Half Life 2: Episode 2 (Orange Box)

I loved the original Half Life when it came out back in the late '90s. I played it from start to finish twice, and replayed my favorite areas again and again. When Half Life 2 came out, I was all over it as well. Now, I set my sights on the second of the 'episodic' continuation of the Half Life 2 story arc. What a story it is, too. Move over, Mario Galaxy; there's a new contender for Game of the Year.

You begin right where you left off in HL2: Episode 1; on a train, escaping the exploding Citadel. You escape alive, but Alyx is mortally wounded early on by a new breed of baddy - the Hunter. These things are evil incarnate; they are tough as hell to kill and will mop the floor with you in a heartbeat.  First, though, you have to save Alyx, which sends you on a memorable journey right into an Ant Lion den. It's moments like this that make Episode 2 so enjoyable. One minute you're holding off an Ant Lion invasion with a pair of rickety turrets and some rattled allies, and the next you're trying to dodge an Ant Lion Guard with a Vortigaunt in tow.

Once clear of the Ant Lion den, you eventually get a car that is a blast to drive. I was worried about it because the driving sequences in Half Life 2 were the weakest part of the game to me. That's not so here, as Valve seems to have figured out how to add vehicular levels into the game without breaking the experience.

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