Half-Life

Originally released in 1998, the PC version of Half-Life changed first-person shooters forever by proving that a compelling story can be told within the genre. Prior to the game's release, first-person shooters were mindless action games. Half-Life, while containing its fair share of action, also contained plenty of exploration, puzzle, and story elements. Now released as a PlayStation2 game, Half-Life has never looked or played better. This version contains the outstanding single-player story mode, as well as a few new ones. While the new additions aren't so great, the story mode is one of the best escapades available on the PS2.

The game follows the adventures of Gordon Freeman, a young research associate at the Black Mesa Federal Research Facility. A typical day at the office goes completely awry as numerous alien life forms invade the facility. The fate of the facility, and quite possibly the world, is in the hands of an unlikely hero.

The graphics here trump the original's (understandable, as more than three years have passed). The character models have four times as many polygons, as well as smoother textures and animations. The sound is also very good, with some of the funniest voice acting yet heard in a game. Of course, the single-player gameplay is excellent, thanks to some very well-developed enemy artificial intelligence.

Unfortunately, the new modes aren't nearly as brilliant. Decay, the new cooperative mode, seems like an afterthought and pales in comparison to the cooperative modes in Perfect Dark and Halo. Deathmatches only support two players, which is incredibly lame considering many PS2 first-person shooters support four. Despite these flawed modes, the single-player story is so superb that it totally warrants a purchase. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Greatly improved graphics from the original
• Excellent storytelling, especially for the genre
• Strong enemy artificial intelligence

Cons:

• Cooperative mode is dull
• Deathmatch only supports 2 players

Half-Life 2

The Half-Life 2 with Deathmatch DVD collects two of the must-have shooter games, bringing you twice the action. Start out with Half-Life 2, where you return to the alien research facility called Black Mesa. The aliens are now pouring into our world and you'll join the resistance movement to stop them. Battle it out with friends in crazy, realistic mulitplayer action with Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. Then test your tactical abilities with Half-Life: Source -- where the gaming kicks up a notch through the amazing Source game engine. Hordes of new aliens and other enemies, plus a plethora of new guns and weapons Amazing new graphics with pre-rendered cutscenes that look like they came from the movies More realistic physics - Objects have varied and appropriate mass, density and physical properties

Half-Life 2 Deathmatch

This collection of games provides a great overview to the history of the Half-Life game franchise, including the start, Half-Life, and the latest expansion pack, Half-Life 2: Aftermath. Also included are Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Counter-Strike: Source, and Day of Defeat: Source

Half-Life: Source

Half-Life Deathmatch: Source

Half-Life: Source

Halo

The game tells the tale of Master Chief, the last surviving Spartan -- a genetically enhanced breed of future super soldier, as he battles mankind's greatest threat -- the Covenant -- on a mysterious artificial ringworld known only as Halo. But he doesn't fight alone: Embedded in his MJOLNIR armor is Cortana, a powerful AI, and Master Chief is aided and accompanied by a crack team of highly independent Marines.

Heroes Of Newerth

"Heroes of Newerth from Savage creator S2 Games is the next online game to try to succeed the DOTA mod. The game is apparently taking the approach of trying to re-create the authentic feel of the DOTA mod while updating the graphics. Much of the interface and gameplay seems to stay very true to the original mod with the blessing of "IceFrog," a key contributor to the DOTA mod and community."