So, Half-Life 2: Episode One Sucks

[Lyric Suite]

I was pretty disappointed by HL2 and its expansions - they were just linear corridor shooters with amazing facial animations and decent physics.

And HL1 is a linear corridor shooter without amazing facial animations and decent physics (well, non Source HL1 version, that is). What a legitimate reason to be disappointed in the sequel.

Half Life 1 was great. Half Life 2 was well crafted but boring. There is a big difference between the two. The first had style and character abound. Nearly all of the cinematic bits were engaging, well directed and well executed. Gameplay mechanics also didn't suck nearly as bad. Most of the weapons felt good and while hitting enemies didn't feel very satifying the excellent sound effects sort of made up for it. And while the AI of the Marines was mostly scripted it was still fucking spectacular.

Half Life 2 by comparison was just bland. Great looking, well crafted, but bland.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Pick up the can. Is the single best part of Half Life 2. Play until that part, then un-install.

I love how that with the addition of achievements in HL2, there's an achievement for both putting the can in the trash, and for throwing it in the Combine's face.

ElectricOtter: Cool maps, yes, but for the tone of DarkUnderlord's rant, the first map (E2M6) has little reason to be here. It's too dependent upon doing things in a set order (finding the keys), but the other two are much more open.