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> Results: Half-Life 2: Episode 2
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The ESRB Says
Blood and Gore: GamerDad saw blood spatter everywhere as he gunned down and dismembered enemies. Intense Violence: Tons of pitched battles from start to finish. Language: Many allies and enemies reacted to the tense situations using language you might expect in those situations. When last we saw our hero, the stuff was really starting to hit the fan, and the fate of Alyx Vance was uncertain ... again. We rejoin the Freeman and Alyx outside of City 17 and continue the adventures of their perilous fight against the combine. We go on to fight many battles alongside familiar friends against familiar enemies, in some familiar and unfamiliar settings, yet the overall feeling is one of a fresh new experience. This is the best Half-Life 2 experience yet, and not to be missed. You start the game with the Gravity Gun, so it doesn't have that 'Lightsaber effect' it did in the original Half Life 2. Instead of suddenly changing everything, it is an integral part of your arsenal from the start. While this seems obvious, the effect is startling - I had complaints about the other weapons and the scripted set-ups based on the 'gimmick factor' of the gravity gun in the original game. All of that is gone, replaced by areas that are linear but offer more than one approach based on your strategy - and areas that require the use of the gravity gun feel organic and fit into the overall flow of the game. The battles are huge and fun and even though some are predictable (was there any doubt what would happen when you had two turrets to protect four tunnels?), they are a frenzied rush of excitement. I also complained about the filler in the original game - especially the overly long driving sequences. Episode Two has quite a bit of driving, but again it is expertly woven into the story and fits perfectly. Indeed, one thing that marks the entire experience is the lack of filler and contrived experiences. The game feels tight and personal and flows wonderfully form the moment you start through the final battle.  
KF: Let me summarize this simply - you can still find 0.5 meter diameter circular saw blades lying around, pick them up with your gravity gun and use them to cut enemies in half. This game is bloody and brutal, the battles are tense and frenetic, and you stand on the brink of survival at all times. This is very much a M-rated game and is intended for older teens and adults.
Other Platforms: PC: Reviewed version. XBOX360 & PS3: Virtually identical to the PC version. Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Half-Life 2: Episode 2 |
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