Retronauts Pries Into the Recently Old Half-Life 2

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While some may think the pool of topics for Retronauts could run the risk of being shallow, each passing year turns its share of games from "kind of old" to "officially old." Big ups to time for being a linear construct.

Still, I can't say I was surprised to see the reactions on peoples' faces when I talked about putting together an episode of Retronauts about Half-Life 2. First I'd hear, "Really?" Followed by a few seconds of processing. Then, an "Oh." to seal the deal. Yes, it may be hard to believe, but Half-Life 2—celebrating its twelfth birthday this year—fits snugly within the boundaries of Retronauts' informal ten-year rule.

And while Half-Life 2 might be the most "modern" thing we've talked about on the show, it still feels incredibly distinct from the countless games that have borrowed liberally from its intuitive design and effective storytelling over the years. Over the past year-or-so, I've been taking a second look at games that we kind of take for granted as being great—like Super Mario World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past—and this week's discussion Half-Life 2 follows the same approach. The recent departure of series writer Marc Laidlaw might have been the final nail in the coffin for Half-Life 3, but hopefully we'll be able to convince you that Half-Life 2 remains an amazing achievement—even if it's missing its final chapter.

Joining us on this one is Gamespot alum Kevin VanOrd, who wrote the book on Half-Life 2—or at least the first part. As always, you can keep up with the latest Retronauts news via our Twitter and Facebook accounts, and check out some of our video content over on our YouTube page. And, in case you forgot, Retronauts is fully funded by our Patreon campaign, so if you can afford to donate even a dollar a month, please consider it! Every little bit really helps our cause.

Relevant Links

The Final Hours of Half-Life 2

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