Episode 2
<div class="IPBDescription">Discussion/Complaints/Achievements</div>Just finished the game, woo! What a ride.
Awesome story, visuals, gameplay. It was surprisingly long too (5.5 hours first time through). Everything kept me playing until the end, no brakes, no dull parts at all really. My jaw dropped at <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>the end</span>.
I have several complaints, mainly regarding the achievements because I'm a damn perfectionist when it comes to collecting in games.
1. Kill somebody with a Hopper Mine... sounds easy enough, but there aren't any. I went through the whole game without seeing a single one.
2. The Gnome. I found the ###### in beginning of the game, and when I realized at the very end where I had to take it, I thought "no way." I can't believe you have to carry that thing through the whole game. What happens during the driving parts? You can't put it on the dash or anything right?
3. Grubs; there's so many of those things, missing a couple (I had 322 out of 333) means I have to go through large portion of the game again on yet another glow worm hunt.
4. Hunters suck. Really cool the first time, but they just become a pain in the ass later especially when you're going after the Neighborhood Watch Achievement.
5. That last Achievement makes me hate the final battle. Unless you're perfect at that part you're not getting it. I dread playing the game again to go through that part.
6. Where's Barney? I'm surprised he wasn't written into the game somewhere. And I was hoping to see Father Gregori again, but that's a long shot.
7. The ending crushes you and leaves you in wait. This is probably how people were with the end of Episode 1, but I just played that last week for the first time and I didn't know how it was like.
Agree?
Awesome story, visuals, gameplay. It was surprisingly long too (5.5 hours first time through). Everything kept me playing until the end, no brakes, no dull parts at all really. My jaw dropped at <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>the end</span>.
I have several complaints, mainly regarding the achievements because I'm a damn perfectionist when it comes to collecting in games.
1. Kill somebody with a Hopper Mine... sounds easy enough, but there aren't any. I went through the whole game without seeing a single one.
2. The Gnome. I found the ###### in beginning of the game, and when I realized at the very end where I had to take it, I thought "no way." I can't believe you have to carry that thing through the whole game. What happens during the driving parts? You can't put it on the dash or anything right?
3. Grubs; there's so many of those things, missing a couple (I had 322 out of 333) means I have to go through large portion of the game again on yet another glow worm hunt.
4. Hunters suck. Really cool the first time, but they just become a pain in the ass later especially when you're going after the Neighborhood Watch Achievement.
5. That last Achievement makes me hate the final battle. Unless you're perfect at that part you're not getting it. I dread playing the game again to go through that part.
6. Where's Barney? I'm surprised he wasn't written into the game somewhere. And I was hoping to see Father Gregori again, but that's a long shot.
7. The ending crushes you and leaves you in wait. This is probably how people were with the end of Episode 1, but I just played that last week for the first time and I didn't know how it was like.
Agree?
Comments
I like hunters through out the game. They are a decently challenging opponent that isn't "OMGWTFHAX". There are trick to killing them, they make the last battle REALLY hard (And thus much more rewarding when you finish it). Basically they are in the same type of challenge as Guardians, but are able to be implemented in any environment, and not just horribly rape you, but actually challenge you.
All In all I enjoyed the game a lot.
And it looks like I finished in 4.6 hrs (that is my play time in Steam of the game)
<!--quoteo(post=1655723:date=Oct 13 2007, 01:03 PM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Oct 13 2007, 01:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655723"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->2. The Gnome. I found the ###### in beginning of the game, and when I realized at the very end where I had to take it, I thought "no way." I can't believe you have to carry that thing through the whole game. What happens during the driving parts? You can't put it on the dash or anything right?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->You only need to get it as far as when you first see Magnusson and the rocket nosecone; there's an open hatch there. Don't forget to close it.
<!--quoteo(post=1655723:date=Oct 13 2007, 01:03 PM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Oct 13 2007, 01:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655723"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->4. Hunters suck. Really cool the first time, but they just become a pain in the ass later especially when you're going after the Neighborhood Watch Achievement.
5. That last Achievement makes me hate the final battle. Unless you're perfect at that part you're not getting it. I dread playing the game again to go through that part.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->No kidding. I had to save/load ###### and even then just gave up when a strider across the map destroyed a building.
- War of the worlds rips even more apparent than they were before, and that's saying something.
- Maybe it was because I played trough Ep 1 the week earlier, but both the zombie part and the antlion part bored the hell out of me.
- Something radically new needs to be added or it will grow stale
- Still doesnt reach the narrative heights of HL2.
- Acid antlions are perhaps the most annoying enemy to date in the game.
- Brilliant dialogue and voice-acting
- Too many cut-scenes
- Ewww@ the first cut-scene with the advisor
- The G-man cut-scene seemed pointless.
Anyway, despite all this it's still a very good game, even great. The experience just didnt compare to when I played trough HL2.
The scene where the Vortigaunt pulls the essence out of the antlion nest was incredible. The special effects made it purdy as hell.
The hint at the tie-in with Aperture Science (We do what we must, because we can) was interesting too.
--Scythe--
He probably plays the game hyped on on Mountain Dew, bunnyhopping around looking for powerups and enemies to kill. When people start talking he gets bored and lapses into a mini-coma from which he wakes when the voices stop droning.
I loved Ep2. The only way it could be better IMHO is if they added some Combine troops to that final battle. Make it more epic instead of just "drive around and squish hunters, then pop the strider." This is the first time in the HL2 series that I started to care at all about Alyx. Before I was kind of just like "yeah whatever." Also, that G-Man scene was <i>awesome</i>.
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>For some reason, seeing her get attacked by the Hunter like that, then me going through all that to save her, then us being bonded like that- it just clicked so well. I couldn't really explain why it was different than before, but now I cared. When I saw what was happening to Eli, I was pissed as a mother######er. It was time I killed a ######.</span>
The game totally is awesome but the achievements do kinda ruin it for us completionists <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" /> don't these people realize that they're hurting their game by putting these things in and making us feel like failures if we don't get them all, which requires micromanaging the game and not playing it for fun? I still can't believe I missed ONE grub somewhere.
I think what they should have done was, if they insist on putting the achievements in the game, make them either invisible for the first playthrough or nonexistent for the first playthrough... that way you could play it through once purely for fun, and maybe the second time work on finishing the anal retentive stuff.
can you still get achievements with god mode on? maybe I'll do my second playthrough with god mode on + commentary + noclip when needed, to get those remaining obnoxious achievements.
Other than that, however, it was quite swell. I enjoyed it far more than I did HL2 or EP1.
No. I love the story telling through NPCs. But see, I played portal after Episode 2, so the name didn't ring a bell at the time.
I don't know why you chose me, of everyone to think of as the average Halo player.
Yeah, I feel that way too. I didn't realize there were achievements before I got the "111/333" message.
Other than that, however, it was quite swell. I enjoyed it far more than I did HL2 or EP1.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I had the same problem, but it also happened at the end. Totally killed the effect, having to watch events unfold as a silent slideshow with subtitles.
The Hunters were annoying; I didn't have much trouble taking one down at a time but I'm a ditz at managing more than one, and get easily overwhelmed. Plus, getting pinned running around trying to find a medkit frantically. I'm surprised I managed to get past the last battle, ugh.
I don't really care much for the achievements, so I won't be killing myself over them. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
The combat was okay. I'm glad they added a couple new enemies. I personally loved the acid ant lions, they brought a different pace to the gameplay – everything else just runs straight for you. The hunters were fun but I never caught onto using the darts against them. I really enjoyed some of the more advanced animations both they and the striders had. <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>(The battle between Dog and the strider was awesome.)</span> I have to agree though, they need to come up with something new. I've been hitting headcrabs and zombies with a crowbar for almost ten years now.
I was glad they added more to the storyline since Ep1 was so dry in that regard. The combat can be tedious to me and I really wish they would pack more story in each hour of the game. The end was emotional and all but I still feel like we haven't learned much about the big picture. I'll agree that the bond with Alyx definitely got stronger, I felt pretty apathetic about her until now.
It happened during the end scene for me as well. It wasn't <i>quite</i> as bad as the first cutscene but it did ruin them nonetheless. I'm not quite sure what it was about those two scenes that was so hardware intensive, I ran the rest of the game with a perfectly good framerate.
I don't think I ever even tried it (I assumed they were like striders in that you would just flip the car).
Wow, I feel like a nub now.
I took out all the hunters in the last bit just by shooting the hell outta them...
I don't think I ever even tried it (I assumed they were like striders in that you would just flip the car).
Wow, I feel like a nub now.
I took out all the hunters in the last bit just by shooting the hell outta them...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't feel bad – I did the same. Seems like it would have made the final battle a lot easier knowing that you could run them over though...
You only need to get it as far as when you first see Magnusson and the rocket nosecone; there's an open hatch there. Don't forget to close it.
No kidding. I had to save/load ###### and even then just gave up when a strider across the map destroyed a building.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I just thought those funny discs where decor... man I'm an idiot.
<!--quoteo(post=1655736:date=Oct 13 2007, 06:53 AM:name=Abra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Abra @ Oct 13 2007, 06:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655736"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Oh you can gravity gun the flachettes? I tried it once, but I didn't get a hold of one. Didn't think you could that.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I tried doing that and it never worked.
<!--quoteo(post=1655788:date=Oct 13 2007, 11:57 AM:name=Thansal)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thansal @ Oct 13 2007, 11:57 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655788"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Wait, you can RUN OVER HUNTERS?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah but:
<!--quoteo(post=1655794:date=Oct 13 2007, 12:33 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Oct 13 2007, 12:33 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655794"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->They dodge your car pretty well, though. It's no cakewalk.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It made that Achievement even worse. I nearly had to take each out in a single pass, some even required killing two at once. Some of the Striders sprint to get to the buildings they're scripted to destroy. So it required a ton of saving and loading and knowing where to go. Certain Striders can be left alone because they don't seem to care about the other buildings only the base which is a ways away.
Will the PC version ever get the Achievements for HL2 and Episode 1 the 360 version has? It'd give me a reason to play through them again.
Was anyone else excited when the Borealis was mentioned?
In any case, I never tried closing the rocket door and sending everyone's favorite head sucker into space (she was in there).
The only logical reason I can think of is to denote that they are programmed to be friendly and will not explode for friendly people.
I looked for a garden gnome the whole way thru couldnt find one, that last grub someone missed would of been were the hunter trys to burst out near the surface if you duck down and look thru the gaps in the wood you can see it, i missed 13 grubs, i skrewed up on one of mine cart bits, and my last save was miles back, i droped down into the antlion caves thinking i could get back up : ( so i didnt go down the sharft with the ladder the run away mine cart trys to take you down : (.
The borialis name drops were sweet gives a whole new meaning to portals i can see where the storys will intersect, I ran through on hard so aside form the first hunter, fight the next hunter fight was about 5 hunters, also for some reason my second day of play wasnt recording any achivments, something about not being connected to steam, went back and did it the next day i swear i fettcheted one, it was my attempt with shot guns on double barrle, magnums work wounders as do cross bow bolts to save on mag rounds as openers, the best weapon use is on the v3 the alt fire.
lol man we got v4s back in the city, dude v4's don't exsist, sure they do, well what about hunters they are scarey as hell the v3 alt fire take them out easy, forget hunters man we used to punch them back in the city, take on like 7 hunters, swing at their heads. ok well lets go out into the feild?...all scared* forget the feild, i.. i am radio intelegence.....
Seen G man. i thank him for my nos boosted GTO and the bigest teeter toter in the world.
Played thru a lot of area's with out saves, haveing to run entire bits again if i died, the <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>silo climb was a power house that thing just kept filling up with combine so rushed it hard as</span>.
Oh on the under the radar chapter, i some how pissed off a crow, bugged it out, it chased and attacked me for a good 20 minutes pissed me right off effected movment and was takeing tid bits of health.
It wouldnt give me the achivment for the combine solider grenade kills i was grav gunning them out of the air and throwing them back at them, but gave me a combine zombie grenade kill.
Saving the buildings from striders, if i knew it was the last fight i would of put more effort into it, but would take a lof of getting to know the fight in and out. *note try shooting the drop ships with rockets i put five into a single drop ship, it didnt kill it but each rocket slowed its arival time down by about 3-4 seconds it littral stops in mid air and piss and moans for a few seconds.
Acid antlions were weird, like a heavy object that drops antlions or zombies in one hit doesnt make them flinch, but throw something flimzy at them like a sheet of corigated iron and they disintergrate in one hit.
Cable tied iron struts, became my weapon of choice took out a general in 4 grav gun hits about the same weight as a engine block I think or a wind mill blade from hl2.
loved the whole get the larva scene how its a rite of passage for there culture and speices. wasnt to happy when some random alien starts hitting on you tho.
alot of the game breaking/gravity breaking exsploits have been fixed, some a little to fixed and made moveing rather weird or crippled
but great game in all i truely like the lengths they have gone thru the creature design is near flawless for earthly creatures, you take out a strider in a forest, its limbs shell everything blends into its suroundings, the first dog encounter that drop ship blocking the road blends in so well, if we put that much effort into designing our next generation war machines they will be invisable on earth, if a alien race came down and had equipment such as this we wouldnt know they exsisted until the invasion was on.
So any hints to the garden gnome would be great, i dont care if its right near the start, i carryed dogs ball and the first wind mill blade thru 8 chapters, i have no issue going two steps forward one step back.