"Is Orange Box Worth the Green?"

Half-Life 2 and Episodes:

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Graphics

The graphics of Half-Life 2 are good, yet, they leave something to be desired. In comparison to games such as Gears of War, and even the subsequent episodes of Half-Life (both 1 and 2) truly show the power of the Xbox 360 gaming system and the importance of the visual atmosphere to dramatic storytelling. The graphics are good, don’t get me wrong -- just not great. While this is probably due to a slight revamping of the original Xbox port from PC, something probably could have been done to tweak this even further to smooth out the wrinkles of age.

The water effects and the lighting of this game are fantastic. While cruising the radioactive rivers of City 17, you’ll notice the sun setting as you flee from the Combine soldiers and reflect off the water as everything around you explodes from the shelling from the hovering gunboat above. Also, navigating the hollow carcass of a town called Ravenholm, you’ll feel the eeriness of the ruined town as you wander the rooftops and booby-trapped alleys in the dark aided only by burning barrels and ruined buildings.
As mentioned earlier, the graphics of both Episodes 1 and 2 are gorgeous. The facial movements of Alyx, the girl who accompanies Gordon on his quest to save the earth, are flawless and reveal true depth and humanity of the character. The graphics in the episodes are much improved and notably smoother than their predecessor.