GamesRadar - Half-Life 2: Episode One

Source SDK update released (News)

Jul 2, 2009

Valve has released an update for the Source SDK, now available for users on Steam.

The Orange Box gets Novint Falcon support (News)

Jun 24, 2009

Valve has released a patch for The Orange Box titles Half-Life 2: Episode 1 & 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2, adding support for the Novint Falcon controller.

Half-Life 2: Episode Three storyline speculation (Preview)

Jun 16, 2009

Where next for Gordon Freeman? We hazard a few educated guesses. ...

Video game villains who got away with it (Feature)

May 1, 2009

People like to see good triumph over evil. It's the reason Superman always wins despite getting stabbed in the face with shards of Kryptonite. Why John McClane beats a skyscraper full of heavily-armed terrorists with nothing but a string vest. And why those pesky S.T.A.R.S. agents always get the better of the T-virus. Sometimes, though, there are games brave enough to spit in the face of convention and let their no gooders go ...

New Alyx model - back to the roots in Cinematic Mod 10? (News)

Apr 22, 2009

PC Games Hardware published pictures of a new HD Alyx model of Fakefactory's Cinematic Mod 10. It seems like the modder reacts to the harsh critique that followed the shots published the day before yesterday (as reported on N4G) and replaces the Adriana Lima like Alyx with a better version that looks like the real Alyx again. This new model is based on the actress Jamil Mullen who had been the original real-life model for Alyx during the development of Half-Life 2.

Half-Life 2 Nipplegate - New HD Alyx model in CM 10 (News)

Apr 20, 2009

Fakefactory is working on a new mod for Half-Life 2. This time he added a HD Alyx with nipples to prick your eyes out as well as bump mapping for rocks and high definition objects.

Alyx tweaked even more with Cinematic Mod 10 (News)

Apr 15, 2009

PCGH delivers the first screenshots of the Cinematic Mod 10. The mod is said to deliver new HD models for Alyx and objects.

New Half-Life 2: Episode One Mod (News)

Mar 24, 2009

This mod from Sensory Overload Games is a fast-paced third-person shooter, retaining a very light RPG element.

The 28 Best FPS Games (News)

Jan 3, 2009

From the dystopian corridors of BioShock's subterranean "paradise" to the Strogg-infested space stations found throughout the Quake franchise, First Person Shooters have found countless ways to establish themselves as rich, enjoyable experiences, capturing the hearts and trigger fingers of gamers worldwide.

Even if it's just blasting away wave after wave of demons in Blood, or perhaps saving mankind from itself as you traverse Half-Life 2's City 17, the FPS genre has proven itself time and time again.

Here's Why Valve is King of the PC Market (News)

Dec 5, 2008

Valve has always been known to be one of the top developers in the PC arena. In fact, their only real competitor is Blizzard and both developers make such different games that it really isn't a competition. Well, in the latest issue of Game Informer, Valve revealed statistics of their game sales in the past decade that show why they are the industry leaders.

Leipzig: The real-life Half-Life 2 (Feature)

Aug 28, 2008

When we went to the Leipzig GC this year, we found ourselves in strangely familiar surroundings. Strangely, disturbingly familiar surroundings. Gravity guns at the ready... ...

Seinfeld recreated in Garry's Mod (Feature)

Aug 15, 2008

We’re big fans of dicking around, so when someone suggested that we attempt to reproduce a classic sitcom in Half-Life 2’s Garry’s Mod, we cited the “why the hell not” clause of our operating procedures and immediately began violating ragdolls. While our interpretation of the greatest nihilist sitcom ever may not win us any awards at machinima festivals, it can at least inspire some ironic ...

Valve Announces Steam Cloud - Indefinite Online Save Game, Replay Video, Kill-cam Storage, and other features (News)

May 30, 2008

Valve's been quite busy getting ready to roll out some impressive updates to their games and Steam in general:

"Valve today announced Steam Cloud, a free Steam system that will retain users' saved games and configuration files indefinitely.

Half-Life and Half-Life 2 will be the first games to support the service....

The company is also working on several new Steam systems, including a driver auto-updater and calendar functionality.

Another feature in the works is a system-requirement checker. The program will analyze your hardware and compare it to multiple games, estimating your performance and recommending upgrades.

Valve is also considering storing replay videos and kill-cam screens from games such as Team Fortress 2 and Day of Defeat: Source. "

Valve confirms UK and EU release of Orange Box separates (News)

Mar 19, 2008

Valve's confirmed that the Orange Box separates will release in the UK and rest of Europe, despite the fact EA had said previously there was "no confirmation" of plans to bring the games to the UK.

"Yes they will," Valve's Doug Lombardi told videogaming247 when asked if the split-out games would be made available at UK retail. "EA is the distributor for most of the EU."

The Orange Box and 19 Games Available for $75 on Steam (News)

Dec 31, 2007

As if The Orange Box weren't already the best value in gaming, those who have yet to make the $50 plunge can get an even better deal through Valve's Steam service. For a mere $75 gamers can purchase Orange Box and 19 additional titles.

If you already have The Orange Box then you can still get some more Half-Life goodness by downloading the game's main tune, "Still Alive" by Jonathan Coultan at Amazon.com. The entire album is discounted by about $2, available at Amazon for $7.99.

Top 10 Best Selling PC Games For November 3 (News)

Nov 15, 2007

The NPD Group has released the latest list of the top 10 best selling PC games in the US, this time for the week ending November 3. It seems that despite bad reviews, Flagship Studios have done something right, as people buy Hellgate: London despite many reviewers' opinion that it needed a few more months in production.

1. Hellgate: London - Namco/EA
2. Hellgate: London Collectors Edition - Namco/EA
3. Half Life 2: Episode 2 The Orange Box - Valve/EA
4. Age Of Empires III: Asian Dynasties - Microsoft
5. The Sims 2 Bon Voyage - Electronic Arts
6. Nancy Drew: Legend Of The Crystal Skull - Her Interactive
7. Flight Simulator X: Acceleration - Microsoft
8. World Of Warcraft - Blizzard
9. The Witcher - Atari
10. The Sims 2 Deluxe - Electronic Arts

Alyx vs Lara (Feature)

Nov 1, 2007

Nov 1, 2007 According to Rule 34, if it exists, there is porn of it. There are some exceptions of course. For example, we're glad there aren't any nude Little Sister mods for BioShock. However, for some characters, it's only a matter of time until nakedness strikes in the form of a nude mod or patch. But really, how much time are we talking about? If you've never wondered if Alyx Vance kept her clothes on longer than Lara Croft, it's probably for the best. Otherwise, see the video, download ...

Orange Box 360 update released! (Again!) (News)

Oct 27, 2007

"The second Orange Box 360 update has been released by Valve! This time, the focus is primarily on Team Fortress 2. What, exactly, have they changed?

- Reduced network bandwidth usage in multiplayer.
- Improved overall game performance.
- Arranged search results to favor preferred host conditions.
- Improved searching for ranked games.
- Addressed a possible false report of too little storage space on larger hard drives". - Gamernode

Ruined endings - part two (Feature)

Mar 2, 2007

God of War Kratos is totally bad ass - when have you ever killed a god? And the fact that Aries ate an H-bomb for breakfast that morning really added to the effect. Except, now that Kratos is the new God of War, shouldnt we have to kill him in God of War 2? Whatever, just let us rip the eyeballs out of something and dont make us ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One (Review)

Sep 19, 2006

Anyone who completed Half-Life 2 - one of the most accomplished first-person shooters ever made - was left with more than a few niggling questions after the final credits rolled. Did you actually save City 17? Will hero Gordon Freeman escape from the G-Man? And did Alyx Vance, the game's leading lady, end up on the wrong end of a thermonuclear explosion? We needed answers and, finally, we've got them. Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first in a trilogy of games that continue the story of ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One too hard? (News)

Jun 26, 2006

Monday 26 June 2006 Only 25% of Half-Life 2: Episode One gamers have managed to complete the first in the H-L2 trilogy, despite the game taking, on average, just five hours to complete. Other points of interest from a gameplay report released by developer/publisher Valve include the fact that less than 7% of gamers have played it on the hardest skill setting. Lightweights. Game download service Steam allowed Valve to collect data on the way its first foray into episodic gaming is being played ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One - launch teaser 4 (Video)

Jun 5, 2006

Alyx and Dog return to add chapters to the ongoing saga of super-scientist Gordon Freeman.

'Endless movie tie-ins are the death of gaming' (Feature)

Jun 2, 2006

When Half-Life 2 was first released, many people saw the game's Steam registration process - which barred gamers with no internet access from being able to play it - as developer Valve's greatest mistake. Nearly two years on, however, and Steam is instead beginning to look like the harbinger of a wave of innovative, exciting and brilliant games. New and interesting titles, not just modifications of Half-Life 2, are being added to the online service on an impressively frequent basis. If you're ...

Valve: 'Endless movie tie-ins are the death of gaming' (Feature)

Jun 2, 2006

Friday 2 June 2006 When Half-Life 2 was first released, many people saw the game's Steam registration process - which barred gamers with no internet access from being able to play it - as developer Valve's greatest mistake. Nearly two years on, however, and Steam is instead beginning to look like the harbinger of a wave of innovative, exciting and brilliant games. New and interesting titles, not just modifications of Half-Life 2, are being added to the online service on an impressively ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One - launch teaser 2 (Video)

Jun 1, 2006

Alyx and Dog return to add chapters to the ongoing saga of super-scientist Gordon Freeman.

Half-Life 2: Episode One - launch teaser 3 (Video)

Jun 1, 2006

Alyx and Dog return to add chapters to the ongoing saga of super-scientist Gordon Freeman.

Hidden Half-Life (Feature)

May 31, 2006

Half-Life boss Gabe Newell has revealed that "primary characters" will die over the trilogy of new Half-Life 2 episodes. "People need to feel that characters are genuinely at risk," he says. "Otherwise they lose investment and the significance of their actions is diminished." Half-Life 2: Episode One, released this Thursday on Valve's Steam service, will kick off this exciting story arc. In the run-up to the release, we visited Valve's Seattle HQ for an exclusive interview. "With the trilogy, ...

'Half-Life 3 would have launched in 2022' (Feature)

May 31, 2006

Half-Life 2: Episode One, which will be released tomorrow on Valve's Steam service, is the first in a trilogy of new outings for the award-winning series. We spent some quality time with the team behind the hugely anticipated game to find out more about the Half-Life franchise's episodic shift. Episode-based games are the answer to "making great entertainment for gamers," according to Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. "Episodic gaming will be as important for single-player as Counter-Strike, the ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One (Preview)

May 31, 2006

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 ...

Valve: 'Key Half-Life 2 characters will die!' (Feature)

May 31, 2006

• HalfLife 2 Episode One trailer 3 (WMV, 25.0MB) Tuesday 30 May 2006 Half-Life boss Gabe Newell has revealed that "primary characters" will die over the trilogy of new Half-Life 2 episodes. "People need to feel that characters are genuinely at risk," he says. "Otherwise they lose investment and the significance of their actions is diminished." Half-Life 2: Episode One, released this Thursday on Valve's Steam service, will kick off this exciting story arc. In the run-up to the release, ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One (Screenshots)

May 31, 2006

Hands-on with Half-Life 2's next chapter (Preview)

May 30, 2006

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 ...

Valve introduces us to Episode One (News)

May 26, 2006

• Half-Life 2: Episode One trailer two (WMV, 17.3MB) Friday 26 May 2006 Valve, the creator of Half-Life, recently zipped us across the globe 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 next Thursday when the game goes live on Steam. But, until then, we've got a wodge of Half-Life content for your eyes to look at. Episode One is the first in a trilogy of new ...

Valve ready to launch Episode One (News)

May 25, 2006

• Half-Life 2: Episode One (MOV, 4.62MB) Thursday 25 May 2006 Valve's first move into episodic gaming is on its way as Half-Life 2: Episode One is prepared for download from Steam for 1 June. Half Life 2: Episode One takes up the action where Half-Life 2 left off with Gordon Freeman facing the music and the Combine on the streets of City 17. But he's not on his own as Alyx and her robot, Dog, will be around to help. Episode One, is the first of three new episodes that Valve will be ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One Trailer (News)

Apr 7, 2006

Take a look at this new trailer for Valve's Half-Life 2: Episode One, the upcoming episodic add-on to the awesome sci-fi shooter Half-Life 2, reacquainting you with the mysterious goings on in City 17. The footage shows Alyx leading you in an escape from the crumbling Combine Citadel, the veritable hornet's nest of the enemy, as well as some exciting sessions of action on the Antlion and zombie-infested streets of the city. Episode One isn't available until May 31 but, on the strength of ...

Half-Life 2 in episodes (News)

Apr 7, 2006

Valve has announced that Half-Life 2: Aftermath will be the first in a line of episodic add-ons for the Half-Life sequel, expanding on the story behind the Combine invasion and Gordon's mysterious relationship with the G-Man. Re-christened as Half-Life 2: Episode One, the expansion pack previously known as Aftermath will kick off a regular flow of new content. Due for release on April 24th, Episode One will be delivered across Valve's Steam client, although there is no current confirmation of ...

H-L2: Episodic shots (News)

Apr 6, 2006

Thursday 6 April 2006 If you're expecting Half-Life 2: Episode One for PC to be little more than an Antlion hunt on the streets of City 17 when it's released on 2 June, you better take a glance at these new screens. The Combine might be rattled, but the war isn't won yet. Fortunately, you'll have Barney, Alyx and her ever-enthusiastic robo-pet Dog to help you smash through Striders, soldiers and sand-dwelling critters as you attempt to escape the city before it becomes a giant smoking hole in ...

Steam knows the score (News)

Mar 28, 2006

Tuesday 28 March 2006 Valve has introduced a commendable new feature to its popular content delivery system, Steam. Shoppers browsing the online Steam store will now find a review score (where available) handily placed for quick reference alongside game and price details. Taken from metacritic.com, the scores represent the average grade given to a game by numerous web sites and magazines, reflecting a general consensus of critics rather than the opinion of a single review. In addition to ...

Upgrade or die (Feature)

Feb 26, 2006

The arrival of the "next-gen" in console land is obvious - it happens instantaneously with the release of a new box. The line is blurred in the constantly evolving world of PC, but only a fool would say it's not there. PC is currently edging into new territory, boosted there by swelling processor power, sparkling new graphical technologies, and outrageous ambition. Corridors, bases and monsters can only get so beautiful; we're moving on to whole worlds now, living environments ripe with ...

Half-Life 2 Aftermath (Preview)

Feb 22, 2006

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 ...

Alyx the Monster Hunter (News)

Feb 15, 2006

Here are the latest shots of Half-Life 2: Aftermath illustrating just how kick-ass the raven-haired heroine Alyx will be in this expansion pack of 2004's smash hit ...

Half-Life 2: Episode One FAQ 3 (FAQ)

Dec 5, 2007

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Half-Life 2: Episode One FAQ 2 (FAQ)

Dec 5, 2007

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Half-Life 2: Episode One FAQ (FAQ)

Dec 4, 2007

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More Command-line Parameters (Cheat)

Jun 1, 2006

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Full List of Cheats (Cheat)

Jun 1, 2006

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