After HL2, I thought I would never be writing another review of a Valve game again. A call from a friend changed all that. He is not very computer savvy and  needed help with the "STEAM MACHINE" installation. I had helped him before with HL2. After that traumatizing experience I thought we had both sworn off Valve forever.

Well here he was again! His excuse - PC games are being introduced far and few in-between. He didn't want to wait until Xmas for a new shooter to play. This is quite a good point and one that I have a feeling Valve was quick to recognize.

It took a couple hours but I managed to get things installed and running. We played the game for a couple more hours. Let me say up front, I did not see the game to completion. My friend said it took him another 2.5-3 hours at most to finish it.

Here is what I saw and my thoughts:

1. Two hours of installation effort for 5 hours of fun?

2. $20 a pop for this and each subsequent HL2 chapter?

3. Installation - are you kidding?  In this post 911 era, our government would be proud of how Steam can intrude at will  on our privacy and have us volunteer to let them do it.

4. Basically a good game with a mundane story. Graphics are  great but that's the highlight - a 3.5 stars before subtracting for Steam. HL2 and this chapter are not in the same league as HL1, Deus Ex 1, System Shock 2, Jedi Knight (any), Far Cry, Max Payne 1, etc. etc. Frankly, Doom 3 and Quake 4 are just as good and a lot less trouble to install.

Summary:

You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. Apparently, Valve has found it's niche with the later. In their most audacious move yet,  they have forgone releasing another full game or expansion pack for $40 and are instead releasing short portions called chapters of HL2 at $20 a pop! They are doing this and forcing you to get steamed for each.  Yet, there are folks here giving this abortion 4-5 stars! PT Barnum would have been proud!

As to my friend - the first time was a mistake, the 2nd time is shame on you but if there's a 3rd  time, he's mutton stew.
After HL2, I thought I would never be writing another review of a Valve game again. A call from a friend changed all that. He is not very computer savvy and  needed help with the "STEAM MACHINE" installation. I had helped him before with HL2. After that traumatizing experience I thought we had both sworn off Valve forever. Well here he was again! His excuse - PC games are being introduced far and few in-between. He didn't want to wait until Xmas for a new shooter to play. This is quite a good point and one that I have a feeling Valve was quick to recognize. It took a couple hours but I managed to get things installed and running. We played the game for a couple more hours. Let me say up front, I did not see the game to completion. My friend said it took him another 2. 5-3 hours at most to finish it. Here is what I saw and my thoughts:

1. Two hours of installation effort for 5 hours of fun? 2. $20 a pop for this and each subsequent HL2 chapter? 3. Installation - are you kidding? In this post 911 era, our government would be proud of how Steam can intrude at will  on our privacy and have us volunteer to let them do it. 4. Basically a good game with a mundane story. Graphics are  great but that's the highlight - a 3. 5 stars before subtracting for Steam. HL2 and this chapter are not in the same league as HL1, Deus Ex 1, System Shock 2, Jedi Knight (any), Far Cry, Max Payne 1, etc. etc. Frankly, Doom 3 and Quake 4 are just as good and a lot less trouble to install. Summary:

You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. Apparently, Valve has found it's niche with the later. In their most audacious move yet,  they have forgone releasing another full game or expansion pack for $40 and are instead releasing short portions called chapters of HL2 at $20 a pop! They are doing this and forcing you to get steamed for each. Yet, there are folks here giving this abortion 4-5 stars! PT Barnum would have been proud! As to my friend - the first time was a mistake, the 2nd time is shame on you but if there's a 3rd  time, he's mutton stew.