The Orange Box Review

The Orange Box

Format: PC, Xbox 360, PS3.
R.R.P: £40
Release Date: Out Now (360, PC), 16th November (PS3)
Publisher: Valve
Developer: Valve
Genre: First Person Action
Rating: Teen-Mature

The Orange Box is a shrine to all that Valve have achieved, and to be quite frank theres acctually very little to say. In the days leading upto the games release I admit that I did spend at least 4 hours pondering upon what I was going to say, and if I would be able to avoid re-iterating myself.

Half-Life 2 and Episode One have already paved there way into the mind of gamers, so I've (sagely) decided not to talk about them. Instead I'm going to talk about new content, which is here in droves.

Episode Two starts off where Episode One left off and is byfar the best game in the Half-Life series, this is mainly due to the inclusion of new enviroments. In previous games dark, dank corridors made up the majority of game time and while they are still present in Episode Two Valve have decided to let players run free in the lush land of White Forest.

As the plot progresses some rather interesting things arise, including some rather strange hints as to how G-man and the combine may be stopped. As each event unfolds the gameplay becomes more and more intense untilit culminates in the defense of the White Forest missile silo from the unstoppable Combine forces.

In short Episode Two is fantastic. I know move on to the most interesting part of the package; Portal. Portal is a first person puzzle game in which players use a "portal gun" to shoot portals into the level. These Portal can instantly transport the player around the map, whilst applying the gravitation force before entry. Example if you fall into a Portal from a hieght you will fire out another with the same velocity.

This is a relatively simple idea which gets taken to stupid lengths, and ultimatley prepares Valves physics engine for Half-Life 3 (which may or may not happen, I have NO information!) which is not a bad thing as Portal still manages to be one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played.

All this goodness is bundled up with Team Fortress 2, which offers a Battlefront style of gameplay modes, involving taking key points. While it is a solid Multiplayer game it fails to stand upto the likes of Halo and is by far the weakest part of the Package.

In all The Orange Box is one of the most solid expieriances out there at the moment and is proof that Halo mania can be beaten (In the way that I stopped playing Halo but this is by no means better than it). Whilst offering a solid single player experiance it offers a meagre multiplayer one.

9/10