The Orange Box Scores Higher Than Bioshock and Halo 3

[Midway]

[link=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14784/The-Orange-Box-Scores-Higher-Than-Bioshock-and-Halo-3/]The Orange Box Scores Higher Than Bioshock and Halo 3[/link]

Just over a month ago, 2K Games [link=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14464/BioShock-Sets-New-Records/]celebrated[/link] that BioShock achieved the year's highest score at Metacritic.com. Luckily for them, Irrational Games’ masterpiece was released before The Orange Box.

So far, Valve's 5-in-1 game combo has achieved an average score of [link=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/halflife2theorangebox]98%[/link], surpassing Bioshock’s ([link=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/931329.asp]95.5%[/link]) and Halo 3’s ([link=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/926632.asp]94%[/link]) current average scores. If The Orange Box can keep its 98% average score over time, it could surpass [link=http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/simpleratings.asp?rankings=y]The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time[/link] as the highest rated game of all time.

The Orange Box features three new games by Valve: Half-Life 2: Episode Two, the second installment in the Half-Life 2 episodic trilogy; Team Fortress 2, the sequel to the game that put class-based, multiplayer team warfare on the map; and Portal, the game that blends puzzles, first person action, and adventure gaming to produce an experience like no other.

To bring gamers up to date with the Half-Life 2 universe, The Orange Box also includes Half-Life 2, the best-selling and highest-rated action game series of all time, and the episodic debut Half-Life 2: Episode One.

[blockquote]100 Yahoo! Games
The Orange Box can't stop giving. It's a sci-fi masterpiece, a clever puzzler and a multiplayer monster wrapped into one, making this a landmark achievement in gaming value and one of the easiest buying decisions you'll make all year. Color us impressed.

[link=http://videogames.yahoo.com/xbox360/the-orange-box-halflife-2/reviews/]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 EuroGamer
The Orange Box offers everything any fan of first-person shooters could possibly want: some of the best single-player gaming ever in the shape of Half-Life 2 and Episodes One and Two; wonderful innovation from Portal, and the most refined, downright fun team-based online FPS currently available in Team Fortress 2. If that doesn't warrant a 10 out of 10, nothing does.

[link=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=85044]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 GameTap
After playing through both the old and new stuff, I realized that there is one word that perfectly summarizes Valve: craft. Never mind that ballyhoo about whether games are capital-A art or not. Instead, put someone in front of a Valve game, and watch that person experience sheer craftsmanship. It seems that Valve just can't make a bad game.

[link=http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/8a250901158616ac01158706aea7042a]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 GameDaily
Gaming bliss, the essential collection for gamers the world over and one of 2007's best deals.

[link=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/half-life-2-the-orange-box/xbox-360/game-reviews/review/6002/1789/]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 GameSpy
Even though The Orange Box deserves accolades regarding the amount of "bang for your buck," it's really about quality here, not quantity. Aside from the fact that you're receiving five games on one disc, the craftsmanship that has gone into each of these titles rears its head with every Antlion you shoot, every high-velocity portal transfer you make, and every sentry gun you assemble.

[link=http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/half-life-2/826174p1.html]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 1UP
The Orange Box is the greatest quantity of quality gaming ever.

[link=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3163584]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]100 GamePro
For first-person shooter fans, it doesn't get much better than this. What's even better is that each individual game runs amazingly well on the Xbox 360. The graphics are amazing as is the presentation. The interface that Valve created for navigating through the content is also wonderful.

[link=http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox360/games/reviews/139449.shtml]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]98 Game Informer
For those who have played both, don’t worry – there is still $60 worth of new content in this package, so you too should go ahead and re-read that headline, because you shouldn’t have to read this whole review to understand why The Orange Box is probably the best videogame deal ever.

[link=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/0B22652E-7DA8-4613-8B13-61D5E9FC9D98.htm]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]96 Team Xbox
While there might be longer games ("Oblivion," for example) or games that pack more titles onto a single disc (any of the “classic” compilations), this is a near-perfect blend of varied games.

[link=http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1393/HalfLife-2-The-Orange-Box/p1/]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]95 GameSpot
With three amazing new games and two classics all in one package, it's impossible to go wrong with The Orange Box.

[link=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/halflife2episode2/review.html?sid=6180714]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
[blockquote]95 IGN
That so much great content is offered at the standard single-game price is astonishing.

[link=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/826/826062p1.html]» Read full review[/link][/blockquote]
Source: [link=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/halflife2theorangebox]MetaCritic[/link]

 

[Munch]

woot! better than halo!!!!! its true though, this is just about the best deal ever in video games

 

[Wal-Mart Security]

IT IS the best game deal in history, as well as being awesome games....when ya add those together, you get something so amazing I cant think of word for it....Im happier its better then halo

 

[Two Listen]

Absolute best game purchase of my life. With the exception of course, of this computer that can run it all beautifully.

I really hope this beats Halo 3 and Bioshock. Bioshock is good, but Halo's overrated and the Orange Box will run infinitely better on people's machines and still looks absolutely gorgeous. So fun, so funny. I agree - craftsmanship is Valve's strength.

 

[Baron Rojo]

nothing can beat Legend of zelda ocarina of time!!!

I AM A ZELDA FAN!!!

 

[Two Listen]

A Zelda fan that's about to get beat down by the Orange Box.

 

[EDITThor]

Having played every official Half Life game start to finish (except the really bad PS2 one where you play as Gina), I must say that Episode 2 was by far the best one so far. The fact that you are not confined and you have an open world to explore makes it everything you could want it to be. As Gamespot said, trying to make your game 'funny' is a huge risk that in most cases with flop, however valve perfected their funny side with Portal/TF2 (I almost cried laughing when GLaDOS said I was adopted (that's the robotic voice in Portal)).

Also, with the news that they are planning to release even MORE puzzles for portal (Thank god, it's fun but I beat it WAY too quickly. (67% of objectives done, currently.)), more maps for TF2, and another game package for the release of Episode 3 (I'm hoping for Natural Selection 2 to be released with that! (Even though it isn't owned by valve, Natural Selection was the most popular Third Party Mod for Half-Life and I'd love to see them join forces.), makes me more excited for the Future of Valve.

If I were to rate this game, I'd give it a 98% out of 100%.

And I only give it that rating because Warcraft III (Along with it's expansion) has my vote for best game, and well, you can't have a tie, I hate those...

Edit: I'd also love to See Black Mesa come out with Episode 3. It's a complete remake of the first half-life with all new textures to fit the source engine. http://www.blackmesasource.com/

Natural Selection Site: http://www.unknownworlds.com/

 

[A Skylit Drive]

[quote1192158504=Baron Rojo]
nothing can beat Legend of zelda ocarina of time!!!

I AM A ZELDA FAN!!!
[/quote1192158504]

true that

 

[ned]

I was kind of suprised that Bioshock scored a 96... I would have put it in the low 90's myself. And let's be honest, for around 50$, have you ever seen a better value than the Orange Box? Hell no! I'd pay 50 for TF2 alone.

 

[A Skylit Drive]

yeah tf2 is crazy fun but the others are also good which makes the orange box rated the highest

 

[Meisster -I|G-]

great as said games are...i def have to agree w/baron there...OCARINA OF TIME FTW!

 

[Eire.32]

wow we are now the best clan of the best box set of all time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eire.32

 

[Guardian_Rayovac]

YAY

 

[Volcom]

YEAH!!! thats the way orange!!!

 

[RaiN]

Ocarina was a good game, have it on my wii... can't pass up a download like that. But back on topic about the orange box, not suprised, TF2 is more fun then i expected. Use to play counter-strike daily, now I am something like 28 hours in 2 weeks for tf2 and 1.2 hours for cs. How times change with 1 game. amazing.

 

[Volcom]

TF2 owns! Great animation!

 

[Bye bye birdie]

of course its better! its 5 games in 1 u cant go wrong with that

 

[Blindsfell]

heck ya man!!!!!!

 

[Mr. Chair -TR-]

I havent played Halo 3 yet, but I gotta say the Orange box is just win incarnate. I've played the big 3 on it (TF2, Episode 1&2, and Portal) and there's no comparison. They're just sick. Portal is just genius. I've never seen anything like that. TF2 is sweet in so many different ways, and Episode 2, being my first foray in HL2 single player was extremely fun and rewarding.

Well freaking done.

 

[Volcom]

man i cant wait for the BLACK BOX!!! LOl but really its real!