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"By combining traditional, highly affective storytelling techniques with the advanced technology of videogames"
Should be effective.
LOL I CAN GRAMMER.
Should be effective.
LOL I CAN GRAMMER.
That 8.5 payload anominally is going to haunt everyone in the next games. Watch.
Also, I cry every time too. Lame.
Also, I cry every time too. Lame.
It was a great game, as all Half Life games are.
My computer actually can't run EP.2 very well..so that part was sadly in stop motion...
But nonetheless, I still felt for Alyx.
My computer actually can't run EP.2 very well..so that part was sadly in stop motion...
But nonetheless, I still felt for Alyx.
I think it would have been a better ending if you, the silent protagonist, had to witness the death of both Alyx AND Eli, setting up the (presumably) final chapter of the HL saga, all alone, fighting for revenge.
Nice call, Chad.
The wait between installments of the Half-Life games is excruciating, but it's these types of moments that make the wait worthwhile. It's very interesting the way Episodes 1 and 2 shifted the series from the science fiction of Half Life 1 and the epic-ness of Half Life 2 into a much more emotional experience.
It's nice to be able to say that I have no idea what to expect from Episode 3, other than it being a quality, satisfing game.
The wait between installments of the Half-Life games is excruciating, but it's these types of moments that make the wait worthwhile. It's very interesting the way Episodes 1 and 2 shifted the series from the science fiction of Half Life 1 and the epic-ness of Half Life 2 into a much more emotional experience.
It's nice to be able to say that I have no idea what to expect from Episode 3, other than it being a quality, satisfing game.
@Zombutler,
No one better touch my Alyx!
Actually, having Alyx around for the end may be better. Having her get the revenge would be unexpected and even more satisfying. Maybe Gordon can even sacrifice himself to help Alyx?! That would be a twist! :D
No one better touch my Alyx!
Actually, having Alyx around for the end may be better. Having her get the revenge would be unexpected and even more satisfying. Maybe Gordon can even sacrifice himself to help Alyx?! That would be a twist! :D
While this was definitely a great moment, I'd say the defining moment of Episode 2 was Gman's appearance.
I got chills the moment everything froze and I heard that voice... "Dr. Freeeeeman..."
The whole thing is just so surreal and creepy, moreso than any of the previous Gman appearances in the series combined. It's also probably the best-written and best-delivered monologue I've ever heard in any game. That's the real defining moment of the game for me.
I got chills the moment everything froze and I heard that voice... "Dr. Freeeeeman..."
The whole thing is just so surreal and creepy, moreso than any of the previous Gman appearances in the series combined. It's also probably the best-written and best-delivered monologue I've ever heard in any game. That's the real defining moment of the game for me.
Also,
@Chad - Imagine this. Near the finale of the game, where you're using the supercharged gravity gun for instance, there comes a point where you get mortally wounded. Your vision begins to fade, as Alyx runs up to you, kneeling over your body. You reach out with the Gravity gun, holding it out to her...
Then the perspective suddenly changes. Now as Alyx, you're looking down at Gordon as he offers the Gravity Gun to you. He whispers something, his final words, once you take it, then dies. Then, the final battle continues, with you now playing as Alyx, fighting to avenge Gordon.
Fuck, that'd be awesome.
@Chad - Imagine this. Near the finale of the game, where you're using the supercharged gravity gun for instance, there comes a point where you get mortally wounded. Your vision begins to fade, as Alyx runs up to you, kneeling over your body. You reach out with the Gravity gun, holding it out to her...
Then the perspective suddenly changes. Now as Alyx, you're looking down at Gordon as he offers the Gravity Gun to you. He whispers something, his final words, once you take it, then dies. Then, the final battle continues, with you now playing as Alyx, fighting to avenge Gordon.
Fuck, that'd be awesome.
I'm not going to lie, I cried copious amounts of manly tears over that scene. I love Episode Two with all of my heart but after I complete the Strider battle I have to quit there because I can't take the last scene without wanting to break down and cry.
Every time I play through this game and reach the end. I have to close my eyes every time Eli dies. It's too much to watch.
Also, LMAO @ CTZ
Also, LMAO @ CTZ
Dammit. I nearly cry just thinking about this scene. What gets me the most is Alyx's cries and sobs as the screen fades to black. "oh... oh...my God... Dad... don't leave me". Those voice actors should be proud. Hell, everyone who worked on that game should be proud.
Total masterpiece.
Great article Chad.
Total masterpiece.
Great article Chad.
certainly this was a significant moment, but after seeing aeris's death almost twelve years ago (fuck has it really been that long?), alyx's just didn't have the same punch. either i have come to expect this sort of plot twist, or having played as a million other videogame protagonists has desensitized me to this kind of emotional trauma.
@ lime
one of the best parts of half life has always been the fact that you're always looking through one characters eyes. maybe an episode featuring alex could work, but to actually move between characters would lessen the immersion.
@ lime
one of the best parts of half life has always been the fact that you're always looking through one characters eyes. maybe an episode featuring alex could work, but to actually move between characters would lessen the immersion.
None of my friends beat this game when it came out. Shame on them. This is definitely one of, if not my favorite scene in any game. Great write-up Chad :)
This moment will stay with me forever, but it still won't be as vivid as the scene where Alyx gets impaled by a Hunter. My jaw literally dropped and stayed that way for a few minutes during that scene.
Still, =_(
Still, =_(
@Hamza CTZ Aziz
:That 8.5 payload anominally is going to haunt everyone in the next games. Watch.
i thought that was Lamarr the pet head crab i laughed when i heard that first time
:That 8.5 payload anominally is going to haunt everyone in the next games. Watch.
i thought that was Lamarr the pet head crab i laughed when i heard that first time
God this is the only time I cried because of a video game. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was frantically figiting away at their controller trying to do something to prevent what was happening, even though you knew you couldn't.
:(:(:(:(
:(:(:(:(
The Orange Box was epic. Hands down one of the best gaming bundles of all time.
I am curious to know what they are planning on doing with Episode 3. I was expecting Ep. 3 and Left 4 Dead to be packaged up together.
My prediction? The new "box" will include Episode 3, Counter Strike 2, and a free blowjob.
I am curious to know what they are planning on doing with Episode 3. I was expecting Ep. 3 and Left 4 Dead to be packaged up together.
My prediction? The new "box" will include Episode 3, Counter Strike 2, and a free blowjob.
This is one of the many many reasons I love this series. They are masterful in the way they tell an admittedly "One dude vs the aliens" story.
An incredible moment, with out a doubt.
I did not cry at all, nor did even feel remotely sad. The only games ever to make me feel any tanigble emotion was FF9 and MGS4.
However I did feel for Alyx and her tragic loss. Eli was one of the best characters in the HL universe, and it was his voice that I loved, it was so comforting to listen to, marvellous voice acting in my opinion.
I honsently don't think we'll ever see Gordon die, well not before the end, whatever is happening in the world of HL is his fight, like Solid Snake in MGS, and I think we'll see him battle through to the end.
I admit, I'm biased, I came into the amazing world of Half-life as Gordon Freeman, and I doubt I speak for myself when I say I want to finish the good fight as him, he's grown that much on me.
Great write up Chad. :)
I did not cry at all, nor did even feel remotely sad. The only games ever to make me feel any tanigble emotion was FF9 and MGS4.
However I did feel for Alyx and her tragic loss. Eli was one of the best characters in the HL universe, and it was his voice that I loved, it was so comforting to listen to, marvellous voice acting in my opinion.
I honsently don't think we'll ever see Gordon die, well not before the end, whatever is happening in the world of HL is his fight, like Solid Snake in MGS, and I think we'll see him battle through to the end.
I admit, I'm biased, I came into the amazing world of Half-life as Gordon Freeman, and I doubt I speak for myself when I say I want to finish the good fight as him, he's grown that much on me.
Great write up Chad. :)
I'm conflicted. I agree this is an incredible moment in videogame dramatics. And Robert Guillaume's voice work is impeccable. Brilliant casting. But at the same time, it's still Daddy Killing. I'd like to see videogames develop the dramatic tools to create more subtle and nuanced emotional responses without resorting to such blunt emotional weaponry. Killing dogs, killing girlfriends, killing daddies, nuking cities. Is that what it takes to make us give a shit?
Episode 3 cannot come soon enough. Concept art already confirms that you'll get to take down one of those sons-of-bitches. Oh, and a Glados cameo would be a nice touch too.
That scene? Shocking, disturbing, sad, and one hell of a ballsy way to end your game. No other developer would give the player such a tragic ending. It completely defies all expectations as to what a game ending is. The way Alyx cried as the screen faded to black and all I could do was sit there in shock and horror at what had just happened... brilliant.
What'll be more shocking is if Valve can top this in Episode 3, which I know they will.
That scene? Shocking, disturbing, sad, and one hell of a ballsy way to end your game. No other developer would give the player such a tragic ending. It completely defies all expectations as to what a game ending is. The way Alyx cried as the screen faded to black and all I could do was sit there in shock and horror at what had just happened... brilliant.
What'll be more shocking is if Valve can top this in Episode 3, which I know they will.
@Hamza
Don't know if my sarcasm meter is off, but if you follow Lamarr when you're inspecting the rocket for the final time you see Lamarr climb into the rocket via an open hatch. I laughed pretty hard when they mentioned the 8.5 lb anomaly--which made the following scene more effective.
Don't know if my sarcasm meter is off, but if you follow Lamarr when you're inspecting the rocket for the final time you see Lamarr climb into the rocket via an open hatch. I laughed pretty hard when they mentioned the 8.5 lb anomaly--which made the following scene more effective.
I had it spoiled for me, unfortunately. Maybe that's why it didn't have such a great affect on me.
Really, I mostly spent the last minute or so of the game telling him to get the hell out of that hangar.
Really, I mostly spent the last minute or so of the game telling him to get the hell out of that hangar.
I LOVE video games, but to claim the can be "easily be even more powerful that any other form of art", is way too final a statment. That is YOUR opinion and this is mine. I think a statment like that would not be made by some who truly has wide and varied experiences if film, gallery art, etc...
I can see someone making a statment like this who has a diet largely consisting of hollywood films (no offence), but if we are being honest, the stories in video games (in my opinion,) do not even come close to a just regular good book or a quality art house film. In lost odyssey if I wanted to READ something emotional I will grab a book.
I think there is a way to tug on the heart strings quite easily, but this is manipulative. There is a south park episode that parody's tha perfect and made me sad, and rpg's use this technique way too often.
As Jumbo said the nuanced emotional response is something that video games have not come close to, and i wonder if we ever will, as these titles would become too niche to make money. Maybe in the future, maybe from indie developer. The day that happens i would be extremelly happy gamer.
"easily more powerfull than any other form of art".... if only.
I can see someone making a statment like this who has a diet largely consisting of hollywood films (no offence), but if we are being honest, the stories in video games (in my opinion,) do not even come close to a just regular good book or a quality art house film. In lost odyssey if I wanted to READ something emotional I will grab a book.
I think there is a way to tug on the heart strings quite easily, but this is manipulative. There is a south park episode that parody's tha perfect and made me sad, and rpg's use this technique way too often.
As Jumbo said the nuanced emotional response is something that video games have not come close to, and i wonder if we ever will, as these titles would become too niche to make money. Maybe in the future, maybe from indie developer. The day that happens i would be extremelly happy gamer.
"easily more powerfull than any other form of art".... if only.
I have to say that despite being an enormous fan of this series, this scene didn't have the emotional impact that it seems to have had on others. One of the things that us gamers tend to internalize is the 'rules' of video games, such as knowing that if a game gives you a ton of health packs and ammo, you're about to have an enormous boss fight. As such, no video simply ends by having you walk into a hangar without some sort of exclamation point on the game (this is particularly the case for games where sequels are already scheduled). Because of this, that final scene, when the game kept going instead of ending, indicated to me that something was going to happen. That knowledge took the emotional edge off of the impact of the entire scene for me. I suspected that dog might bite it, so I was off there, but I'm kinda glad I was. At least dog has saved my ass a couple of times.
@darkopiate,
I love all forms of art (painting, sculpture, opera, literature, etc.), but I understand what you are saying.
I know this one moment will never top the first time I saw Mimi's aria in La Bohème. What I meant to say (taken away the hyberbole) was that videogames do something that no other art form does: they have the power to put the player in the actual role of the main character.
Because of this, the emotional response can sometimes be more powerful than, yes, even seeing a beautiful, talented woman hitting a high C. :)
I love all forms of art (painting, sculpture, opera, literature, etc.), but I understand what you are saying.
I know this one moment will never top the first time I saw Mimi's aria in La Bohème. What I meant to say (taken away the hyberbole) was that videogames do something that no other art form does: they have the power to put the player in the actual role of the main character.
Because of this, the emotional response can sometimes be more powerful than, yes, even seeing a beautiful, talented woman hitting a high C. :)
@Jumbo,
I agree with that as well ... if we were talking about a Hollywood movie. But to end a successful videogame with something this unexpected, shocking, and violent? It truly blew me away. :)
I agree with that as well ... if we were talking about a Hollywood movie. But to end a successful videogame with something this unexpected, shocking, and violent? It truly blew me away. :)
This scene affected me more than FF VII, probably because there's more history with Eli Vance and I was able to appreciate the shocking severity of the loss. Although the prolonged ending and "your mother would be so proud" moment made me think something was gonna happen, I was in denial, blissful denial.
Unfortunately my Starship Troopers fanism made sure through most of this scene I was thinking "Wow this is a lot like that Brain bug scene". This probably would have been a little more effective if Valve hadn't have confirmed someone dies before the game was released (It wasn't Alyx so didn't leave much choice who).
But at the time I wanted Gordon to do SOMETHING...good thing Dog was there to get a small cheer from us through the scene although you can almost bet Dog will get killed by one of those Advisors.
But at the time I wanted Gordon to do SOMETHING...good thing Dog was there to get a small cheer from us through the scene although you can almost bet Dog will get killed by one of those Advisors.
@chad,
I did not mean it to sound like you did not appreciate all forms of art, i guess that I was just trying to make a point.
That's what I love so much about fallout 3 is how you truly do feel like a wasteland wanderer, and as you said, only videogames offer that experience.
It's really odd, but the game in 2008 that created a real emotional experience for me was World of goo. A mix of the music, atmosphere and gameplay. It was just really special and it felt so melancholy.
Man I love that game.
I did not mean it to sound like you did not appreciate all forms of art, i guess that I was just trying to make a point.
That's what I love so much about fallout 3 is how you truly do feel like a wasteland wanderer, and as you said, only videogames offer that experience.
It's really odd, but the game in 2008 that created a real emotional experience for me was World of goo. A mix of the music, atmosphere and gameplay. It was just really special and it felt so melancholy.
Man I love that game.
I didn't cry, but I was damn well shocked at Eli's death. I kept flicking the left stick (played HL2:EP2 on 360, orange box) and jamming all the triggers and buttons trying to give those advisors a piece of my mind, but all I could do was look and watch! Also, I personally liked EP1 more, maybe because you and Alyx are almost always fighting together and that one scene when you're waiting for the elevator and it's dark... that's so far my favorite HL moment. great memory card Chad.
@ Chad
That sequence gets me every time too. The voice actor for Alyx should really be commended for her work. Her lines after the fade-to-black are just done so perfectly.
That sequence gets me every time too. The voice actor for Alyx should really be commended for her work. Her lines after the fade-to-black are just done so perfectly.
the 8.5 pounds IS lamar, how did people miss that first i thought it was hilarious, buts thats beside the point
every time i see this i can't wait to fucking murder an Advisor or 10 in ep 3
every time i see this i can't wait to fucking murder an Advisor or 10 in ep 3
The helplessness in this scene, is interesting because in most games, taking away my control (via cutscenes and miscellania) also means taking away my immersion. But here, my loss of control actually placed me more firmly in the role of Gordon, I feel.
I imagine that in Gordon's position, I would struggle like hell against such restraint, and here on this side of the screen, I was pounding on my keyboard and yelling "Let me go, dammit!" I was responding just as a real person would, trying to reassert my control. In most games, a cutscene comes up and I know to just sit back and watch.
I've always heaped an insane amount of praise on Half Life 2 for storytelling without cutscenes, and without the jarring break in player control and immersion. And in this series that immerses with constant character control, Valve made an especially huge impact in that rare moment where it took control away again.
I imagine that in Gordon's position, I would struggle like hell against such restraint, and here on this side of the screen, I was pounding on my keyboard and yelling "Let me go, dammit!" I was responding just as a real person would, trying to reassert my control. In most games, a cutscene comes up and I know to just sit back and watch.
I've always heaped an insane amount of praise on Half Life 2 for storytelling without cutscenes, and without the jarring break in player control and immersion. And in this series that immerses with constant character control, Valve made an especially huge impact in that rare moment where it took control away again.
The 8.5 pounds is that garden gnome you put in the spaceship! :D
But yeah, this is a great scene in a game full of great scenes. I pretty much think the same things that Pangloss wrote about it.
But yeah, this is a great scene in a game full of great scenes. I pretty much think the same things that Pangloss wrote about it.
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