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Post by legios on Oct 15, 2008 21:35:58 GMT
This is more of a call for recommendations than anything. Having played Half-Life 2 and quite enjoyed it, I have been considering picking up the Orange Box for the 360. Anyone else got it (on any platform) and got any views as to whether it is good/bad/indifferent?
Karl
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Oct 16, 2008 9:13:49 GMT
Well Half Life 2 is Half Life 2. BUT PORTAL IS FANFUCKINGTASTIC. Seriously, you have to play this game.
The HL2 expansions are pretty good too, I really enjoyed Episode 2.
Not spent any time with TF2 tho.
Apparantly you can get it for XBox super cheap now, so yeah, go get it for Portal if nothing else.
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Gav
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Post by Gav on Oct 16, 2008 9:56:21 GMT
It's worth getting for Portal alone, definately. TF2 is really fun if you can get a load of people on there. I'm still playing through HL2, and can't wait to get into the episodes.
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Post by legios on Oct 16, 2008 20:33:47 GMT
I'm not big on online multiplayer, so Team Fortress 2 isn't really a consideration. But what you are saying does mirror what I have heard about Portal from other sources. Sounds like it might be worth getting it I can get it cheap just for that (and then there would be cake :-) ).
Ta folks, food for thought there.
Karl
(Of course, all this is academic for a week or two - want to finish "Gears of War" first. If I can stand the sheer grinding dullness of the level design and the relentlessly dull colour pallete long enough to enjoy the gameplay....)
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Post by karla on Oct 16, 2008 21:20:11 GMT
YE! Portal is so goooooooood, took me a while to understand it though. Still love half-life 2 for all the zombie action and Ravenholme  (the other episodes have way more zombies + suicide zombies) I didn't touch Team Fortress it looked to much like counterstrike which I hate with vengence. LOL Gears of War!!!! I never changed my chainsaw-gun for anything |
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Post by legios on Oct 16, 2008 21:48:18 GMT
YE! Portal is so goooooooood, took me a while to understand it though. Still love half-life 2 for all the zombie action and Ravenholme (the other episodes have way more zombies + suicide zombies) I didn't touch Team Fortress it looked to much like counterstrike which I hate with vengence. LOL Gears of War!!!! I never changed my chainsaw-gun for anything Ahh, Ravenholme. I have such happy memories of Ravenholme - not because of the headcrab Zombies but because of Father Grigori, far and away the best supporting character in Half-Life 2. There was something about being sermonised at by this obviously traumatised, and intoxicated Eastern European priest as I picked my way through Ravenholme that endeared him to me. I think I am one of the few folk who never got really attached to Alyx (all she ever seemed to do was stand in the middle of corridoors and seem surprised that she was getting shot) but Father Grigori I was genuinely sorry to lose at the end of the Ravenholme stuff. "Gears" seems to have a really nice idea as far as gameplay goes, (Although I'm only barely aware that the assault rifle has a chainblade - I work on the principle that if the enemy has got close enough that they can reach out and punch me then I have done something wrong and it is time for a tactical withdrawal), but my could they do with some work on the colour pallette - the unremitting shades of brown do drag after a while. Karl |
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Post by KnightBeat on Oct 18, 2008 19:51:18 GMT
Portal is good, but it's a bit short. You can easily complete it the first time in just a few hours. Some of the advanced levels are mind numbingly difficult though. The simple process of changing a cube into a ball makes a certain level amazingly tricky. A Portal fan-tribute was released for the PC last week. It's available here. |
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Post by karla on Oct 19, 2008 10:38:15 GMT
YE! Portal is so goooooooood, took me a while to understand it though. Still love half-life 2 for all the zombie action and Ravenholme (the other episodes have way more zombies + suicide zombies) I didn't touch Team Fortress it looked to much like counterstrike which I hate with vengence. LOL Gears of War!!!! I never changed my chainsaw-gun for anything Ahh, Ravenholme. I have such happy memories of Ravenholme - not because of the headcrab Zombies but because of Father Grigori, far and away the best supporting character in Half-Life 2. There was something about being sermonised at by this obviously traumatised, and intoxicated Eastern European priest as I picked my way through Ravenholme that endeared him to me. I think I am one of the few folk who never got really attached to Alyx (all she ever seemed to do was stand in the middle of corridoors and seem surprised that she was getting shot) but Father Grigori I was genuinely sorry to lose at the end of the Ravenholme stuff. "Gears" seems to have a really nice idea as far as gameplay goes, (Although I'm only barely aware that the assault rifle has a chainblade - I work on the principle that if the enemy has got close enough that they can reach out and punch me then I have done something wrong and it is time for a tactical withdrawal), but my could they do with some work on the colour pallette - the unremitting shades of brown do drag after a while. Karl I don't think anyone likes Alex! Ah, yes Father Grigori, I always forget his name but I don't think he would of left his town, all his 'flock' were there. I like to think he lived though oh, I don't really have tactics, I just go in there and kill! Yeah the game is a bit dark, especially when you have the suns glare on the screen as well. |
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Oct 19, 2008 15:21:28 GMT
Portal is good, but it's a bit short. You can easily complete it the first time in just a few hours. I didn't find that a problem, if anything it was a refreshing change from modern games. When I finished it I didn't feel "Oh, is that it?" I thought "Hey, that was awesome". |
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Gav
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Post by Gav on Oct 19, 2008 17:38:00 GMT
Looking forward to the Portal sequel - the XBL Portal: Still Alive download is essentially the first game with some new maps, which is quite disappointing.
Completed Half Life 2 and Episode 1 last night - and I'm about halfway through Episode 2. The finest FPS of all time - no doubt in my mind.
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Post by legios on Oct 19, 2008 19:11:21 GMT
Completed Half Life 2 and Episode 1 last night - and I'm about halfway through Episode 2. The finest FPS of all time - no doubt in my mind. I've played "Half Life 2" itself and thought it was ok - not sure I would go so far as to call it the finest FPS ever though. I thought it had quite a good first half but started to bog down later on - and I thought that the last level or so when they force you to use the Gravity Gun as a weapon whether you want to or not were a bit of a slog for me. Don't get me wrong it is a good game, but for some reason it never quite got as far as being a _great _ game for me. oh, I don't really have tactics, I just go in there and kill! Yeah the game is a bit dark, especially when you have the suns glare on the screen as well. I've always been one for a bit of thinking when I play shooters - mind you it can be as much of a curse as a blessing sometimes. It does make me wish that they provided a bit more ammo for the Longshot sniper rifle in "Gears" - the cover mechanic and the layout of the levels would make it ideal for that kind of combat style, but they don't really provide enough ammunition to get through a full act that way, a bit of a pain. Karl |
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Gav
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Post by Gav on Oct 19, 2008 19:47:37 GMT
Not being argumentative here - What would you consider to be the best FPS of all time?
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Post by legios on Oct 19, 2008 21:23:18 GMT
Not being argumentative here - What would you consider to be the best FPS of all time? Not take as argumentative, so don't worry. I haven't really given it a huge amount of thought, but I'd be inclined to say either "System Shock 2" or "Deus Ex" would have to be strong candidates for the title. (I'd suggest that they fit into the category of First Person Shooters on the grounds of how the majority of the gameplay works.) Of course, everyones mileage is going to vary here because everyones tastes differ. Karl |
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kayevcee
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Post by kayevcee on Oct 19, 2008 23:24:22 GMT
It's a question I'd find difficult to answer as well. The answer changes with my mood. Sometimes I fancy immersion, depth and strong characters (Deus Ex, System Shock 2) but sometimes I just want to Blow Shit Up as some sort of man/fridge hybrid with Combat Trousers that hold 18 guns and enough ammo to kill every living thing in Fiji (Serious Sam, Painkiller).
I can leave Portal off the list because it's a FPP (First Person Puzzler) rather than an FPS, which is good because it's so underpant-explodingly awesome that it would claim the top spot in a heartbeat. Yes it's short but I think that adds to the replayability- you can get through the whole thing in one sitting, and doing so works really well with the pacing of the storyline.
As for the Half-life episodes... I've only played episode 1, and it was okay. More of the same from HL2, for those champing at the bit for more levels after the citadel. If you hated the gravity gun sections of HL2 the early part of HL2Ep1 may be a bit of a slog. It picks up markedly after that, though. Then it ends. Yeah, it's a bit short. Finished it in an evening on my first play-through. I gather episode 2 is similar, although I think it has some rather flashier setpieces.
Basically, I recommend it. The HL2 mission packs are a fun add-on to the grandeur of Portal.
-Nick
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Oct 20, 2008 9:28:10 GMT
I found playing through Half Life 2 that every time I went to a new level it was as if the designers said "Right... what can the gimmick be this time?" As such it felt to me like an excuse to show off rather than having a solid core experience. Some will praise it for this with each level being its own unique experience, me, I found it conceited.
Greatest FPS ever? I've not played too many on console (or on PC since 2000ish), but being a gamer from ye olden days, I don't look for big storylines or character development, I just want fun, so the award goes to Doom.
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 20, 2008 13:12:23 GMT
Operation: Wolf on the Spectrum!!!! Monochrome rules!!!
-Ralph
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Post by karla on Dec 5, 2008 22:48:22 GMT
Played portal again, forgot how cute the robots were
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(the other episodes have way more zombies + suicide zombies) I didn't touch Team Fortress it looked to much like counterstrike which I hate with vengence. 
