Here comes Half Life 2
Source: CNN
When it was released in November 1998, "Half-Life" redefined the action gaming genre by combining fast-paced action and an intelligent, intense story. Players quickly began clamoring for a sequel, but developer Valve Software responded with silence. Five years later, the call for that sequel is as loud as ever.
Later this year, it will finally be answered.
"Half-Life 2" is scheduled to hit store shelves Sept. 30. Developed once again by Valve and published again by Vivendi's (V: Research, Estimates) Sierra games division, the game will put players back in the familiar shoes of crowbar wielding hero Gordon Freeman, battling aliens from the planet Xen.
For those of you scratching your head and wondering what the big deal is over a video game sequel, here are a few numbers to take into consideration. Since its 1998 launch, "Half-Life" and its various add-on packs (including mods such as "Counter-Strike" – see below for more on those) have sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, according to Valve. With zero fanfare, "Half Life 2" has tied (and possibly surpassed) "Doom III" as the most anticipated PC action game of the year – and could help spark a revival of the PC gaming industry.
