Half-Life 2 (DVD ROM): Limited Edition In Metal Tin With T-shirt, Guide, 2 Extra Games

I received this Xmas the collectors edition. All I had to do was to:
1) install the software
2) connect via the internet to receive the downloads, about 3-4 hours via a 56k modem. This also unencrypts files from the DVD and registers your unique game license code
3) When playing a game for the first you need to be connected to the internet for a short while. Thereafter select to play in off-line mode and all is well

HL1 - This is an updated version of the original game but using the HL 2 game engine (Source)A big game, great weapons, stealth and thought provoking game play

HL2 - Absolutely amazing graphics and game play. This game is the leader of its Genre outclassing the dark, dreary and repetetive Doom 3

Counterstrike - i've not played this (56k mode makes this too expensive

In summary its not really a big deal to install this and be redy to play. Just slightly annoying for a wait having spent your hard earned cash. After this its a doddle.

One minor criticism - You'll have trouble selling this game/package on due to the fact the license key is now tied into yourself if you'e already registered the game. However a game of this class you'll want to keep forever!

There is little I can say to add to the rave reviews that Half Life 2 has received. It is certainly the most immersive and graphically pleasing first person shooter game that I've played. The plot is a little bit linear, but this makes it also very easy to put the game down, come back to it a week or two later and carry on from where you left off. I have so far played it for around 20 hours, and am expecting that much again until I finish it, and I'll certainly be replaying it on harder settings. The game is getting progressively harder, but not to the point that it becomes frustrating. Other recent FPS releases have fallen prey to this fault.

The games in the special edition include Counterstrike Source, and Half Life Source. Counterstrike is purely an online game where you play as terrorist or anti-terrorist. I much prefer the Unreal Tournament style of play where you can 'respawn' after being killed. Perhaps I need more practise, but this is really not my kind of game.

Half Life Source is the original game 'digitally remastered' (quote from box!) using the the Source game engine. Obviously, it looks better than the original version, but is a little lacklustre when compared with Half Life 2. This was interesting to start up and try but didn't really keep my attention - it is incomparable to the main event.

Finally, there are two disappointing extras. A 'free' T-shirt, which, by the way, is size L and not XL as quoted on the Amazon page, and a Prima 'Official Hint Book'.

Prima Guides are usually excellent, and I have several others already. They are usually A4 format and cover every detail of a game. The Hint Book supplied with this edition is in A6 format and contains only extracts from the real 'Offical' Prima Stratgey Guide and also from the Prima Insider's Guide (full versions available separately!) After the first few levels, which is certainly much less than 5% of the game, perhaps only 1-2%, the hint book is virtually useless.

Adding to this was the disappointment when I opened the biscuit box size steel case - it was mostly empty!

As a conclusion, do I recommend Half Life 2? Absolutely - this game deserves 10/10.

Do I recommend the special edition? No, not really. I like to collect special editions of games and DVDs, but in this case, the extras were not of the quality I expected - not at a 50% price increase anyway.

My recommendation would be to buy the normal version together with the full Prima Strategy Guide - this will still work out cheaper than the special edition.