Mazty said:
No my beef is that the game as a whole is completely forgetable. Because people voted for something it makes their choice correct? You haven't delt with any of my qualms. What story? It's moving from point a->b->c->d. Nothing more, nothing less. A good story would be something like FFVII or FFX. How about SotC - the character says nothing, but it is infinately more memorable then HL2 which is nothing more then a generic FPS. Halo was a far better game which was considerably more revolutionary - melee, quick access grenades, decent vehicles, weapon limit, recharging health. Why is HL2 not forgetable? What exactly makes the story so good or the game so memorable? The characters are not human. Alyx is a joke - develops a liking for a guy who says nothing. Playing on the virgin-geek factor much? It's just the "cool" thing to worship HL2. |
It's not simply about story but the way the story is presented to the player. The way Half-Life 2 tells its story is all designed on immersion. The story itself isn't presented to you on a platter like in Final Fantasy or Halo. The story is implied rather than stated outright. It's funny you mention SotC as the game design philosophies aren't that different. Presenting story via gameplay.
Your comment about Alyx shows that much the subtlty in the game went over your head; Alyx's father was a fellow survivor from Black Mesa. When you reach Black Mesa East, Alyx mentions how much Gordon has been the topic of conversation. Alyx's liking of Gordon isn't some mad infatuation that just occurs when she meets him. The tales of Gordon's survival and heroic deeds in Black Mesa have been spread by the fellow staff/survivors. At their first meeting Alyx is effectively meeting the rebels hero figure for the first time.
This probably explains my points better:
"Of course, Freeman can’t topple an entire extraterrestrial government alone. One of Half-Life 2’s major strong points is its well-written and appealing cast of characters. Freeman’s main allies are Dr. Isaac Kleiner, a resistance scientist, Dr. Eli Vance, Freeman’s former colleague, Barney Calhoun, a resistance informant who works with the Combine, and Alyx Vance, Eli’s daughter. Kleiner is a classically neurotic scientist, akin to Doc Brown in the Back to the Future series, whose stilted vocabulary and domesticated headcrab (a primary enemy in the game that attempts to eat your brain) cause the player to revel in his eccentricities. Eli is a sympathetic father figure who is forced to see his daughter in increasingly dangerous situations, and his feelings make the narrative events much more significant. Barney Calhoun is Freeman’s optimistic best friend, the kind of guy who jokes about Freeman’s signature crowbar and how he owes Freeman a beer.
While these characters could be seen as traditional character molds adapted from movies and literature, albeit molds that are executed excellently, Alyx is a character that completely breaks established conventions. Alyx is Freeman’s main companion, and is an amicable and charming comrade that wins over players’ hearts with her tough-as-nails exterior yet sensitive personal feelings. Her introduction into the game immediately causes the player to treat her seriously: after getting ambushed while unarmed, Alyx single-handedly saves the player’s life. As opposed to annoyingly useless sidekicks that fail to make an impact or even hinder the player’s progress, Alyx is consistently helpful and disposes of enemies with ease. Alyx defies conventional feminine stereotypes in gaming and beyond: she’s not a buxom floozy whom the player is forced to protect for the sake of gameplay variety, but a nimble patriot that the player is thankful to have. Alyx also has believable emotions that are put to the test during the narrative situations. With enemies and combat constantly pursuing the pair, their conversations are limited to brief intermissions in elevators or other transit. Thus, the game’s intense run-and-gun sequences are punctuated by character development that always leaves you wanting more. Alyx’s emotions reach a hilt when the Combine captures her and her father. She is fearless even when she is staring down Dr. Breen himself, and spits in his face when he mentions Alyx’s deceased mother. Alyx’s believability is aided by the game’s impressively emotive facial structures that coincide well with the top-tier voice acting. Alyx is necessary on a mere gameplay level as well: she is particularly skilled at hacking Combine computer terminals, and the player needs her tools to advance in the game’s world."
