I have been thinking for a while what my next blog will be, and I realized that I never spoke about my most favorite game series of all time. Now if you have seen my little picture many people should know who that is. If you are unfamiliar with who that is, leave now. First time playing the original game in my local Internet Cafe I couldn't believe how much of a crapfest I thought this was, I had paid R20 (South African currency) to play for 30 minutes, and what do I get greeted with? A ten minute tram ride and 15 minutes of waiting for any action. Yay for waste of money.



It took me a while to finally try it again as a fellow friend had the disc I could install on the computer, thinking I had a terrible computer I was waiting for the lag but the game ran beautifully. I was so happy...except that the disc had to be returned in a weeks time. I only got to play this game for 2 hours on the weekends. I hate computer privelages. So a month went by of never playing this game again, until I realized I had a crack that I installed and could play the game without the disc. At that moment the skys opened, Angels sang, and I heard those beautiful words. "They are waiting for you Gordon, In the test chamber."

I couldn't believe it, I was so excited that when I went with my mom for a walk with the dogs, it was all I could speak about, I was so happy I could finally play an action game at the age of 10. This game was amazing, and when I got the Proton Pack (Gluon) all hell broke loose. Entering Xen was so scary, especially the Gonarch, that monstrous sound, that giant egg sac and baby headcrabs. Any physicists worst nightmare.



I played this game for a year, finishing it and playing it again, I also had Opposing Forces made by the same people who did Borderlands, and playing the Shepherd was just as amazing. Then time went by many games came out and I lost sight of Half-Life, until that one day came when I heard a sequel was arriving. I learnt about this in 2003 and I had to tell someone, but no one cared about that that came out in 1998. Except one friend, we rushed to Gamestop to preorder, I told myself that I must have this game I was not going to lose it. I watched every video at least 30 times, and loved every one of them, I could not believe the graphics, and physics and how amazing they looked. Then came the day I thought it was about to come out when I found out a certain source code was stolen. I was ready to kill a hacker that day for ruining my life



"Fine, it's okay" I said to myself, I can wait a couple more months, just release some videos. So finally came the day of it's official release, where I got a call, "Hello, This is Gamestop, we are having a midnight release of Half-life 2, you copy will be waiting for you." I rush to my parents, please take me I begged but they said no and I can just wait for the next day. So after school I got the game, (Collectors edition) and went to install it. I once again had a crappy computer and realized I would get lag. After installation I went into video settings and did automatic settings and it gave me Medium settings, once again Angels sang. So I went New Game, Difficulty: Normal and Start...



Rise and Shine Mr Freeman. Rise and Shine.

"Ah shit" I said to myself, going out to change my pants, I was ready for one of the most Epic games of all time. Everything about the game was epic, until it ended. I couldn't believe the ending, they were really going to leave me hanging like that, I had almost cried. Another thing that I missed out on was the Docks from the earlier videos, and the Hydra, I was quite excited for those but they were not there. The game was pure orgasmic in all areas and I have never been so sad to see a game ended that I could have continued for at least another 24 hours.

Now Valve has impressed me at all times, they came out with Episode one which only lasted about three hours but still moved the game along and added a little bit of closure, then Episode 2 came out with Portal and the connections were just great and the gameplay was even more amazing. I shed a tear when *SPOILERS*


Eli Died


*End Spoilers*


How can a game to do that to me, I had grown so attached to these Characters, the voice acting was amazing. These games will forever be my favorite games, nothing could ever compare to these games they have set the bar for acting, story telling, and gameplay.

News has just come out that there is no Episode 3 coming out this year which disappoints me immensely, where they can come out with Left 4 Dead 2 but no video or even screenshots of Episode 3?


But I will continue to strive on and wait for the next episode in the series because I will always be a Half-Life Fanboy.