Halflife 2 is the slowest loading game I have ever encountered. The unlocking of the game took around 10 minutes. Getting to the main menu took 3 minutes. Clicking on new game and selecting a chapter took another three minutes.

I don't care for the feel of the movement in the game. It feels vaguely like skating on ice. Also, you can barely fit through doors.

The graphics don't seem to be that impressive either. Doom 3 is much more interesting and unique to me. The game looks good and runs smooth on my 6800GT with pretty much everything turned on at 1280x1024 but it just doesn't pop at me like Doom 3.

Weird bugs like gibberish at the bottom of the keyboard options kind of bother me too.

I got out into City 17 and promptly reached the point of not knowing where I was supposed to go. If I want to wander around lost with no help, I can do that perfectly well in real life. Even MMORPGs like Everquest 2 manage to give you some idea where you are supposed to be going.

What it comes down to is that I just don't get why this game is so popular. I never was able to get into the first one either. Hell, I can't even punch the security guards who cattle prod me. I like open-ended games. I put over thirty hours into Morrowind, one of the most open-ended games ever made. But at least Morrowind gave me some sort of clue what I was supposed to be doing and provided me with basic combat functionality from the getgo. I'm calling this a waste of $60 at this point.

I take it back. Even though it seems like it doesn't give you any direction there's actually one one way to go the whole time, and you are herded along like you a playing a rails based shooter. I guess if it is story driver that's one way of doing it but I prefer at least some control over my actions, ala Resident Evil.