Entry: Half-Life 2
We Don't Go To Ravenholm
It’s been an unspecified number of years since Black Mesa, both in the real world (when last did I play the original HL?) and the fictional one. The world as you know it has been completely destroyed. Tearing down the borders between worlds attracts attention - and in the aftermath of Black Mesa - the multi-dimensional empire known as the Combine has invaded Earth. Accepting the whole planet’s surrender in only seven hours, the Combine control is total and a suppression field prevents childbirth. The downtrodden remnants of humanity you see will be the last. The Citadel, a huge alien structure, looms hundreds of stories above the sky of City 17, a metropolis somewhere in Eastern Europe. The man responsible for the surrender, Dr. Breen, was the administrator of Black Mesa. He serves as the face of Combine population of Earth, and the primary antagonist.
But if you think Breen’s going to be some sinister, mysterious figure, you’re wrong. The minute you step off the train and see his smiling face, you know you’re not dealing with a tyrant; you’re dealing with a sell-out. He is just so comfortable up in his laanie tower, a fine rug covering the cold other worldly steel of his office. Throughout the game you’ll see how essentially powerless he really is and what a pathetic pretender he’s been, presiding over the end of the world in a black turtleneck. It’s symbolic of a whole new approach of story telling and script writing. Valve goes out of their way to make sure that every major character is distinct, memorable and motivated by real human concerns.
As time’s gone on and graphics have improved, the characters that populate HL2 haven't gotten any less vivid. The Source Engine is fantastic, allowing for an agelessness that very few engines could provide. But how do you make the player feel like they’re playing the same Gordon Freeman as the last game, with a new setting and no voice? It’s the HEV suit and it’s symphony of sound effects that come back, although sounding a little smoother but otherwise unchanged. One of the great strengths of HL2 is its natural presentation and pacing. The environmental detail is incredible and you really feel like you’re gunning your way through Earth’s last days. The oceans are being drained; the invasive ecosystems of other dimensions have slipped through, turning the wilderness into something more savage and stranger than before. Humanity lies hold up in its crumbling, useless cities, stripped of names and purpose. This combination creates an experience that is incredibly immersive.
The game is very obtuse as to where you’re supposed to go next, in a way that reinforces the whole “rogue physicist in over his head” feeling. You cover a tremendous amount of distance, thanks to a couple of vehicle segments that span many miles. My favorite has you piloting a buggy up the coast from City 17 to the prison of Nova Prospekt along the decaying highway leading North. This sequence, Highway 17, is one of the best in the entire game, putting you against exploration challenges, tremendous set piece battles in small towns, and amazing artistic direction. There’s not a single flavor of HL2’s gameplay that you won’t sample during Highway 17, and the length of the journey makes reaching the prison unexpectedly rewarding. Highway 17 also highlights just how many modes of gameplay Valve included over the course of the campaign: puzzles, platforming, stunt driving, stronghold assaults, survival horror and optional exploration. It’s all in there.
Play HL2, play it again if you already have. It has completed defined a genre, and is only recently being beating at its own game. I have no idea how I missed this one back in the day. I could still do another paragraph on Ravenholm, but I'd better end it here. I'm quickly approaching wall of text-mountain
