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I have been a fan of Half Life, so I knew I would get this for Xbox 360. (I prefer playing games on consoles.) I was also curious about the other games in this package. There is one disc...when you put it in the 360 a main menu comes up with five choices across the bottom of the screen...1. Half Life 2, 2. Half Life 2 Episode One, 3. Half Life 2 Episode Two, 4. Portal and 5. Team Fortress 2. That's right 5 games! One disc. One box. $59.99! Great deal.
Half Life 2 appears to be much better looking graphically than the original Xbox version...there are not as many glitches either. The backwards compatible version had quite a few bugs that made playing the game on the 360 quite annoying. Not to worry here. The game play is smooth and quite comparable to the PC version. The bonus here of course is that you have both Episodes One and Two to move on with after completing Half Life 2...or you can play just Episode One or Two. You don't have to solve one to play the others. That may be beneficial if you have played Half Life 2 and just want to jump right into the Episodes. The graphics on the Episodes really shine...it looks amazing...they did a great job with this version.
Portal is an interesting game and quite challenging. It seems very similar to Half Life 2 in that it is in first person, but this is more of a puzzle game. You have a portal shooting gun, and you have to figure out how to use the device to get through a maze or puzzle. There are a few twists on this too...moving platforms, switches, blocks, weight activated floor buttons, electrical sensor receptacles, energy emitting zappers that can activate the receptacles and later in the game this is even more complicated by motion sensing robotic machine gun turrets. It really stimulates the brain. It definitely makes you think outside the box. Eventually, you get the ability to shoot two different portals...one an entry portal, and the second an exit portal. I got addicted to this game and played for two hours straight until I became completely stuck and confused. I had to put it down and relax for a while...I was getting a little too intense. I can't wait to play again.
Team Fortress 2 is an online multiplayer based game. You are set up into teams, and then there are different objectives to play. I only played it twice, so I don't know all the ins and outs of it. However, it does look quite interesting. There are a few different characters to choose from with different abilities. These abilities can make one character better at defending a base, one is better at going out and stalking the other team, etc. There are snipers, medics, heavy weapon handlers, spies, scouts and a few others that I can remember. This game appears to have some replay value and a lot of fun for online multiplayer.
With all those games in one box and on one disc, who wouldn't want it for $59.99?!? This is truly the best deal in video game history. Why don't more companies do this and release more content at one time? This may make developers think about quantity in addition to quality.
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I should mention up front that I'm a PC gamer, and that while there are some here that might hold that against me (you console folks can be brutal) I'm going to give as honest a review of the Orange Box games as I can. Given that Valve's release coincided with some catastrophic malfunction of my wife's car, the funds I had set aside for this game for my PC ended up getting sucked up into car repairs, thus I was forced to play this on my brother's Xbox 360. And that said I thoroughly enjoyed the Xbox version, much to my surprise, even without a mouse and keyboard to aim and shoot with.
Orange Box includes the original Half Life 2, and it's subsequent followups Episodes 1 and 2. In addition it contains the quirky spatial-puzzle game Portal, and as icing on the cake Team Fortress 2. To get these separately (at least on PC) would run in the realm of $250, more or less, and to get all 5 games in one bundle for all of $60 is too good to be true. On to the actual reviews.
Half Life 2 begins with MIT PhD Doctor Gordon Freeman, released some 20 years after the Black Mesa incident by the G-man and into a dystopic City 17. It appears that Earth has been conquered by a galactic conquering empire of sorts who used Freeman's previous handiwork at Black Mesa to burrow through the walls of time and space to invade Earth. The game follows his insertion into this volatile situation culminating in his leadership of Earth's rebellion against the Combine Overwatch. The game's "silent protaginist" approach, where the player's character never speaks, is played out perfectly and adds greatly to the storytelling angle. The game tells it's own story and you're basically along for the ride. The weapons selection is fairly standard fare for a shooter, with your usual selection of pistols, rifles, and the ubiquitous shotgun. The real nice touch is the Gravity Gun, which can pick up loose objects on the ground and can then be used to hurl said objects at your enemies. The sound, voice acting, and atmosphere of the game (of a familiar world turned into an Orwellian style police state) are all fantastic.
Episodes One and Two both continue the story as Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance both try to escape City 17 in the former and deal with the remnants of the Combine in the latter. Each new episode showcases a new technology add to the engine (lighting effects for Episode One, motion blur for Episode Two) to increase gameplay.
When I loaded up Portal I had only the vaguest idea of what to expect. The game is admittedly hard to grasp at first and requires you to think puzzles out using Euclidean geometry and Newtonian physics and a little bit of brain juice all mixed in. The game begins with the protaginist, a female in an orange jumpsuit, being forced to complete a number of puzzles for the test facility's computer using a hand-held portal generating device. One can cross chasms by blasting an entry hole in the wall next to you and an exit hole in the wall across the chasm and simply cross it by walking through the portal. Each test gets harder, and it becomes apparent as things move along that the computer running the tests (and you) is more than a little deranged. As this game is set in the Half-Life universe I look forward to seeing how the plot of this game fits in with that of the larger title.
Lastly we come to Team Fortress 2. I must admit that I have loved Team Fortress since it's inception and have played it religiously since 1998 on the PC. This game spent the better part of 7 years in development limbo and those of us among the originals fans were pretty skeptical that the game would ever be released at all, but the finished product is here and is an absolute blast. Players can pick one of among nine classes to play, from the lightly armed but fast moving Scout, to the lumbering two-legged tank Heavy. There are only 6 maps included in the game, which is a downside, but the maps themselves are quite solid and the game dynamic is unique. The game itself is done in a style reminiscent of "The Incredibles" and this lends some rather comedic elements to the overall experience. The game is entirely Capture the Flag (CTF) so don't expect to go into Deathmatch as it was never designed to do this.
There are some minor points I must mention about Orange Box though. For starters the Half-Life games are really dark. I've had the benefit of having played this on the PC and the lighting is pretty ho-hum on the Xbox version. Case in point, even with the brightness on the game turned up you can still barely see in even dusk conditions, let alone the details on your weapons. The caveat here is that if you turn the brightness up *too* much then you end up getting flooded with bright light when you enter better lit areas, resulting in a weird glaucoma-style whiteout. Expect to have your HEV suit light on *a lot*. In addition the surface textures aren't quite as crisp as I what I was accustomed to with my previous experiences on the PC, although this didn't detract from the game that much.
I also felt it something of a disservice to 360 owners that as big as the game release was Valve kind of dropped you into the *middle* of the story, without the courtesy of even giving the new HL player an overview of what's happened thus far. The events of Half Life, HL: Opposing Force, and HL: Blue Shift are all integral to the storyline, and taking someone completely new to the story and simply dropping them off halfway through it seemed a puzzling choice. As they'd gone as far as making a game release this big how difficult would it have been to at least add HL 1:Source into the mix? Granted, it's an eyesore by today's standards, but still.
With TFC2 I don't have complaints, more like concerns. In the PC world you have literally thousands of custom player-made maps, as well as numerous Valve releases, and I'm wondering if players will be able to play classic Valve TFC maps like "Rock" and "Hunted". I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult to accomplish, but all in all it was a befuddling thing to place such a great, solid game into the mix with only 6 maps. And I'm wondering if they plan to eventually add class-specific grenades as those would most certainly enhance the gameplay.
Still the game package itself is fantastic and it's clear that a lot of love was poured into their production and subsequent carryover to the 360. I'm impressed enough with the 360's performance with these games that even an old, grizzled PC gamer like myself is giving it a serious second look. Cannot recommend Orange Box enough! Now if only they had a mouse/keyboard setup for old PC diehards like me to play with. :)
Best Deals for Orange Box - Xbox 360
Not only is this game the best value in console history, with 5 quality titles, its also includes some of the most innovative first-person game play design as well. I'll review each title:
Half-Life 2 (4.5/5) Probably the single best 1-player first person shooter ever made, definitely for the PC. I played this game on the PC and it gets a perfect 5/5 there. The console version gets a 0.5 star deduction if only because the 360 controller proves to be slightly less adept than the mouse/keyboard combo. Combat is fine because they've added some auto aim to compensate, but often times you'll find yourself strafing back and forth at doorways, in order to line up correctly and get through. But the absolute worst is the vehicle control. Halo is the only FPS I've played that got vehicle control right, but HL2 is bound by the rule of never leaving Gordon Freeman's eyes, and so driving must be done first-person. But the driving segments are relatively short, given the total length of the game, and there are plenty of breaks. Certainly not a deal breaker, but still noticeably inferior to the PC version in this regard.
Half-Life 2: Episode 1 (4/5) The first in the "episodic content" experiment, HL2:EP1 returns you to the Citadel, where you ended HL2. The first portion of the game has you repeating the same style of combat, using your enhanced gravity gun. Some new puzzle elements have been added here, which basically involves shooting energy balls around. Its interesting, but not nearly as diverse as the first game. Same with the rest of the game. Although there are some interesting new ideas, and a few new enemies, there is also a little too much repetition for such a short title, and although the story is captivating as always, it doesn't advance very far. Ultimately though, its HL2 so it rocks. These are minor complaints, and would be diminished if it didn't have its predecessor to be compared to. There is also an unbelievable XBox 360 "Achievement" that involves completing the entire game using just one bullet!
Half-Life2: Episode 2 (4.5/5) The first "new" game on the disc. A little longer, and a little better than the previous episode. The game play has changed a little here. There are a few less physics puzzles, and more varieties of combat. A brutal new enemy is unveiled, and quickly gives you a reason to despise them. One of the byproducts of this stylistic change, means more frustration. The first two games are very linear and do an excellent job of indicating ideal strategy, while still letting you "run and gun" if thats your style. While this title is still pretty linear, you have to work out some strategies on your own, and that usually involves dying a lot. In the middle of the game, navigating an underground antlion nest involves EVADING a mother antlion. Its not exactly clear (the AI characters only tell you not to KILL it), and you'll waste ammo (that you ABSOLUTELY need later) if you even try and combat it. For the first time, there is an epic "end battle". This was probably the most intense experience in the whole series, and it follows the same style as above: there are multiple strategies to attack the encroaching enemies. This is the first time I wanted to throw my controller out the window, but finally winning was awesome. When does Episode 3 come out again?
Portal (5/5) Another reviewer has said that if you don't like Portal, then you are stupid. There isn't much else to say. Talk about an innovative idea that is perfectly executed! Portal is not only a unique puzzle game, its wickedly smart and funny. Although the game is far too short, it does have some replay value with a few advanced maps and some other challenges. I'm very interested to see where VALVe take this awesome idea! This is the first real first-person style innovation in a while.
Team Fortress 2 (4/5) The online multiplayer aspect of the package. TF2 is awesome looking (almost cell shaded?) and pretty fun and funny as well. This is class based combat, meaning that if you aren't any good at shooting people than you can be a medic or an engineer or something else useful to the team. I have two complaints. First is that its one player per console. This makes sense as its a ported PC game, but it still suffers when compared to other major FPS online games (ahem, Halo 2 & 3). The second is that the online matchmaking system isn't as smooth as others (ahem, Halo 2 & 3). Once again, this is because its based on the PC model. But its no fun to have find an almost full match only to find out its been filled in the time it took you to push the "A" button and then have to start the whole process over again. There are only a couple maps, but thats OK because it removes some of the steep learning curve. Combined with the simple controls and fixed weapon options, it allows n00bs to jump right in and at least enjoy the experience, unlike other games (ahem, Halo 2 & 3).
So the final verdict is that you have to buy this title. Now. Do it. Click "Add to Cart". Do it.
Honest reviews on Orange Box - Xbox 360
Even if the orange box merely consisted of Half life 2 and its' other two episodes it "still" would have been a steal for the price. However on top of that gamers also get Portal and Team Fortress 2.
For those unfamiliar with Portal it uses the same engine as half life and pits your mind against a diabolical computer which uses everything from deadly traps to psychological war-fare to slow your progress. Your only gadget is a gun that can make portals through solid walls and your sole goal is to get out of a giant experimental maze alive. While the environments are a bit bland in portal the "puzzle aspect" is fun and addictive even for people who would not normally enjoy puzzle games.
Team Fortress 2 is a slapstick humorous co-op online fps which seems to burrow a lot of cheese from old spy espionage movies and action flicks. Every character has side splitting outrageous quirks as well as their own unique weapons and skills.
Besides for Bio shock and Jedi academy I've never been in love with the fps genre. However valve presents each of their concepts with such flare and originality even jaded critics would be hard pressed not to like at least "something" the orange box offers up.
Obviously my favorite game is Half Life 2. The only glaring faults with the game are that the controls are not quite so easy to learn as Bio shock's and that if you have not played the first Half Life the story has many plot holes which remain unexplained.
Once you get into driving a swamp boat with a mounted gun turret around in a series of canals while blasting away at corrupt law enforcers and military helicopters or find yourself crawling around in tunnels filled with organic alien traps that want to slurp you up with their hanging tongues to devour you it is easy to appreciate the vast realistic yet nightmarish environments Half Life 2 offers up to the player.
The story though obscure is also quite good. Apparently as Gordan Friedman you helped develop dimensional travel technology in a place called black mesa. Unfortunately the open doorways you and your cohorts created allowed hostile aliens to spill through. Before you knew it humanity got conquered by a hostile group of crazy tyrannical creeps from a close by neighboring reality. The human resistance which did not succumb to the demands of the enemy despot regime formed lucrative alliances with other aliens who were being enslaved by the same oppressive fraction. They all see you as a type of "messiah" who can bring down "The Man".
The only thing I do not understand is since you are partly responsible for the invasion why does no one see you in a negative light? For a guy that set back human civilization you sure do get a lot of rear-kissing compliments! Besides for that oddity there is also the haughty feeling you get from Friedman. A lot of people talk to him yet Gordon never says anything in turn. You get the subtle feeling he is either mute or a bit conceited. A guy that is supposed to be a sophisticated scientist should have "something" to say to someone. The beautiful,brave, and capable Alyx is always at Friedman's side yet I have not seen him flirt with her yet.
Now that ranting wiener fest is over there were things I enjoyed immensely about the cast in half life 2. The cast you interact with are believable, flawed, and endearing. They are akin to what your neighbors and friends would be like if they were suddenly faced with losing their families, friends, and basic human rights. The men are rightfully rugged and while the females are cute they are not that plastic unrealistic false perfection you find in games such as Soul Calibur 4 or Sexy beach. There are no scantily clad big busted model types running around it slinky red dresses or in super short skirts and halter tops. Half life 2 proves you can make women characters "pretty" yet still respect them as people at the same time.
Honestly I think the gravity gun is one of the best ideas ever but beyond it and your environmental adaptation suit I found the weapons to be lack luster. We've seen the incarnation of the crow bar many times as well as machine guns, assault rifles, pistols, and grenades. While Half life 2 does have a decent Selection Bio Shock had "plasmids" which literally gave you cool powers. But yet if you flip over the same argument Half Life 2's environments are much bigger, there are at least 2 fun scenarios where you get to pilot vehicles, and the game is much longer. My final analysis found me loving both games equally for different reasons. However as far as re-playability is concerned even Half Life 2 by itself trumps Bio shock significantly.
Because of Half Life 2 and every other game within the orange box I cannot offer much of an objection. It is akin to a genie offering you grand wishes for a nickel apiece. Can any gamer honestly argue with a bargain of that magnitude?
Pros
+ All the games are high quality.
+ Besides for Bio Shock Half Life 2 is arguably the best first person shooter out there.
+ Fans of brain teasers will adore portal for its biting humor, wit, charm, and challenge.
+ Team Fortress 2 was a nice addition for co-op play over X Box live. Personally it is not for me but for those that prefer co-op and socializing it is a real gem!
+ A steal for the price!
Cons
All the games still use a basic fps format so the variety is still limited in some aspects.
Unless you have played Half Life 1 Half Life 2 will have you scratching your head on more than one occasion.
Half Life 2's controls are a bit unique from other shooters so mild frustration may occur until you get the hang of things.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Orange Box - Xbox 360
I would just like to point out a few things that should be known about this game, in particular the possible issues concerning multi-player with the different versions.
Firstly, I want to agree with what most of the reviews seem to say, which is that this was a great collection for $50, and now that it's dropped in price it's an excellent deal. The Half-Life 2 game and Episodes 1 and 2 are great, with a great story and gameplay, some great visuals and so on. Portal is amazing, it's combination of semi-dark humor and fantastic gameplay amount to a game which is worth the price of the entire Orange Box. Team Fortress 2 is a well balanced multi-player game, with a class system that makes things interesting and keeps things mostly on an even playing-field.
Unfortunately, it is this last game that brings me to my second point. Team Fortress 2 contains the entirety of the Orange Box's multi-player gameplay, and the Xbox 360 version seems to have less people online at any given time, making it take longer to find a game and giving the player less choice as to what gamemodes or maps to play, since looking for a specific gametype will result in a longer wait. I haven't played the PS3 version, so I'm not certain if it suffers from the same problems, but I think it might because it shares the same additional drawbacks of getting the Xbox 360 version, which are:
-Lack of add-ons. Though Valve, the company that makes The Orange Box, discussed the issue with Xbox 360's creators Microsoft, none of the updates already released for the PC version have made it to the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions. The add-ons are due to be released for the Xbox 360, for a price, and grouped together to account for the cost. Valve attempted make them available for free, since the add-ons have already been released for the PC version for free, but Microsoft wouldn't allow it. No mention has been made of releasing the add-ons for PS3.
-No custom maps. Though a multi-player console game may arguably have the advantage in other areas, it is lacking (in most cases) in the areas of customization. Custom maps and gamemodes have been made for PC games for quite some time, and buying the PC version gives you access to those. You may run the risk of them crashing your PC in some cases, but overall custom maps add variety and entertainment value to the game, the trade-off being that you have to download it first, either on the internet or off the server before you join. The original Team Fortress started as a custom mod for another PC game, and the sequel has only three maps (though more official maps were added to the PC version), and more variety in maps is a welcome addition.
-Lack of split-screen support. For a game that has the word "Team" in it's name, the inability to play it side-by-side with your friends in the same room is a terrible exclusion from the game's features. I've never tried to system link to more than one other Xbox and don't know how many can be linked together. I almost bought this for Xbox in order to play the game against a member of my family. Having rented the game for Xbox previously, I realized that with only 2 people playing and no player bots to speak of (there are some in the Commentary, but they don't play in the game), the potential for fun would be short-lived. If it were possible to have 4 people each on 2 linked Xboxes the experience would still be lacking in comparison to that of having to full teams. Now having played the PC version for a while, I can tell that the game is a little tedious with 4 or less people on each team, with maps designed to hold many more players, it can mean a long walk back to where you last died, depending on how the game is going. The game is really enjoyable with at least 7 people on each team, where there are enough players to give both sufficient backup and more variety and strategy. With split-screen and system link, 4 Xboxes linked with 4 people on them could deliver a better experience. As it is now, it would be much more cost effective to buy the PC version, and as mentioned before, I don't know how many Xboxes can be linked together, so linking 14-16 systems together may not even be possible.
If you are just looking for achievements, only want the single-player experience, or aren't concerned with any of the above, then it's merely a matter of preference. Otherwise, I would suggest you purchase the PC version.
