Half-Life
Score: 95% ESRB: Mature Publisher: Sierra Developer: Valve Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: First Person Shooter
Graphics & Sound: Half-Life is a game about realistic 3D environments and true environmental sound. Everything from level design to character creation has been ported quite well from the PC to the PlayStation 2. Realistic lighting effects (well, except for your flashlight) help to immerse you into the game, while talking scientists and guards help you navigate and give you vital information. But one of the most impressive features is that you can truly interact with your surroundings. Boxes can be destroyed, and ceiling panels will fall when stood on. It's hard to imagine, but everything that makes noise in the game, makes noise in all three dimensions. If you have a stereo TV or, better yet, are connected to an external stereo receiver, you will notice that even the sounds of characters in the game are directional. Not only that, but the volume of their voices is relative to their distance from you. My only complaint is that at any one time, all of the scientists seem to have the same voice.
Gameplay: If you've never heard of Half-Life, you either don't have a computer or don't play games on it. Named Game of the Year on the PC, Half-Life finally makes its way to the PS2! You take control of Dr. Gordon Freeman. Your mission: To get out of the Black Mesa Research Facility alive. After something goes terribly wrong, mutant creatures are formed and they will stop at nothing until every last human is dead. As a First-Person Shooter, Half-Life offers more than just a simple deathmatch (although that is in here too), it offers unparalleled gameplay. As you work your way through Black Mesa, you will encounter more than a dozen different baddies, some of which are easy, while others are more difficult to defeat. To help you out, there are guards and scientists located throughout the facility that give you information and help you pass through locked doors. Just make sure you get to them before the mutants do! The biggest thing that sets Half-Life apart from others in the genre is that not only do you have to work your way through levels of mutants, but you will also have to solve puzzles along the way. And instead of running into a room blasting everything you see, you may want to opt for looking for another root to save some bullets, and possibly your life. Also included on the Half-Life CD is a Deathmatch, and the new Two-Player Co-op game: Half-Life: Decay. Here you and a buddy team up against the creatures of Half-Life in a split-screen effort to make it out alive. The hardest part about this is that there is no save option as with the normal game. And, if that wasn't enough, when one of you dies, it's game over for both of you. If you're by yourself, you can also play Half-Life: Decay alone, and the computer will control the second player. You can then switch to the other character whenever you want, but be careful. Once again, if the computer character dies, so do you.
Difficulty: Half-Life has three difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, and Hard. But, the biggest difficulty is in learning the controls for the first time. Even though the game does support the use of a USB keyboard/mouse combo, the PS2 Dual-Shock2 controller is set up very well. The real tricky part is using the lock on feature for targeting enemies. Because you have to use both analog sticks to move, reaching over quickly to press the O button is a bit tough in quick combat. Fortunately, you can custom program your controller and set things up the way you want (I would suggest 'R3' for your lock-on button). When playing Half-Life: Decay, however, the real difficulty comes with not being able to save. But don't worry. If you find yourself stuck on what to do or how to control Dr. Freeman, you can always go back to the included Training Mode for a refresher course. It's in the Training Mode where you will get familiar with the controls of the game, and learn how to maneuver certain objects, as well as shoot your weapons.
Game Mechanics: Game menus and methods are very easily accessed. One of the coolest features is the 'Quick Save' - allowing you to save your position at any time in the game, just in case you die. The Quick Save actually uses the PS2's internal memory so that you don't have to wait for saving/loading from your memory card, and access times are very fast. Just don't forget to use the normal 'Save', or when you shut the system down, you will lose any progress since your last 'Hard' Save. This 'Quick Save' is an incredible option, and I think it raises the bar for other game developers. PC gamers will probably want to use a keyboard and mouse for playing Half-Life, but the PS2 controller really is set up well. Using a keyboard would allow for better control and faster response in weapon changes and locking onto enemies. Those of you who have already played through Half-Life on the PC will be disappointed that the PS2 version is identical (except with the addition of Half-Life: Decay). Those of you who aren't PC gamers or haven't had the opportunity to play Half-Life yet will definitely want to pick this one up.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
NCAA GameBreaker 2001 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin