Orange Box Review PS3

I own Half-Life 2 for the PC and have played through the campaign back in 2004 when it was released and it comes as a surprise that such an old game would be released on a next generation console even with the new episodes and other game modes. The game has aged somewhat well for a game that was released four years ago on the PC as of 2008. The Orange Box consists of Half-Life 2, Episode One, Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 for about $25 new as of August 2009. Half-Life 2 is the direct sequel to the original Half-Life and contains two expansion episodes as well. Portal is a puzzle game and Team Fortress is a team based multiplayer game with modes such as capture the flag and control point.

Graphic and sound:

Although Half-Life 2 has aged well, it has aged and it is evident. Characters are a bit blocky around the edges and textures are not high-res or crisp when viewed up close even with the anti-aliasing performed on the Playstation 3. The exceptions are the other four games in the package, which were released on the PC numerous years after Half-Life 2 and look much better. The voiceovers in the Orange Box are one of the best as has always been the case with the Half-Life series. Unfortunately, those with optical audio output will not be able to enjoy the game in surround sound as the Playstation 3 version has some issues with optical cables. It is unknown whether this issue was ever corrected or not.

Gameplay and controls:

Half-Life 2 is a single player 1^st person shooter that takes place after the events of its predecessor and has two expansions: Episode One and Episode 2, which subsequently follow the completion of Half-Life 2. Half-Life 2 has an excellent story line that will thoroughly engage the player in its politics. Portal is a single player puzzle game in which the player teleports himself and items to an exit point throughout various levels. Team Fortress 2 is a multiplayer team game with two modes of capture the flag or control point to choose from. The player can choose from nine character classes that range from scout, soldier, pyro, demo man, heavy weapons guy, engineer, medic, sniper, and spy. Having a variety of classes that complement each other on a team is the key to victory. Team Fortress 2 has lag issues when trying to connect to a match online.

Overall thoughts:

The Orange Box is a great compilation game package for the money even at $60 when it was released and now even more so at $25 new. No other company has released such an extensive set of games for such an affordable price. Yes, Half-Life 2 is four years old, but for those that have never played the series, it is a great bargain especially with expansion episodes, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 bundled up together. This is a must have for any gamers’ collection.