[h1]My Review Of: Half-Life 2[/h1]
Playtime So Far: 5.8 Hours
[h2] Bugs, Glitches And Issues [/h2]
With Half-Life 2 being 22 years old its received numerous patches over the years so there wasn't too many game breaking accidental glitches but more silly glitches which require some setting up or skill.
1- Prop stacking can cause you to reach out of bounds areas and cause some issues.
2- Valve's source engine has momentum based physics which allow you to gain momentum when you run and jump at a certain time, this is called bunny hopping and does require some skill, its not game breaking or really a glitch but I still wanted to include it here.
3- Like I mentioned Half-Life 2 does have some glitches which require some skill or setting up so i wont be including any as you're extremely unlikely to run into them in a real playthrough.
[h2] What I Enjoyed [/h2]
1- The story is well polished and is one of the best single player story games I've ever played. The characters and levels are well designed and make the perfect story game.
2- Half-Life 2 has some of the most unique game mechanics with tools such as the gravity gun which allow for fun and original experiences.
3- The level design in Half-Life 2 is next to none, All the levels have lots of detail and objects which can all be interacted with.
4- The countless achievements which require lots of dedication allow for hours of replay value. Half-Life 2's achievements differ from ones you get from progressing through the story to ones which require lots of knowledge and even the use of guides which make it perfect for experienced trophy hunters or beginners who want a challenge.
[h2] My Thoughts And Feedback [/h2]
1- 22 years later Half-Life 2 still holds up as one of the best story driven first person shooters ever. Games released today still struggle to beat the experience you get with Half-Life 2.
2- Like I mentioned previously the game has had endless patches meaning you wont find many issues and your playthrough will be smooth, fun and immersive experience. Half-Life 2 also got a massive 20th anniversary update in 2024 which combined all the games episodes into one exe and added workshop support. In the update also came a massive overhaul for its graphics and bugs.
3- The price for Half-Life 2 is only £8.50 (at the time of writing) and its well worth it, most of the games released in 2026 cost up to 10x the price and don't come close to the greatness Half-Life 2 is.
4- Half-Life 2 has full Xbox, PlayStation and Steam input API controller support making it perfect for anyone used to playing long story games on a controller instead of a keyboard and mouse. Half-Life 2 is also compatible with the Steam deck making it a perfect game for a long car journey or flight.
I'd give this game an 10/10. Its a masterpiece for its time and still holds that place to this day and I definitely recommend purchasing. Its pretty much perfect for anyone to try even if this isn't the type of game you'd play.
