Half-Life 2

[Nav]

I think it's the first gate you have to open. I'm pretty sure I went all the way in to find the controls, only for the gate to get blown off its hinges by the Combine (I think it was them). It's been a couple of weeks since I put it down, so the details are getting fuzzy!

[I'm Murrin]

Well, if the gates were open you just need to reach the airboat again and move on. Hmm.
I think the first gate is the one where you climb a ladder onto a scaffold, follow it round the edge of a high wall, go inside and shoot your way through a couple of buildings, then end up on the other side of the gate when it gets opened (IIRC, there's a bit where you push a cart along to give you cover from a turret). If it's the one I'm thinking of, you have to retrace your route back through the buildings--and past some Combine that have arrived since you came in--back to the boat.



I'm a little annoyed with myself for not being able to just get on with it in Ravenholm--I'm playing it in ten minute bursts, during which I'm either far too hesitant, or I rush around hoping nothing jumps out behind me.

[aTOMiC]

Just made it to Ravenholm. Funny I've seen this before. I think this was part of one of the Half Life 2 demo packages. Nice and creepy.
Loved the airboat by the way. I hated to leave it behind.

[I'm Murrin]

Argh. I got to the point in Ravenholm where things start to escalate--slow zombies, poison zombies and fast zombies all attacking at the same time--and I used up all my ammo very quickly after picking up the only refills I've seen for quite a while. I also have no shielding left on my HEV suit.


Edit: Made it! Highway 17 at last.

[I'm Murrin]

I have reached Nova Prospekt. I didn't really feel up to a zombie level today, so I've put the game down until another time. Perhaps if my minions had not abandoned me I would have continued, but alas, I am left alone...

[aTOMiC]

I just reached Nova Prospekt too. Actually I've kind of lost track. I managed a couple of hours over the weekend. I'm in the midst of the prison level. I still have my cadre of Sand Lions doing my dirty work for me. After all the time they drove me nuts I actually feel bad when I have to send them against an autogun and watch them get cut down. It seems I have an unlimited supply of pawns at my disposal though.

[I'm Murrin]

I thought I remembered one of my friends using the antlions inside Nova Prospekt as well, so I'm assuming it's only during the first part that I can't call them.
They just stayed in the yard when I climbed inside the building, and then the entrance caved in behind me. I haven't played beyond that bit yet.

[aTOMiC]

Yikes Murrin. You totally use them, its going to be pretty hard to get through a lot of the level without them. Try squeezing the caller.
antlions? Yeah. I'm lucky I didn't call them dANdeLIONs.

[I'm Murrin]

They caller stopped working as soon as I stepped into the bit with the fire traps just inside the building--the very end of the "Sandtraps" level--but like I said, I haven't proceeded beyond the first room of Nova Prospekt. It'll probably start working again once I get inside.

[I'm Murrin]

Nova Prospekt was fun. Though some bits I could be a bit stupid on, and got shot more than I needed to. I'm still not getting the hang of fighting Antlion Guards, though the third fight went a bit better that previous ones. I only took one hit, I think.

Entanglement is quite a difficult one so far.

[aTOMiC]

Yeah. I got through Nova Prospekt except the end. I just got to the part where the giant blue structure is trying to crush me. So far I haven't discovered what I'm supposed to do here. I've been crushed a few times so it's frustrating a bit.

[I'm Murrin]

Ah, is that the narrow track where everything starts closing in around you? There's a ledge up on the left half way along, you need to use some of the objects lying around to make a step up. Entanglement starts as soon as you're out of that bit.

[aTOMiC]

Thanks for the tip, Murrin. I can't wait to get home and give it a try. I guess I'll have something to say about Entanglement come friday.

[I'm Murrin]

I finished Entanglement and got halfway through Anticitizen One in the last hour. Entanglement is tough. There is one section late in the level where you're on your own with three turrets, a limited supply of health and shield, and a steady flow of Combine coming at you from all directions. The turrets got knocked down too often, the Combine were only dropping shotgun ammo, and the health ran out almsot straight away. In the end, after dying three times, I just hid in a tiny room when I was on less than 20 health and shotgunned anything that walked in front of the doorway. Even then, it was close.
On the other hand, the final room of the level is quite simple: three turrets again, but this time each has an obvious point to place them and between them they held off the Combine quite easily.

[aTOMiC]

I look forward to that, Murrin. What you described sounds like it will be fun. I'm only worried about finishing the game too quickly. Of course there are add ons and conversions and such to monkey with when I'm done.

[I'm Murrin]

I'll be carrying straight on with Episode One and Episode Two as soon as I finish HL2, if only because I won't be able to resist. I doo worry a little that it's all gonig by quite fast, but it's good enough that it doesn't bother me too much. I'll eventually give it another go on a higher difficultly level, see if I've learned anything this time round.

[Worm of Despite]

I look forward to that, Murrin. What you described sounds like it will be fun. I'm only worried about finishing the game too quickly. Of course there are add ons and conversions and such to monkey with when I'm done.

Half-Life 2 is short, but it's replayable because of that very fact. The game is extremely tight and focused, and there's always an "oh-cool" moment around the corner. The art style is also nuanced, and the story/characters feel fresher than the average FPS. I've played through the game 5 times, and the experience is always a new one.

And yes, go straight to the Episodes, Murrin! Resistance is futile. Their gameplay is even more refined than Half-Life 2's.

And when you beat the single-player, there's always Counter-Strike: Source or Team Fortress 2. I'll be playing those for years.

[Nav]

Finally knuckled down and got on with Water Hazard last night, I think I must be getting near the end but I've reached a place with no way out and two rocket tanks firing at me. I think I can see a ramp, but don't know how to reach it without leaving the airboat and that doesn't seem like a very good idea!

[I'm Murrin]

I got stuck there for a while. In the end I got off the boat in a safe-ish place to see if there was a way (I didn't find anything), but when I went back there was an opening through a shipping crate. I think I'd accidentally made the rockets blow it open.

On the subject of Water Hazard's length (I think you're right about being near the end, but I'm not sure), I was quite impressed at the time with just how big that chapter is. None of the levels since then have seemed as big, though Sandtraps went on for quite a while.

[aTOMiC]

Nav, I struggled with that area too but eventually worked a way out. (don't remember exactly what I did though). Yes Water Hazard is very long but in a good way.
Entanglement is proving to be very interesting. It was cool to be able to grab a couple of autoguns and use them for my own defense for a change.