Half Life 2: Episode 1

Basics: Half Life 2: Episode 1 is what I could best describe as a stand alone expansion pack developed and distributed by Valve Software using there innovative online service, Steam. It is rated M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language (sounds bad but I think the rating is a bit overblown… there is no gore for one thing, at least as far as I could tell) Mild spoilers through whole review.

Okay so first of all, Half Life 2: Episode 1 is the first in a series following the events in Half Life 2. After the big thing that happens at the end of half life 2 (no need to ruin it). Something strange happens in which it appears as though the infamous g-man gets a bit of what he had coming to him. Shows him for talking in a strange jolted manner, almost as if he is unfamiliar with human speech!

The game is basically a continuation of Half Life 2, directly following the grand finale.
The main idea of episode 1 is Alyx and Gordon try to escape City 17 before the citadel, made unstable by you’re actions in HL2, explodes.

Speaking of Alyx, she is with you almost the entire game. She now offers assistance not only by helping shoot the endless tide of combine, zombie, and antlion (they aren’t your friends anymore D:) enemies, but in many other ways too. She can take the annoying rollermines that once tormented you, and turn them into friendly allies. She will offer useful advice if prompted. At one point she even uses a combine sniper rifle to cover you as you clear a path. All in all, Alyx has been quite well implemented, being neither an frustrating hinderance that you always have to protect or an invincible annoying hint machine.

As far as new content, there isn’t much to be had, except for the new combine zombies or as Alyx calls them “Zombines”. I guess this is to be expected, since all your doing in Ep:1 is going back through a now completely decapitated City 17, but a new weapon or something would have been nice. Ah, well.

As I said, City 17 is now looking worse for wear, ruins are everywhere. Dr. Kleiner has even taken over the giant screens Breen used to broadcast his rather dreary and unpleasant messages. Hilarity. But other then that the environment in general feels a bit tired and lame. I’m ready for the new forest of episode 2!

So pretty much Episode 1 is a good continuation of HL:2, but doesn’t really offer a lot that’s new.

8/10