All flash and substance.
Episode One begins exactly where Half Life 2 left us. Without giving too much away, Episode One answers most of the questions posed in Half Life 2, but the story telling is still very surreptitious, because there is still a lot left unanswered and we can only hope that future episodes will shed more light on the matter.
The game is much more polished and I never noticed any bugs within the game, which is excellent because Half Life 2 had its little share of bugs. It's a fairly short journey this time around, but there is not a moment's rest throughout. Thankfully Alyx is there for support for most part, and trust me, you are going to need it.
Visually, the game looks a lot better than Half Life 2. If you have a video card that can support HDR, the lighting throughout the game is enhanced and it looks amazing, especially in the outdoor areas. The textures have received some treatment as well, because you will notice that models in the game look a lot more realistic, especially Alyx.
The environments are very familiar because they are seen in Half Life 2 as well. But with improved graphics and lighting effects, they look a lot better than the previous game.
I am going to keep this review short, because if you have played Half Life 2 and enjoyed it, then you should play Episode One. The game is now a part of the Orange Box bundle, so price shouldn't really be an issue.
There, now you have no excuse for not playing this beautiful game.
Stop reading and start playing!
Be warned though, it will be over in a hurry, but you have Episode 2 as well, so you will not be left disappointed.