 STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED |
 Classic
|
 Excellent
|
 Good
|
 Fair
|
 Tragic
|
|
| Packshot |  |
| Game Details | Released
19 October 2007 | | Format
PC, Xbox 360, PS3 | | Developer
Valve |
|
|
Half-Life 2: The Orange Box
 Review
It goes without saying that any game bearing the Half-Life 2 logo is worth buying. But as The Orange Box includes the sublime Half-Life 2, its two follow-up episodes, a multiplayer blaster and a brand new action-puzzle game based in the series’ bleak universe, this incredible compilation could be the gaming deal of the century.
Don’t even bother reading the rest of this review - just go and buy it.
Still here? OK, if you want more background on what you’re getting into, Half-Life 2 is one of the most intense blasters ever unleashed, a dizzying blend of intelligent gunplay, scarily-intelligent enemies and Orwellian imagery; Episodes 1 and 2 continue the story of accidental hero Gordon Freeman and his battle against alien invaders, each semi-sequel refining the Half-Life experience and plugging holes in the series’ elaborate plot; Portals, a new action-puzzler, sees players negotiating a series of rooms and using inter-dimensional gateways to reach the exit, the game’s ingenious brain-ticklers hooking players with its irresistible, ‘just one more go’ appeal; and Team Fortress 2 is an ambitious multiplayer mash-up featuring exaggerated, cartoon-style heroes that look like the stars of a Pixar movie, but are thrust into hardcore combat where character classes attempt to outdo each other by exploiting their simple-to-understand-but-a-bitch-to-master, paper-rock-scissors-style relationships.
While any PC player worth their salt will have already cracked Half-Life 2 and Episode 1, The Orange Box still represents tremendous value for money, especially as you can ‘gift’ friends with the bits and pieces of the compilation you already own. But no matter what platform you play this package on, The Orange Box is a indisputable classic that no gamer should be without.
Reviewer: David McComb
Write Your Review
To submit your own review and rating please login or register.
Advertisement
Average user rating for Half-Life 2: The Orange Box
| Phenomenal | | | Just buy it. It's brilliant on PC, PS3 and X-Box ... Read More
| | | Stubacca About me | | 21:54, 04 January 2008 | Report This Post | |
| | | | EXCELLENT!!!! | | | Fantastic game, haven't played episodes 1 and 2 yet. Did play portal and clocked it. A fantastic mini-game, better than most full length games i've played. ... Read More
| | | tallaght24 About me | | 14:24, 31 October 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Bargin | | | This a bargin not only do u get Half Life 2 u get episodes 1 and 2 also Portal and Team Fortress thats 4 games for the price of one i am going to Amazon to order right now (only 360 has all of half life 2 ) ... Read More
| | | Paulie Wallnuts About me | | 19:34, 16 October 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | | | | can't wait to play team fortress 2 online ... Read More
| | | alimac About me | | 19:26, 10 October 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | | | | October 19th my good man! ... Read More
| | | tallaght24 About me | | 16:53, 02 October 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | | | | October 19th my good man! ... Read More
| | | tallaght24 About me | | 16:53, 02 October 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | | | | Does anyone know when this comes out for the 360 cause i loved Half Life 2 on the xbox ... Read More
| | | alimac About me | | 22:01, 29 September 2007 | Report This Post | |
| | | |
|
|
|
