HL2...lets keep PC Gaming Alive...forget all the comparing to other games, if its good great if not oh well at least they tried....then again, if someone was serious about finding out about a game, the very BEST way to do that is do research on the developer, in this case Sierra, they are the very first to break open into the PC, way before Id BTW. Id was the first to do was break into the FPShooter, Sierra was the first to break into the PC...

Pros:
Impressive facial animations
Great story
Game actually made me flinch

Cons:
AI is a little weak
Frustraiting vehicle control
End of the game is too easy

There's not much new to say, given the amount of reviews already out there for this game. My experience was a good one overall though. Graphics were great, even for '08 I still feel they were top notch. The physics in this game our amazing, something I haven't seen done well since the Jurassic Park spinoff 'Trespasser'.
The story was great too, a cross between Matrix type human slavery and Mad Max desloation made for a good backdrop. Like many other reviewers, I feel one too many questions went unanswered though. Cliffhangers are fun, but at the end I felt like 'what did I do all this for again?'
I suppose one can rest assured that all questions will be answered by Episode 3.
Overall I feel Half-Life 2 was a bargain at $10.00. If you like a well thought out action packed game, with only minor and inevitable flaws, grab this one!

One last gripe I have is the entity 'Steam'. Can we please lose this bad idea gone worse? Seriously, eat the losses you get from game piracy and quit being greedy.

Not really worth going into a lot of detail at this point: this is the best game ever. Period. I have played just about every FPS and it is unmatched. The AI, graphics, game play, scenarios. It is fantastic. Yes, getting it going is a pain thanks to Valve, but again -- its several years old and still can not be beat! If you are a gamer, do not miss this game. Although by now, I doubt there are a whole lot of folks who have not played it. Great fun, entertaining game!

The installation process is really hard even if you have a decent Internet Conection, so much troubles for a game! Don get this wrong, its a very very good and intelligent game, even better than others recently release, but what it's the meaning of buying a DVD disc if you have to download the game from a server on the internet..thats make no sense. It's a shame !

First of all, HL changed FPS forever. The developers were actually smart enough to put in a good story to a FPS. At least in my opinion it's a great story.
HL2 just followed on and got the player more immersed in the plot. The graphics are beautiful, unlike what some other people have stated and gameplay is superb. It is action packed, from beginning to end. The fact that you get to drive different vehicles, adds a nice touch to the game alo.
So, in a nutshell, the game deserves all stars because it's got great gameplay, great sound, good voice acting, beautiful graphics and an awesome plot.