To Gnome or not to Gnome

This is a Mac gaming site. That’s why I’m writing about Half Life 2 Episode 2. With me? Great.

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The Half Life series is probably the finest bunch of computer games ever made. If you disagree with me go play Frogger, you Neanderthal scum.

There are doubters, though. In particular there was hoo-har when HL2 EP2 was released. Unreal III was released around the same time and some complained that the Source engine that powers Half Life 2 was showing it’s age compared to the Unreal 3 engine. Well, duh? That’s called the passing of time.

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Graphics just don’t matter for the Half Life series. Valve exceeded the need for graphical prowess with their masterly skills in game development. The combination of a series of brilliant elements (physics, story, character, GNOME!) reached (in my Half Life reflecting eyes), a hitherto unknown place in the computer game world.

Half Life 2 Episode 2 is perfect.

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Granted some characters move a little stiffly, as if they had brooms in their sleeves, but it doesn’t matter. The game accomplishes so much through atmosphere, emotion, entertainment, longevity – it just doesn’t matter. Add in the fact that you can send a Gnome into space, well, Frogger just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Oh, by the way, I’m running Half Life 2 Episode 2 via Bootcamp on my Mac. What?!