Verdict: A superb addition to the series that will leave you hungry for more.
Half-Life 2 is widely recognised as one of the greatest PC first-person shooters of all time but, instead of following it up with Half-Life 3, developer Valve instead attempted something new - episodic gaming.
This means that instead of a traditional sequel, Valve has chosen to continue the story directly from where Half-Life 2 left off by producing a series of shorter, episodic games. Half-Life 2: Episode One was released last year and saw Gordon Freeman blowing up a key Combine installation and making good his escape.
Now, after quite a considerable gap, HL2: Episode Two has arrived to continue the story.
Since HL2: Episode Two is an instalment, rather than a compete game in its own right, Valve has sold it as part of its 'Orange Box', which also contains Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Portal and Team Fortress 2. Portal is a simple but addictive action-puzzler while Team Fortress 2 needs no introduction - suffice to say that it's one of the best multiplayer frag fests around.
HL2: Episode Two is the focus of this review, however, and it sees Gordon and his attractive sidekick, Alyx Vance, on a mission to deliver vital information concerning how to close a dimensional portal and thwart the Combine's invasion plans to the resistance. Somewhat predictably, however, Alyx manages to get critically wounded and it's down to you to help the Vortigaunt (the multi-eyed alien creatures who have allied themselves with humanity) to save her life.
One obvious change from HL2: Episode One is the slightly more freeform gameplay. It's still a matter of progressing from Point A to Point B, but at least there's some choice as to how you reach your destination.
For example, in some of the subterranean levels, you'll find various interlinked cave passages. The drawback of this, of course, is that the enemy also makes use of them, both for cover and to attack you from the rear, which adds to the game's already well-developed sense of tension.
Of course, the most important aspect of the game is combat. There are a few new enemy creatures to test your metal, such as flechette-firing Hunters, Striders, and an acid-throwing Antlion, along with some reskinned Combine troops. They fight smart and the AI does a great job of keeping you on your toes throughout the entire game. There are no notable new additions to your arsenal, however, although you can drive a vehicle called The Hotrod, which can be upgraded with ammo racks, tracking radar and so forth.
It won't take a seasoned FPS gamer very long to blast through the seven chapters that comprise HL2: Episode Two, but the game is never anything less than supremely enjoyable.
The visual sequences would be at home in a good Hollywood sci-fi movie and, from caverns to wide-open forests, it has none of that 'haven't I been here before?' feeling you experienced with HL2: Episode One. The only problem is that it leaves you wanting much more, so hopefully HL2: Episode Three won't be so long in the making.
