I just wrote quite a lengthy post about this Half-Life 2 collection, and it ended up giving me the same error that's been preventing me from posting lately. I clicked Back, and my entire post was gone. Long story short, I was wanting to know if anyone else has been playing it, and isn't Portal great? I'm getting really tired of my message board problems. Grrrr.

After rebooting my router and my computer, I still couldn't post, but then logging out and logging back in let me post again. So maybe it has something to do with being logged in too long. I don't know.

I'm still pondering the purchase--I already have HL2 and Ep1, so I'm not so thrilled about getting them again. Yeah, yeah, $120 value for $50, but...

I can understand not wanting to pay for something twice. It was a no-brainer for me, since I hadn't played any of them. I'd say it was worth it for me just for Portal. I will try out Team Fortress 2 this weekend with my nephew. Over Xbox Live, since I got the Xbox 360 version. My computer's fairly ancient, but I'm not upgrading until probably next Spring.

I'm looking forward to checking it out. Since I haven't played much of the other HL games it'll be pretty new to me. I dunno, though, first person shooters make me queasy. I can only play in short bursts. I'm not the motion sickness type person, either--been out on the ocean plenty of times in my buddy's tincan of a boat and never felt the slightest twinge.

Portal. Gone wrong.

Bren R.

I really liked the Half Life series, and play the off-shoot, Counter Strike:Source (started out back in the "good ol days of just Counter Strike, with no "Source") on a regular basis. I think what is so good is the physics engine used in the game, and that it is fairly realistic in movements. I've played many 1st person shooters, but most are super fast, and don't allow as many interactions with the environment. I know that some developer is working on a game engine that allows for interaction with the ENTIRE world inside the game. No more "I'll be safe if I hide in this building." as you can shoot out the walls, floor, roof, any object can be moved or interacted with, etc, but Half Life is still the one I like.

Maybe it is because I am pretty good at it, and at Counter Strike...

As for your posting problem, can't help you there. It hate it when you post a long message, and then hit submit just to get a next page with an error, hit back, and the message is gone. It doesn't happen on every forum (the inability to go back and still have your message there), so I don't know why all forum programs can't keep the text in the cache somewhere.

I do not have an X360, but the orange box looks very cool. I have been playing CS on computer for a good 5 years. I love that game!

if I ever get an xbox360 I will be getting this game for sure.

I picked up the game Tue. when I purchased Transformers, I just started playing the first Half Life and am enjoying it, it's the best bargain with good games for the 360 I've seen yet. Now if I could get my 6 year old and Halo 3 off the machine I'd have more time to play, I think he's obssesed

Hutz? You can get it for the PC... That's really what it's made for.

ya I know, but my PC is about 5 years old

So is mine but I built my PC so I could hand pick the parts and it can still run any game out there. The video card was next to top of the line, I just couldn't justify the extra $200 at that time. I hope to be able to another home built PC soon.

I am looking forward to playing the game.

I will probably at least rent it soon.

Oh, and Bren, nice comic.

My favorite FPS of all time was "Farcry" for the PC. Amazing graphics, beautiful jungle, mountains and beach landscapes with what is still the best water I have ever seen. Cool off-road vehicles including, jeeps, dune buggys, pontoon boats and the coolest... flying a hang-glider from one mountain to another where you have to actually play with the up and down drafts to get where you want to be.

I also like that it was an FPS but you also have to sneak around like a sniper and use a lot of strategy. Just run around with guns-a-blazin and you won't last long.

Only downside is that it gets a ridiculously hard near the end and the game's ending will make you want to smash the CD over your head. Required an 800 dollar plus video card when it came out a few years ago but todays low enders should be able to run it fine.

Farcry was a fantastic game--the plot was insanely stupid and overdone, but the gameplay was amazing, and the graphics were beautiful. Good weapons, too. We'll see what happens when Crysis comes out.

I recommend playing and beating Portal first, but if you want the song that plays at the end credits, you can download it here at this MySpace profile:

Portal Song

Seriously, though, the song is so cool to hear upon beating the game, so only download it if you've already completed the game or if you have no intention of playing the game.