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Half-Life 2

  • Video Game
  • 2004
  • M
IMDb RATING
9.4/10
19K
YOUR RATING
Half-Life 2 (2004)
Half-Life 2
Play trailer1:20
1 Video
38 Photos
Alien InvasionActionAdventureSci-FiThriller

Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.

  • Director
    • David Speyrer
  • Writer
    • Marc Laidlaw
  • Stars
    • Robert Guillaume
    • Robert Culp
    • Louis Gossett Jr.
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.4/10
    19K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Speyrer
    • Writer
      • Marc Laidlaw
    • Stars
      • Robert Guillaume
      • Robert Culp
      • Louis Gossett Jr.
    • 69User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 6 BAFTA Awards
      • 28 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    Half-Life 2
    Trailer 1:20
    Half-Life 2

    Photos38

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    Top cast13

    Edit
    Robert Guillaume
    Robert Guillaume
    • Dr. Eli Vance
    • (voice)
    Robert Culp
    Robert Culp
    • Dr. Wallace Breen
    • (voice)
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    • Vortigaunt
    • (voice)
    Michelle Forbes
    Michelle Forbes
    • Dr. Judith Mossman
    • (voice)
    Merle Dandridge
    Merle Dandridge
    • Alyx Vance
    • (voice)
    Mike Shapiro
    Mike Shapiro
    • G-Man
    • (voice)
    • (as Michael Shapiro)
    • …
    Harry S. Robins
    • Dr. Isaac Kleiner
    • (voice)
    Jim French
    • Father Grigori
    • (voice)
    John Patrick Lowrie
    John Patrick Lowrie
    • Citizens
    • (voice)
    • …
    Mary Kae Irvin
    • Citizens
    • (voice)
    • …
    Ellen McLain
    Ellen McLain
    • Overwatch
    • (voice)
    Kelly Bailey
    • Metrocops…
    Ted Backman
    • Male 02
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • David Speyrer
    • Writer
      • Marc Laidlaw
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews69

    9.418.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    halflifetalk

    amazing

    I am a huge half life fan, The game was the beginning of first person shooters. It set the standard for all fps's, everything was compared to to that game. It turn fps games into what they are today.

    we have half life to thank for games being what they are today.

    did half life 2 do the same thing? Half life 2 was amazing , one of the best games I ever played. Everything about the game was crafted so well and polished up to make it perfect.

    GAMEPLAY 10/10 - Know questions ask half life 2 has some of the best most crafted and unique gameplay up todate. There's so many different way to approach combat situations. Most first person shooters its just run around blasting things with your gun. But in half life you can think, you can plan how your going to approach combat. You look around and use your environment and everything around you to help you fight, by setting off chain reactions or shooting the wood from underneath your enemy so they fall to the ground. Through most of the game you don't even need to shoot at your enemy. And the gravity gun just adds to the fun, putting stuff infront of doors watching the combine try and bust there way in. Picking up or moving everything around you. And on top of that just using a gun and blasting peoples heads in is unbelievably fun to.

    GRAPHICS 10/10 - Now not everyone will get to see the game how its suppose to be seen. But if you do you will understand. Half life 2 probably has the best graphics seen to this day in any video game. Everything is detailed so much and so polished its amazing, from huge out door land scape's to a small beat up house everything looks amazing. The dynamic lighting adds such a element of beauty to everything giving it that final touch it need. Plus the water, I cant even begin to describe how beautiful the water looks, It reflects everything around you and does it so amazing its hard to put in words.

    STORY 8/10 - I loved the story of the original half life and I loved the fact that no one really new the story even more. Half life 2 didn't really give any answers to any of the questions ask in half life 1, which is not a problem and didn't bug me at all. I actually like the overall story I just not sure I loved the way the did it. Alex character I thought was a typical tough girl thing and I was a big fan of her. I loved the part in doctor Kliners lab I thought it was amazing and so well done. I also loved the doctor Breen parts, I just would have liked it if it had been more like the first one where your really not sure whats going on or where you are. Overall I think it had a good story I just think it was missing some element that makes it half life.

    OVERALL 9/10 - This game was amazing, no question about it. Definitely one of the best games of all time. It was totally original filled with fun action gameplay. Every element in the game was very well done and half life 2 was probably the first game to put all these amazing elements like physics, Good story, Good action, good graphics, in to one game and do an amazing job of it. The only real thing I didn't like was Alex typical tough girl attitude.
    10cryptapollo

    Best Game Ever

    This game is so good the storyline and action is really good. Its VERY ahead of its time. I replayed it over 10 times and never get bored of it. This game really needs a movie or tvshow. I think this game might be the best in the franchise. THEY NEED TO MAKE HALF LIFE 3 imagine half life 2 but more modern😮. All the voice acting fits well and what makes me confused that valve was able to get hands correct but rockstar wasnt. I think this game deserves more love. 10/10 physics 10/10water textures 10/10 storytelling 100/10 over all. Half life 2 need s more than 2 episodes it need 20 episodes. If the game was 50$ it will be still worth it.
    Moviememmer

    Half Life 2

    Pros:
    • Great story & characters
    • Great fast-paced gameplay
    • Amazing AI
    • Great physics mechanics
    • Great graphics (for 2004)
    • Intricate level design
    • Good variety of weapons
    • Good variety of enemy types


    Cons:
    • None


    Verdict: A game that is way ahead of it time; in its gameplay, graphics, story, AI, and physics. It is a must play for all gamers.

    10/10.
    10oraveczaron

    True masterpiece

    I thought Valve could not top the first Half-Life but I was wrong, very wrong.

    While the sequels of a lot of games fail miserably Valve managed to make a game in which the graphics, the characters, the game physics, the enemies were all amazing, but the cherry on the top was the story.

    I think there was only one small mistake which was not giving Gordon any voicelines.
    10ruffinelli_ro

    Outstanding game!

    I am a big fan of the original Half Life. I've beaten the game several times. It is one of my personal favorites. Now its sequels (Half Life 2, EP.1 and EP.2) are included among my favorite titles.

    I really liked the episodes as well. They were too short though. The creators announced that in fact the three episodes (With the third one not released at this point) are just one long game. Of course that brings many negative aspects. For instance if you want to play all three of them, you may want to install them simultaneously, resulting in some big portion of your memory being occupied. But there will be plenty of time to talk about these games. Let's focus on this title for now.

    This sequel had a lot of work. It had to surpass the original game. Half Life was a unique game. It has an amazing story, great characters, and was really entertaining. It also had a certain kind of "magic". It became a classic almost instantly. Its second installment kept a lot of the great details that made the original so good and improved them with other features that helped to create an immersing gaming experience. Half Life 2 is as good as the original.

    The old characters returned, but with better skins. Some new and interesting characters are introduced. There new and cool enemies (Whose A.I. is good). The graphic detail is incredible. The water effect is by far the best I've ever seen in a game. They took a lot of time polishing this features and it shows. The only negative thing I can say is that this title is shorter than the original.

    The plot is great also. It is almost too linear though. We now follow the adventure several years after the events of the first game. The population is being enslaved and is our duty to help them before annihilation. To make the game even more appealing, the creators added the spectacular gravity gun, which is an extraordinary weapon (Well, not a weapon per se). It has the power to lift heavy objects and neutralize their weight. This weapon is almost as important as the characters. We wouldn't be able to solve some of the most interesting physics puzzles without it, and is extremely fun to use. And I almost forgot, the physics are great.

    It was extremely difficult to reach the first Half Life game in terms of quality, but I think that this game pulled it off. It has that certain "magic" also. And is highly enjoyable. I recommend this title. It might not disappoint anyone.

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    Related interests

    Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in Men in Black (1997)
    Alien Invasion
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Robin Williams was a big fan of the series, and was actually in talks to do a voice for the games. Scheduling conflicts prevented this.
    • Goofs
      The drums marked 'Flammable' are explosive and not flammable.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      G-Man: Rise and shine, Mister Freeman. Rise and... shine. Not that I... wish to imply you have been sleeping on the job. No one is more deserving of a rest, and all the effort in the world would have gone to waste until... well, let's just say your hour has... come again.

      G-Man: The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So, wake up, Mister Freeman. Wake up and... *smell the ashes*...

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the credits, you hear Dr. Kleiner, still searching for his pet headcrab, Lamarr. Then the monster drops from above, and jumps into the camera.
    • Alternate versions
      In retail Half-Life 2 the combine sniper rifle was louder and could be heard being cocked after each shot, this is most likely because the Combine Snipers wielded cut bolt-action Sniper Rifles. However, in Episode One and Episode Two the rifle appears to be suppressed and makes a 'wind up' sound after each shot. After the May 2010 Half-Life 2 update this was retconned, so that HL2 snipers now employ 'pulse' rifles too.
    • Connections
      Edited into Garry's Mod (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Hazardous Environments (Valve Theme [Long Version])
      Kelly Bailey

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Wikipedia
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Half Life 2
    • Production company
      • Valve
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Color
      • Color

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