|
INFORMATION
Developed by Valve Software
Genre: Action
Reviewed by: Kris Jolly
INTRODUCTION
Half-Life… this name has been resonating through the
bowels of the gaming community for over a year since the OEM
version had been released. Half-life has been seen as almost
udder perfection in graphics in game play. The only complaint
so far is that the manual is a bit on the skimpy side, but oh well.
GRAPHICS
The only graphics that I have seen that could even compare to
the detail and the overall ambiance of Half-Life engine, is the
Unreal engine. Half-Life is a modified Quake 2 engine, with only
30% of the original Quake 2 engine still there, one can really
notice the enhancements since the colored lighting days of
Quake. With amazing detail ranging from a bowl of soup
spinning and steaming in a microwave, all the way to an
advanced skeletal animation set-up with moving body parts and
turning heads.
The detail levels are so amazing, the intro just made all of
our mouths drop wide open. The intro begins with Gordon
Freeman, who you play as the main character, in a tram going
trough the main complex. While going through the complex, a
voice from the overhead Comm system relays information of the
day to you and job openings at the Black Mesa Research
Center. This just opens you up to the everyday world of Gordon.
With detail such as a spinning rotor blade on top of an apache
and scientists running doing their much needed chores and
errands, you feel as if you really belong there.
Last but not least are the models used by Valve Software.
For the first time that I have seen, 3d rendered models, look at
you, talk to you while they are moving their mouths, and doing
such tasks as bending over and moving like a human would.
After a spectacular accident in the main lab, you will notice a
scientist doing CPR to a fallen guard. The scientist pumps the
chest with his hands and leans over to check on the breathing.
Now how cool is that!
Score 95%
INTERFACE
The interface throughout the game is very good. For the
traditional FPS player, the weapon selection is different and at
most the learning curve is 15 minutes. The weapons selection is
very well thought out. With 14 or so weapons that one can
choose during the game it was impossible to add them all to the
1,2,3-0 keypad. So they divided up the weapons up into 5
different weapon categories.
Button 1: Blunt Weapons
Button 2: Pistols
Button 3: Heavy weapons
Button 4: Advanced Weapons
Button 5: Explosives
Very cool way of doing this.
Score 95%
GAMEPLAY
Perfect! Fantastic! "AAAAAAHHHH!" would be a few of the
words or bodily noises that would describe this game. No matter
what I write here would ever explain how sweet this game is. A
lot of people, when they think of game play, they think of two
things first off. AI and weapons selections, and first we will
discuss the AI.
With games like Sin, where the AI run around in circles, this
is an excellent improvement over the games of the past. Gone
are the days of the 2-D sprites standing around waiting for you to
come around the corner. Here are the days were the AI doesn't
get hunted, it hunts you. The Alien AI is impressive but what
really caught my eye was how the grunts worked. Those grunts
move in squads and cover each other. If one grunt gets
wounded then the others will come out and lay down cover fire
and try and put you down so they other grunt can escape. But the
most awesome yet annoying feature is they way the grunts flush
you out of little cubbyholes. First they position themselves
outside the hole and then proceed to throw grenades in and
around your area. When you run out to avoid the grenades, they
move in and mow you down. Annoying but damned fun.
The weapons are great. Everyone will have a good time
with each weapon. Also almost all weapons have secondary fire.
The weapons coverage range from your everyday pistol to a
sniper crossbow to the ever so fun C4 explosives.
Score 100%
AUDIO
The audio is simply excellent. Lots of small sounds of grunts
talking to each other though headsets to hearing the aliens
making grunting noises. Listening to these sounds will keep you
alive and killing'. Also listen for the beeps of the Auto guns. It
just may save your life.
Score 95%
DIFFICULTY
After you get into the game you will start dreaming of
headcrabs jumping out of the blackness, or the intercom the
grunts use. Even on normal difficulty you will start to twitch at the
slightest sound in the dark. Wishing for the cold hard comfort of
an MP5. It's hard but it never loosens your grip on the game's fun.
Score 96%
OVERALL
The question you should be asking yourself is "Why am I still
here?" This is a subtle hint to go out and get this game! This is
an absolute must for anyone with a descent system. You're still
here?
Score - 95%
Post comments on the message board
Return to www.coolinfo.com
|
System
Requirements:
Required:
Win95/98
Pentium 133MHz
400MB+
24MB RAM
2X cd-rom
Recommended:
Pentium 166MHz
32MB RAM
3Dfx Accelerator
Cons:
-You have to pay
for it :-)
Pros:
-Way to many to
list
Coolinfo Bottom
Line:
- A must for any
gamer who wants
to experience a
perfectly crafted
game.
|
