Half - Life 2 : Episode Two - wikipedia Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Jump to : navigation , search Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Promotional artwork featuring ( from left ) : Gordon Freeman , the Combine Hunters , and Alyx Vance Developer ( s ) Valve Corporation Publisher ( s ) Valve Corporation Composer ( s ) Kelly Bailey Series Half - Life Engine Source Platform ( s ) Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , OS X , Linux Release October 10 , 2007 ( show ) Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 PlayStation 3 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 OS X WW : May 26 , 2010 Linux WW : May 10 , 2013 Genre ( s ) First - person shooter Mode ( s ) Single - player Half - Life 2 : Episode Two is a first - person shooter video game , the second in a series of episodic sequels to the 2004 Half - Life 2 . It was developed by Valve Corporation in tandem with Episode One , the first game in the series , and released in 2007 via Valve 's Steam content distribution platform . The episode was released both separately and as a part of a bundled package , The Orange Box . Episode Two gameplay consists of expansive environments , travel and reduced linear play , continuing Valve 's policy of orienting each episode around a particular theme or set of technologies . Following the closing events of Episode One , it sees Gordon Freeman and the series ' other major characters moving away from City 17 to the surrounding countryside . The retail version was released on October 10 , 2007 , in North America and Russia for Windows and Microsoft 's Xbox 360 after repeated delays . The version for the PlayStation 3 was to be released `` around two or three weeks later '' , as it was produced separately at the Electronic Arts UK studio , according to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi . This version was further delayed . For the rest of the world , the release date was October 18 . The Steam version was released worldwide on October 10 , 2007 . Contents ( hide ) 1 Gameplay 1.1 Enemies 1.2 Weapons 1.3 Vehicles 2 Plot 3 Development 3.1 Audio 4 Reception 5 References 6 External links Gameplay ( edit ) As with its predecessors , the game is played in the first person as series protagonist Gordon Freeman against transhuman troops , known as the Combine , and other hostile alien creatures . Levels are linear but add a more open environment , consisting of puzzles and first - person shooter game - play . Sequences involving vehicles are interspersed throughout the game , breaking up moments of combat . One of the focal points of Episode Two was meant to be increased use of vehicles in open areas . However , the game retains its original linear style until the final battle . Episode Two has more puzzles than Episode One , including the biggest physical puzzle yet in the series -- a damaged unstable bridge . The game features numerous `` achievements '' ( similar to PlayStation 3 's Trophies and Xbox Live 's Achievements ) for carrying out certain tasks . Some are essential to game progress , such as helping fight off an antlion invasion , or defeating the first Hunters . Others are optional tricks or feats the player can perform , such as killing a Combine soldier with their own grenade or running down a certain number of enemies with the car . Enemies ( edit ) Episode Two featured a new Hunter enemy , which had just been seen briefly in a recorded message in Episode One . The Hunter serves as one of the most dangerous enemies within the game and as means of emotional development for Alyx Vance . The Hunter is a powerful and resilient enemy which players must often run from while seeking a means to fight back ; Episode Two 's environments are designed with this in mind . An interview in the August 2006 issue of PC Gamer magazine revealed that the Hunter stands 8 feet ( 2.4 m ) tall . Erik Johnson , the game 's project lead , states that the Hunters are `` big and impressive , but they can go anywhere the player can go '' , as the player can encounter them both indoors and outdoors . Ted Backman , senior artist for Valve , talks about how the Hunter can express emotions , being a somewhat non-human character . `` We want the Hunter to be able to express nervousness or aggression , ( to show you ) whether it 's aggressive , hurt , or mad . '' Hunters are very aggressive and they tend to operate in packs , but can also be found supporting other Combine troops . Late in the game , they can be found escorting Striders , using their flechette guns to protect the Striders that the player is trying to attack . Hunters primarily attack the player by bracing themselves and firing bursts from their flechette cannon . Four flechettes can vaporize an ordinary human soldier . If they do not strike a living target , the flechette charge up for several seconds and then explode , dealing minor damage to everything nearby . Hunters may also conduct a charging attack or strike with their legs if the player gets too close . Hunters are vulnerable to all weapons , but to compensate , are still quite resilient , making explosives and the pulse rifle 's charged energy ball the most attractive options . Objects thrown with the gravity gun are also effective , especially if the player catches some of their flechettes with the object before hurling it ( one of the in - game Achievements ) . In outdoor environments , they can be run over with a vehicle . Two new forms of antlion appear in the game . The first is the glow - in - the - dark antlion grub , a harmless , worm - like creature which functions as a minor health pickup and a light source . Killing all 333 of these earns an Achievement . The second is the worker antlion ( or ' acidlion ' ) whose body produces a powerful and poisonous acid . In addition to a ranged acid spit attack , they also explode when killed , launching acid around them in a short radius , making them dangerous close - combat opponents . Although they are thematically similar to the bullsquids of the original Half - Life , they are functionally closer to the poison headcrab -- as an enemy that the player will instinctively prioritize as a target . A new antlion guardian , which has glow - in - the - dark features , was also added . This `` Guardian '' hunts and attacks Gordon Freeman as the player endeavors to take the larval extract the Guardian protects . The vortigaunt that accompanies the player forbids him from harming the guardian , fearing the extract will be ruined if he does . The player must therefore accomplish his goal while being harried by a creature he can not eliminate , though the player is eventually given the chance to kill it . Weapons ( edit ) An in - game white - board depicting how the Magnusson Device functions Episode Two features no additions to Gordon Freeman 's weapons inventory . Instead , Valve chose to further explore uses for the gravity gun , with which the player can pick up and throw large objects . They introduced more varied Gravity Gun `` ammunition '' , such as logs , flares , and half - height butane tanks , which are easier to aim than full - size fuel drums . Near the end of the game , the player uses `` Magnusson Devices '' , which designer Dario Casali described as a `` sticky bomb that you fire at a Strider 's underbelly that will draw power from the Strider 's internal power source '' . The player uses the gravity gun to attach the bombs to tripodal enemy Striders ; the bombs detonate when fired upon with any other of the player 's weapons , instantly destroying the target . The Hunter escorts prioritize them as targets , either destroying them in the player 's grasp or shooting already - attached ones off . Vehicles ( edit ) Large sections of the game feature a car which resembles a gutted - and - rebuilt 1969 Dodge Charger . It appears to have been tuned for performance . A radar system is installed later in the game , allowing the player to locate Rebel supply caches . In the final battle , a rear - mounted storage rack for Magnusson Devices is added and the radar is adjusted to track enemies and Magnusson Device dispensers . A homing unit is also installed so the player can quickly locate the car in the chaos of the final battle via a readout in the Hazardous Environment suit . Plot ( edit ) The Combine , a multidimensional empire which has enslaved Earth , has used the destruction of their Citadel to open a massive portal . This will allow them to summon reinforcements and destroy the Lambda Resistance . In the mountains outside City 17 , Resistance fighters Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance climb from the wreckage of the train they used to escape the city . At an old transmission station , they establish communication with resistance scientists Dr. Kleiner and Eli Vance at the White Forest base . They learn that the Resistance may be able to close the portal using a copy of a Combine transmission Alyx is carrying . At an abandoned mine , Alyx is critically wounded by a Combine Hunter . A vortigaunt leads them to an underground Resistance shelter . Gordon recovers larval extract from a nearby antlion colony , necessary for the vortigaunts to heal Alyx . While the vortigaunts heal her , the mysterious G - Man contacts Gordon and hints at Alyx 's importance to his own plans , revealing that he saved her life at the Black Mesa Research Facility despite objections from an unspecified third party . He instructs the unconscious Alyx to tell her father to `` prepare for unforeseen consequences '' . After Alyx has recovered , she and Gordon proceed in an old Resistance vehicle , battling Combine troops and surviving an encounter with a Combine Advisor , a high - ranking Combine alien . At White Forest , they are reunited with Resistance Kleiner and Eli , along with Alyx 's pet robot D0g . Gordon is also introduced to the egotistical Dr. Arne Magnusson . The scientists are preparing a rocket which they plan to use with the Combine portal code and the satellite array launched by Gordon at Black Mesa to close the Combine portal . After Gordon fends off a Combine attack on the base , Alyx gives Dr. Kleiner the message from Judith Mossman recovered at the Citadel . It contains footage and the coordinates of the Borealis , an Aperture Science research vessel which , Kleiner explains , vanished along with part of the surrounding drydock . Kleiner insists that it should be used to aid the Resistance effort , while Eli counters that it is impossible to control and must be destroyed . They agree that Alyx and Gordon will travel to the Borealis and attempt to find Mossman . Alyx unconsciously delivers the G - Man 's message to her father , shaking him . Alone with Gordon , Eli reveals that it was the G - Man who provided the test sample that caused the Black Mesa incident , and that he whispered the same warning to him as Gordon entered the test chamber . He promises to explain more after the portal is closed . While the scientists prepare the rocket , White Forest comes under attack by Combine Striders escorted by Hunters . Gordon destroys them using experimental explosive charges created by Magnusson . The scientists launch the rocket and close the portal , trapping Combine forces on Earth . Alyx and Gordon prepare to leave for the Borealis and Eli warns Gordon about the ship 's `` cargo '' . The three head to a hangar , intending to board a helicopter , but a pair of advisors burst into the hangar and restrain them . As Eli tries to free them from the advisors ' clutches , he is killed by one of the advisors , but as the second advisor prepares to kill Alyx , D0g bursts in through the roof and chases both advisors away . Alyx , sobbing , clutches her father 's body . Development ( edit ) Episode Two was developed simultaneously with Episode One by a development team led by David Speyrer . This schedule of simultaneous development aided them in streamlining the story between the two games to create an immersive story . The technology used was the same for both games , allowing the development teams to quickly fix any technical problems that might arise from either game ; this happened often because of the multi-platform release . An announcement was made on July 13 , 2006 stating that Episode Two would be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the PC , where previous iterations of the series separated . It was originally rumored that Episode Two would be delayed until 2008 . On June 14 , 2007 , however , Valve confirmed the release date for Episode Two to be October 9 , 2007 for all announced platforms . Valve handled the development of the game for the PC and Xbox 360 , while Electronic Arts British office in Chertsey worked on the PlayStation 3 version of the game . It was announced on September 7 , 2007 that the PlayStation 3 version of the game would be delayed because the development studio behind the game was in the United Kingdom , away from Valve 's development team , and therefore lagged behind in its schedule . Valve 's marketing director , Doug Lombardi , gave assurance that the Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , and PC versions of the game would be identical in functionality and performance . Audio ( edit ) Episode Two 's soundtrack was composed by Kelly Bailey , who also composed the music for the Half - Life series ' other installments . The music is used sparingly throughout , played primarily during scenes of major plot development or particularly important action sequences , such as an early fight with a massive wave of Antlions or speeding down train tracks while being fired on by a helicopter . The soundtrack is included in the Russian edition of The Orange Box and is also sold separately . An audio commentary is also featured , as in Episode One and Lost Coast . A notable change to the vocal cast is the inclusion of actor Tony Todd as the voice of the Vortigaunts . He replaces Louis Gossett , Jr. in the role . Actor Adam Baldwin voices several of the civilian and rebel NPCs , most notably the character who informs the player of the Striders ' locations in the penultimate chapter . Reception ( edit ) Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 90.68 % Metacritic 90 / 100 Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com A+ CVG 9 / 10 Eurogamer 9 / 10 GameSpy IGN 9.4 / 10 PC Gamer ( UK ) 93 % New York Times 86 % Half - Life 2 : Episode 2 received critical acclaim . The game had an average score of 90.68 % based on 22 reviews on the review aggregator GameRankings . On Metacritic , the game had an average score of 90 out of 100 , based on 21 reviews . Dan Adams of IGN rated the game 9.4 out of 10 and praised its improved visuals and expansive environments , but cited the short six - hour length as a drawback . He said : `` Any way you look at it , Episode Two stands out , even among the Half - Life series , as something special ... a burly experience packed into roughly six hours or so that offers up all the diversity , level design , and thoughtful gameplay we 've known while making sure to propel the story forward and leave us wanting more . '' Bit-tech.net awarded the game a 10 out of 10 score , citing approval of how the story turns and the introduction of side stories and new characters . 1UP.com praised the game , noting that the game 's `` entire five - hour experience '' was `` vivid , emotionally engaging , and virtually unsurpassed . '' PC Gamer UK also applauded Episode Two , noting it `` is the most sumptuous chapter of the Half - Life saga , and by a country mile . '' The New York Times enjoyed the gameplay , saying , `` The battles in Episode 2 of Half - Life 2 often require as much ingenuity as they do fast reflexes . '' Computer and Video Games commented on the game 's graphics , saying that although the game 's engine was `` starting to look its age , '' its `` wonderful art design and the odd bit of technical spit - shine ensure that Episode Two ( ... ) does n't lose any of its wow factor . '' They also noticed that the game `` goes about fixing a lot of the niggling complaints we had about Episode One , '' especially applauding the open forests and rocky hills from Episode Two . Several reviewers noted shortcomings . The New York Times commented on the story for Episode Two , noting , `` While it sows a few seeds for the final episode of the trilogy , the game lacks the driving force of the previous episode . '' GameSpy criticized the game , saying it is `` a little more inconsistent than its predecessors , '' and that the opening segments of the game were `` arguably the weakest '' parts . References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : Bramwell , Tom ( 2006 - 06 - 06 ) . `` Opening the Valve '' . Eurogamer . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . Steam . Valve Corporation . Retrieved 2011 - 08 - 02 . ^ Jump up to : Bramwell , Tom ( 2007 - 09 - 07 ) . `` Valve explains PS3 Orange Box delay '' . Eurogamer . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ `` Half - Life 2 : The Orange Box '' . Play.com . Archived from the original on 2008 - 03 - 25 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode One Interview 1 '' . GameSpot. 2006 - 05 - 30 . Archived from the original on 2007 - 09 - 29 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ Simmons , Alex ( 2006 - 08 - 24 ) . `` GC 2006 : New Half - Life 2 Trailer Dissected '' . IGN . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . PC Gamer . August 2006 . Jump up ^ Goldstein , Hilary ( 2007 - 10 - 09 ) . `` The Orange Box Review '' . IGN . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ Caron , Frank ( 2007 - 11 - 16 ) . `` Half - Life 2 game statistics live '' . Ars Technica . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : Martin , Joe ( 2007 - 10 - 11 ) . `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . bit-tech.net . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ `` Steam Update '' . Steam. 2007 - 02 - 16 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Guide '' . IGN . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ Ocampo , Jason ( July 13 , 2006 ) . `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two - The Return of Team Fortress 2 and Other Surprises '' . GameSpot . Archived from the original on July 19 , 2006 . Retrieved March 31 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Remo , Chris ( 2007 - 06 - 15 ) . `` Valve confirms Episode Two , Team Fortress 2 launch date '' . Shacknews . Retrieved 2007 - 06 - 15 . Jump up ^ `` The Orange Box Original Soundtrack '' . Steam . Archived from the original on March 13 , 2008 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ Cashon , Jonathan ( 2007 - 11 - 05 ) . `` ' Half Life 2 : Episode Two ' entertains as strong sequel '' . University of South Alabama . Archived from the original on 2008 - 12 - 27 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . GameFAQs . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ `` Half - Life 2 : The Orange Box '' . Yahoo ! Games . Archived from the original on 2011 - 07 - 16 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two -- PC '' . GameRankings . Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 14 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . Metacritic . Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 14 . ^ Jump up to : Elliott , Shawn ( 2007 - 10 - 10 ) . `` Half - Life 2 : Episode 2 ( PC ) '' . 1UP.com . Archived from the original on 2007 - 10 - 28 . Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 03 . ^ Jump up to : Adams , Dan ( 2007 - 10 - 09 ) . `` IGN : Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Review '' . IGN . Retrieved 2007 - 10 - 10 . ^ Jump up to : `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . PC Gamer UK . 2007 - 10 - 10 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . Jump up ^ Reed , Kristan ( 2007 - 10 - 10 ) . `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . Eurogamer . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : `` Review : Half - Life 2 : Episode Two '' . Computer and Video Games . 2007 - 10 - 10 . Archived from the original on 2012 - 06 - 04 . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 09 . ^ Jump up to : Herold , Charles ( 2007 - 10 - 25 ) . `` In 1 Box , 3 New Games Filled With Puzzles and Fights '' . The New York Times . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 12 . ^ Jump up to : Accardo , Sal ( 2007 - 10 - 10 ) . `` Half - Life 2 : Episode Two ( PC ) '' . GameSpy . Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 12 . 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when was half life 2 episode 2 released
Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Promotional artwork featuring ( from left ) : Gordon Freeman , the Combine Hunters , and Alyx Vance Developer ( s ) Valve Corporation Publisher ( s ) Valve Corporation Composer ( s ) Kelly Bailey Series Half - Life Engine Source Platform ( s ) Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , OS X , Linux Release October 10 , 2007 ( show ) Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 PlayStation 3 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 OS X WW : May 26 , 2010 Linux WW : May 10 , 2013 Genre ( s ) First - person shooter Mode ( s ) Single - player Half - Life 2 : Episode Two Promotional artwork featuring ( from left ) : Gordon Freeman , the Combine Hunters , and Alyx Vance Developer ( s ) Valve Corporation Publisher ( s ) Valve Corporation Composer ( s ) Kelly Bailey Series Half - Life Engine Source Platform ( s ) Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , OS X , Linux Release October 10 , 2007 ( show ) Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 PlayStation 3 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 OS X WW : May 26 , 2010 Linux WW : May 10 , 2013 Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 PlayStation 3 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 OS X WW : May 26 , 2010 Linux WW : May 10 , 2013 Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 NA : October 10 , 2007 EU : October 18 , 2007 AU : October 25 , 2007 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 AU : December 20 , 2007 EU : December 14 , 2007 NA : December 14 , 2007 WW : May 26 , 2010 WW : May 26 , 2010 WW : May 26 , 2010 WW : May 10 , 2013 WW : May 10 , 2013 WW : May 10 , 2013 Genre ( s ) First - person shooter Mode ( s ) Single - player Half - Life 2 : Episode Two is a first - person shooter video game , the second in a series of episodic sequels to the 2004 Half - Life 2 . It was developed by Valve Corporation in tandem with Episode One , the first game in the series , and released in 2007 via Valve 's Steam content distribution platform . The episode was released both separately and as a part of a bundled package , The Orange Box . Episode Two gameplay consists of expansive environments , travel and reduced linear play , continuing Valve 's policy of orienting each episode around a particular theme or set of technologies . Following the closing events of Episode One , it sees Gordon Freeman and the series ' other major characters moving away from City 17 to the surrounding countryside . The retail version was released on October 10 , 2007 , in North America and Russia for Windows and Microsoft 's Xbox 360 after repeated delays . The version for the PlayStation 3 was to be released `` around two or three weeks later '' , as it was produced separately at the Electronic Arts UK studio , according to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi . This version was further delayed . For the rest of the world , the release date was October 18 . The Steam version was released worldwide on October 10 , 2007 . As with its predecessors , the game is played in the first person as series protagonist Gordon Freeman against transhuman troops , known as the Combine , and other hostile alien creatures . Levels are linear but add a more open environment , consisting of puzzles and first - person shooter game - play . Sequences involving vehicles are interspersed throughout the game , breaking up moments of combat . One of the focal points of Episode Two was meant to be increased use of vehicles in open areas . However , the game retains its original linear style until the final battle . Episode Two has more puzzles than Episode One , including the biggest physical puzzle yet in the series -- a damaged unstable bridge . The game features numerous `` achievements '' ( similar to PlayStation 3 's Trophies and Xbox Live 's Achievements ) for carrying out certain tasks . Some are essential to game progress , such as helping fight off an antlion invasion , or defeating the first Hunters . Others are optional tricks or feats the player can perform , such as killing a Combine soldier with their own grenade or running down a certain number of enemies with the car . Episode Two featured a new Hunter enemy , which had just been seen briefly in a recorded message in Episode One . The Hunter serves as one of the most dangerous enemies within the game and as means of emotional development for Alyx Vance . The Hunter is a powerful and resilient enemy which players must often run from while seeking a means to fight back ; Episode Two 's environments are designed with this in mind . An interview in the August 2006 issue of PC Gamer magazine revealed that the Hunter stands 8 feet ( 2.4 m ) tall . Erik Johnson , the game 's project lead , states that the Hunters are `` big and impressive , but they can go anywhere the player can go '' , as the player can encounter them both indoors and outdoors . Ted Backman , senior artist for Valve , talks about how the Hunter can express emotions , being a somewhat non-human character . `` We want the Hunter to be able to express nervousness or aggression , ( to show you ) whether it 's aggressive , hurt , or mad . '' Hunters are very aggressive and they tend to operate in packs , but can also be found supporting other Combine troops . Late in the game , they can be found escorting Striders , using their flechette guns to protect the Striders that the player is trying to attack . Hunters primarily attack the player by bracing themselves and firing bursts from their flechette cannon . Four flechettes can vaporize an ordinary human soldier . If they do not strike a living target , the flechette charge up for several seconds and then explode , dealing minor damage to everything nearby . Hunters may also conduct a charging attack or strike with their legs if the player gets too close . Hunters are vulnerable to all weapons , but to compensate , are still quite resilient , making explosives and the pulse rifle 's charged energy ball the most attractive options . Objects thrown with the gravity gun are also effective , especially if the player catches some of their flechettes with the object before hurling it ( one of the in - game Achievements ) . In outdoor environments , they can be run over with a vehicle . Two new forms of antlion appear in the game . The first is the glow - in - the - dark antlion grub , a harmless , worm - like creature which functions as a minor health pickup and a light source . Killing all 333 of these earns an Achievement . The second is the worker antlion ( or ' acidlion ' ) whose body produces a powerful and poisonous acid . In addition to a ranged acid spit attack , they also explode when killed , launching acid around them in a short radius , making them dangerous close - combat opponents . Although they are thematically similar to the bullsquids of the original Half - Life , they are functionally closer to the poison headcrab -- as an enemy that the player will instinctively prioritize as a target . A new antlion guardian , which has glow - in - the - dark features , was also added . This `` Guardian '' hunts and attacks Gordon Freeman as the player endeavors to take the larval extract the Guardian protects . The vortigaunt that accompanies the player forbids him from harming the guardian , fearing the extract will be ruined if he does . The player must therefore accomplish his goal while being harried by a creature he can not eliminate , though the player is eventually given the chance to kill it . Episode Two features no additions to Gordon Freeman 's weapons inventory . Instead , Valve chose to further explore uses for the gravity gun , with which the player can pick up and throw large objects . They introduced more varied Gravity Gun `` ammunition '' , such as logs , flares , and half - height butane tanks , which are easier to aim than full - size fuel drums . Near the end of the game , the player uses `` Magnusson Devices '' , which designer Dario Casali described as a `` sticky bomb that you fire at a Strider 's underbelly that will draw power from the Strider 's internal power source '' . The player uses the gravity gun to attach the bombs to tripodal enemy Striders ; the bombs detonate when fired upon with any other of the player 's weapons , instantly destroying the target . The Hunter escorts prioritize them as targets , either destroying them in the player 's grasp or shooting already - attached ones off . Large sections of the game feature a car which resembles a gutted - and - rebuilt 1969 Dodge Charger . It appears to have been tuned for performance . A radar system is installed later in the game , allowing the player to locate Rebel supply caches . In the final battle , a rear - mounted storage rack for Magnusson Devices is added and the radar is adjusted to track enemies and Magnusson Device dispensers . A homing unit is also installed so the player can quickly locate the car in the chaos of the final battle via a readout in the Hazardous Environment suit . The Combine , a multidimensional empire which has enslaved Earth , has used the destruction of their Citadel to open a massive portal . This will allow them to summon reinforcements and destroy the Lambda Resistance . In the mountains outside City 17 , Resistance fighters Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance climb from the wreckage of the train they used to escape the city . At an old transmission station , they establish communication with resistance scientists Dr. Kleiner and Eli Vance at the White Forest base . They learn that the Resistance may be able to close the portal using a copy of a Combine transmission Alyx is carrying . At an abandoned mine , Alyx is critically wounded by a Combine Hunter . A vortigaunt leads them to an underground Resistance shelter . Gordon recovers larval extract from a nearby antlion colony , necessary for the vortigaunts to heal Alyx . While the vortigaunts heal her , the mysterious G - Man contacts Gordon and hints at Alyx 's importance to his own plans , revealing that he saved her life at the Black Mesa Research Facility despite objections from an unspecified third party . He instructs the unconscious Alyx to tell her father to `` prepare for unforeseen consequences '' . After Alyx has recovered , she and Gordon proceed in an old Resistance vehicle , battling Combine troops and surviving an encounter with a Combine Advisor , a high - ranking Combine alien . At White Forest , they are reunited with Resistance Kleiner and Eli , along with Alyx 's pet robot D0g . Gordon is also introduced to the egotistical Dr. Arne Magnusson . The scientists are preparing a rocket which they plan to use with the Combine portal code and the satellite array launched by Gordon at Black Mesa to close the Combine portal . After Gordon fends off a Combine attack on the base , Alyx gives Dr. Kleiner the message from Judith Mossman recovered at the Citadel . It contains footage and the coordinates of the Borealis , an Aperture Science research vessel which , Kleiner explains , vanished along with part of the surrounding drydock . Kleiner insists that it should be used to aid the Resistance effort , while Eli counters that it is impossible to control and must be destroyed . They agree that Alyx and Gordon will travel to the Borealis and attempt to find Mossman . Alyx unconsciously delivers the G - Man 's message to her father , shaking him . Alone with Gordon , Eli reveals that it was the G - Man who provided the test sample that caused the Black Mesa incident , and that he whispered the same warning to him as Gordon entered the test chamber . He promises to explain more after the portal is closed . While the scientists prepare the rocket , White Forest comes under attack by Combine Striders escorted by Hunters . Gordon destroys them using experimental explosive charges created by Magnusson . The scientists launch the rocket and close the portal , trapping Combine forces on Earth . Alyx and Gordon prepare to leave for the Borealis and Eli warns Gordon about the ship 's `` cargo '' . The three head to a hangar , intending to board a helicopter , but a pair of advisors burst into the hangar and restrain them . As Eli tries to free them from the advisors ' clutches , he is killed by one of the advisors , but as the second advisor prepares to kill Alyx , D0g bursts in through the roof and chases both advisors away . Alyx , sobbing , clutches her father 's body . Episode Two was developed simultaneously with Episode One by a development team led by David Speyrer . This schedule of simultaneous development aided them in streamlining the story between the two games to create an immersive story . The technology used was the same for both games , allowing the development teams to quickly fix any technical problems that might arise from either game ; this happened often because of the multi-platform release . An announcement was made on July 13 , 2006 stating that Episode Two would be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the PC , where previous iterations of the series separated . It was originally rumored that Episode Two would be delayed until 2008 . On June 14 , 2007 , however , Valve confirmed the release date for Episode Two to be October 9 , 2007 for all announced platforms . Valve handled the development of the game for the PC and Xbox 360 , while Electronic Arts British office in Chertsey worked on the PlayStation 3 version of the game . It was announced on September 7 , 2007 that the PlayStation 3 version of the game would be delayed because the development studio behind the game was in the United Kingdom , away from Valve 's development team , and therefore lagged behind in its schedule . Valve 's marketing director , Doug Lombardi , gave assurance that the Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , and PC versions of the game would be identical in functionality and performance . Episode Two 's soundtrack was composed by Kelly Bailey , who also composed the music for the Half - Life series ' other installments . The music is used sparingly throughout , played primarily during scenes of major plot development or particularly important action sequences , such as an early fight with a massive wave of Antlions or speeding down train tracks while being fired on by a helicopter . The soundtrack is included in the Russian edition of The Orange Box and is also sold separately . An audio commentary is also featured , as in Episode One and Lost Coast . A notable change to the vocal cast is the inclusion of actor Tony Todd as the voice of the Vortigaunts . He replaces Louis Gossett , Jr. in the role . Actor Adam Baldwin voices several of the civilian and rebel NPCs , most notably the character who informs the player of the Striders ' locations in the penultimate chapter . Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 90.68 % Metacritic 90 / 100 Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com A+ CVG 9 / 10 Eurogamer 9 / 10 GameSpy IGN 9.4 / 10 PC Gamer ( UK ) 93 % New York Times 86 % Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 90.68 % Metacritic 90 / 100 Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com A+ CVG 9 / 10 Eurogamer 9 / 10 GameSpy IGN 9.4 / 10 PC Gamer ( UK ) 93 % New York Times 86 % Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 90.68 % Metacritic 90 / 100 Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com A+ CVG 9 / 10 Eurogamer 9 / 10 GameSpy IGN 9.4 / 10 PC Gamer ( UK ) 93 % New York Times 86 % Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 90.68 % Metacritic 90 / 100 Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com A+ CVG 9 / 10 Eurogamer 9 / 10 GameSpy IGN 9.4 / 10 PC Gamer ( UK ) 93 % New York Times 86 % Half - Life 2 : Episode 2 received critical acclaim . The game had an average score of 90.68 % based on 22 reviews on the review aggregator GameRankings . On Metacritic , the game had an average score of 90 out of 100 , based on 21 reviews . Dan Adams of IGN rated the game 9.4 out of 10 and praised its improved visuals and expansive environments , but cited the short six - hour length as a drawback . He said : `` Any way you look at it , Episode Two stands out , even among the Half - Life series , as something special ... a burly experience packed into roughly six hours or so that offers up all the diversity , level design , and thoughtful gameplay we 've known while making sure to propel the story forward and leave us wanting more . '' Bit-tech.net awarded the game a 10 out of 10 score , citing approval of how the story turns and the introduction of side stories and new characters . 1UP.com praised the game , noting that the game 's `` entire five - hour experience '' was `` vivid , emotionally engaging , and virtually unsurpassed . '' PC Gamer UK also applauded Episode Two , noting it `` is the most sumptuous chapter of the Half - Life saga , and by a country mile . '' The New York Times enjoyed the gameplay , saying , `` The battles in Episode 2 of Half - Life 2 often require as much ingenuity as they do fast reflexes . '' Computer and Video Games commented on the game 's graphics , saying that although the game 's engine was `` starting to look its age , '' its `` wonderful art design and the odd bit of technical spit - shine ensure that Episode Two ( ... ) does n't lose any of its wow factor . '' They also noticed that the game `` goes about fixing a lot of the niggling complaints we had about Episode One , '' especially applauding the open forests and rocky hills from Episode Two . Several reviewers noted shortcomings . The New York Times commented on the story for Episode Two , noting , `` While it sows a few seeds for the final episode of the trilogy , the game lacks the driving force of the previous episode . '' GameSpy criticized the game , saying it is `` a little more inconsistent than its predecessors , '' and that the opening segments of the game were `` arguably the weakest '' parts .
in 2007 October 10, 2007 October 10, 2007 October 10, 2007