half-life 2: episode two - 7/10
i'm sure they'll finish up the story sometime before apes retake the earth
far and away the best entry in this trilogy of games and it's not even a remote contest. whilst i would argue that there is somewhat of a fall-off after you get the muscle car, it's not to such an egregious degree that it's like you're playing an entire different game or anything quite so offensive, just sort of a marked change in how much fun i was having.
that sounds like an indictment; to keep up the level of fun that i was having in the first chapters would be nigh-impossible, though. that first part of the game, everything in the mines, is so fun to me, and i loved every bit of that. as soon as the world opens up it falls off juuust a touch for me, but that might just be due to me being a big old silly bitch with no memory for directions or anything of the sort.
the last boss section can suck my fat cock and balls, but it's made up for with that stellar ending. that ending which is still yet to be resolved in a proper manner, unfortunately, but that ending is really good regardless and makes me (and countless millions of others) hungry for more. would sure be nice if we got closure on that ever.
