People were excited in 2004. The most anticipated PC game there had ever been was on its way. Half-Life 2’s predecessor had shaken up the game industry to a degree that even the last 25 years of hyperbole in the game press hasn’t quite got across. It was like someone had just flipped a switch: one minute there were only Doom clones and stifled yawns, the next, everyone was doing set-pieces, real-time storytelling, and turrets. Valve’s FPS was so good that we were even happy to play the bad impressions of it.
Even before there were screenshots, the PC gaming population was enraptured by Half-Life 2’s announcement. And then there were screenshots, and we all basically melted into burning-hot hype puree. A strange, Soviet-inspired dystopian city. Massive ants. A car. A car! It was all just too much for us. We barely had the internet back then, so it didn’t take much to overload our circuits.
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av PC Gamer US Edition.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av PC Gamer US Edition.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
"The War Within itself has kept me coming back most evenings too"
WORLD OF WARCRAFT remains my jailer, and I couldn't be more pleased about it
OK BUILDER
SATISFACTORY is the new titan in building and crafting games
HELL YES
DIABLO IV: VESSEL OF HATRED is a transformative expansion
MOUSE: PI FOR HIRE
This mouse wants to be more than just a gimmick
WINDBLOWN
Dead Cells dev's new roguelike has me afraid for my free time
NO MORE ROOM IN HELL 2
As the zombie horde surrounded me just moments after taking down my two remaining teammates, the writing was really on the wall. Armed with just a chef's knife, it was clear I stood no chance, but I was going down swinging, hoping for a miracle... it didn't come.
OWNED BY STEAM
VALVE cordially reminds you that your games aren't yours
CURSE OF THE AZURE BONDS
These classic games haven't aged badly, but I sure have.
DEEP FREEZE
Endure a blizzard of tough choices and rough consequences in FROSTPUNK 2
NEW HORIZONS
Building up REMNANT 2 outside the live service game grinder
