Half-Life 2: Episode One Critic Reviews

Half-Life 2: Episode One demonstrates how games ought to be made, forged by dedication, imagination and risk-taking. It's an outstanding, stirring experience.

As sad and anti-social as it sounds it’s like you're visiting old friends and, similar to previous Half-Life games, in Half-Life 2: Episode 1 you actually feel as if you are re-assuming the role of Gordon Freeman rather just controlling him.

It's just a remix of its predecessor, but this is still the strongest and most thrilling Half-Life title yet.

Episode One offers a unique solution. Smaller, more frequent doses of high-quality gaming for less money. Ultimately, every player will have to decide if 20 bucks is too much for content in the vein of Half-Life 2: Episode One. For us, the quality here is well worth the price of admission.

Half-Life 2: Episode One is really one of the best games I've played in recent months, and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment. Though it provides little in the way of exposition and does nothing to reduce the opacity of the plot (which would be interesting if it made sense), its mood and design are so elegantly realized that minor complaints about storyline holes can't seriously diminish the accomplishment.

Episode One could be criticised for lacking new weapons and environments, yet few games are more polished or entertaining.

In many ways, Half-Life 2: Episode One is even better than the original "Half-Life 2," but it's a short thrill ride that may leave some gamers impatient for the next installment, due out by year's end.

Valve really has done a great job showing people that episodic content doesn't have to be such a bad thing and can give the developers a chance to implement changes to the code as hardware becomes more and more powerful with time. The game is absolutely worth playing through and should not be overlooked in any case.

It's hard to fault such an immersive and well thought out game which expertly melds frenetic twitch-factor action with a variety of logic puzzles.

The story of the Half-Life universe is propulsive in its own right and the sheer zeal Valve has for this world and the characters in it is a joy to experience. Partnering with a truly responsive AI also has to be seen to be believed.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Half-Life 2: Episode One contains the best Freeman moments ever conceived, but by necessity it carries too much over from before to be as consistently entertaining as its forbear.

Mostly, it's riveting and stirs feverish anticipation of what's to come next, with the sure-to-be-ace follow-up, "Episode Two."

Not surprisingly, it's great. I want more and I want it soon. Small cause of concern is the plot that advances only in baby steps.

Just like the original Half-Life 2, Episode One keeps the player entertained almost the entire time through perfect pacing and by being inventive, surprising and getting the basics absolutely right. It's a wonderful advert for the excitement that true episodic content can generate when approached the right way.

Delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Half-Life expansion: it returns to the intriguing setting of City 17, delivers lots of tight action sequences and well-crafted puzzles, and is arguably the best-looking shooter out today.

Episode One is the work of a team at the top of its game, and its level design, pace, visual style, and audio are practically beyond reproach.

It certainly feels like a complete segment, in that the ending is satisfying, interesting and leading towards the next episode.

Episode 1 puts together a fantastic game not by necessarily introducing anything new, but by forcing players to focus more on using their wits than their firepower. Although, firepower helps a lot too.

It is short, at around 4-6 hours depending on ability and difficulty level, but they are 4-6 hours of intense, taught and finely tuned gameplay the like of which you're unlikely to find in many other games. Once you're ensnared by the charms of Episode One you'll be chafing at the bit for Episode Two to arrive.

The action itself is matchless amongst modern first-person shooters. In fact, it feels even more urgent now, since Valve has tightened the reigns on puzzle-solving.