
VALVe is one of my favorite video game developers. They provide quality and game play, along with great multiplayer. And with The Orange Box, they definitively deliver. Half-Life2:Episode 2 is the 2nd in the episode saga of Gordon Freeman.
STORY
You start out In the train that episode one ended on. And as you try to climb your way out, you see Alyx Vance notice you. She grabs the gravity gun and pulls the door off of the back of the train letting you out. As you progress you see a Beautiful but yet dangerous portal storm, one of the remnants of the explosion of the citadel. You later find out that Judith Mossman had found the Borialis. One of Aperture Science's cargo ships. This later reveals that Judith may have had a weapon against the combine. What it is? We dont know. Overall: 10/10
SOUND
The Voice acting, Music, and Sound effects truely bring out the emotion of the game. You can see how characters feel just by hearing them. The Music gets your heart pumping during the battles you face. However, the firing sounds are reused and could be improved a bit. Overall: 9.5/10
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay has been added upon and changed since Episode one. With a new car, and the new way of taking down Striders, Valve Trys to keep the gameplay fresh, Which they succeed....barely. Most of the Shooting scenes feel the same as the original, Which are fun and exciting, but they don't add anything on those.
You do encounter 2 new enemies, The Combine Adviser and the Hunter. While you dont fight the Adviser, it proves that it can harm you with Psychic attacks that will leave both Alyx and Gordon with a headache. Overall 8.5/10
GRAPHICS

This picture looks stunning. What you dont see in it are the amounts of detail on the characters face and the great HDR effects. The faceposing is great. Without sound I can almost read their lips. Overall: 10/10
CONCLUSION
With Awesome Graphics, Great gameplay, and Stunning emotion, this is truly a game worth purchasing. Even with the other pack in's. If you havent play the Half-Life series, I recommend you start with the Orange Box.
