just fine. I like the idea of touch controls over the two stick format that other controllers use.

 

[Corporation]

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

This makes me exceedingly sad. I'm in the minority that thinks NCAA is way better than Madden.

 

[SlaX]

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

This makes me exceedingly sad. I'm in the minority that thinks NCAA is way better than Madden.

I hate that it happens on the year that I actually buy the game. My Ultimate Team is now rated 87 after I got some really good players out of a couple of All-American packs, auctioned them off for more coin to open more All-American packs.

I should be getting my new computer next week.

 

[Run It Up]

I like the steam controller...

I think it looks just fine. I like the idea of touch controls over the two stick format that other controllers use.

Do you play games exclusively on tablets and smart phones?

Bad innovation is worse than no innovation. There is a reason we've been using the same input devices for 30 years and it hasn't been the limitations of technology.

I don't believe for a second that anyone would willingly play an RTS game or FPS (the two game genres they explicitly outlined were problems with gamepads in comparison to mouse and key) with two touch pads over a standard 360 pad or a key and mouse.

 

[Mad Cow]

So do I buy NCAA now, or wait for a cheap used copy? Might as well get one before they are all gone. . .

 

[Chaka]

I like the steam controller...

I think it looks just fine. I like the idea of touch controls over the two stick format that other controllers use.

Do you play games exclusively on tablets and smart phones?

Bad innovation is worse than no innovation. There is a reason we've been using the same input devices for 30 years and it hasn't been the limitations of technology.

I don't believe for a second that anyone would willingly play an RTS game or FPS (the two game genres they explicitly outlined were problems with gamepads in comparison to mouse and key) with two touch pads over a standard 360 pad or a key and mouse.

I'm a PC gamer primarily. And I am not willing to call this bad innovation sight unseen. The trackpads, which are clickable, may simply be an modification on a d-pad, which I have always preferred over the stick input on most controllers.

It's a little premature to call this a failure based on the limited information we have.

 

[Sand]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

This makes me exceedingly sad. I'm in the minority that thinks NCAA is way better than Madden.

Yeah, but if you buy the latest one the guts inside it are good for damn near forever at the pace EA improves gameplay.

 

[Run It Up]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

Steam has always supported USB gamepads and will continue to, this was just their attempt to make certain PC games that are unplayable by consoles playable using a combination of gimmicks.

It's a little premature to call this a failure based on the limited information we have.

Premature maybe, but I'm speaking from experience functionally from the information given so far the touchpad is a touchpad is a fancy touchpad. Its been described as a touchpad that functionally acts as any other touchpad, simply being more accurate - it does have haptics, for simulated feedback, which doesn't affect its functionality though, at the end of the day your just smearing your finger all over a surface to simulate a movement as opposed to moving a stick or pushing buttons.

 

[Chaka]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

Steam has always supported USB gamepads and will continue to, this was just their attempt to make certain PC games that are unplayable by consoles playable using a combination of gimmicks.

Gimmicks? Is it a gimmick if it works?

You seem to have predetermined that this is going to be a bad device. I don't get that.

 

[Run It Up]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

Steam has always supported USB gamepads and will continue to, this was just their attempt to make certain PC games that are unplayable by consoles playable using a combination of gimmicks.

Gimmicks? Is it a gimmick if it works?

You seem to have predetermined that this is going to be a bad device. I don't get that.

Well first off, yes it is a gimmick even if it works the fact that they are using something that is worse to achieve the same goal is what makes it gimmicky, touchscreens exist and have flourished in the past 5 years, they are still a gimmicky interface, whether something is useable is entirely separate to whether it works well which even if a touchscreen worked in a 1:1 capacity it would still not work as well as a pad or a mouse.

I'm not saying it will be bad, it will do whatever it was meant to do - I'm just disappointed they rolled this out instead of something else. I had expectations and they weren't met. Stating facts, it has thrown together a series of gimmicky features that all function separately at a worse level than a mouse and keyboard OR a gamepad and together I don't see them functioning any better, especially the primary method of movement the two touchpads. This would have to be some revolutionary breakthrough in the touchpad technology for it to even be worth comparing to any other input device. Touchpads, regardless of how responsive they are have always been absolute garbage input devices when compared to a pad or mouse.

 

[Dickies]

I just started playing Borderlands 1. Fun game, but I feel Borderlands 2 improves on it in just about every way.

If you have access to it, make sure you play The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. It is my favorite DLC from any game I have played.

Yep, I am playing GOTY edition with all of the DLC.

 

[Chaka]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

Steam has always supported USB gamepads and will continue to, this was just their attempt to make certain PC games that are unplayable by consoles playable using a combination of gimmicks.

Gimmicks? Is it a gimmick if it works?

You seem to have predetermined that this is going to be a bad device. I don't get that.

Well first off, yes it is a gimmick even if it works the fact that they are using something that is worse to achieve the same goal is what makes it gimmicky, touchscreens exist and have flourished in the past 5 years, they are still a gimmicky interface, whether something is useable is entirely separate to whether it works well which even if a touchscreen worked in a 1:1 capacity it would still not work as well as a pad or a mouse.

I'm not saying it will be bad, it will do whatever it was meant to do - I'm just disappointed they rolled this out instead of something else. I had expectations and they weren't met. Stating facts, it has thrown together a series of gimmicky features that all function separately at a worse level than a mouse and keyboard OR a gamepad and together I don't see them functioning any better, especially the primary method of movement the two touchpads. This would have to be some revolutionary breakthrough in the touchpad technology for it to even be worth comparing to any other input device. Touchpads, regardless of how responsive they are have always been absolute garbage input devices when compared to a pad or mouse.

This is not how I understand their game pad. It looks like they have the square touchscreen in the center and circular trackpads on either side. I think the functional capacity of the trackpads is going to be the key element here and I am not certain they will be a downgrade as you seem to feel. Depending on how they work they could be glorified D-Pads which I prefer to analog sticks. Either way, until we get one in hand it is just too soon to make a sweeping judgment. Hopefully I will be selected as one of the beta testers because I am interested to see how this functions. It's doubtful I will be selected but I can still hope.

As far as being upset I echo all those who are wondering WTF is the next Half Life installment? They seriously need to get off their collective ###es on that one. It's not like there isn't a market for it.

 

[5Rings]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

This makes me exceedingly sad. I'm in the minority that thinks NCAA is way better than Madden.

Yeah, but if you buy the latest one the guts inside it are good for damn near forever at the pace EA improves gameplay.

I still play 2011 (tebow cover one). :tup:

 

[Corporation]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

No more NCAA Football after this year?!? Wow.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9728042/ea-sports-stop-producing-college-football-game

This makes me exceedingly sad. I'm in the minority that thinks NCAA is way better than Madden.

Yeah, but if you buy the latest one the guts inside it are good for damn near forever at the pace EA improves gameplay.

What I'm hopeful of is that the community will put out updated rosters every year. This year's NCAA was awesome.

 

[fasteddie_21]

Gonna be disappointed if its a gamepad announcement.

Someone will write drivers for the XBOne gamepad, so it doesn't seem a huge deal.

Steam has always supported USB gamepads and will continue to, this was just their attempt to make certain PC games that are unplayable by consoles playable using a combination of gimmicks.

It's a little premature to call this a failure based on the limited information we have.

Premature maybe, but I'm speaking from experience functionally from the information given so far the touchpad is a touchpad is a fancy touchpad. Its been described as a touchpad that functionally acts as any other touchpad, simply being more accurate - it does have haptics, for simulated feedback, which doesn't affect its functionality though, at the end of the day your just smearing your finger all over a surface to simulate a movement as opposed to moving a stick or pushing buttons.

So, having never seen it, touched it, used it, nothing, you've made up your mind? Noted.

I am willing to give it a go before I make up my mind.

And, if I don't like it, I have my options of a XBone controller (I'm sure) or a KB & M.

 

[Run It Up]

So, having never seen it, touched it, used it, nothing, you've made up your mind? Noted.I am willing to give it a go before I make up my mind.

And, if I don't like it, I have my options of a XBone controller (I'm sure) or a KB & M.

I was staring at the direct model they intend to use, and as mentioned in the FAQ for the announcement, this is the final model, they won't be making any changes. I don't know about you, but I've been using PCs my entire life and have been gaming for most of it, I went to college to be a programmer and I learned a lot of the aspects of interfaces, especially their design. I can safely say it isn't just my opinion, touch screens and touch pads are objectively awful.

I don't think I need to hold something to be able to tell you whether I think something is poorly designed and as you said people can always just use their wired USB controllers, the problem is - I'm a huge fan of Valve and Steam. They have been the biggest innovators in the PC gaming market, their digital distribution method has been so successful they own like 90% of PC gamers business. They wanna branch out and into the living room - I would love nothing more especially after how Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo treated everyone like #### this previous generation. I just don't see them convincing a console gamer to buy a Steam Machine, especially with this horrific looking controller.

They say they made the controller symmetrical so as to support both right and left handed people, they made a design decision that benefits <20% of people at the expense of 79%< of people. Left handed gamers I know have never had a problem using controllers designed for right handed people and left handed PC gamers just use a left handed mouse... so I'm not sure why they would go through so much trouble to make an awkward controller for the super majority. Its the little things about design that drive me crazy and this thing has a thousand glaring things going on - the most obnoxious being I won't be able to actually get my hands on one and confirm my suspicions for a while

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

 

[Chaka]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

He may be correct but you both keep saying touchpad when Steam is calling it a trackpad. Now I am not certain there is a difference but I still think it could be more like a D-Pad then a laptop touchpad mouse (which I agree would be a difficult adjustment). And I think two D-Pads would be just fine.

 

[Run It Up]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

He may be correct but you both keep saying touchpad when Steam is calling it a trackpad. Now I am not certain there is a difference but I still think it could be more like a D-Pad then a laptop touchpad mouse (which I agree would be a difficult adjustment). And I think two D-Pads would be just fine.

The words are actually synonymous, the only people that exclusively use the term trackpad are Apple, everyone else uses them interchangeably.

 

[Chaka]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

He may be correct but you both keep saying touchpad when Steam is calling it a trackpad. Now I am not certain there is a difference but I still think it could be more like a D-Pad then a laptop touchpad mouse (which I agree would be a difficult adjustment). And I think two D-Pads would be just fine.

The words are actually synonymous, the only people that exclusively use the term trackpad are Apple, everyone else uses them interchangeably.

If you say so. Not sure why you are so certain it is not more like a d-pad. Either way I think it is worth giving a chance before summarily dismissing it sight unseen.

 

[Run It Up]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

He may be correct but you both keep saying touchpad when Steam is calling it a trackpad. Now I am not certain there is a difference but I still think it could be more like a D-Pad then a laptop touchpad mouse (which I agree would be a difficult adjustment). And I think two D-Pads would be just fine.

The words are actually synonymous, the only people that exclusively use the term trackpad are Apple, everyone else uses them interchangeably.

If you say so. Not sure why you are so certain it is not more like a d-pad. Either way I think it is worth giving a chance before summarily dismissing it sight unseen.

Because touchpads exist, and have for a long time, we know how they work having been using them since the 90s. But you actually are right it will act more like a dpad than an analog stick, funnily enough it will also act more like an analog stick than a dpad.

 

[Chaka]

I agree with RIU. Please give me sticks, not touchpads.

He may be correct but you both keep saying touchpad when Steam is calling it a trackpad. Now I am not certain there is a difference but I still think it could be more like a D-Pad then a laptop touchpad mouse (which I agree would be a difficult adjustment). And I think two D-Pads would be just fine.

The words are actually synonymous, the only people that exclusively use the term trackpad are Apple, everyone else uses them interchangeably.

If you say so. Not sure why you are so certain it is not more like a d-pad. Either way I think it is worth giving a chance before summarily dismissing it sight unseen.

Because touchpads exist, and have for a long time, we know how they work having been using them since the 90s. But you actually are right it will act more like a dpad than an analog stick, funnily enough it will also act more like an analog stick than a dpad.

Again summarily dismissing it because you think you know how it will work without ever using one seems premature to me.

 

[Run It Up]

Im not trying to convince you, if you think its premature thats fine, maybe it is - I feel qualified enough to form an opinion of something im more than knowledgeable about. But then again im not even the target audience.

 

[Chaka]

Im not trying to convince you, if you think its premature thats fine, maybe it is - I feel qualified enough to form an opinion of something im more than knowledgeable about. But then again im not even the target audience.

You may be correct I just find it odd that, sight unseen, you seem to have closed the door on the possibility that you may be wrong.

 

[NCCommish]

So this Rainbow 6 Vegas thing. I either really suck or it is pretty challenging. Maybe a combination of both. I usually don't like to play games that don't allow saves and I have to admit it has tried my patience. Took me a long time to get through the Mexico portion and move on to Vegas. Decided to hold off on going forward based on how long it took to get through the train yard and factory. Plus I wanted to watch the Pats beat the Falcons. Of course after a few failures you can run everything faster but that's little consolation. I am a guns blazing sort but that certainly doesn't work here. Definitely have to think about it a bit. Also not always clear on where to go next. For example I was stuck on the church roof for a while until I figured out, incrementally, that there was nowhere else to go but back down. The map thing is cool but not intuitive on how to work it.

 

[Chaka]

I think Half Life 2 holds up just fine. I think you spend a little too much time in the car and hoverboat thing but the story is developing nicely (after giving you virtually nothing to open with, which was cool by its own right). I am surprised by the quality of some of the AI enemies, some of them are superior to AI enemies in recent games.

Hope you enjoy it. Play Episodes 1 and 2 after.

Okay WTF? Seriously they just stopped after Episode 2? Buncha #######s!