So, that'd be, like, a Zombine?
I am a game geek. The following is my review/musings of Half Life 2: Episode One.
Today was the release date for Half Life 2: Episode One. AKA Half Life 2: Aftermath. It is the first experiment in episodic gaming undertaken by Valve Software, makers of the Half Life franchise. Episodic gaming is where a developer releases a game broken up into short gamelets. Each chunk is a self-contained game, usually running off of the same engine with the same gameplay mechanics.
There are many advantages to releasing a game episodically. Development time is drastically reduced: the time between Half Life and Half Life 2 was over 6 years. Aftermath was in development for a little over a year, and its sequels will be even shorter in-house. New technologies can be incorporated to each release, rather than scrapping years of work to alter vast chunks of narrative, level design, or modeling. Consumers enjoy a reduced price per chunk, with Aftermath costing only $20 rather than Half Life 2's $50.
Episode One promised between 4 and 6 hours of gameplay. Valve released it via Steam, their content distribution/management software. One could preload it weeks in advance, which I did. I also prepurchased it. The end result of this futuristic purchasing scheme was that, not even 30 seconds after the game was released to the general public, it was running on my machine. The ramifications of this transaction are heady, to say the least.
I *consumed* this game. I have beaten it, and am very satisfied. All aspects of the game show the polish and dedication I've come to expect from Valve (unlike other dev teams *coughbungiecough*). The gameplay mechanics are classic Half Life, but with a flair and style all their own. The puzzles are difficult, but not impossible (though the last one had me frustrated 'till I literally thought outside the box). The action is intense and rewarding. But the truly amazing thing is twofold: the story, and Alyx.
Alyx is your companion, daughter of one of your scientist friends from Black Mesa (setting of Half Life). She's all grown up, now, and is quite the tomboy. In Half Life 2 she tagged along with you very rarely, acting as a gate-opener more often than not. In this game she is almost *always* with you, shooting up baddies, hacking doors open, reprogramming mines, and being badass in her own way.
In no other game have I felt such a connection to a character as I have in this one. I've written a (really good) paper on Half Life's immersive qualities. The methods and outcome of its predecessors are present in Aftermath to a startling degree. Alyx is your mouthpiece, saying all the things Gordon, silent protagonist he is, cannot. She suffers as you do, crying out when attacked or injured. She shares frustration at puzzles and anger at the game's villans. She jokes with you, trying to lighten the very dark mood the game takes. And it is all so very convincing. More than a few times I heard myself talking to the screen, reassuring her and encouraging her. Little side comments, but it's rare to have me do that without an audience.
The story was an excellent continuation of Half Life 2's. HL2 ended in a cliff hanger, and this immediately resolves it, and then kicks you immediately back into the thick of things. Aftermath has its own cliffhanger, but with the second episode coming out this winter, the wait is bearable.
Replay value is not that high, for a casual gamer. But seeing as how I take these things apart for term papers I'll probably play it a dozen more times before I stop. The developers included a kind of commentary track with the game, and hearing them explain the design decisions inherent in the game is amazing. They talk a little simplistically, but it still quenches my thirst for their delicious knowledge. A little.
In all, I enjoyed Aftermath. It was everything Half Life 2 was, and a little more. Its episodic release has the possibility of ushering in a new era of game development and release, something the rapidly bloating industry desperately needs. Games are becoming bigger and bigger and, while fantastic when they work, they can be a big let down when they don't. The path to greatness is strewn with the unpurchased CDs of hundreds of games. Episodic games allow for more experimentation without so much risk. They also create the possibility of smaller, independant dev teams getting in on the market. Bigger competitors are rapidly closing off avenues for opprotunity for indy games, despite that group's potential for amazing things. Valve is one of the few companies that encourages and facilitates extensive modification of their games. Half Life enjoyed popularity (and sales) years after its initial release thanks to many popular, innovative games built upon its engine. Half Life 2 will enjoy such a rennaisance soon, with many amazing mods poised to drop soon.
This has been your semiregular game commentary. Hope you liked it :)
Today was the release date for Half Life 2: Episode One. AKA Half Life 2: Aftermath. It is the first experiment in episodic gaming undertaken by Valve Software, makers of the Half Life franchise. Episodic gaming is where a developer releases a game broken up into short gamelets. Each chunk is a self-contained game, usually running off of the same engine with the same gameplay mechanics.
There are many advantages to releasing a game episodically. Development time is drastically reduced: the time between Half Life and Half Life 2 was over 6 years. Aftermath was in development for a little over a year, and its sequels will be even shorter in-house. New technologies can be incorporated to each release, rather than scrapping years of work to alter vast chunks of narrative, level design, or modeling. Consumers enjoy a reduced price per chunk, with Aftermath costing only $20 rather than Half Life 2's $50.
Episode One promised between 4 and 6 hours of gameplay. Valve released it via Steam, their content distribution/management software. One could preload it weeks in advance, which I did. I also prepurchased it. The end result of this futuristic purchasing scheme was that, not even 30 seconds after the game was released to the general public, it was running on my machine. The ramifications of this transaction are heady, to say the least.
I *consumed* this game. I have beaten it, and am very satisfied. All aspects of the game show the polish and dedication I've come to expect from Valve (unlike other dev teams *coughbungiecough*). The gameplay mechanics are classic Half Life, but with a flair and style all their own. The puzzles are difficult, but not impossible (though the last one had me frustrated 'till I literally thought outside the box). The action is intense and rewarding. But the truly amazing thing is twofold: the story, and Alyx.
Alyx is your companion, daughter of one of your scientist friends from Black Mesa (setting of Half Life). She's all grown up, now, and is quite the tomboy. In Half Life 2 she tagged along with you very rarely, acting as a gate-opener more often than not. In this game she is almost *always* with you, shooting up baddies, hacking doors open, reprogramming mines, and being badass in her own way.
In no other game have I felt such a connection to a character as I have in this one. I've written a (really good) paper on Half Life's immersive qualities. The methods and outcome of its predecessors are present in Aftermath to a startling degree. Alyx is your mouthpiece, saying all the things Gordon, silent protagonist he is, cannot. She suffers as you do, crying out when attacked or injured. She shares frustration at puzzles and anger at the game's villans. She jokes with you, trying to lighten the very dark mood the game takes. And it is all so very convincing. More than a few times I heard myself talking to the screen, reassuring her and encouraging her. Little side comments, but it's rare to have me do that without an audience.
The story was an excellent continuation of Half Life 2's. HL2 ended in a cliff hanger, and this immediately resolves it, and then kicks you immediately back into the thick of things. Aftermath has its own cliffhanger, but with the second episode coming out this winter, the wait is bearable.
Replay value is not that high, for a casual gamer. But seeing as how I take these things apart for term papers I'll probably play it a dozen more times before I stop. The developers included a kind of commentary track with the game, and hearing them explain the design decisions inherent in the game is amazing. They talk a little simplistically, but it still quenches my thirst for their delicious knowledge. A little.
In all, I enjoyed Aftermath. It was everything Half Life 2 was, and a little more. Its episodic release has the possibility of ushering in a new era of game development and release, something the rapidly bloating industry desperately needs. Games are becoming bigger and bigger and, while fantastic when they work, they can be a big let down when they don't. The path to greatness is strewn with the unpurchased CDs of hundreds of games. Episodic games allow for more experimentation without so much risk. They also create the possibility of smaller, independant dev teams getting in on the market. Bigger competitors are rapidly closing off avenues for opprotunity for indy games, despite that group's potential for amazing things. Valve is one of the few companies that encourages and facilitates extensive modification of their games. Half Life enjoyed popularity (and sales) years after its initial release thanks to many popular, innovative games built upon its engine. Half Life 2 will enjoy such a rennaisance soon, with many amazing mods poised to drop soon.
This has been your semiregular game commentary. Hope you liked it :)