Exit 17 - The good, the bad and the ugly

[Asknoone]

On a scale of what?

 

[Tagaziel]

On a scale from Welcome to Black Mesa to Endgame

 

[UseAbuse]

A scale of 1 to 100 will do

 

[Asknoone]

90/100

The first two chapters were fantastic (the other two were good as well), and Alyx bumps up the points a fair bit. Episode 1 is awesome - it just drops the ball a little towards the end. (quotedstoled)

 

[Shields]

I actually liked Exit 17 because you can use the rocket launcher almost exclusively

 

[kineaesth]

I think that, by not making the final battle too long or epic Valve were trying to continue to impart the sense of urgency that was present during the whole game. They purposely didn't draw it out, IMO, so that the player would just try to get through it as fast as possible because OMG citadel meltdown! But, is that a good thing? It's also irritating that they've made the battle urgent but as I can't remember who said there are no environmental effects to prove that. I think that Valve put in the Strider for old times sake- in EP1 you get to fight the hardest enemies (Gunship+Strider) but just one of each. So, "oh lets put a strider... Here!" But whatever. Great game. Flaw in it. Still great game.

 

[BlackOp773643]

The level designs in episode one were amazing, but the game lacked something. It was very short.

 

[Narvi]

I actually liked Exit 17 because you can use the rocket launcher almost exclusively

Rocket whore.

 

[UseAbuse]

The level designs in episode one were amazing, but the game lacked something. It was very short.

well, what did you expect for only $20? :stare:

 

[Jintor]

well, what did you expect for only $20? :stare:

PURE VALVE AWESOMENESS.

Duh.

 

[function9]

well, what did you expect for only $20? :stare:

A reacharound at least.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Well, considering Episode One is just the first part, a "boss fight" wouldn't make sence, but perhaps in Episode Three.

 

[Operational]

Well, considering Episode One is just the first part, a "boss fight" wouldn't make sence, but perhaps in Episode Three.

Absolutely - I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Headcrab Pie]

I loved that chapter Lowlife. Everytime a few zombies poped up i was like "Alex! Do some Kun Fu"!

Good times....

 

[FallenGuard]

The Hospital was cool too, with Alyx blasting Zombies with the Shotgun (Anyone noticed that her firing Speed is much higher than that of the Player's?)

 

[Bob Saget]

I was hoping that I'd like Exit 17 more than you guys, but I think I liked it even less. Absolutely terrible level. Even the Strider battle at the end was just okay.

 

[Gordon_X]

Strider boss battle was okay, didn't really give me a climactic feel. But transferring the citizens was fun.

 

[Pesmerga]

B-b-b-b-umppppp

 

[AciD]

Try to do this with crowbar grenade RPG and G-gun

 

[urumax]

A reacharound at least.

HAHAHAHAHA i dont think anybody got that...

Wellthat mission was fun because u got to use the rpg on the combine, it was scary going back and forth nto knowing whatt o expect or where to get combines from.

The strider battle was gay, i owned him so fast that it didnt feel like the ep's finale, it could've been harder (defending the silo type of finale)

 

[Omnomnick]

I loved Exit 17, the citizen escourt was fun and was always changing ment it didnt get boring, and the strider battle was the best of all the strider battles up to it, with the music in the background it was great, and all together accumpanied by the great looking endind, which finished off a great game, leaving open a fantastic cliff hanger

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

I enjoyed the challenge of the escort mission, but I hated hated hated the POS citizen AI.

Me: I'm supposed to get you to safety. SO STAY IN YOUR GOD DAMNED POSITION WHEN I HIT "V" WHEN THE COMBINE POP UNTIL IT IS CLEAR!
Citizens: Sure thing Dr. Freeman, I'll stay right here.
(I go into train station to fight the Combine.)
Citizen 1: Wait Dr. Freeman...don't leave me here.
(Citizen 1 chases after me, the rest follow...)
Citizen 1: Arrgh!
Citizen 2: Arrgh!
Citizen 3: Arrgh
(I stare at the bodies of the useless citizens!)
Me: Dammit!

I actually thought the strider battle was the best strider battle in all the games. I mean in the 2003 E3 footage (see below) the striders were presented as this relentless foe, the player was all but helpless to fight and forced to run from. Before the game came out I was devising ways in my head they could be taken down. In Half-Life 2 before we even meet them in combat we're given all the tools needed to take one down. When finally introduced to them, instead of striders popping up one by one making them all the more unique and terrifying, we were presented to an entire battalion of striders being pwned by the rebel infantry! WTF was that I ask? That's like having the Oxygen, Fuel and Electricity already ready in Blast Pit and being able to push the button the moment you see the tentacle. Or how about spawning right in the Nihilanth's head right next to infinite grenades! There was simply no challenge! In Episode 2 they are only an obstacle we can kill with one shot, and the hunters are the real threat! The striders barely even gave me notice.

The cat and mouse game at the end of Episode 1 was exactly what I was looking for with the striders and it is how they should be done always! It cemented their role as what they should be: a terrifying menace...a mini boss.

2003 E3 footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_kfZSsArCM

 

[Lokizen]

I think the escort mission was a sad attempt to increase the game length.
Back and forth does not make for much fun.

 

[AciD]

I got a HL2 beta vids cd shipped with my CS-CZ if someone want I can upload 'em

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Thread necromancy to the exetreme

 

[1845]

I hated that particular portion of the game right up to the Strider battle. Was worse than washing dirty dishes after a Christmas buffet!

I reckon, as some of you have said, that the game would have been better, and greatly benefitted from a mass war at this point. I mean, as many resistance fighters as the engine could handle just battling it out in the first area with Barney leading them against swarms of combine. The civilians should have had guns, maybe pistols, but they should have been Civilians, not resistance fighters (As I believe they are separate). The resistance should have fought to their death in one mega battle as this WAS the last time you were in city 17, it was quite an anti-climax for Episode one after so much beauty.

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

The worse is when your "squad" members run straight into your line of fire when you're firing rockets. They take no damage but you do!

Well, at least some are medics!

 

[Apocalypse89]

It would've been nice if you were able to command the citizens with the C button like you could during the street war chapters of HL2...no idea why Valve took that out.