Everything is underwhelming after HalfLife

Hmmm.

Half-Life 1/2/Ep1 were damn good in their own right. Especially the first HL itself, I remember sitting at midnight in front of my 17" CRT dreading to hear the sound of the crackling walkie-talkies of the commandoes. :) Times changed since then, and I played HL2 on my 15.4" laptop screen and was awed by some of the level designs - especially the one under the bridge, I actually had a bit of vertigo going there. :D

HL2 Ep1 played on the new 22" Dell was an interesting extension to the story and definitely was more of a fill-in before the real fun began in EP2. Am yet to play EP2 though.

Also, you guys have forgotten that there hav been probably more intellectually demanding games in the HL series itself. Opposing Force was a sham but the leaner, more concise Half-Life: Blue-Shift was an amazingly innovative game for it's time. HL:BS had probably the best in-game puzzles among the 5 so far.

Having said all that, I still rate Max Payne and Deus Ex as probably the most gripping storylines out of the FPS's I've played so far. To me HL is progressing the way of the The Matrix Trilogy - too many details, not even one explained completely and a seeming necessity to be a total "geek" to be in the storyline. MP and Deus Ex on the other hand had perfect Hollywood-type storylines delivered dramatically and in style. I just loved the beginning of Max Payne, it was straight out a dark, action blockbuster. Deus Ex was a dream for anyone who was addicted to spy movies. :)

You've missed out another great movie-ish game of our times - Metal Gear Solid. :D

Before I finish, here's honorable mention to fun-filled FPSes, FarCry and No One Lives Forever. :D Damn good fun both of those were. And also Serious Sam for all those who just like keeping the right mouse-button clicked forever. :D

Out.

Payne

PS: Am yet to play S.T.A.L.K.E.R and BioShock. Looking forward to both though. :)
 
raj_pol said:
:) At a very high risk of being booed :p serious sam the first and second encounters were two games that I really liked a lot...I mean so much of weapons and so many to kill:cool2: ..I don't think any other games had that kind of action...many would disagree but they will be among my favs
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You my friend, will settle down in time.... after maybe going through a dozen more similar games......now might I recommend Postal 2 :eek:hyeah:
 
While the presentation in HL is special, the story is a real letdown. So much so that I can't get myself to play through EP1 & 2.
Things really need to start making sense and fast if it is not to be another 'Lost' cause :p

Now Deus Ex, that is raising the bar...

And how come so many people here liked the 'storyline' in Max Payne?
Given the style and execution were nothing short of brilliant, there wasn't much of a storyline.
 
saumilsingh said:
While the presentation in HL is special, the story is a real letdown. So much so that I can't get myself to play through EP1 & 2.
Things really need to start making sense and fast if it is not to be another 'Lost' cause :p
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don't hold your breath on that. a 4-6 hour episode 3 isn't going to solve all the mysteries of the story. you will never know why you (as gordon freeman) do any of the things that you do :|
 
saumilsingh said:
While the presentation in HL is special, the story is a real letdown. So much so that I can't get myself to play through EP1 & 2.

Things really need to start making sense and fast if it is not to be another 'Lost' cause :p

Now Deus Ex, that is raising the bar...

And how come so many people here liked the 'storyline' in Max Payne?

Given the style and execution were nothing short of brilliant, there wasn't much of a storyline.
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I kinda agree with u.... max payne was all about gameplay, presentation and execution. The storyline was paper thin. A cop's family gets murdered and he's out to avenge their killers.... boooo.... straight out of a D grade hollywood movie. Screw the story though, it was a brilliant game overall.
 
And how come so many people here liked the 'storyline' in Max Payne?

Given the style and execution were nothing short of brilliant, there wasn't much of a storyline.
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Agreed with a huge bang on the table.

btw Homeworld, undying & System Shock2 anyone? The games had better storyline then entire HL universe combined :|

*not trying to start "point out the rarest game" :p *
 
Chaos said:
I kinda agree with u.... max payne was all about gameplay, presentation and execution. The storyline was paper thin. A cop's family gets murdered and he's out to avenge their killers.... boooo.... straight out of a D grade hollywood movie. Screw the story though, it was a brilliant game overall.
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I too agree... The story of Max Payne is nothing out of the ordinary, but the way they executed the game is very commendable. The Music, the graphics, the game play itself have made an ordinary story into an immersive experience.
 
Warcraft 3 had a good storyline too - and with blizzards excellent videos it was all the more immersive....

whatever, as far as stories go... MONKEY ISLAND 2!!!!!!!!! - IMO the game with the best ending ever.....
 
Max Payne as i recall it is one of the best game made, it introduced so many things that became standard today bullet time, a ordinary story made that intimate to oneself. and the comic , film noir style of the story telling so much. i never played HL1 or Deus Ex so cant comment.

To me the king of story driven games will be the "Legacy of kain" series. if u want characterization, Story depth and emotion and one of the BEST VOICE acted game go play the soulreaver and legacy of kain games. its just too deep and too entertaining that u want to become the part of the game.

and also mafia, what a game that was, so half life may be a trend setter but there are so many games which can/have/will surpass HL.
 
raul said:
Ya, I been playing Richards Burns for a long time now and M3 challenge recently, but again I keep getting neck strain especially with M3 challenge so I had to stop. It's so weird, thats the only game that gives me neck strain and intense neck strain the next day after just 10 min of playing. Weird.

About Deus Ex, I heard so much about and played it a couple of years ago, but I think it makes a difference whether you play Deus Ex before or after Half -Life. I played after and while its a good game I won't put it in the same league as Half-Life. Folks do watch the commentary if you can, it adds a whole new dimension to Half-Life. I can't wait to see how Portal connects back to Half-Life. That will be good.
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Hey rahul so u still play Richard Burns Rally the best rally game of all time.......do u use the stock cars or are you aware of bhmotorsports.com check it out your RBR experience will change tenfold
 
I dunno about storylines, but Max Payne was totally different for me. It was like watching a movie(maybe a c or D grade one but whatever). On storylines, homeworld had one. Can't match anything close. But then the game was totally scripted. No second runs there. But having total fun playing fps...Serious Sam. There's no better.
 
wat about no one lives forever and of course beyond good and evil those games have well implemented gameplay and also had a strong story line
and ther is also PRINCE OF PERSIA SANDS OF TIME
 
looks like i have got a real bad taste :ashamed: .....i rather liked serious sam2 and resident evil 4..then comes prince of persia.....hl2, max payne2 were gud but didnt enjoy as much as these...fear started off well, but then it starts to put u to sleep...same thing over and over
 
hl2 is my all time favourite game (started playing it again yesterdaay and still not bored of it)... but when it comes to storyline.. nothing can beat the sheer intensity of farhenite 911... wich was like a movie that you were controlling...
 
Everybody seems to like HL story, call me a idiot but after playing two full games and two episodes later I fail to see any story :huh:
I do not know how crysis or COD4 is so "underwhelming" than HalfLife episodes ? HL raises more questions than answers like some riddle book.Some questions which came to my mind are

a)Who the hell is the G-Man ( or the B-MAN,He-Man,Q-Man or whatever)
b)Why on earth are the levels so damn scripted ?
c)yes I liked the gravity and physics in HL2 but why are the silly physics sequence(s) repeated again and again, Valve you have a great engine ...I agree lets get over it.
d)Why does the Flash light power run out ever now and then...........
e)Why there are too many load screens ?
I personally feel that HL story and levels are the most cheesy ones.

Compared with that Crysis gfx,levels to an extent AI are much better than what was in HL.I am not tyring to be-little HL , when HL-1 was relased it was like nothing ever seen but from HL-2 onwards, it is just another shotter (well made nevertheless) but I found nothing other than
a)Average gfx
b)Scripted levels :mad:
c)Weak AI
d)Little to no story told in the game.
 
^^^very nicely put aceman, i know u might be flamed for whatever u said but i do agree on most of those points, i dont find the HL series and storyline that emersive as a MaxPayne or a POP:Sands of Time or The Mafia.
 
i agree the story line is kinda like lost :p they give you more questions than answers...

but the gameplay and all is really fun... theres different stuff u can try in the game....wich makes it wrth playing again.... this is only for the original hl2..

the epsidoes are kinda tedious and deffinetly not wrth playing more than once....

hvent tried crysis yet lesse hw it is...
 
aceman said:
Everybody seems to like HL story, call me a idiot but after playing two full games and two episodes later I fail to see any story :huh:



I do not know how crysis or COD4 is so "underwhelming" than HalfLife episodes ? HL raises more questions than answers like some riddle book.Some questions which came to my mind are

a)Who the hell is the G-Man ( or the B-MAN,He-Man,Q-Man or whatever)

b)Why on earth are the levels so damn scripted ?

c)yes I liked the gravity and physics in HL2 but why are the silly physics sequence(s) repeated again and again, Valve you have a great engine ...I agree lets get over it.

d)Why does the Flash light power run out ever now and then...........

e)Why there are too many load screens ?

I personally feel that HL story and levels are the most cheesy ones.

Compared with that Crysis gfx,levels to an extent AI are much better than what was in HL.I am not tyring to be-little HL , when HL-1 was relased it was like nothing ever seen but from HL-2 onwards, it is just another shotter (well made nevertheless) but I found nothing other than

a)Average gfx

b)Scripted levels :mad:

c)Weak AI

d)Little to no story told in the game.
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u cant compare gfx of hl to crysis....the standard it set back then changed gaming forever

you've played the whole hl series and still dont know who g man is u should be :ashamed:

@ thebaink i agree mafia has to be one of the best story wise and game play
 
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