Half-Life 2 Episode 1 teasers

By Tom Bramwell Published 31 May, 2006

It's like Christmas Eve.

With Half-Life 2: Episode 1 due to launch on Steam tomorrow, Valve's released a couple more teaser trailers to get you in the mood.

Both focus on the delectable Alyx Vance, showing her somewhat at odds with the zombie populace and getting Gordon's back respectively. Both are on Eurogamer TV now.

They join last week's teaser, also available on EGTV, and give you an idea of just how much of a part Ms. Vance is set to play in Gordon's latest trip through City 17.

As we say, the game's due out tomorrow, and available to pre-load on Steam in the meantime. Those of you who'd prefer a boxed copy will be able to pick one up on Friday - EA's distributing it in Europe on that date.

Obviously we'll have our review up there as soon as possible to coincide with the release. Early buzz is distinctly positive, so if you get the impression we're on an extended lunch break tomorrow, be sure to post horrible threads about how negligent we are.

It won't be the truth though - yours truly's in a meeting most of the day and then babysitting for the bloody editor, under strict instructions not to subject his newborn to the tortured screams of the undead. They're stifling him, you know. I bought him a headcrab toy and they refused to let him have it. Bastards.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JediMasterMalik #1 6 years ago

    Not as good as the Oblivion teasers imo.

  • neilka #2 6 years ago

    Excitement Level: Brown

  • ecureuil #3 6 years ago

    Any idea on the length of this game?

  • smelly #4 6 years ago

    >Any idea on the length of this game?

    who cares when it only costs a tenner?

  • THATinkjar #5 6 years ago

    Reportedly as low as four hours, if you're hot stuff (though most people summarise it as four to six hours). Apparently they've padded the episode out with plenty of puzzles. It is only £14.99 on Amazon (sorry, I like my games on the shelf!), and I’d pay that any day of the week for more Half-Life 2!

  • Genji #6 6 years ago

    I wouldn't, unless it was markedly different to the original game.

  • tonynibbles #7 6 years ago

    Gah!

    Cant wait for this!

  • space_ace #8 6 years ago

    it's not gordon p.o.v., that's not only different, but outrageous

  • drumbaby #9 6 years ago

    Whoop de doo...once bitten, twice shy.

  • TwistidChimp #10 6 years ago

    @Space Ace
    Not Gordon's p.o.v ?? The trailer or the game, as the game is definatley still from Gordons pov.

  • smelly #11 6 years ago

    drumbaby : I htink yer confusing hl2 with fear.

  • Genji #12 6 years ago

    FEAR was much better than HL2.

  • Contra #13 6 years ago

    Oh stop it Genji, I don't want another Fear vs. HL2 fight. Both are fine.

  • THATinkjar #14 6 years ago

    space ace: As far as we all know, you do still play as Gordon for the entire duration of the game.

  • CargoCult #15 6 years ago

    You do play as Gordon Freeman right the way through.

    * WARNING: FOLLOWING COULD BE CONSIDERED AS CONTAINING VERY MINOR SPOILERS! *

    I know. ;-)

    * WARNING: ABOVE COULD BE CONSIDERED AS CONTAINING VERY MINOR SPOILERS! *
    Edited by CargoCult at 31/05/06 @ 14:15

  • TwistidChimp #16 6 years ago

    Having read Raising the Bar, and seeing the kind of journey they originally had in mind for Gordon to take, I'm really very excited indeed by the prospect of episode 2, 3 and beyond.

  • TwistidChimp #17 6 years ago

    @CargoCult

    Try writing Spolier Warning next time.. fooks sake.

    Edit - Thats better :) Only I wouldnt have called it minor if i'm barking up the right tree.
    Edited by TwistidChimp at 31/05/06 @ 14:17

  • Genji #18 6 years ago

    "Oh stop it Genji, I don't want another Fear vs. HL2 fight. Both are fine."

    I don't want a fight. You have your opinions, and I have mine. Mine is that FEAR was fine, and HL2 was not. If you can enjoy both, good for you.

  • gallow #19 6 years ago

    I shall not be ordering this until I have read a review indicating cost(download)/gameplay time.

  • Zero Beat #20 6 years ago

    Great music in the third trailer, wish there was more of it during HL2.

  • CargoCult #21 6 years ago

    @TwistidChimp:

    That better? Sorry...

  • TwistidChimp #22 6 years ago

    So does that mean what i think it means ?

    second thoughts dont tell me

    Further Edit - Also if you are Mr Foster congrats on Minerva its very good indeed
    Edited by TwistidChimp at 31/05/06 @ 14:22

  • Sko #23 6 years ago

    Compared to the tripe dished out as FPS games following HL2, it'll be good to play Ep1. Condemned, Fear, Doom 3, Quake 4? *shudder* All pants.

  • TwistidChimp #24 6 years ago

    I thought FEAR was pretty good as it goes.

    but lets not go there.
    Edited by TwistidChimp at 31/05/06 @ 14:31

  • Helios #25 6 years ago

    Sko... doom 3 following HL2? I thought it was before HL2.

    I thought Quake 4 was fun btw.

  • kangarootoo #26 6 years ago

    @THATinkjar

    "Apparently they've padded the episode out with plenty of puzzles"

    Since when were puzzles classed as padding? Last time I looked they were doing just fine being classed as gameplay.

    HL was never a "guns at all times" kind of series anyway, and HL2 itself had plenty of puzzling going on.

  • Sko #27 6 years ago

    You're right. It was a few months before - I remember worrying that if this was the kinda mess that could be made of a Doom sequel, HL2 might not turn out too well. Luckily, that was unfounded.

    I agree Q4 was way better than Doom3 but it still didn't push my buttons. Too much focus on the tupperware scenery, not enough on gameplay.

  • apainlessa #28 6 years ago

    teaser trailers lol
    am I supposed to get excited???
    the game looks e x a c t l y the same with hl2 (oh, shit, I forgot, its just another chapter...)
    oooops they answer a few question while creating loads of new ones
    *EXCITED*
    I so like cant wait to play another chapter of hl2.....(no, really!)
    especially after playing games like F.E.A.R. (fantastic graphics, much much better A.I., better weapon feel, ok shit story ;))
    I feel let down

  • Ryuken #29 6 years ago

    Well, those teaser trailers are goddamn awful. It definitely doesn't look like it'll have the same impact as the first HL-expansion. The action and enjoyment in Opposing Force even surpassed that of the original if you ask me, but Episode 1 just looks like more of the same in every way, which is not what I am waiting for (HL2 had its nice moments, five or six I would say). And the episodic content thing is just one big cash-cow. I wouldn't mind it for small devs but Valve?

  • TwistidChimp #30 6 years ago

    The idea I thought was that each Episode would focus on developing a different aspect of gameplay. In Ep1, it's going to be super advanced buddy AI in the form of Alex. I seriously doubt this is any kind of same old cash cow rubbish. I'd sooner have 3 5 hour releases spaced over 2 years, than 1 15 hour game every 3 years

  • CargoCult #31 6 years ago

    Yup, it's about gameplay - there's some stuff in Episode One which absolutely-surely-can't work, but it does. Incredibly well.

    It's very much Half-Life, but felt refreshingly new - it definitely isn't a plain, unchanging run-and-gun...

  • JonFE #32 6 years ago

    After watching both teasers, I feel that it would be great if VALVe offered us the choice of playing through the original HL2 and its expansions in 3rd person view as well.

    I understand that a great deal of animation would have to be added for this to work, but wouldn't it be great?

  • Helios #33 6 years ago

    "You're right. It was a few months before - I remember worrying that if this was the kinda mess that could be made of a Doom sequel, HL2 might not turn out too well. Luckily, that was unfounded.

    I agree Q4 was way better than Doom3 but it still didn't push my buttons. Too much focus on the tupperware scenery, not enough on gameplay."

    Well, i'm certainaly not calling Quae 4 best game ever either, but I thought it was a good solid 'shoot the crap out of everything' FPS.

  • UncleLou #34 6 years ago

    FEAR didn't have the style and atmosphere HL2 had, but it was a superior game.

    I am afraid Episode 1 might look dated to me in comparison, unless they seriously overhauled the AI.

  • RedboX #35 6 years ago

    Teaser 4 is out now...

    http://storefront.steampowered.com/v2/index.php?area=game&AppId=915

    Wonder when it will show up on eurogamer.tv