The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!

Let’s discuss the Half-Life series. What is your favorite game in the series? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn’t work for you? Are there other games that gave you similar feelings? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let’s get the conversation going!

If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).

Previous entries: Earthbound / Mother, Mass Effect, Metroid, Journey, Resident Evil, Polybius, Tetris, Telltale Games, Kirby, LEGO Games, DOOM, Ori, Metal Gear, Slay the Spire

  • Zagorath@aussie.zone
    2·
    6 months ago

    I know this is a controversial take, but I really intensely do not like Half Life.

    I have issues with it from a narrative perspective. I have no idea who it is I’m fighting or why. It feels like an incredibly forced “oh, we need an excuse to throw some baddies at the player” premise.

    But the main problem I had was mechanical. It’s just not a fun game to play. The gunplay was fine, but then it forces itself to throw a bunch of puzzle and platforming mechanics at you, and just…why? It’s so, so terrible at them. Running up to the edge and jumping will more often than not really in you falling because of a misalignment in perceived location and where the game’s engine says you are. Boxes, which you have to move around to solve the puzzling, fly around at a million miles per minute, making the fine control needed to successfully solve the puzzles very, very difficult. And ladders…don’t even get me started about ladders.

    I couldn’t bring myself to finish the first Half Life, let alone start on the sequel.

    • magic_lobster_party@kbin.run
      3·
      6 months ago

      I think you should give HL2 a chance. It can be enjoyed even without the first game. You have already played the first game a bit, so you know the deal (experiment gone wrong, aliens everywhere). HL2 takes place 20 years after the incident.

      There’s fewer annoying platforming sections for instance. The puzzles also involves proper Havok physics, which is easier to manage.

      The story is also a step up, with proper named characters. The baddies are also better developed and has a better reason to be the baddies.