Reviews
|
|
Half-Life 2 : Episode One
By Kavan O'Connor
Platform: PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Valve Software
Everyone’s favorite crowbar-wielding MIT graduate is back for more action in this expansion for Half-Life 2. It took Valve Software six years to develop Half-Life 2 and another eighteen months to release the first expansion pack for it. For anyone who is a fan of first-person shooters, it was well worth the wait. Half-Life 2: Episode One incorporates some of the best graphics, AI and gameplay I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. Naysayers may argue over the steep price, source of distribution and length of the game, but truth be told it’s never been so much fun to save the world and sport a degree in theoretical physics.
As The Crowbar Flies
Half-Life 2: Episode One picks up where Half-Life 2 ends. Gordon Freeman and his lovely sidekick, Alex Vance, have to penetrate the Citadel once again and prevent a nuclear meltdown from destroying City 17. Some questions concerning the end of Half-Life 2 are answered, but for the most part, Episode One just leaves us with more riddles to be solved. It reminds me of the X-files in a way; no one knows what’s going on, but everyone keeps watching.
The gameplay is classic Half-Life: run, gun and solve a puzzle. Many of the settings seem reminiscent of Half-Life 2, but more of the same isn’t such a bad thing. Valve Software has incorporated advanced HDR lighting effects that make the settings seem a bit more vibrant than your first time through them in Half-Life 2. With that said, it would have been nice to see a few more outdoor levels, considering the engine is more than capable of rendering gorgeous landscape and al fresco lighting impressions. Also a bit saddening, is the lack of anything new in your arsenal of toys with which to play. Valve seems to have turned its back on the typical expansion pack format and kept both the enemies and the weapons identical to those in Half-Life 2. Naturally, shooting zombies and squashing headcrabs never really gets old but, if you are looking for Half-Life 3 you’ll be a bit disappointed.
All in Duel Time
The most criticized aspect of Half-Life 2: Episode One is its length. It took me only five hours to complete the expansion on my initial play; with a price tag of $19.99, some gamers will look to spend the buck on something with a bit more content. The flipside to this argument is that we get more gameplay from Valve Software in less time. If you consider that it took Valve six years to complete Half-Life 2, then surely my mouse-pushing finger will be riddled with arthritis by the time Half-Life 3 is complete. With the release of mini episodes that incorporate better graphics, lighting and gameplay, we get more Valve in less time.
On a second run through of Half Life 2: Episode One, I enabled an option called
Developer’s Commentary and found it surprisingly addictive. Developer’s Commentary places nodes of information in certain areas of the level. Pressing the action key over one of the nodes played a commentary track explaining certain game elements, obstacles the developers overcame and their conclusions. In a nation that can’t seem to get enough bonus material, this was really a satisfying experience, one that added a bit more to the replay value.
An Eye for AI
One of the most pleasant surprises of Half-Life 2: Episode One is the artificial intelligence. Alex Vance accompanies you through the entire game and not once did I find myself screaming at the monitor for her to move out of a doorway or to stop shooting me in the back of the head. Her path finding abilities are something that other developing companies should strive for, and her usefulness in combat situations was astounding. Very few developers seem to get friendly AI correct but I give Valve a round of applause for their achievement in Half-Life 2: Episode One. As you can expect, the enemy AI is just as challenging. Adversaries hide behind objects, use covering fire, and just when you think you found a safe spot, they bump a grenade up against your feet.
I Can’t Get This Song Out of My Headcrab
Title tracks, weapon sounds and ambient noise are all ripped straight out of Half-Life 2, but why fix something that isn’t broken? The voice acting is watertight and Merle Dandridge, voicing Alex Vance, performs commendably with the majority of dialogue. Louis Gossett Jr. makes a return performance as the alien Vortigaunt species, although you wouldn’t know it was him, and Robert Guillaume voices Dr. Eli Vance, Alex’s father.
Running Out of Steam™
The most exciting and controversial aspect of Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One is the distribution method. All of Valve’s products are available for download through a product/application called Steam. Steam is free to download and through it you can acquire games, modifications and media. You do need to pilfer your parent’s credit card to purchase items through Steam, but once the transaction is complete and the application is downloaded, you can play your game without even leaving the house. That might even leave time for lunch. So what does this all mean? Well now that developing companies can distribute their own products, they can also reap more profit. With more money, developers can afford the costly process of manufacturing games. Of course, Steam does have its downsides. You need an internet connection and some of the larger downloads take a while to complete, but no need to worry, Half-Life 2: Episode One is still available to buy the old fashion way.
One Bad Applet Can Spoil the Whole Barrel
Valve has delivered another polished product, but that’s not to say it’s without its flaws. New content, more diverse zones and a greater array of enemies would have been much appreciated. All of this is promised in Half-Life 2: Episode 2, but it seems to me that much of the time spent developing Episode One concentrated on creating animations, scripting, and level design. In addition no new multiplayer elements have been added, which is a bit irksome for those of us who enjoy shooting each other over the internet. Valve delivered more of the same classic shooting experience that it’s know for, and didn’t decide to change the recipe. If you can overlook these minor blemishes or you are a die-hard first-person shooter fan, then Half-Life 2: Episode One is worth picking up.
|
