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Externalmind's Half-Life 2 (PC)
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| [January 17, 2007 03:58:50 AM]
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In playing this game for my first session, starting from the beginning of the game, I found that the introductory segment successfully accomplished three main objectives: establishment of their fantasy world, introduction to quite stunning accomplishments in both graphics and game physics/cause and effects (ie throwing a soda can at the guards- guards beating you up), and finally the establishing of bad guys and basic plot: escape without fatality.
The game beginning has a comfortable and enjoyable pace that lets you adjust to the physics, elements of simple puzzles and also basic Ai interaction before you are shot off running for your life. The flow itself seems to progress by cycling through three game themes, super fast action, lull and recovery, then short puzzle. This cycle of the waterfall, pooling, then winding around rocks of forms, allows the sustaining of player interest as it is balanced and progressive, meaning that each cycle gets either more interesting each time, through plot line, difficulty, or through intensity of action sequences; there are cycles and satisfactory progressive modifications that allow for continued novelty.
Overall though it’s the small and detailed things about this game that really hooked me at first, from naturalistic and futuristic sound design to the physics of a tire swing and even the personal comments made by npcs as they despairingly go about their hopeless routines, I take it all personally; not only do these things make it believable and engaging with their elements of realness or possibility, but they also are able to augment reality in such a way that both personal interaction and engagement are demanded of the player. The cinematic third wall is completely obliterated as there is very little room for me to be removed from what I am participating with and controlling. Unfortunately though in the end I remembered that I also had other homework and forcefully partition myself from my virtual alter ego of Gordon Freeman.
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| [January 17, 2007 03:36:13 AM]
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Inn this next session I found myself using the game quicksave almost compulsively since the game was on the hardest difficulty and hit points become increasingly valuable and worth saving, even if it means redoing the last section (a good way to be cheap and scout ahead). While at first it is annoying that it is rather easy to die, it also opens up further possibilities of player satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, another variable designed for engagement. Med kits hiding in a railroad boxcar also give the good feeling of reward, as if the game is not rewarding enough as it is… It is much like being forced to eat yummy chocolate chip cookies, then being allowed to also have a cool glass of 2% milk…
I played until I got to Ravenholm, then got too creeped out after a while. The shift of super action to super freaky felt strange and out of place and yet it adds a whole other dimension to appealing aspects that were previously toyed with, but never taken to the extreme. Having a really nice sound system with this part of the game is quite terrifying and awesome. It had all the right elements to again elicit the emotion that they wanted the player to have. I felt a little too overwhelmed with terror and suspense until I turned on iTunes tried some Enya instead for background music… which instead made it even more jarring and freaky- oh well, it was enjoyable non-the-less. The level design allowed enough elements of satisfaction to offset any hypersensitivity to their elements of terror.
Also great use of physics for puzzles in this section, it felt quite good to smash the zombies like mashed potatoes with suspended cars- or even to start up a spinning and maiming propeller that zombies were soon sliced and diced with. Yes, that did feel good. In fact, I believe it was so successful as a rewarding device that I am going to play some more right now. Goodbye.
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Externalmind's Half-Life 2 (PC)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Friday 12 January, 2007
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