Game is fun. it works. it shines where it matters most. Some things are annoying and some things arent the best, but it's very tempting to say this is a 5 star game when all is said and done. Play this game if you like to explore the nooks and crannies in Deus Ex or thief, or look for any kind of secret or tend to become a 'wanderer' in a FPS, or if you simply like the setting, premise and atmosphere of half-life. The game has very well made maps that feel like real places and have or had (since most are abandoned industrial complexes) some purpose outside of the great player to wander through. there are switches, doors and other functional things in maps that may or may not be related to you. As you go through a level you finish it and often wonder if you found everything because of the way the levels are made. This makes the levels feel realistic in a really pleasant way. The game is just fun to walk around and explore. I have explored a few abandoned places in the real world and this emulates the experience on a grand scale. It's tough to compare it to other games or write about it. It captures the best bits of half-life, has the attention to detail of a game like thief, feels like a real place like STALKER, etc. I am suprised this game doesnt have more interest at the very least, especially since it really does feel like it captures the essence of classic half-life

i like the approach to puzzles (for the most part) switches levers and knobs or replacement parts for machines. It's fairly straightforward. There are no 'gotchas' and a lot of effort was to make things resolvable without lots of hair pulling in different ways. I vastly prefer this approach to any other game with crazy arbitrary brain teasers with a single solution. Its a very unique way to interact with the world in some ways through these puzzles. and i like the direction they go with them as you get deeper into the game. typically a puzzle in a game of this sort is very apparent, and when you solve it it is clear, in this game it never is quite as obvious. the 'puzzles' become much more fluid and natural and you might just happen to hit a switch before you kne there was a puzzle, or maybe there is no puzzle and it looks like it was one. The 'solution' as well as The 'problem' also isnt as obvious too which can be a bit confusing (since you dont know what door you have to necesasrily open or where the exit is)you really are in a big industrial place, you might flip some switches to do some function, the machine might already be on the firtz, you might fix it or maybe you break it worse. You might have fixed it or you might not know the results of what you've done. but you can find that you now can get to the next area lol

As mentioned. levels are excellent. This is the main highlight of the game. The levels are very detailed, they go really well with the puzzles of the game as well as the theme. There are scripted events (in the same flavor as classic HL1) that also flow nicely with the levels. the game is fun to roam and explore and look for easter eggs (which do exist) you can do a lot in the game and look at things without direct rewards (such as extra ammo, points or steam achievements) and the experience of doing this kind of thing is more rewarding than most FPS games i found. >80& of this game hinges on the levels and how well made they are.

The game received a massive amount of improvement between episode 1 and episode 2. Most of the things that annoyed me were fixed and most technical design issues, lots of gameplay enhancements as well. Do play this when episode 3 comes out or episode 3 becomes patched. it very likely will be at its best at that point with the patches carrying through to prior episodes

Several dont like the start of the game. it's both a bit offputting, overwhelming and leaves one wondering what to expect of the game, especially in terms of 'how fun' the game might be. (you have to wander your way through an office very stanley parable style, but without that stanley parable flavor/gimmicks) and its frustrating, you dont know where your office really is or have any idea how to get there and the office building is pretty big and there are locked doors everywhere." is this my cubicle or is this my cubicle? no wrong floor i guess?" this kind of goading of the player was in fact not a very good experience but it serves a purpose to orient you with the basics of the game though, how to move through the maps and how you dont really know where you are supposed to go, so you get used to it, and imo need some adjustement from prior expectations one might have of an FPS, and the office map is better than your standard tutorial mission or some kind of scripted sequence that has a narrator telling you everything. (they tried to keep it very minimal and natural feeling)

The first area you explore isnt too invovled either, but the game gets more interesting the further you get into it. also this is a game. you do play with the environment and it feels like a legit game. it isnt a mere walking sim with random objects or switches thrown in. (i was worried at first it might be a bit like that)

I'd love to find more FPS type games that are adventure/puzzle like this one, even without the good design, it really is the perfect balance imo.