When I first got the game I couldn't play it. And with the advancements in technology since the first game, 'Half-Life 2' takes advantage of this to its fullest. Valve - as they first did with the original 'Half-Life' - provides similar scenes of plotting and character dialogue, but you never leave the POV of Dr. Curiously enough 'Doom 3' received more attention for blending cinema with gaming but I think 'Half-Life 2' did so much better - there aren't cheesy cut-away scenes such as there are in 'Doom 3' (which was still a fine game) and you actually feel like you ARE in an alternate reality. Its plot is better than 90% of action films today and it seamlessly blends realism with science-fiction. This is the game that will blow away those of us who always thought games were simplistic.

There will always be the classic arcade games and the great Mario games for NES - but 'Half-Life 2' takes gaming into a new dimension.

For someone such as myself, who had taken a long hiatus from gaming, this was a refreshing revolution of the medium. 'Half-Life 2' really elevates videogames to a new art form.

How to beat half life 2