Rating

A+

Specific Ratings

GameplayA+
GraphicsA
Learning CurveA+
Replay ValueA+
SoundA

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Includes ALL 5 Half-Life games in one superb set
  • One comprehensive manual
  • High Definition (HD) pack included with Blue Shift
  • GOTY Edition of the original Half-Life game
Cons
  • Team Fortress Classic NOT covered in the manual

Half-Life: Platinum Collection 2 (PC)

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Summary

This is the Ultimate Half-Life Collection! This set includes ALL of the Half-Life games in one convenient package.

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Description

This excellent collection of Half-Life games should be the ONLY one you will ever need.
The Platinum Collection 2 includes the following Half-Life games: Half-Life GOTY Edition, CounterStrike, Opposing Force, Team Fortress Classic, and Blue Shift.
As far as I know, these are ALL of the Half Life games that have been released. There may be additional mods that can be gotten from websites, but these are the main retail versions of Half-Life games and it's expansions. Each copy of these games also includes any and all patches that might have been developed for them. Three of these games have single and on-line gameplay modes, while the other two are mainly just on-line play.

There is one manual for this collection, but it covers 4 out of the 5 games. I don't quite understand why they did not include anything in the manual for Team Fortress Classic, but I am sure they had their reasons. If someone else may know the answer to this question, then you might want to make a post on this review and share your findings.

One of the great features that is included on the Blue Shift CD, is the HD pack.
This is a High Definition program that is supposed to improve the graphics and other aspects of gameplay for ALL of the Half-Life games. Once you have installed it, than it should apply it's programs to ALL of the other games.

Gameplay in these games is excellent. There are easy ways to heal your character, and the action is non-stop. Easy controls for movement, shooting, and any other actions that Gordon and company might take. Of course your foes will differ with each game, with mutated monsters being the norm in the original game, but in games like Opposing Force, you are more likely to be dealing with human targets.

Graphics are good in each game. Granted they may not be able to hold up to some of the amazing stuff that is coming out these days, but overall they are still not too bad to look at.

The learning curve in each game is superb. Each game has it's own training section that is listed on the Main Menu. The more military based games, like Opposing Force, will have it listed as "Boot Camp", while the others will have it listed as the "Hazard Course". But ALL of them will definitely teach you how to control your character and how to use the many types of weapons that you are sure to find.

Most of your replay incentive will come from the games that give you the ability to try out new types of characters. For example, in Opposing Force, you will actually be in charge of a squad of three different types of soldiers. And in CounterStrike, you can choose from many on-line roles, such as medic, sniper, or engineer.

The sound is good throughout the Half-Life games. Many weapon sounds, monster grunts and growls, and even the over-bearing rant of a drill instructor.

If you are wanting to have all the Half-Life games in one nice package, than the Platinum 2 Collection is the one for you !!!!!!

There is a reason that this game has such a great fan base, and once you play any of them, you will find out why.

Your Fellow Gamer
Bobby

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