PC News and Game Reviews

I have been happily enjoying using Steam. At first I thought it a bit NAZI authoritarian the way I had to register every single file through Steam before I was able to play. Some people griped that to play a single player game they needed an internet connection (also broadband, or it took 6 years to register your products!)

But as time went on Steam improved and recently has become half decent due to the “Friends” integration that allow you to join your friends online with a click. Nothing novel here (Crossfire) I might add but it worked.

Having battled my way through Half Life 2: Episode 1 in about 4 hours, I eagerly awaited the arrival of Episode 2. When I heard of its impenitent arrival I was a little disappointed to learn that it was being sold as a bundle of games. The marketing wizards in Valve offered us:

• The Orange Box, 5 games in one (HL 2, Episodes 1+ 2, TF 2 and Portal)
• The Black Box, this pack was initially set for release with 3 titles (Episode 2, TF 2 and Portal)

So it was not all bad, The Black Box was obviously the choice for me…..that was until Valve decided to bin it!!!! Yes Valve, you decided to turn your back on millions of PC gamers who already own Half Life 2 and Episode One, and in some silly marketing move decide to bin The Black Box and force PC gamers to but 5 games, 2 of which 99% of them have? Why did you do this you horrible freaks!

The retort: Valve have made it clear that you will get 2 keys for HL 2 and Episode One, and if you do not use them you can give them away…….Well thank you Valve. Maybe when you release Half Life 3 you can sell each person 5 copies of it….that way they can give 4 to their friends…and be the coolest kids in school…..SAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What makes more sense is this…..The cretins of console gaming are being served up The Orange Box, so they can play through Half Life 2, just really slowly as they desperately try to focus on The Combine with there awkward game controllers. So they get the 5 games…..all nicely bundled…but PC gamers get screwed to buy products they already own!!!!!!!!! Simple matter for Valve I guess, Xbox = Bigger Market….sell one product. Don’t forget where it all began. Gordon didn’t jump over mushrooms and climb down green pipes you know. Keep consoles for playing virtual tennis in your living room, racing rally cars, kicking football or climbing down green pipes with a slice of pizza in your hand!!!