Geek on Stun

Half-Life Too

For some reason, I decided to run through Half-Life this weekend. It was good. Not as good as I remember it being almost six years ago, but since my local fuck-ups couldn't do something as simple as install cable after four appointments and I was itching to play a first-person shooter, it beat out more Quake III ladder progression. And while Valve may suck at security, sticking to release dates, and Web site updates, the original Half-Life still stands up.

Right! I remember why I started playing this old game again. After playing The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for hours and being completely immersed in the polished fantasy sea world, where you start to feel like a valiant elf-boy who doesn't ever need to save, my beautiful red dragon boat sailed me into the secret black Hell level where the objective is to read the words "Cannot read game disc" until you cry like a little baby. If I didn't have to deal with the worst Nintendo console controller ever when I whip out my Wind Waker, then play the Wind's Requiem, then watch the wind directional change animation for the thousandth time, then pop up my magic sail, then cruise around for five minutes until I drop some fucking fish bait to fill up my sea chart and figure out where the hell I am, it wouldn't be so bad.

But thats what I did. All week, I sailed around, fed the fish and filled up my Sea Chart.

I got my Hearts Chart. I got my Tingle Chart. I got my IN-credible chart, Beedle Chart, Light Ring Chart, Platform Chart, Secret Cave Chart, Treasure Maps, Triforce Maps... ug. Just moving around the world map is painful and you want me to sail about endlessly collecting all this stuff?

Wind manipulation as a precursor to movement is one of those design decisions that probably should have stayed on the white board. It is the one thing preventing me from having actual, consistent fun with this game.

Posted by geek