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Landmark Levels Vol. 01:
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Trying to identify a chapter within the Half-Life universe that can be considered ‘the best’ is kind of like choosing a favourite amongst your children; rather difficult and something you’d choose not to do even if you had a gun put against your head. Unfortunately, Tom has a deadline to meet and the metaphorical bazooka is pressed firmly against my temple. Feeling sorry for the poor person who would otherwise have too clean up the hint of brain splattered across the far wall, a tough decision I must therefore make.
But where do you begin? From two full games and two fairly large episodes, Gordon Freeman’s exploits in saving humanity from hoards of alien arseholes has encompassed many scenarios and sequences that other first-person shooters can merely have wet dreams about. The unique and now much-copied film credits opening sequence of the first instalment remains outstanding, as do the initial stages leading to the resonance cascade where you just wander around admiring the Black Mesa research facility. When things do finally kick off the pit boss is simply one of many awesome spectacles throughout and the culmination of Gordon’s journey in the void of another dimension is simply marvellous.
But where do you begin? From two full games and two fairly large episodes, Gordon Freeman’s exploits in saving humanity from hoards of alien arseholes has encompassed many scenarios and sequences that other first-person shooters can merely have wet dreams about. The unique and now much-copied film credits opening sequence of the first instalment remains outstanding, as do the initial stages leading to the resonance cascade where you just wander around admiring the Black Mesa research facility. When things do finally kick off the pit boss is simply one of many awesome spectacles throughout and the culmination of Gordon’s journey in the void of another dimension is simply marvellous.
Half-Life 2 doesn’t drop the ball either. Speeding away from gunships in a hovercraft with
industrial chimneys collapsing before you is amazing, as is attacking Nova
Prospeckt with a horde of Ant-lions under your control. The subsequent
tough-as-mittens yet hellishly enjoyable sentry-gun battle within Nova
Prospeckt remains one of the most intense gun battles within gaming history. But
even these pale in comparison to the City 17 civil war and the absolutely
grandstanding War of the Worlds inspired Strider battle in the town square.
Frantic, enthralling and gripping; there’s little better… except possibly
Gordon’s entrance into the Citadel. Watching the formation of Combine armies
in the vast alcoves of the tower is one of the most mesmerising and watchable
sequences of gaming lore (who needs cut-scenes). That this is then followed by a
stage of pure awesome where the gravity gun goes mental (and really shows off
Valve’s marvellous physics engine) is amazing.
So, perhaps I should begin at the end. Given all that has gone before, it would be surprising for most other developers to maintain such form. But this is Valve we’re talking about and ‘disappointing’ is a word that has been erased from their vocabulary. The finale for Half Life 2: Episode 2, perhaps somewhat fittingly considering the wait gamers have had to endure for the arrival of Episode 3/Half-Life 3, remains the best finale to any game ever made.
So, perhaps I should begin at the end. Given all that has gone before, it would be surprising for most other developers to maintain such form. But this is Valve we’re talking about and ‘disappointing’ is a word that has been erased from their vocabulary. The finale for Half Life 2: Episode 2, perhaps somewhat fittingly considering the wait gamers have had to endure for the arrival of Episode 3/Half-Life 3, remains the best finale to any game ever made.
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"The need for
accuracy makes for an intense encounter, even more so as the pace of the
Striders entering the fray of battle increases, especially when they appear on
the other side of the battleground. But when that first control centre of a
Strider explodes, it is a glorious moment. All that effort vindicated"
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Bombing
around a vast expanse in the buggy to fend off an ever increasing Strider
onslaught seems like a simple concept, but the execution of it is different
class. Having to get out of the buggy, after dodging incoming enemy fire, to
launch sticky bombs with the gravity gun to the underside of these hulking behemoths
is one thing; to then pull out a pistol, take aim and hit the attached sticky
bomb, causing them to detonate is another thing altogether. The need for
accuracy makes for an intense encounter, more so as the pace of the
Striders entering the fray of battle increases, especially when they appear at the opposite side of the battleground. But when that first control centre of a
Strider explodes, it is a glorious moment. All that effort vindicated. It’s a
bit like that bit in Starship Troopers when Johnny Rico takes down a giant
dung-beetle single-handedly - but with better acting. Only the ‘whoomp’ from a far off canon of another
Strider reminds you that this sortie is far from over.
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The whole
sequence lasts for a good twenty minutes and is an utterly relentless and absorbing
experience. Nothing else quite matches it. The euphoria upon completion is also
immense because it’s a tough old challenge to boot; Valve has always ensured that
a sense of real achievement exists in their titles. And then, once the calm arrives and the
adrenaline washes off, you get that ending.
An ending Valve has still yet to resolve five years later. Memorable and exhilarating
is pretty much how to describe the whole of the Half-Life experience. Yet
within a series of games with so many outstanding moments, little can top the
buggy, sticky bomb, Strider sequence for sheer balls-out genius.
Vid by LanClanKilla
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