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Freeman Goes On: Half-Life 2 Episode Two Graphics Performance Review (page 3)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin , Yaroslav Lyssenko

[ 10/31/2007 | 02:48 PM ]

The notorious Hunter can be noted among new enemies. It is a dangerous robot that, unlike the larger machines of the Combine, can pursue the player in any place.

You’ll meet two new species of antlions one of which, called a “worker”, is more dangerous than ordinary “soldiers” as it can spit caustic acid over a big distance. The second species looks like an overgrown firefly – it is immovable and harmless but illuminates dark places and serves as a weak medicine.

There are no new weapons in the game save for sticky mines for destroying the most powerful war machines of the Combine, the Striders. These are delivered to the aim with Freeman’s gravitational gun. The player will also be able to take a drive on a Resistance version of the Dodge Charger, which resembles the original game in which driving a sand buggy was an important part of the gameplay. Maybe Freeman’s arsenal will be enriched with a portal generator in Episode Three. The Portal game included into Orange Box gives us sort of a hint on that, as the action in it takes place in the same Half-Life 2 universe.

As usual, you’ll have to solve some puzzles based on the physical model of the Source engine. There are more of them here than in Episode One and they are more variegated. The player will be employing the gravitation manipulator for battle purposes, for example to catch bombs thrown from an enemy helicopter and throw them back.

Overall, Half-Life 2: Episode Two looks more appealing than the previous Episode with its varied and exciting gameplay as well as with the plot. The game engine has been improved by the developers as well.