Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Half-Life 2: Episode Two is the second installment in Valve Corporation's series of episodes for the first person shooter computer game Half-Life 2. The first two episodes of Half-Life 2 were developed concurrently by separate teams.^[4] This episode was released as a part of a bundled package, The Orange Box. A separate copy of Episode Two is available via Steam worldwide.^[3]

Continuing with Valve's policy of orienting each episode around a particular theme or set of technologies, Episode Two aims to focus on expansive environments, travel and less linear play. Following the closing events of Episode One, it sees Gordon Freeman and the series' other major players moving away from City 17 to the surrounding countryside.^[4]

Episode Two's retail version was released on October 10, 2007 in North America and Russia for PC and Microsoft's Xbox 360, after repeated delays. The version for the PlayStation 3 was to be released "around two or three weeks later", as it was produced separately at the Electronic Arts UK studio, according to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi.^[5] This version was further delayed. For the rest of the world, the release date was October 18.^[6] The Steam version was released on October 10, 2007 worldwide.

Gameplay

One of the focal points of Episode Two was meant to be vehicles in open areas. However, the game retains its original linear style until the final battle.^[7] Episode Two has more puzzles than Episode One, including the biggest physical puzzle yet in the series—a damaged seesawing bridge.^[7] The game features numerous "achievements" (similar to Xbox Live's Gamerscore) for carrying out certain tasks. Some are essential to game progress, such as helping fight off an antlion invasion, or defeating the first Hunters. Others are optional tricks or feats the player can perform, such as killing a Combine soldier with their own grenade or running down a certain number of enemies with the car. Some optional achievements challenge the player to be thorough or flawless in the execution of certain tasks, such as killing all 333 Antlion grubs in the game or preventing the Striders in the final chapter from destroying any buildings. The most unusual achievement, "Little Rocket Man", requires the player to pick up a lawn gnome in the first chapter and successfully deposit it within the rocket in the sixth chapter. Messages appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen to inform the player of their success or progress using numerically-based achievements.^[7]

Enemies

Episode Two formally introduces the new Hunter synth, which is seen briefly in a recorded message in Episode One. The Hunter serves as one of the most dangerous enemies within the game and as means of emotional development for Alyx Vance. The Hunter is a powerful and resilient enemy which players must often run from while seeking a means to fight back; Episode Two's environments are designed with this in mind.^[8]

An interview in the August 2006 issue of PC Gamer magazine reveals that the Hunter stands 8 feet (2.4 m) tall. Erik Johnson, the game's project lead, states that the Hunters are "big and impressive, but they can go anywhere the player can go," as the player can encounter them both indoors and outdoors.^[9] Ted Backman, senior artist for Valve, talks about how the Hunter can express emotions, being a somewhat non-human character. "We want the Hunter to be able to express nervousness or aggression, [to show you] whether it's aggressive, hurt, or mad." Hunters have a powerful gait similar to a gorilla's, and are very swift. They tend to operate in packs, but can also be found supporting other Combine troops. Late in the game, they can be found escorting Striders, using their flechette guns to destroy the sticky bombs the player must use.^[9]

Hunters primarily attack the player by bracing themselves and firing bursts from their flechette cannon. Four flechettes can vaporize an ordinary human soldier. If they do not strike a living target, the flechettes charge up for several seconds and then explode, dealing minor damage to everything nearby. Hunters may also conduct a charging attack or strike with their legs if the player gets too close. Hunters are vulnerable to all weapons but are quite resilient to compensate, making explosives and the pulse rifle's charged energy ball the most attractive options. Objects thrown with the gravity gun are also effective, especially if the player catches some of their flechettes with the object before hurling it (one of the in-game Achievements). In outdoor environments, they can be run over with a vehicle.^[10]

Two new forms of antlion are present. The first is the glow-in-the-dark antlion grub, a harmless, worm-like creature which functions a minor health pickup and a light source. Killing all 333 of these earns an Achievement. The second is the worker antlion (or 'acidlion') whose body produces a powerful and poisonous acid; in addition to firing it in a ranged spit attack, the acid is spread a short distance around them when they explode, making them dangerous to fight in close-combat. Functionally, they are similar to the bullsquids of the original Half-Life, but are thematically closer to the poison headcrab—a creature that the player will instinctively prioritize as a target. A new antlion guardian, which has glow in the dark features, was also added. This "Guardian" hunts the player in the final stages of his quest for the larval extract in the antlion caves. Despite this, the vortigaunt that accompanies the player forbids him from harming it, as the extract will be ruined if he does, so the player must accomplish his goal while being harried by a creature he cannot eliminate, though the player is eventually given the chance to kill it.^[11]

A re-skinned Combine soldier model makes an appearance throughout the game, sporting orange goggles, a dark brown and green suit pattern, and the Combine Elite symbol on an orange armband. They exclusively carry the shotgun, as opposed to the previous games where any soldier might have one. On a gameplay level, they are distinct in that they always attempt to close in on the player and use the shotgun's double-barrel secondary fire, a unique trait that allows them to inflict more damage than the shotgun-wielding soldiers in previous installments of Half-Life 2.^[12]

Weapons

Episode Two features no new additions to Gordon Freeman's inventory, but introduces a new form of Gravity Gun 'ammunition', the "Magnusson Device", named after the egotistical head of the White Forest base rocket project, Dr. Magnusson. Prior to the game's release, this weapon had been referred to as the 'Strider Buster'. The item is useless on its own—it must be deployed via the gravity gun. Level designer Dario Casali describes it as a "sticky bomb that you fire at a Strider's underbelly that will draw power from the Strider's internal power source". In-game, the device will stick so long as it contacts the Strider's body, and will instantly destroy it when fired upon with any other of the player's weapons. However, Hunter escorts will prioritize them as targets, either destroying them in the player's grasp or shooting already-attached ones off.^[13]

Valve's developers said new weapons were not a priority. The gravity gun was the direction of innovation they were most interested in, and objects like saw blades and flares were more interesting additions to the game. This policy was implemented with the Magnusson Device and more varied Gravity Gun "ammunition" such as wood blocks and half-height butane tanks, which are easier to aim than full-size fuel drums.^[13]

Vehicles

Large sections of the game feature a car which resembles a gutted-and-rebuilt 1969 Dodge Charger. It appears to have been tuned for performance. A radar system is installed later in the game, allowing the player to locate Rebel supply caches. In the final battle, a rear-mounted storage rack for Magnusson Devices is added and the radar is adjusted to track enemies and Magnusson Device dispensers. A homing unit is also installed so the player can quickly locate the car in the chaos of the final battle via a readout in the Hazardous Environment suit.^[14]

Synopsis

Setting

By contrast with Episode One's entirely urban setting, Episode Two sets the action in rural areas, villages, forests, as well as mining facilities and mountain caves. The exact location remains vague, with signs in Russian still hinting at a generic Eastern European setting, although gas pumps with the prices displayed in Finnish and Swedish have added to the confusion. The gameplay is in parts and to an extent less geographically linear than in the previous games, with the climactic fight in particular taking place across an entire map rather than in an enclosed arena.

Plot

Continuing the plot of Half-Life 2 and Episode One, Episode Two consists of seven chapters telling the story of Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance's journey to a large resistance base called White Forest. The Combine's Earth-stationed forces have used the destruction of the Citadel to begin opening a massive super portal, through which their army will be able to invade once it reaches critical size. However, as explained by Dr. Kleiner's broadcast in Episode One, it has also inflicted a portal and communications blackout, leaving the Combine isolated and disorganized in the meantime. In addition, Combine Advisors, some of them still unhatched from their pods, are scattered about the region after evacuating the Citadel. A crucial part of the plot is the transmission packet which the Combine sacrificed the Citadel to send, copied by Alyx and Gordon before making their escape. It contains data on the formation of the super portal, which the resistance can use to collapse the portal before it forms completely.^[15]

After Gordon and Alyx climb out of the wreckage of the train they used to escape City 17, they make their way to White Forest. At an abandoned mine, Alyx is gravely wounded by a Hunter. They are discovered by a vortigaunt, who leads them to an underground Resistance base. The vortigaunts there have the power to heal Alyx; however, Gordon must first venture into the nearby antlion colony to recover larval extract necessary for the healing ritual.^[16]

Once the extract is retrieved and the healing process begins, the G-Man contacts Gordon. He hints at Alyx's importance to his own long-term plans, revealing that he had preserved Alyx's life at Black Mesa despite objections from unnamed others. The G-Man then instructs an unconscious Alyx to tell her father to "prepare for unforeseen consequences." (Unforeseen Consequences is the title of the second chapter in the original Half-Life, which takes place right after the resonance cascade occurred.)^[16]

After Alyx has recovered, she and Gordon proceed to White Forest, further motivated by a large group of Combine forces heading to the same location. Despite being slowed by multiple ambushes, road blocks, and an Advisor, they reach White Forest in advance of the main Combine force. There, Alyx and Gordon are reunited with Dog, Isaac Kleiner, and Eli Vance. The player is also introduced to Dr. Arne Magnusson, another former Black Mesa scientist who is egotistical, verbose, and authoritarian. The team of scientists are preparing a rocket, which they plan to use in conjunction with the satellite array launched during the events of Half-Life, to close the Combine super portal.^[16]

Alyx gives Judith Mossman's message to Dr. Kleiner, which contains the location of the Borealis, an Aperture Science research vessel which one day suddenly vanished into thin air with part of the surrounding drydock. The player is not told exactly what the ship contains or the nature of its significance, though it is suggested that whatever it contains has the potential to cause a disaster as great as that at Black Mesa if used improperly. The G-Man compels Alyx to unconsciously deliver the message he gave her earlier. After convincing Alyx to leave temporarily, Eli reveals to Gordon that the G-Man, whom he refers to as "our mutual friend," had issued the exact same warning back at Black Mesa after giving him the test sample that caused the resonance cascade. Eli is physically shaken by the new warning and promises further revelations to Gordon.^[16]

While the rocket is being prepared, White Forest comes under attack by Combine forces, namely a dozen Striders escorted by Hunters. Gordon engages and destroys them using experimental explosive charges created by Magnusson. After the rocket is successfully launched and the portal closed, Eli again warns Gordon about the "cargo" on the Borealis, which he wants destroyed, and the three of them head into a hangar where Alyx has restored an old helicopter. However, they are ambushed by a pair of Advisors, who restrain them. Alyx and Gordon are forced to watch helplessly as Eli is killed. Dog hears Alyx's cries and bursts in, injuring one Advisor and causing both Advisors to flee. The game ends with Alyx mourning over Eli's body.^[16]

Development

Episode Two was developed simultaneously with Episode One by a development team led by David Speyrer. This schedule of simultaneous development aided them in streamlining the story between the two games to create an immersive storyline. The technology used was the same for both games, allowing the development teams to quickly fix any technical problems that might arise from either game; this happened often because of the multi-platform release.^[4]

An announcement was made on July 13, 2006 stating that Episode Two would be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the PC, where previous iterations of the series operated.^[1] It was originally rumored that Episode Two would be delayed until 2008. On June 14, 2007, however, Valve confirmed the release date for Episode Two to be October 9, 2007 for all announced platforms. Valve handled the development of the game for the PC and Xbox 360, while Electronic Arts British office in Chertsey worked on the PlayStation 3 version of the game.^[2] It was announced on September 7, 2007 that the PlayStation 3 version of the game would be delayed because the development studio behind the game was in the United Kingdom, away from Valve's development team, and therefore lagged behind in its schedule. Valve's marketing director, Doug Lombardi, gave assurance that the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of the game would be identical in functionality and performance.^[5]

Audio

Episode Two's soundtrack was composed by Kelly Bailey, who also composed the music for the Half-Life series' other installments. The music is used sparingly throughout, played primarily during scenes of major plot development or particularly important action sequences, such as an encounter with a new enemy. The soundtrack is included in the Russian edition of The Orange Box and is also sold separately.^[17] An audio commentary is also featured, as in Episode One and Lost Coast.^[18]

A notable change to the vocal cast is the inclusion of actor Tony Todd as the voice of the Vortigaunts.^[19] He replaces Louis Gossett Jr. in the role.^[20] Popular film and television actor Adam Baldwin (Angel, Firefly) voices several of the civilian and rebel NPCs, most notably the character who informs the player of the Striders' locations in the penultimate chapter.^[19]

Reception

The game had an average score of 90% based on 21 reviews on the review aggregator Game Rankings.^[29] On Metacritic, the game had an average score of 90 out of 100, based on 18 reviews.^[28]

Dan Adams of IGN rated the game 9.4 out of 10 and praised its improved visuals and expansive environments, but cited the short six-hour length as a drawback.^[25] He said: "Any way you look at it, Episode Two stands out, even among the Half-Life series, as something special ... a burly experience packed into roughly six hours or so that offers up all the diversity, level design, and thoughtful gameplay we've known while making sure to propel the story forward and leave us wanting more."^[25] Bit-tech.net awarded the game a 10 out of 10 score, citing approval of how the story turns and the introduction of side stories and new characters.^[13] 1UP.com praised the game, noting that the game's "entire five-hour experience" was "vivid, emotionally engaging, and virtually unsurpassed".^[21] PC Gamer UK also applauded Episode Two, noting it "is the most sumptuous chapter of the Half-Life saga, and by a country mile."^[26] The New York Times enjoyed the gameplay, saying, "The battles in Episode 2 of Half-Life 2 often require as much ingenuity as they do fast reflexes."^[27]

Computer and Video Games commented on the game's graphics, saying that although the game's engine was "starting to look its age", its "wonderful art design and the odd bit of technical spit-shine ensure that Episode Two [...] doesn't lose any of its wow factor." They also noticed that the game "goes about fixing a lot of the niggling complaints we had about Episode One", especially applauding the open forests and rocky hills from Episode Two.^[22]

Several reviewers noted shortcomings. The New York Times commented on the story for Episode Two, noting, "While it sows a few seeds for the final episode of the trilogy, the game lacks the driving force of the previous episode."^[27] GameSpy criticised the game, saying it is "a little more inconsistent than its predecessors," and that the opening segments of the game were "arguably the weakest" parts.^[24]

References

External links

• Official Half-Life 2: Episode Two website
• Official Steam website
• Half-Life 2: Episode Two at GameSpot