Gamer Limit writes: "Half Life 2, like the original Half Life that preceded it, did a lot to change the face of gaming as we know it. It made things like ragdoll physics absolutely mandatory for any game that deemed itself "cutting edge". It was arguably the first major release for the Steam content delivery service, which overcame several hurdles to become the success story it is today. Half Life 2 set new standards in how you tell a story through a game, and now Valve hopes to change things up in the gaming world once again, by releasing episodic add-ons to what some believe to be the best game of this decade.
Half Life: Episode 1 begins exactly where Half Life 2 ended, Alyx Vance is mysteriously rescued by Vortigaunts, and Gordon Freeman is even more mysteriously delivered from the clutches of the ever elusive G-Man. The protagonists find themselves outside the Citadel building of City 17; a structure which is in it's death throes. All of these story elements are revealed to the character from the perspective of Gordon. It is this type of story telling that the Half Life series has popularized, and it continues to work well; Valve has become a master of their art over the years, providing increasingly stunning set pieces and scripted elements that still feel spontaneous, even on repeated play-throughs."
