Half-Life 2: Episode One

Where next for Gordon Freeman? We hazard a few educated guesses. » Read Full Half-Life 2: Episode One preview

Valve, the creator of Half-Life, recently opened the doors to its plush headquarters, where we were given an exclusive session with one of the most anticipated games of the year, Half-Life 2: Episode One. We'll have a review for you soon; the game goes live next week on Steam (www.steampowered.com). But, until then, we can tell you what we saw for ourselves. Episode One is the first in a trilogy of new adventures for Gordon Freeman, Half-Life's bespectacled hero. Throughout the action, you'll » Read Full Half-Life 2: Episode One preview

The cliffhanger ending of Half-Life 2 felt like the dark middle arc of a trilogy, and left us with more questions than answers. The Half-Life 2: Episode One (formerly Aftermath) expansion promises to answer some of those questions ... but will raise even more. Episode One centers entirely on the now-doomed City 17. Thanks to Gordon Freeman, the annihilation of those oppressive rulers, the Citadel, has now put everyone still inside the city in peril. The action focuses around the characters you » Read Full Half-Life 2: Episode One preview

Doctor Breen told you not to do it, but you didn't listen. You had to trigger a cataclysm, had to take down the Citadel and the Combine. You didn't think about the consequences - the world faded to grey, the G-Man left the stage, the credits rolled. The lights went up and you stared at the screen. But Valve will keep working on Half-Life 2. In the next six months they're going to extend it and drive their technology to new heights. This fun will not be available in the shops. Instead, Valve » Read Full Half-Life 2: Episode One preview