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Half-Life: Episode 2 almost finished
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 8th May 2007
As Half-life Episode 2 nears release, we wonder whether any of the G-man's secrets will be revealed.
No, really.
Valve has stated that each episode of the continuing series will have a new focus. For the first episode this focus was on NPC interaction, with the player being constantly accompanied by Gordon's sexy sidekick, Alyx Vance. Episode 2 will focus more on large, open environments - something the Source engine has not previously been known for.
Half-Life: Episode 2 will be shipping with two other Valve titles. The massively addictive team game, Team Fortress 2, which has been rendered in a special cartoony style will make up one part of the package. Portal, a stunningly imaginative puzzle adventure set within the Half-Life universe, will make up the second part.
Team Fortress 2 is the massively delayed sequel to Team Fortress that lets players battle it out in a light-hearted class-based team game. With special classes like Medic, Spy and Engineer available, the original was a classic LAN party favourite that is finally getting a revamp.
Portal will expand the Half-Life story from a different perspective, just as the Opposing Force and Blue Shift expansion packs did for the first game. Rumours that Adrian Shephard, the militant protaganist of Opposing Force, would be reappearing in Portal have been proven false however and it was recently revealed that the game would have female player character.
Portal is a radical departure for the series however and is more of a puzzle game, forcing players to use their portal gun to navigate difficult traps. The weapon is capable of firing two connected portals that teleport items from one to the other.
Fans can investigate some of the sinister backstory to Portal by playing Valve's new online teaser game, or can experiment with the gameplay by playing the similar Narbacular Drop, which was made by the same team before Valve bought them, or using mods for the popular Garry's Mod.
Episode 2 will come in two types of packaging: Orange Box and Black Box variants aimed at console and PC gamers. We don't yet know which way round they might be but we will know soon enough - the game is set for release this autumn.
In the meantime, Valve has given the baying hordes of drooling gamers something to whet their appetites on in the form of some concept art.
If you're tired of waiting for the next installment, or just can't wait for the next slice of the action, then why not let us know? We can't promise the forums aren't being watched by the G-men though.
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I love the way Valve have tried something a little different with the cartoon thing, not many big companies would risk doing anything even slightly original these days!
If anyone hasn't seen the trailer for portal - I highly recommend it. Very well done.
I hope it's cheap (£15 max).
But the cartoon style has been done before :?
There's a LOT more too it than just cell shading.
World of Padman? Fun open-source multiplayer game, which doesn't need serious models/graphics to be massive good multiplayer fun. :)
Back TFA though - if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, I can't wait for Portal :D
Ahem.
That said, there are trailers on Steam for those who want a look. Check out the trailers for portal though - much more entertaining.
more than waiting for a regular game except its a lot shorter.
they have you at their mercy if you want to play it you just
have to wait I think the situation sucks!!! that said I'll be waiting
If it's the one with the guys doing airbourne-ballet with rockets then it's already out.
Otherwise GIVE NOW!!!
I think I want Portal and Team Fortress 2 more than EP2...
From what I've seen of it, the engine does distance fine, it was always just the level design of half-life 2 and CS:S that have focused on a more moderate scale.
Definetely does scale a lot better than most of the FPS engines on the market anyhow, the worst of course probably being the doom3 engine.
Edit add : the release of terror from the deep on steam comes as bigger news to me though, it seems to me that it even if only a little, backs up the idea that take 2 are serious about the X-Com franchise and makes the rumours that hey will be having Irrational make a sequal that little bit more likely (also, if you dont already have it and you like strategy games, you owe it to yourself to spend £1.50 buying it )
worth taking a look, it has freaky questions.
waiting for portal + TF2 + EP2 ...
Doom 3 scales badly for a reason. The devs thought it best for atmosphere to simulate the claustrophobic environment of the original and to concentrate on the close-up detail.
hahaha.. watching that one while tired wasn't a good idea. Must be that wonderful music..
made my stomach hurt... :)
http://hl2orgy.ytmnsfw.com/?c239dd71b5f0f276d1c1d4655f8d672f
lol thats great.
Whats the deal with the "teaser game", nothing I typed has got me any response, simmilar to the one they had for HL2's release.