Orange Box demo on Live News • News • Eurogamer.net

News PC Xbox 360 PlayStation 3

First up: Episode 2.

Valve has said a demo for The Orange Box should be making its way to Xbox Live today.

This first sampler will let you get a feel for Half-Life 2: Episode 2, and presumably be followed in coming weeks by tasters for Portal and possibly Team Fortress 2. Very good.

Earlier this week EA told us the PS3 version would be out next month on 14th December, quashing rumours that it would not make it in time for Christmas oh no what will I get in my stocking etc.

Those of you with a 360 and PC can already buy it, however, and we thoroughly recommend you do so. It has five games inside it, for starters, and none have scored lower than 9/10 on Eurogamer.

Head over to The Orange Box review to see what we made of it all.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

Comments (26) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

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MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #1 4 years ago

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You'd barely think Episode 2 (and certainly Portal) were long enough for demos.
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morriss #2 4 years ago

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The amazing disappearing/re-appearing news story.
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zoidberg #3 4 years ago

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I saw a bunch of people NOT KNOWING what Half-Life 2 and the whole Orange Box were about... and I kept describing the amazing HL world, from HL to HL2 to episodes and portal and... they just didn't get it.

Guess demos are good for something. Hope they get people into this because Valve have THE BEST production values in the gaming industry by far.
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inomine #4 4 years ago

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"Valve have THE BEST production values in the gaming industry by far"

If you meant the PC gaming industry then yeah, they do. There are plenty of companies that work on the consoles that will kick the crap out of Valve.
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ZuluHero #5 4 years ago

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Hang on a minute - there are still people out there that don't own portal yet?

:S

Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 10:01
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Wayne #6 4 years ago

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Good job. I'll get to see how I fare with HL using gamepad. :0)
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wanksta10 #7 4 years ago

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i brought the orange box right away, don' regret it whatsoever, it's simply a brilliant package
i urge anyone who enjoys playing FPS's to pick it up
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DB2k #8 4 years ago

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everyone should own this really - its a great game, great pack and I'm loving it. Lot of value in there.
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Garulon #9 4 years ago

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"Hang on a minute - there are still people out there that don't own portal yet? "

Every PS3 owner?
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lambtron #10 4 years ago

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""Hang on a minute - there are still people out there that don't own portal yet? "

Every PS3 owner?"

Negative - I am a PS3 owner and I have it. I bought the 360 version.
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paulf #11 4 years ago

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just buy the thing already !!!
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mr_mcgregors #12 4 years ago

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""Hang on a minute - there are still people out there that don't own portal yet? "

Every PS3 owner? "

Worse news: 1up reporting serious flaws in the PS3 Orange Box, framerate being the most prominent.

Saying that, Portal's supposed to be working fine...

Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 10:47
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andromeda #13 4 years ago

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anyone experience the terrible graphical glitches in Ep 2 ( 360 ) ??

[link url=http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/foxy2000/fuct _2.jpg[/IMG]
]http://i1 97.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/...[/link]

[link url=http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/foxy2000/fuct _1.jpg[/IMG]]http://i1 97.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/...[/link]

Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 11:09
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Garulon #14 4 years ago

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"Worse news: 1up reporting serious flaws in the PS3 Orange Box, framerate being the most prominent."

Hmm, that's not like EA!
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smurphs #15 4 years ago

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I deliberately kept away from Half Life 2 as it didn't run perfectly on my system at the time. Bought it two days ago and I am so glad I waited. I am savouring every second, and at this rate I'll finish the Orange Box in about 6 years. Simply beautiful.
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barchetta #16 4 years ago

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Have d/l'd the demo and played the initial couple of minutes but then wondered if the demo is going to give too much of the plot away. I finished HL2 on xbox but haven't seen Ep1 yet so demoing Ep2 seems a little arse about face to me.

Granted, HL fans are likely to want to see the 'new' stuff but any other element of the Orange Box would have made more sense surely.
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dllord #17 4 years ago

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I played HL2:EP2 on Hard on the the 360 and it lasted me about 7 hours, so it not that short really for an expansion pack! one of my fav gaming moments of 07 so far!
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hamstand #18 4 years ago

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Cool! I bought this for PC... Be interested to check it out on the xbox. Especially Portal. I would be well up for buying Portal thru Arcade, anytime they fancy releasing it. Yes please.
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Madder-Max #19 4 years ago

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"Guess demos are good for something"

Understatement of the year!
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NickJD #20 4 years ago

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I find it hard to believe people are raving about this game, I just played the demo and found it to be utter crap. The whole game seems to be one set piece after another, even worse than COD4 in that regard. Annoying characters, outdated looking engine with lame textures. It feels like a two year old PC game. Maybe if they had given me a gun to fire in the two minute demo it wiuld have helped.

At least now I know I don't want it, 40 quid saved, and yet another over hyped over scored game to join the ranks of Halo 3. Please stop hyping lame games and giving them perfect scores, you people are killing me with this shit
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Cylinder #21 4 years ago

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@NickJD

There's a flaw in your outburst, can you spot it?
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Garulon #22 4 years ago

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Ohhhoohohohoh OH! I know what it is!

He's an idiot!
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Metalfish #23 4 years ago

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What is it with guys with "Nick" in their name that makes them feel the need to rant constantly about games that have recieved excellent receptions as overhyped and obviously rubbish?

This is Eurogamers, here, we like games. Do you remember that? Liking games? Or do you just spilt vitriol to make yourself feel better about something?

Another one for the ignore methinks.
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drumm23 #24 4 years ago

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what a moron.
This is easily the game of the year. Portal alone is phenomenal.
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J.C #25 4 years ago

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anyone experience the terrible graphical glitches in Ep 2 ( 360 ) ??

http://i1 97.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/...

http://i1 97.photobucket.com/albums/aa76/...
Edited 1 times. Most recently by andromeda at 11:09 on 22/11/2007
ignore poster

Learn to link properly, you fucking prick.
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foamy #26 4 years ago

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The demo lasts 3 minutes.
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NHDave #27 4 years ago

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I guess the PS3 version has framerate problems.....hahahahaha!
Almost every port they get is shite!
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