Just finished playing Half-Life 2. It was awesome: everything I had hoped it would be. The graphics were out of this world and the physics were mind-blowing. Everything in the game world being interactive was a real change. The puzzles were straightforward (which I like in an action game) yet fun. There were great "themed" levels where you use one particular weapon or ability a bunch.

The one downside was that the story felt a bit clipped. It seemed like it started in the middle, which isn’t so odd, but that it also ended in the middle. Loose ends were not tied up and it wasn’t at all clear at the end of the game exactly what I’d accomplished in terms of world-saving.

Oh well. The rest of the game was good enough to make up for this for me and, hey — it gives them plenty material for a Half-Life 3.