PC Game Preview
Publisher: Vivendi Universal
Developer: Valve
Genre: First Person Shooter
Originally this game was supposed to be released last December, but after hacker attacks and press releases, the game was covered up in a veil of mystery. One thing is for sure; Half Life 2 looks like the best-developed game of the year. Since everyone has seen the trailers, no one is in doubt about that. I can safely say that this game is the most anticipated game of the year - actually the past two years.
The game itself has the most realistic game engine ever developed. On one demonstration, the developers took a metal crate and threw it into a swimming pool. Since the crate was made of metal, it sank. But when a wooden crate was thrown in, it floated. After that, they threw in other objects that floated or sank according to their matter. We gamers have only experienced such physics in the real world, so now we can rejoice in knowing our games are slowly catching up to reality.
From the trailers the first thing you might notice is how realistic the faces are, and it doesn't stop there. The realism goes as far as the jaw movements on the characters faces when they talk. This is thanks to the new software that allows the developers to take the actors voice and translate it into the characters facial expressions in real time. The software includes eyebrow movements, bones in the face, and of course mouth movement. In a demo, you can actually speak and have your voice translated into the movements of the game characters face. It's so realistic that it's creepy.
The game worlds vary from each level; some have an amazing battle sequence that makes you feel like you are playing Rainbow 6, while others have you moving alone Half Life style. When moving around you will encounter different kinds of foes, from aliens to zombies, with weapons or claws.
Since the game has a large variety of enemies to battle with, you will never get bored of it and you shouldn't experience single player fatigue where you get bored of fighting the same foes over and over again.
When it comes to the A.I., they are amazing, foe or ally. The game isn't scripted like most first person shooters and the game characters have many choices according to the situation. Like most people around the world, let's pray the developers have no difficulties in finishing the final game.
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