Ever since November 2004 I've wanted to check out Valve's Half-Life 2 but I didn't (and still don't) have the $1200 plus PC rig to run the damn thing, so my only option was to wait a year until the developers finished the Xbox version. Some of the GameDaily staff criticized me for holding out for what they consider to be an inferior port (and they're right), but I'm a console guy who enjoys spending $49.99 instead of several hundred dollars, and with that being said, this is a pretty friggin hot first person shooter. It's not perfect, but I'll be damned if it isn't the best Xbox send off I could ask for.

The Xbox 360 is almost here but I officially put the next generation on hold until I finished this game, and man, what a ride! This is essentially an exact port of its PC cousin, so you're guaranteed to get all of the single player content. A first person shooter that takes place on a post apocalyptic Earth of sorts, you play as Gordon Freeman, the scientist and main character from the previous Half-Life who absentmindedly unleashed hordes of aliens on his unsuspecting dimension. Picking up several years after the prequel, he finds himself on this ravaged Earth that's been consumed by these creatures, and through the use of extreme cunning and awesome firepower, he must reach the source of the evil and exterminate it.

What ensues is a non stop thrill ride that's best moments are the myriad of wild gunfights and tinkering with the game's advanced physics. Valve has constructed levels that can be interacted with in numerous ways, and through the use of some hungry bullets or the cold steel of a familiar crowbar you can splinter wood, chop up boxes, and ignite exploding barrels. You can also manipulate gravity itself with a special weapon, and using it is at times a hell of a lot more fun than just shooting waves of monsters, though that's plenty satisfying in its own right. And the developers have done an excellent job mixing things up, so at one point you'll be blazing through an open area and mowing down all these bad guys, then later on you'll be in close quarters, pursued by drooling aliens and be sh!t scared. It's just a stunning game from start to finish, a 17-22 hour excursion into a post apocalyptic wonderland that you'll never want to leave.

Unfortunately you'll eventually have to leave because the game will kick you out after the end credits. That's the catch with Xbox Half-Life 2. It's just the single player game, and while it's unquestionably one of the greatest adventures you'll ever experience there's very little to return to after it's completed. No multiplayer whatsoever, no secret unlockable stuff. What you see is what you get.

Speaking of what you'll see, Half-Life 2 is also one of the best looking console games this generation. It's not nearly as startling as Doom 3 Xbox, but its strengths lie in its wide open areas, which is something id Software's FPS doesn't contain much of. But this title is definitely easy on the eyes. The creature designs, blood splattering, environmental effects, and character animations are pretty slick, but none of it's as gorgeous as the PC version of the game. In fact, at times portions of it look like the original Half-Life which came out numerous years ago and I'm really not down with that. There's also quite a noticeable bit of choppiness, moments where things slow down. It's not enough to ruin the overall experience, but it will cause PC gaming fans to delightfully snicker at you.

Personally, I really don't care how you get your hands on this game, whether it's through a $7 rental or a $49.99 purchase because both prices are justified. I dropped $50 bones on it and have no regrets because it's a wonderful game, but before you make a decision analyze how much value Half-Life 2 contains. If the lack of multiplayer pisses you off and you fear that you'll finish the game and toss it onto a rack for several months then renting it is the best idea. Whatever you choose, Half-Life 2 is digital soup for the soul.

For even more Half-Life 2 info, read our stellar PC Review