What made this cliffhanger so truly bad was the main game’s story was complete as is until Episode 1 unwinded it. And Episode 2, compared to Episode 1, was a much better game in most aspects for me.
Especially since it was basically just…some more Half-Life 2. More time spent in City 17 fighting combine and headcrab zombies with a SPAS-12 or an MP7 or a USP Match. I wouldn’t bet against my memories of Ep 1 just blend into my memories of HL2. Ep 2 was distinct in having the antlion burrow and the countryside and the car and Dog ripping a strider’s brain out. It wasn’t merely more HL2.
In what world the main story was complete? Like sure you could argue it could have been a legitimate choice to end it in that way but by no mean it answered any of the lingering questions.
Yes, that is indeed left open to large parts. In my opinion Half-Life 2’s story arc is about toppling the tower to give rise to a revolution against the Combine. And that happened as the G-Man froze time again and thus the inferred mission to stop the Combine assault was succesful with it even if we don’t see it with our eyes.
Sure, and you are meant to wake up again, eventually. The story doesn’t make sense as “you are a PhD that get enrolled as a spacetime warrior to get deployed once and then retired in the void eternally”.
What made this cliffhanger so truly bad was the main game’s story was complete as is until Episode 1 unwinded it. And Episode 2, compared to Episode 1, was a much better game in most aspects for me.
I basically don’t remember Episode 1.
It was really bland, not surprised.
Especially since it was basically just…some more Half-Life 2. More time spent in City 17 fighting combine and headcrab zombies with a SPAS-12 or an MP7 or a USP Match. I wouldn’t bet against my memories of Ep 1 just blend into my memories of HL2. Ep 2 was distinct in having the antlion burrow and the countryside and the car and Dog ripping a strider’s brain out. It wasn’t merely more HL2.
In what world the main story was complete? Like sure you could argue it could have been a legitimate choice to end it in that way but by no mean it answered any of the lingering questions.
I thought having open questions on G-Man and everything is the point.
I’m not talking about G-Man, I’m talking about everything else. The war against The Combine, mostly.
Yes, that is indeed left open to large parts. In my opinion Half-Life 2’s story arc is about toppling the tower to give rise to a revolution against the Combine. And that happened as the G-Man froze time again and thus the inferred mission to stop the Combine assault was succesful with it even if we don’t see it with our eyes.
Sure, and you are meant to wake up again, eventually. The story doesn’t make sense as “you are a PhD that get enrolled as a spacetime warrior to get deployed once and then retired in the void eternally”.
it ended at the same place that HL1 did, in ambiguous stasis ready to wake up and smell the ashes again.