Half-Life 2: Episode One (PC)

[Jeff Bogumil]

Michael Anderson's Half-Life 2: Episode One (PC) article - http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=3277

[Jon Rose]

That was absolutely worthless, an excuse to get in a pointlessly yappy "Kid Factor". I've seen press releases that were more informative and less insulting.

Chin up though, it's roughly on par with the quality of professional reviews.

[SiW]

I think you're perhaps missing the point of the site, Jon? It's not a mainstream review site, you can get regular reviews at any number of magazines or websites. What we've learned is that parents read the reviews and they don't care at all how wonderful the DirectX 9.0 shaders are, or where there is slowdown, and sometimes they don't even care much about the game itself. What they do want to know is what sort of content a game has and how best they should present it to their children. So you'll see the "review" part of the GamerDad reviews have shrunk and the "Kid Factor" has grown.

I'm just wondering what you're getting out of GamerDad? You certainly come across as a bit abrasive in the forums, so is there something specific that you're looking for but not finding?

[txa1265]

That was absolutely worthless, an excuse to get in a pointlessly yappy "Kid Factor". I've seen press releases that were more informative and less insulting.

Chin up though, it's roughly on par with the quality of professional reviews.

I appreciate the feedback, but in the name of 'constructive criticism' could you clarify a bit, particularly what you mean by 'insulting'?

[Jon Rose]

Insulting in that nothing is ever qualified. It basically said "Yep. It's a continuation of HL2. Base your judgement off of HL2 instead of this review, because i'm sure as hell not going to tell you anything". I played HL2 and i'm pissed. A non-gamer parent trying to check up on something is going to be just plain lost.

It's also ridiculous to use the "Kid Factor" to tell about the themes of desperation and the debatably "life-like" Alyx, all of which should've been described in the first part. What the hell? Is it dramatized, or like really being with people in a concentration camp? Is the violence unsettling, or is it ultimately like shooting the robots in Berzerk or the enemy soldiers in Bionic Commando? Is there a reason to call it unsuitable for anyone that can handle mouse aiming other than the vague notion that shooting humanoid things is supposed to be bad?

I'm just wondering what you're getting out of GamerDad?

Perspective and a pet interest.

[GamerDad]

I'll stand behind the review. Jon's clearly missing the point, and that's his perogative. Sorry it didn't work for you Jon, but you're not the target audience. The Kid Factor is the most important thing about this site.

[txa1265]

Insulting in that nothing is ever qualified. It basically said "Yep. It's a continuation of HL2. Base your judgement off of HL2 instead of this review, because i'm sure as hell not going to tell you anything". I played HL2 and i'm pissed. A non-gamer parent trying to check up on something is going to be just plain lost.

Well, I'm sorry that I failed to note how the addition of HDR might impact your framerate ... but nobody that GamerDad is targeting cares.

Look - it is pretty clear. The review tells you *everything* you need to know, just not in the 300 word fashion you need to know. It is HL2 continued - same area, same people, same weapons, same enemies. I link to the review for further reference and conclude with some pretty clear advice - if you liked HL2 you'll like this, if not you won't.

It's also ridiculous to use the "Kid Factor" to tell about the themes of desperation and the debatably "life-like" Alyx, all of which should've been described in the first part. What the hell? Is it dramatized, or like really being with people in a concentration camp? Is the violence unsettling, or is it ultimately like shooting the robots in Berzerk or the enemy soldiers in Bionic Commando? Is there a reason to call it unsuitable for anyone that can handle mouse aiming other than the vague notion that shooting humanoid things is supposed to be bad?

The kid factor is supposed to help parents draw context beyond the rating. Sure it is M, so that immediately frames some part of it, but beyond that .... there is constant desperate peril, which is very unsettling. The other thing that makes something more 'mature' and unsettling to some is the 'human connection'. HL2 had it to an extent, but this brings it deeper, both through the insight into the combine and also through the empathy with Alyx. Having a 'real' person in the game gives you a deeper personal immersion into the game, and that really matters.

I'm sorry that my review didn't meet your needs, but if you would like to suggest how it could be better rather than just telling what is wrong, I'm always open to learn.

Mike

[Greg1038]

For what it's worth, I think the review was helpful and appears to provide what this site claims to provide.

I read Mike's review not because I am considering whether to play Episode 1 with my kids, who are too young (5 and 7) for anything approaching an M game, but to check whether GamerDad understands what I think are the salient issues when deciding whether to expose kids to games. I thought that the review was pretty thoughtful in its focus on the game's themes of desperation and the sadness of the destruction of the world, and its requirement that you protect a very realistic, well rendered character (Alyx). Parents might be justifiably concerned about those aspects, but I doubt any other review is going to discuss them, and ESRB's rating certainly will not hint at them.

Like Mike said, we have the ESRB rating already, so his value is telling us something we don't already know. Also, anybody playing Episode 1 has at least played HL2 already (or can read reviews about it), and that context obviates the need for a lot more basic information about the game.

For me the review increases the trust factor with respect to other reviews I read here, especially regarding those E 10+ or maybe even T games I am eyeballing.

[Sorcha Ravenlock]

I agree with Greg. While our little one (6) is too small to even consider playing Halflife with, I see the reviews as learning experiences for the future, and to find out if my opinions about the suitabilty of a game for a certain agegroup match with the review.
I find I agree with most Kid ratings for the games that I know as a gamer, and so I trust reviews from Gamerdad (as a site) when I am looking for suitable games for my little one.
If I want full reviews of games for myself, I will visit a couple of sites aimed at gamers that do the in-depth reviews, not a site aimed a parents.

A good explanation of the focus of this site can be found here:
http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=3214

[Jon Rose]

Well, I'm sorry that I failed to note how the addition of HDR might impact your framerate ... but nobody that GamerDad is targeting cares.

Where did the whole graphics whore slant come into it other than your defense mechanism for criticism? You brought it up, now answer for it. Point out where i complained that you didn't tell me about the whiz-bang features that people like me obviously couldn't care less about in the first place.

Look - it is pretty clear. The review tells you *everything* you need to know, just not in the 300 word fashion you need to know.

What?

Bunch of other crap here, but here's the point:

Sure it is M, so that immediately frames some part of it, but beyond that .... there is constant desperate peril, which is very unsettling. The other thing that makes something more 'mature' and unsettling to some is the 'human connection'. HL2 had it to an extent, but this brings it deeper, both through the insight into the combine and also through the empathy with Alyx. Having a 'real' person in the game gives you a deeper personal immersion into the game, and that really matters.

Right, despite the fact that the buzz is that Alyx is a joke as far as real people are concerned.

The huge, looming problem and the reason i percieve for GamerDad's existance is that current ratings and reviews are a case of the dumb leading the ignorant. This does nothing to fix it. My entire point is that the "Kid Factor" in this review was vague and failed to do anything even remotely like that. Your so-called "context" is half-assed at best, and i'd still feel the need to play through it myself before showing it to a kid.

So there's a theme of desperation. Is the game a simulation of standing in line as a defenseless civilian, hoping you don't get randomly audited, after which you will sit in your appointed hovel and cry softly? Is the resistance composed of a bunch of nihilists smoking French cigarettes? Does the game express no inspirational qualities of fighting the big amoral overlords in the hopes of freeing mankind? For all you masturbated about the lifelike themes, does the game not express anything in the excellent and very human qualities of hope in the face of despair? Resiliance against insurmountable odds? Exactly HOW does this real person matter? What are the showcase scenes and subtle vibes that might affect a child? This isn't a case where you have to watch your spoilers like in a normal review, and i don't liken complex themes to things that are adequately described in such broad strokes. That's not what context is born of. Context comes from things like the questions you ran from before.

If you're going to go along with the idea that this shit even influences younger people in a noticable way, go whole hog and do it right. Otherwise, this is a pathetic sham, a placebo masquerading as a service.

I'm sorry that my review didn't meet your needs, but if you would like to suggest how it could be better rather than just telling what is wrong, I'm always open to learn.

Here's how it could be better:

"HL2 Episode 1 Review: See HL2 review.


Kid Factor: See screenshot."


100% improved. And what do you know, i managed to get it under my supposed 300 word minimum. Are we learning yet?

[txa1265]

Are we learning yet?

We implies you and I ... and I have no idea if you have learned anything.

Me? I've certainly learned a bunch; it has been quite elucidating.

Mike

[Freakhead]

You sure this is about Episode 1? It sounds like Episode 3 when Anakin Skywalker lets his anger get the best of him.

[GamerDad]

Quick! Someone protect the younglings!