  A scene from 'Half-Life 2: Episode Two' |
If I've learned anything in my 24 years on this planet it's that some of the best things in life come in bundle packs. After all, nothing gets the consumer motor running more than signs that read, "2 for $30" or "Buy one, get one free."
Last month, for instance, I bought three Chuck Norris movies for $8 and may have to consult a doctor to surgically remove the stupid grin from my face.
Now Valve has added to the holiday joy with the release of "The Orange Box," which offers a staggering five titles in one. Included are: "Half-Life 2," "Half-Life 2: Episode One," "Half-Life 2: Episode Two," "Portal" and "Team Fortress 2."
Simply put, this is the best value you'll find in a video game this holiday season.
HALF-LIFE 2
If you never got around to playing one of the greatest first-person shooters when it was first released, you owe it to yourself to check it out now.
As scientist-turned-Rambo Gordon Freeman, you battle the extradimensional military force known as the Combine in City 17. Battles are intense and this new release does a nice job of updating the graphics. Just keep in mind it's three years old now and certain aspects are no longer as mind-blowing as they once were.
What made "Half-Life 2" so revolutionary at the time was its physics engine and gravity gun that allowed gamers to realistically fling things around while battling demonic creatures and military personnel.
While this is still tons of fun, some of the glitches are more visible now than ever. At times you'll find things getting stuck on walls and even Gordon himself gets caught in doorways now and then.
Given today's slew of quality first-person shooters, the grav-gun is definitely not as impressive as it once was, but still holds up well, and players new to the game will have a blast. The expansion pack titles do a nice job of updating the franchise a bit, however.
"Episode One" takes place directly after the first game as Gordon and friend Alyx Vance are trying to escape City 17.
As a computer-controlled ally, Alyx is surprisingly resourceful — she kills her share of the baddies without making it too easy.
Most of the action in "Episode One" takes place underground in dark passages, with the occasional battle aboveground. While the narrow parts are claustrophobic and creepy, nothing compares to the huge fights on the city streets.
If "Episode One" is more for the urban dweller, "Episode Two" is for the gamer who really wants to reconnect with nature while blowing stuff up.
Caught in the wilderness and still trying to escape the Combine, Gordon and Alyx must now make their way to a large resistance base called White Forest.
Though you do find yourself underground from time to time, "Episode Two" focuses more on big open wilderness battles and is more enjoyable than "Episode One's" dimly light underground hallways.
For a five-hour-long add-on, "Episode Two" features more than enough "Holy crap!" moments to fill a game four times as long. All meat, no fat.
As a whole, the "Half-Life 2" content runs about 30 hours and is well worth the price on its own. Lucky for you, there's more.
PORTAL
Without a doubt the most mind-bending title, "Portal" is as twisted and hilarious as it is clever. Though it plays like a first-person shooter, it's actually a puzzle game.
The idea is you've been given an inter-spatial portal gun that creates doorways on flat surfaces. The left trigger shoots opening ‘A' and the right fires ‘B'. If you enter ‘A', you exit ‘B' and vice versa. This may sound simple enough, but "Portal's" level design, traps and enemies make for some truly ingenious puzzles.
Now, take into account that momentum affects how you exit a portal — or as the game's ominous super-computer voice says, "Speedy thing goes in, speedy things comes out." At some points you'll need to send yourself through a portal into a high drop, then shoot the next gateway as you're flying so you can gain enough speed to be launched onto your desired platform.
As you can imagine, this is very disorienting and it can be difficult to keep your bearings, but that's a big part of what makes it so much fun.
Unfortunately, "Portal" does have one big flaw — it's over after only three hours of gameplay. If the folks at Valve know what's good for them, they'll keep console fans happy and release more levels.
TEAM FORTRESS 2
The online multiplayer component of "The Orange Box," "Team Fortress 2" is a wickedly fun and balanced team deathmatch game.
Players can duke it out in capture the flag, territorial control and control point modes. All are fun and offer their own style of play.
A big part of what makes it stand out from the rest is its art style. Whereas "Portal" and "Half-Life 2" have a sci-fi look to them, "Team Fortress 2" features bright cartoon visuals and a wacky cast of characters for players to choose from.
The usual soldiers and snipers are here, but there's a lot of fun to be had with some of the more unique character classes. There are nine in total, all with their own strengths and weaknesses.
My personal favourite is the spy, who allows you to camouflage yourself as any of the other team's classes and sneak by undetected. If enemies get close to you however, they'll sniff you out. Better make sure you brought your running shoes.
"Team Fortress 2" is a fantastic multiplayer game in its own right and is the perfect solution for those who are fed up with being massacred at "Halo 3."
OVERALL
"The Orange Box" is a difficult title to score — do you rate each individual game and calculate the average or do you view it as a whole package?
At the end of the day, however, you just can't beat the value being offered here and though it's not perfect, the sum of "The Orange Box" is greater than its parts.
WHAM! Rating: |
10 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
T - M (Teen to Mature) |
Official Web Site: |
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