Valve

It was with a bit of apprehension that I approached Half-Life 2: Episode 2. I had high hopes for the game, but I was afraid that Valve would again merely ride the series out on its established conventions rather than make substantive improvements. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded, and Episode 2 has exceeded my expectations in nearly every respect.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

Shoot two portals onto a flat surface and walk through one to appear out the other. This reasonably straightforward game premise is destined to go down alongside "form horizontal lines to make blocks disappear" and "avoid missing ball for high score" as one of the most deviously, deceptively simple in the medium's history.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood, Mild Violence

Episode 1 essentially just takes Half-Life 2's basic gameplay and adds a few more levels to further the plot. This isn't inherently a bad thing since Half-Life 2 was one of the most acclaimed PC games ever made, but as an expansion release two years after the big tamale, it's a bit disappointing. There are no new enemies, no new weapons, and no new vehicles.

Game Description: Half-Life 2: Aftermath brings you the new adventures of Gordon Freeman and his able sidekick Alyx. At the end of Half-Life 2, you did critical damage to the Citadel. The whole place is going to go up, taking out City 17 and what's in its immediate radius. In this expansion, Gordon and Alyx are leading the flight from the city—and getting up close and personal with some of the creatures and sights from the Half-Life 2.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

The question that lingered in my mind, naturally, was whether Half-Life 2 could possibly live up to the expectations I had for it. Is it truly the best game of its kind ever made?

Game Description: Half-Life 2: Game of the Year Edition compiles all the best elements of this incredible game, with all-new player options and even better graphics. Start out with Half-Life 2, where you return to the alien research facility called Black Mesa. The aliens are now pouring into our world and you'll join the resistance movement to stop them. Battle it out with friends in crazy, realistic mulitplayer action with Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. Then test your tactical abilities with Half-Life: Source—where the gaming kicks up a notch through the amazing Source game engine. With the Source engine, you get high-resolution textures, detailed character models, realistic physics and lighting, support for up to 64 players, shiny water effects & better objects—creating a more realistic gaming experience. The action continues in bigger, better form with Counter-Strike: Source.