Half-Life 2: The Orange Box

GamePro (online)

  • Review
  • Specs
  • Images
  • User Reviews
  • Buy Online

The Orange Box is as close to a must buy title as it gets for PS3 owners. It features five incredible games that are worth buying individually; heck, for Team Fortress 2 alone, we'd throw in our first-born as well.

Pros

  • Five incredible games in one awesome package, there are dedicated servers for TF2

Cons

  • Painful load times, intermittent frame rate issues, the controls are the least friendly of all the versions

Bottom Line

While there are a few technical issues with Orange Box such as long load times, it is easily forgiven considering the quality of the game. Plus with Team Fortress 2 included you'd be crazy to pass on this game.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 99.95 (AUD)

By now, you probably know all about what the Orange Box has to offer but just in case, you don't, here's a quick primer: it includes the classic Half-Life 2 as well as the follow-ups Episode One and Two; these mini-sequels do an excellent job of extending the story and set up what's coming next.

Also included is the gem Portal, a mind-blowing and sometimes baffling title that shines with excellent game design and dialogue. The game arms you with a special gun that allows you to create portals on the fly; you use it to solve environmental puzzles while unravelling the hilarious back story. It isn't particularly long but the experience is awesome from the first minute to the last.

As if that wasn't enough, the package is rounded out by Team Fortress 2, which we feel is the best multi-player game of the year. The new art style, fast pace and strategic team play really help set it apart from the rest of the pack. It feels simplified when compared to the original but it's ridiculously fun. The PS3 version also features dedicated servers which helps eliminate a lot of the hosting problems that affected the 360 version. A nice addition is the option to vote on maps rather than return to the lobby between games.

There has been some criticism levied against the PS3 version of Orange Box for daunting load times and frame rate issues and while they are present, it's easy to forgive these technical issues given the quality of the game itself. If you have a PS3, you can't afford not to own it.

Keep up with the latest tech news, reviews and previews by subscribing to the PC World newsletter.

Be the first to comment.

Post new comment

Users posting comments agree to the PC World comments policy.

Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Windows 7 Professional

Best Deals on PCWorld

GamesView all »
Software and ServicesView all »
PC ComponentsView all »
Desktop PCsView all »
NotebooksView all »