Does it live up to expectations? Read on to find out. You're one lucky dog, Gordon.

User Rating: 9.8 | Half-Life 2: Episode One PC
By syx | Review Date:
As you may know, Episode One is the first in a trilogy of episodic content to mark the conclusion of Half-Life 2. Episode One tackles what happens directly after the end of Half-Life 2 in which you and Alyx find yourselves in the path of the Citadel's erupting teleporter. After you escape the destruction at the hands of the Vortigaunts, you find yourself awakening to Dog digging you out of some rubble while Alyx seems happier than ever to see you. From this point you must enter the Citadel and make your way to the core and keep it stable, then make your way out of the city, all with Alyx by your side. Easier said than done, as you'll expect from the Half-Life franchise.

The visuals are quite amazing for the franchise, and build upon the Source engine with HDR and special facial lighting which even moreso bring characters like Alyx to life. Rather than making the graphics technically gleaming, they're focused on providing a believable natural effect.

HDR isn't the only addition brought forth by Lost Coast, the Commentary system is also in Episode One, with plenty of juicy information on the development process. It's advisable to play through the game atleast once before using the commentary system, as it makes you invulnerable to damage.

As usual, there's plenty of humorous dialog and notable speeches by Dr. Kleiner. While the episode is original and contains completely new maps, expect to play through the familiar settings set by Half-Life 2, such as the squares of City 17 in turmoil and the infamous Citadel. There's also one new enemy, a suicide bombing Zombine, or a Combine soldier that's been turned with the help of a headcrab.

With the introduction of Episodic content, Episode One is drastically shorter than Half-Life 2, but it also in theory means more content with less waiting. If you're a seasoned shooter fan, expect to play through in 2-3 hours, if you're relatively new or want to take everything in, it can last 4-6 hours.
At around $20, Episode One is a steal for Half-Life fans.

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