Good
After waiting so long between Half-Life and Half-Life 2, it actually feels a little weird catching up on the exploits of Gordon Freeman on an annual basis, even if it's in five-hour pieces. The latest installment, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, arguably falls a little short of its predecessors, but is still an excellent adventure with lots of the great moments we've come to expect from the series.
It can be hard to remember what's happening in the Half-Life story, which is why it's nice Valve included a "previously on" video to kick off Episode Two. After downloading a mysterious data transmission from the Combine Citadel, you and sidekick Alyx Vance spend Episode One attempting to escape City 17. When the Citadel finally goes kerplooey, the resulting shockwaves cause the train you're escaping in to derail, which is where you wake up when Ep2 begins.
Like every game in the Half-Life series, you're slowly eased into Episode Two with minimal combat and lots of exposition. Alyx frees you from the derailed train, hands you the gravity gun, and after being treated to a few picturesque scenes, the two of you set off to find a resistance outpost outside City 17. As it turns out, the Combine are attempting to build a "super-portal" which would open the doors to crushing any lingering human opposition, and the data Alyx is carrying may be the only chance to stop it. Unfortunately, moments into the game, you're ambushed by the new starring enemy of Ep2 (the Hunters -- think of them as mini-Striders than can chase you almost anywhere), and Alyx is gravely injured, throwing everything into chaos.
From here, the gameplay moves from one set piece to the next. The opening segments are arguably the weakest, where you're running around underground caves fighting antlions and other bugs (yawn). You finally meet up with some freedom fighters, which gives way to a defense sequence involving turrets (it's nowhere near as tough as the prison defense in Half-Life 2) and then you're accompanied by one of the friendly alien Vortigaunts for more bug killing and traditional Half-Life puzzle-solving.
For the next few hours, you run into all sorts of opposition attempting to get to the resistance outpost, both Combine and otherwise, varying from entertaining (there's a great fight with a Combine chopper) to frustrating (it's easy to run out of ammo and explosive barrels in a fight with two antlion bosses). As in previous games, you'll get access to a vehicle that looks like the remains of a souped-up Mustang and tear out across the countryside. Of course, there are some death-defying stunts and a chase scene involved. It all feels different and yet familiar, as if it's a remix of scenes from earlier Half-Life games.
