Favorites: Half-Life 1 vs Half-Life 2

[Lord AnthraX]

I like HL2 better.

Story line is incredible, it's one of those games that I just want to keep going, kinda like zelda when I was a kid.


Love the half life series.

 

[Meithan]

Half-Life 2 still on top 6-3 and 1 undecided vote. Come on, where's the rest of the gamer community?

Also, remember the purpose is not to compare both games on a technical basis, or even on which was more revolutionary in its time. Just tell us which did you enjoy more.

I like mustard, my friend prefers ketchup... if you see what I mean.

 

[hu_xu]

Farcry was much better than HL2 in graphics and gameplay. FEAR which game a year later has much better graphics, sound, and storyline and it is much more better and more realistic than Hl2.

Really? I thought HL2's graphics were better than Far Cry and I thought HL2: EP1's graphics were better than F.E.A.R. But it's all subjective anyways.

As for HL1 vs HL2...

When HL1 came out it was revolutionary. Its design singlehandedly changed how FPS were to be designed from that day forth. HL1 is arguably in terms of gameplay the most influential PC FPS ever. The level design in Black Mesa was simply incredible. But the 2nd half of HL1 (i.e. Xen) was turd IMO.

HL2 was not as revolutionary as HL1 but it introduced how physics could influence gameplay. It basically launched the whole physics craze IMO. The production value of HL2 is incredible when you think about it. The facial animation is unbelievable. I think where HL1 was revolutionary in terms of gameplay, HL2 was quite revolutionary in terms of how technology can be used in a FPS.

Both games are masterpieces and it is kind of unfair to compare HL1 to HL2 since the latter has the benefit of better technology. If you only go by gameplay I think I have to give the nod to HL1 (Black Mesa level design and combat was simply AMAZING) but if you include everything else (i.e. graphics, physics, and etc.) HL2 gets the nod obviously. Which is why I can't wait to play Black Mesa Source.

 

[Meithan]

When HL1 came out it was revolutionary. Its design singlehandedly changed how FPS were to be designed from that day forth. HL1 is arguably in terms of gameplay the most influential PC FPS ever. The level design in Black Mesa was simply incredible. But the 2nd half of HL1 (i.e. Xen) was turd IMO.

HL2 was not as revolutionary as HL1 but it introduced how physics could influence gameplay. It basically launched the whole physics craze IMO. The production value of HL2 is incredible when you think about it. The facial animation is unbelievable. I think where HL1 was revolutionary in terms of gameplay, HL2 was quite revolutionary in terms of how technology can be used in a FPS.

Amen. I agree 100%. Both games were revolutionary, but in different aspects.

Remember I'm looking for a subjective opinion here.

 

[gaara]

It's too hard to gauge HL2 since it hasn't been out long enough to really grasp the influence it has had on game developers. It's hard to compare the two since HL2 had the momentum behind HL1 to push it forward.

Half life changed the way you play a game because they put such backstory behind it, the interaction with NPCs in that game was absolutely groundbreaking at the time and the fact that the story was a linear real time scenario actually emerged the player in the game itself. While I can respect Valve for trying to diversify the environment of half life, the lame jumping puzzles on Xen at the end really detracted from the earlier parts.

HL2 introduced many unseen aspects into the game, but perhaps what it lacked was the difficulty and time put into half life. The soldier AI in HL2 is laughable and there was nothing to replace those crazy black OPs from the first game. HL2 was moreso storytelling and less gameplay vs. the first. I played Half Life for weeks before I finished the game...HL2 took me about 3 days

Now, if HL2 had been released a year earlier when it was expected to, it would no doubt have been revolutionary for that time period and I may have a different opinion. Don't mess with success though..HL1 > HL2 and if anything, Black Mesa: Source will convince anyone who favours the technological edge of HL2

 

[Meithan]

You speak of HL1's length, gaara. Actually that's another thing I'd like to know: how many hours does a normal (as in your first) run through Half Life 1 take? 10? 20 hours?

It was definitely one of the longest FPSs I ever played.

 

[Dexaroni]

Yes, HL1 was very long.

Personally, when I play an FPS, I want shooting, cutscene, shooting, cutscene.

I like a little bit of story, but I dont want puzzles, or exploration. I have games like Oblivion, Zelda and other adventure titles for that. I just do not feel that FPS games belong in the adventure category.

Quake 4 FTW!

 

[Raze664]

Found 2 bit more boring that HL:C. Just seems the same as HL1 with better graphics.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

My friend, HL2 was released in the end of 2004, but HL1 was released in 1998. So, of course HL2 will have better graphics and physics because it is much newer.

I realize this, i just meant that i liked the physics because it was more realistic. Obviously with such a stretch in time the physics/graphics/gameplay will get better, i just happen to like HL2 a bit more.

 

[gaara]

Actually that's another thing I'd like to know: how many hours does a normal (as in your first) run through Half Life 1 take? 10? 20 hours?

Couldn't give you an exact number since it was so long ago, although estimating I'd say it was about twice as long as HL2 so I'd say maybe 20 hours. Every chapter in HL1 seemed about twice as long as the ones in HL2 and there were so many more chapters. HL2 had what...15? I'd say HL1 had about 20 chapters, and many of the chapters in HL2 lacked any combat and were simply scripted sequences with other NPCs (not to say this is bad)