Half-Life 2 - Info

Release Date November 16, 2004

Platform(s)         PC, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Mac

Developer         Valve

Publisher          Vivendi

Rating                M (ESRB)
                            16+ (PEGI)
                             Z (CERO)

Half-Life 2 is the highly acclaimed sequel to Valve's 1998 Half-Life. In this Half-Life 2 Gordon Freeman returns as the protagonist to take on the Combine, and several other foes. Built with the ground breaking Source Engine, Half-Life 2 featured revolutionary physics, enemy AI, and graphics. Half-Life 2 was a major player for first-person shooters.

Half-Life 2 also spawned three subsequent expansions. Half-Life 2: Lost Coast served as a tech demo to showcase Valve's High Dynamic Range Rendering (HDR) technology. Half-Life 2: Episode One and Half-Life 2: Episode Two served as full story expansions.

A third expansion Half-Life 2: Episode Three was expected to be released soon after, but was has yet to be. Many people speculate that Valve has been working on an entirly new game (Half Life 3) instead, although there is little evidence to support these rumors. Valve has been very quiet about the Half Life universe since Half Life 2: Episode Two, but as a new generation of consoles comes closer many expect to see Gordan Freeman again soon.

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Weapons

• The Gravity Gun

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 5 BLACK MESA EAST

This is one of the most powerful weapons in the game. Here are just a few techniques for beating down your with this tool. Be creative with the environment, almost anything can be used as a weapon in this game.

Use the gun to launch grenades back at combine officers. Quickly suck them up with secondary fire and use primary fire to send them flying.

Create barricades with barrels and other objects. If you pile enough objects, enemies won't be able to access certain areas.

Hold a manhack with the gun and use it as a melee weapon against combine troops.

Launch exploding barrels at enemies for an explosive attack.

• Organic Gravity Gun

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 13

Eventually the gravity gun is modified to work on organic material. This makes it effective against combine soldiers. Use them in the same way you would use barrels or crates. The Combine make for great shields and missiles.

• Crowbar

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 2

The trusty crowbar can be used to destroy wooden crates and boarded up doorways. It is especially powerful against headcrabs, scanners, and manhacks. Take out this weapon while traveling through vents. The weapon is almost made obsolete once you obtain the gravity gun.

• 9 Millimeter Pistol

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 3

Clip: 18
Maximum Ammunition: 150
This is a quick and accurate weapon that inflicts small amounts of damage. In order to get the most out of this pistol you will have to perfect the headshot. On a normal difficulty setting, 9MM ammo is plentiful so feel free to let off bursts of fire.

• SMG

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 3

Clip: 45
Maximum Ammunition: 225 bullets
3 Grenades
The SMG is a basic sub machine gun. Its secondary fire is a grenade launcher that does huge amounts of damage and should be saved for either large groups of enemies, or large enemies. (Antlion Guard) The primary fire will let loose a large amount of ammo in one clip, but it does minimal amounts of damage if the shots are not aimed at the head.

• Grenade

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 3

Maximum Ammunition: 5
Grenades are explosive devices that are useful for flushing enemies out from behind cover or turrets. The primary fire will throw a grenade through the air and the secondary fire will roll it on the ground. When combating grenades, use the gravity gun to suck them up and throw them back at the enemy before they explode.

• .357 Magnum

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 4

Chamber: 6
Maximum Ammunition: 12
The Magnum is a cannon of a handgun. A headshot with this weapon is sure to kill any combine officer. Unfortunately, it has a lengthy reload animation and ammo is scarce. This is a great last resort weapon to take out when you absolutely have to kill the next thing that attacks.

• Shotgun

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 6: RAVENHOLM

Chamber: 6
Maximum Ammunition: 30
The shotgun becomes the close range weapon of choice once it is obtained. The secondary fire uses two shells and inflicts twice the damage on a target. Switch to this weapon when you want to get up close and personal. It will also guarantee a kill with a direct hit to any headcrab.

• Pulse Rifle

FIRST APPEARANCE: 7

Clip: 30
Maximum Ammunition: 60
The pulse rifle inflicts more damage than the SMG with almost the same rate of fire. It can be used in short bursts for accurate shots at large groups of officers. The secondary fire is an energy orb that ricochets off of walls and can kill multiple enemies in the time that it bounces around the environment. This is one of the best weapons, but there is limited ammo so use it carefully.

• Crossbow

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 7

Chamber: 1
Maximum Ammunition: 10
This crossbow fires red hot bolts that will instantly kill enemies who are hit anywhere on their body. The secondary fire is a zooming scope that allows you to snipe out unsuspecting enemies from a distance. Aim slightly higher than necessary when shooting over a long distance, the bolt will fall slightly due to gravity.

• RPG

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 7

Chamber: 1
Maximum Ammunition: 3
This weapon is mainly used against Combine Gunships. Because you can only carry three grenades at a time, it is wise to locate an infinite ammo crate before engaging one of the gunships in battle. The primary fire will launch the rocket, and the secondary fire guides the missile using a laser site. Because the target can be designated after firing, feel free to shoot a missile straight up in the air and then guide it to its final destination.

• Bugbait

FIRST APPEARANCE: LEVEL 8

This "weapon" is obtained after taking down the Antlion Guard. The pods make you immune to Antlion attack and allow you to control their movement and behavior. Primary fire throws a pod that will explode and create a cloud of pheromones. Antlions will then swarm this area and attack anyone within range. The secondary attack squeezes the pod and brings antlions to your side.

Enemies

• SCANNERS

First seen in chapter one, scanners are metallic orbs that float around the city observing its citizens. When a scanner gets in your face it will blind you with a white flash. These annoyances do not inflict any damage and can be taken town easily with a crowbar or a few shots from a pistol.

• COMBINE METRO POLICE

These Combine officers are waiting as you step off of the train into City 17. At first they will carry a truncheon and give you a nudge if you step out of line. Later, they attack with pistols and SMG fire. When combating these troops, always shoot for the head.

• MANHACK

Automated attack machines that first appear in the canals. The Combine Police will throw these machines into the air and they will incessantly pursue you. Their blades tear apart wooden structures and human flesh. It takes two crowbar attacks to bring down a manhack. Once you obtain the gravity gun, you can suck in a Manhack and use it as a melee weapon against troops or fire it into a wall to destroy it.

• HEADCRAB

These parasites will hop at your head with the intention of converting you to a soulless zombie. The crowbar is the most effect weapon against these weak creatures. Later in the game, they can be crushed with objects tossed by the gravity gun. Headcrabs hang out in vents, sewer areas, and are launched in rockets by the combine.

• BARNACLE

Barnacles first appear in the canals. They are globs of goo that hang from ceilings and wait for unsuspecting people to walk underneath. Their long tongues grab you around the neck and drag you up towards their mouth. Barnacles can be killed with a couple of shots, or distracted by being fed an inanimate object. A flaming barrel is good for clearing out barnacles that are grouped together. Remember, damage is only inflicted when you reach a barnacle's mouth, and in some areas the tongue can be used as a makeshift elevator.

• ZOMBIE

Zombies are humans that have been attacked by headcrabs and are now walking corpses. Like the Combine, its best to shoot these enemies in the head. Attacks to the body will put down the human section of the beast, but the headcrab will still be ready to switch hosts. When approaching a headcrab controlled zombie, get up close with the shot gun to take them out quickly. Look out for objects in a zombie's path, they will smack barrels and boxes out in front of them.

• POISON HEADCRABS

These pests appear in the cursed town of Ravenholm. They resemble normal headcrabs but are skinnier and move slightly faster. When bitten, your health will drop to one and you will become vulnerable to the slightest bit of damage from other enemies. Your suit will then provide an antidote to the poison and your health will slowly rise back to its normal level. These headcrabs can also be found riding on top of a single poison zombie. Try to attack them when they are grouped together.

• FAST ZOMBIES

These skeletal enemies move incredibly quickly and pop up from dark corners. They are agile, can scale buildings, and sport a jumping attack that can be landed from a distance. The shotgun is the premiere way to attack these horrors. That, or a flaming barrel to the face.

• COMBINE SOLDIER AND PRISON GUARDS

These troopers are more intelligent and better armed than the Combine officers first seen in City 17. They wield the shotgun, SMG, Pulse Rifle, and grenades. These enemies also have a melee attack that they use against obstacles and your skull. Advanced combat tactics are needed to deal with groups of soldiers. As usual, aim for the head, especially with the pulse rifle. A well placed grenade can be used to take down groups of soldiers. Use the gravity gun to pile up barricades or launch heavy objects at them.

• ANTLION

Large, insect like creatures that burrow in the sand. Vibrations from something as slight as walking can bring them to the surface. These enemies are very quick and are capable of flying onto ledges more than two stories high. Large pillars, known as thumpers can be found on the beaches near highway 17. When activated, they drive the Antlions away from the immediate area. Attacks from the pulse rifle will quickly kill these beasts, however they will continuously spawn from the sand so its pointless to try to kill them all.

Before the assault on Nova Prospekt, you will gain the ability to control the Antlions through the use of pherapods. This is covered in the weapons section of the guide.

• ANTLION GUARD

A larger version of the sand dwelling animal, this huge creature attacks with a charging head-but. In order to take them down you will need to rely on heavier artillery. The SMG shells or RPG rockets work well. You can also brain the creatures with heavy objects like a radiator or metallic table. When attacked, circle strafe and jump to avoid their charges.

• ROLLER MINE

These machines are placed around highway 17. They react to movement, roll towards you, and inflict electrical damage. The mines also attach to the sides of the buggy. Use the gravity gun to blast them into the ocean where they will short out.

• COMBINE ELITE

The toughest version of Combine troops are clad in white and take more damage than police or soldiers. They carry pulse rifles and will use the plasma orb secondary attack without hesitation. This orb is not only damaging, it also knocks you back a few feet. Take down the elite as quickly as possible.

• APC

The motorized ground vehicles used by the combine has a mounted machine gun and fires rockets that home in on your position. Fortunately, when you first encounter these vehicles you are equipped with the limitless supply of ammo on the front of the air boat.

• AUTOMATIC TURRETS

Auto turrets are preprogrammed machine guns mounted on tripods that react to movement. Their fire is deadly, but they are not very stable and can be knocked over with a medium sized object, the gravity gun, or a grenade. Once the turret falls, it will spray bullets wildly and then shut down.

In Nova Prospect, Alyx will reprogram some auto turrets to attack the Combine. They can then be placed at strategic locations to cut down waves of enemy guards. You can also hold the turret with the gravity gun and use it as a machine gun with infinite ammo.

• GROUND TURRETS

This automated defense systems appear as small vents in the ground. However, once you set off the laser trip wires that surround them they will rise from the ground and spray machine gun fire in the direction of movement. The only way to destroy a ground turret is to activate it and then toss a grenade into the hole under it. The secondary attack with a grenade works well.

• HOPPER MINES

These weapons will activate when you approach them, then hop towards the target and explode. Red hoppers have been set by the Combine and are dangerous. Green hoppers have been set by the resistance and can be ignored or moved. To reset an enemy mine, suck it up with the gravity gun and it will turn blue and then green. When fired forward with the gravity gun, hoppers will explode like a grenade.

• GUNSHIP

These Combine attack craft can only be taken down with the RPG. There is a machine gun attached to the nose of the craft that will shoot down direct shots. Shoot the rockets away from the ships, and then guide them in with the laser site. Five hits from the RPG (on normal difficulty) will take the ship down. If you see a gunship and you are without RPG ammo, find cover or run away.

• STRIDER

This massive enemy easily controls the city streets. Each leg is razor sharp and will kill anything it lands on. There is also a machine gun mounted on its nose that locks in on, and follows targets. The most devastating attack from the striders is a white laser that will quickly kill whatever it touches. The methods for bringing down a strider are the same as those used on the Gunship. However, pulse rifle secondary attacks, and SMG shells will do small amounts of damage to the enemy.

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