The Orange Box is an gargantuan collection, to say the least. Valve releases are few and far between, and after waiting years for Portal and even more years for Team Fortress 2, they've given the gaming world a gift by crafting what will surely become known as the best gaming deal in history. The entire Half-Life 2 saga to date, including the original Half-Life 2 from 2004, 2006's follow up of Half-Life 2: Episode One and the brand new, fresh from the oven Half-Life 2: Episode Two, are bundled together with one of the single greatest videogame experiences of my life, Portal, and the most addicting multiplayer component in years with Team Fortress 2. That's it - review over! At least, it might as well be, because passing up five games for the price of one would be absurd, especially when they're five of the best games of all time. But, if you're still not convinced, then let's take an in-depth look...

Half-Life 2

Now, I'm going to keep this brief, because you really should have played Half-Life 2 by now. It's been out for three years on PC, and well over a year on the original Xbox. Granted, you might not have had access to either one, and that is crying a shame. There's a reason that this series is so well regarded by just about everybody you ask... well, I shouldn't say that, because there are numerous reasons actually and it will change depending on who you talk to. Some people love the combat; fighting off Combine soldiers with a shotgun, or cutting zombies in half by launching a sawblade at them with the Gravity Gun. How about the physics, which allow for some of the most innovative puzzles ever seen in any game, let alone in first person shooters? There are two huge vehicles sections, one on a hovercraft through a huge canal (complete with helicopter chase sequence) and one on a dune buggy through a spectacular mountain highway that is simply awe-inspiring.

Whatever the reasons you love it, Half-Life 2 is great. For me, it's all because of the pacing. The developers at Valve are smart and that is perhaps the understatement of a lifetime (or a half-lifetime!) These guys and gals know how to craft a videogame and they do it perfectly. Just when there might be a danger of you getting tired of fighting off the disturbing Headcrab zombies (human victims whose heads have been engulfed by disgusting alien creatures, their bodies now out of their control but their muffled cries of torment clearly audible), the game switches to a new location without warping you (the whole game takes place across one of the most massive and diverse landscapes ever created for a game) and you're doing something completely new. The fighting is always balanced by clever puzzle solving, sometimes within the heat of a battle, and you never feel lost because, as I said, these people know what they're doing. I'll give you an example from a scene in Half-Life 2: Episode Two (which we'll get to, don't be impatient!) At one point in the game you encounter a boss fight against a helicopter that drops mines on you, much like the one seen in this first Half-Life 2 installment, sans vehicle. Now, the way to beat this helicopter is obviously to use the gravity gun to shoot the mines back at it, but this is only obvious because the entrance to this fight is blocked off by one of these mines, and the way you must use your gravity gun to move it shows you that you can actually pick up the mines to use as a weapon. Many such subtleties are scattered liberally within the entire HL2 universe and help craft what I'm ready to call the best single player first person shooter experience of all time, and as you'll see from the previous reviews on our site, I'm not alone in this opinion.

Now the series is making its debut on the 360, so a bit of a graphical enhancement is expected. Though the game looks very good and runs smooth, it isn't up to par with the 360's latest offerings and while it's a shame, it isn't a complete surprise, nor does it really matter that much. Why? Well, for one, because the game is so great! But secondly, it's because the sound on the other hand is completely amazing. The sci-fi elements of the series allow a whole breed of interesting effects; I guarantee that you haven't heard anything like the sounds of a Strider collapsing on itself of an airship going down. From these epic examples to the disgusting squelch of Gordon Freeman's feet stepping in toxic sludge, Half-Life 2 sounds absolutely incredible all the way through. But enough of that - really, if you haven't played the game yet then now's your chance to do so and earn some great achievements along the way. If you have played it then what better time to enjoy it again - it really is the type of game you can play over and over without getting sick of it. You'll want to get reacquainted anyway, in preparation for the next two episodes.

Half-Life 2: Episode One

Episode One of Half-Life 2 took an agonizing two years to hit the PC after the original game blew us away - and considering the fact that HL2 ends with a cliffhanger and it felt more like four! As always, I will do my absolute best not to not spoil anything as I know there are many fans out there who may have played Half-Life 2 on the Xbox but haven't had an opportunity to enjoy Episode One due to it only being available on PC until now. Obviously Gordon and Alyx manage to survive the blast at the end of the game, though G-Man's motives remain unknown - something we've come to hear a lot in regards to the iconic character.

Starting off buried under a pile of debris somewhere in City 17, Alyx and the always faithful Dog stumble upon Gordon and release him from his makeshift prison. However, upon your rescue it's quickly evident that you're hardly being rescued at all: City 17 is in shambles and the Citadel is about to blow. Instead of trying to escape, which will almost certainly result in death before you make it, Alyx and Gordon decide to thrust back into the Citadel to stall the process, buying the citizens and themselves the precious time get the hell out of there. And when I say thrust, I mean it literally... sitting down inside a van, Dog throws you and Alyx into the Citadel for what is one of the coolest looking sequences I've ever seen in a game. It doesn't stop there either, as you'll soon find yourself riding a slow-moving elevator that's a prime target for debris raining down from above. Once inside, the feeling that you're replaying the end of Half-Life 2 vanishes when you see what has become of your enemy's once grand Citadel.

While the whole basis of Episode One revolves around escaping the city, Valve had an underlying idea for this chapter of the saga - and that was character depth. Obviously not with Gordon, since he is essentially you, the player, and the two of you are never apart for one second. However, whereas in the first Half-Life 2 you would sporadically meet up with Alyx only to split again, the two of you are side by side for nearly the entirety of Episode One, and it's far more than her simply tailing along. Valve developed a whole new AI routine for Alyx, allowing her to get right into the thick of the battle while avoiding being in your way; there are sections of the game where she completely dominates enemies with a sniper rifle or turret, all the while making remarks that really make you ponder the relationship between Gordon and herself. After Half-Life 2, players were no doubt left with a feeling of wanting to know more about her, or just wanting to see her more, and this game delivers that beautifully.

While short, Episode One is a wholly satisfying experience that stands on its own as a terrific first person shooter. The entire game feels like a big rush to get out of the city, leading you from the citadel to underground parking garages all the way up to a climatic finale dodging a Strider at a train depot while escorting resistance fighters out of the city. No new weapons are introduced outside of the flare, which only acts as a makeshift weapon to light zombies on fire, but Half-Life's never-ending brilliance allows you to find new ways to use the equipment you already have - most notably the gravity gun. Oh, and those zombies you can light on fire? I forgot to mention that they're a new breed of Combine/zombie hybrids that love nothing more than holding their grenades above them whilst running at you head on!

My only complaint for Episode One, other than its length (which is to be expected), is that not a whole lot more about the storyline is revealed. The character progression with Alyx is absolutely fantastic, but we still know next to nothing about G-Man, still with only subtle hints here and there. Despite this, I simply couldn't give the Half-Life series anymore praise. It's brilliant - everybody knows it, but how long can it continue? With The Orange Box comes a brand new chapter in the series, debuting on the PC and consoles at the exact same time. For an in-depth review of Episode Two, I'll now pass you over to one of AceGamez' newest and brightest writers, James Fanciullo.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two

After waiting so long between Half-Life and Half-Life 2, it actually feels a little weird catching up on the exploits of Gordon Freeman on an annual basis, even if it is in five-hour pieces. The latest installment, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, arguably falls a little short of its predecessors, but is still an excellent adventure with lots of the great moments we've come to expect from the series.

It can be hard to remember what's happening in the Half-Life story, which is why it's nice that Valve included a recap video to kick off Episode Two. After downloading a mysterious data transmission from the Combine Citadel, you and your companion Alyx Vance spend Episode One attempting to escape City 17. When the Citadel finally goes kerplooey, the resulting shockwaves cause the train you're escaping in to derail, which is where you wake up when Episode Two begins. Like every game in the Half-Life series, you're slowly eased into Episode Two with minimal combat and lots of exposition. Alyx frees you from the derailed train, hands you the gravity gun and, after being treated to a few picturesque scenes, the two of you set off to find a resistance outpost outside City 17. As it turns out, the Combine are attempting to build a "super-portal" that will open the doors to crushing any lingering human opposition, and the data Alyx is carrying might be the only chance to stop it. Unfortunately, moments into the game you're ambushed by the new starring enemy of Episode Two - the Hunters (think of them as mini-Striders than can chase you almost anywhere) - and Alyx is gravely injured, throwing everything into chaos.

From here the gameplay moves from one set piece to the next. The opening segments are arguably the weakest, where you're running around underground caves fighting antlions and other bugs (yawn). You finally meet up with some freedom fighters, which gives way to a defense sequence involving turrets (it's nowhere near as tough as the prison defense in Half-Life 2) and then you're accompanied by one of the friendly alien Vortigaunts for more bug killing and traditional Half-Life puzzle-solving.

For the next few hours you run into all sorts of opposition attempting to get to the resistance outpost, both Combine and otherwise, varying from entertaining (there's a great fight with a Combine chopper) to frustrating (it's easy to run out of ammo and explosive barrels in a fight with two antlion bosses). As in previous games you get access to a vehicle, this time one that looks like the remains of a suped-up Mustang, and tear out across the countryside. Of course, there are some death-defying stunts and a chase scene involved and it all feels different yet familiar, as if it's a remix of scenes from earlier Half-Life games.

Episode Two's sequences in particular stand in direct opposition in terms of innovation versus tired gameplay. The former is a sprawling defense mission in which you patrol a huge valley in a buggy and attempt to down Striders (with a whole new weapon introduced in this episode) before they can reach the resistance base; it can take a few attempts to get it right, but it's an entertaining event the likes of which hasn't been seen before in a shooter and makes a terrific finale to the episode. But then there's the inexplicable inclusion of a sequence where an area is blanketed by devastating sentry guns that can kill you in a fraction of a second; you'll die and reload dozens of times just trying to figure out where the guns are, let alone get a grasp on where to go. Cheesy "gotcha!" deaths like this are something we'd expect from the Medal of Honor series, not Half-Life, but they pop up from time to time in Episode Two, leaving us wondering if maybe Valve's spreading itself a little too thin with so many projects in the kiln these days.

What keeps Episode Two interesting is what happens in between the action. Aside from the intro sequences, there are plenty of scripted events scattered throughout, some expanding on the strange Combine psychic creatures from Episode One (called Advisors), others introducing old friends (one makes an enigmatic appearance and another makes a spectacular return). There are hints as to the direction of Episode Three, some of which tie in with Orange Box companion Portal, and in fact the entire last chapter is basically several huge cut scenes chained together. These sequences are important because they continually remind you who you're fighting for and what's at stake; rarely will fifteen minutes go by where you're completely on your own.

Episode Two is a worthy, entertaining addition to the Half-Life saga, even if it's a little less consistent than its predecessors. It's got plenty of the action, puzzles and set pieces that has made the series so successful to date and that formula hasn't been tampered with. The question now is: What kind of finale does Valve have in store for Episode Three?

Thanks James! It will certainly be interesting to see what Valve's next move for the series is. After the startling conclusion of Episode Two, more questions keep popping up than answers [Sounds like watching a season of Lost! Strand-Ed]. The final installment for HL2 absolutely must reveal more about G-Man, but the twists near the end of the game only opens the floodgates for more questions. All we know for sure is something epic is bound to happen in Episode Three, one way or the other, and I can't wait to find out what that is. Let's just hope it comes packed with Left 4 Dead, Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, and maybe... Portal 2? Hey, I can dream! Anyway, The Orange Box isn't just about Half-Life 2, so let's forge on and see what other wonders lie within.

Portal

Ah, Portal. I heard whispers of you when Prey came out last year and all people said was that Prey was only a slight hint of what you would offer me. I waited and waited for you, knowing little about it, other than the brilliant concept. You would be playing a character who's a test subject for a new device that creates portals and that was all I needed to know; the gameplay possibilities were almost limitless. A first person shooter puzzle game had finally been crafted - and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

And you didn't let me down either, Portal. You thrust me into chamber after chamber of puzzle brilliance, challenging me to find ways around seemingly impossible obstacles. How could I possibly navigate this huge pit of acid armed only with two portals? You only allow me to create a link between one space at a time, meaning that any portal I shoot will exit out of the other portal I've already placed. Limiting, yes, but luckily you allow me to control each one with a different trigger on my control device, allowing me to pull off maneuvers such as jumping through a portal on the ground linked with one on the very top of a nearby wall, then creating another one below my landing point, thrusting me through the same portal on the wall at an even greater velocity.

But then you did something I hadn't expected, Portal. You began throwing turrets in my face... and those turrets hurt me. They wanted to kill me - yet they failed, because I created a portal above them and then threw crates into the second portal next to me to destroy them. I dropped turrets on top of other turrets, but I had to be extra careful to make sure that I didn't create a portal that would extend a turret's line of sight to me. I overcame those odds and you really pushed me to the limit near the end there, especially with the platforms that lower into acid as soon as I touch them, challenging me to launch myself higher and higher while shooting new portals as I fly through the air. But then you did something that hurt me more than anything... you ended. After only nineteen chambers of mind-blowing platform-based first person brilliance, you called it quits.

I guess you did offer extra challenges afterwards, such as testing me to complete you using only a couple of portals, a few steps and a limited amount of time. And you did even give me some modified versions of your earlier chambers to test me with... but there was something I truly was unprepared for, Portal. You're hilarious and you have a twisted side... you let me get behind a couple of those test chambers and I saw some twisted stuff! In fact, for over an hour you led me through a place that I was entirely unfamiliar with and you showed me more depth than a lot of games with an actual prominent storyline. How is it that you managed to have such an engaging story when on the surface you just look like a tech demo? You really scared me sometimes, Portal, yet you eased my mind with your incredible wit and sly remarks, the likes of which I've never heard in a videogame before and likely never will again. At least not until Portal 2... you are coming back, right? Right?!

Team Fortress 2

Hi folks, it's James here again to cover the final game in the select screen in The Orange Box, but the first in my heart - the extraordinary Team Fortress 2. This is where your multiplayer Xbox Live fix will be met for all you Live junkies. The name says it all when it comes to Team Fortress 2 - this is a team-based online multiplayer game that's heavily influenced by the character classes on offer. The characters are broken up into three categories - Offense, Defense and Support - and while each category helps in describing the characters in the game, you're never limited to a small range of tactics no matter which class you choose.

Currently there are a couple game modes in TF2 - Capture the Flag, Control Point and Attack/Defend. Capture the Flag sees you capturing the enemy's intelligence while Control Point is a King of the Hill style game where your team has to capture and control all of the Control Points on the map in order to win. Attack/Defend is self-explanatory for the most part; one team defends a certain amount of control points from the other team. On one map in particular, failure to do so will progress to an entirely new section of the map, up to three times [In fact, I never saw the third part of Dustbowl until I had clocked over 10 hours into the game! Chris]. One interesting map that varies from the rest is Hydro; split up into sections, in each round both teams fight for one point while defending another. The goal is to capture each point round by round until you push the enemy all the way back, however the unique aspect of this is that at times you'll be defending the same point in back to back rounds but attacking a different one, giving the map a great deal of extra replay value.

Coming back to the classes available and on Offense you have the Scout, Soldier and Pyro, with Defense consisting of Demoman, Heavy Weapons Guy and the Engineer, and Support comprising Medic, Sniper and Spy. As you can probably tell, the name of each character class gives you an overview of the character's abilities in the game. For example, the Scout character can run faster than the other characters, as well as double jump. The Engineer can build four different building types that can assist your team on the map, while the Spy has the ability to disguise himself as a character on the other team or use a cloak to become temporarily invisible. Each character has three different weapons to choose from during the fight and the characters have a primary and secondary fire option, depending on the weapon selected. Since each character has their own specific weapons and abilities, working with your teammates is vital for success. However, since you have nine different classes there's a near limitless variety when it comes to choosing your tactics and deciding how you want to approach the game. For example, do you have everyone play as a Scout because of the Scout's speed? Or what if you had one Scout while the rest were Medics? The game allows you to change character classes at any point, which keeps the possibilities going of never playing the same map in the same way twice.

Keep in mind however that this is no Call of Duty 4 - in no way is Team Fortress 2 meant to be like real life. Its graphic style is a wonderful cartoon style world, where if you get hit by an enemy soldier's rocket when you're weak then you'll be reduced to nothing more than bits and pieces, the only real indication that you were ever there being the blood splattered on the walls and floors. And believe me, you will be getting blown apart. A lot. Between the duties of a Demoman and a Soldier, you'll be getting blown up at least once or twice a match.

Now, you might be thinking, wow, Team Fortress 2 seems like gaming euphoria! Well, you'd be partially right - this is the only Multiplayer game in The Orange Box and it's fantastic fun - but there are only six maps and only one Capture The Flag map. Speaking of the Capture The Flag match, I was in a match with AceGamez's own Christopher Martin and it lasted two hours! I mean, damn! The problem was that there were a decent amount of Engineers on the other team and they were making turrets so we couldn't really get to the flag [It wasn't only that we couldn't get to the flag though, it was that they were blocking entire entry ways with turrets, making it impossible to bypass. Chris]. Eventually we realized that we should just take four people - two Heavy Gunners and two Medics - and the Heavy Gunners can just take 'em down. We figured that out after about one and three quarter hours of being crushed by the turrets and realizing that it was simply impossible to find an alternate route and we straight dominated. I mean, we rocked them. Yes, like a hurricane. But after all that, we lost! Devastating, I know.

Though the turrets are a pain and honestly a bit overpowered, there are other means to disable them. A fully upgraded turret comes equipped with rockets and damn-near 360 degree turning, which is instant, so you'll have to be clever. A quick demoman can use remote grenades by launching them around corners and destroying them with ease [My personal favorite class! Chris], while Spies can sneak in undetected and latch a satchel charge onto the back of a turret. Snipers can even take them out from a distance by staying in their scope from a certain amount of time, thus making their shots more powerful (told you it was cartoony... though this is something that was featured in the original Team Fortress as well!)

Along with TF2's graphics style is a set of sound effects that take 'over the top' to new heights! Each character has a hilarious and unique voice, from the German medic to the Pirate-influenced, booze drinking Demoman. During the match you'll hear characters yelling and screaming for whatever reason; they might be on fire, they might be losing to a sentry gun, they might have just nailed a sweet headshot or melee'd somebody down with a broken bottle of alcohol. And if they aren't running their mouths off then you can make them do so with one of three class-specific taunts, each animated to near perfection.

Team Fortress 2 makes for a great multiplayer component for The Orange Box. It's shallow and with only six maps you might feel like you've seen everything there is to see after a while, but even after a dozen hours of actually playing the game on just those six maps, I'm still absolutely thirsy for more, I feel like there's so much more that I need to do and play. I need to take down more turrets, heal more Heavies, headshot more people, capture more flags, and make more people into nothing but bits and pieces. So please, won't you join me for some online action in Team Fortress 2?

So there you have it; for the price of one game, you're getting three incredible chapters of arguably the best single player first person shooter ever created, the unique and sublime first person shooter puzzler hybrid that is Portal, and an incredible multiplayer game that is incredibly addictive and totally distinctive, simply unlike any other online shooter on the market. Valve set out to create the best class-based shooter ever made with Team Fortress 2 and they've done just that. The Orange Box is simply the best deal that money can buy and if we had to recommend any one 360 game for the Holidays, or indeed as your next purchase, then The Orange Box is it. You will get endless hours of fun out of this wondrous little box, and to own an Xbox 360 and not have it in your collection is nothing short of criminal.

Reviewed by Christopher Martin & James Fanciullo for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).