text:
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1] The episode was released both separately and as a part of a bundled package, The Orange Box.[2]
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.[1]
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.[3] This version was further delayed. For the rest of the world, the release date was October 18.[4] 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.[5] Episode Two has more puzzles than Episode One, including the biggest physical puzzle yet in the series—a damaged unstable bridge.[5] 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.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7] 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.[7]
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.[8]
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 cannot eliminate, though the player is eventually given the chance to kill it.[9]
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.[10]
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.[10]
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.[11]
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.[12] 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.[12]
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.[12]
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.[12]
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.[1]
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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[3]
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.[15] An audio commentary is also featured, as in Episode One and Lost Coast.[16]
A notable change to the vocal cast is the inclusion of actor Tony Todd as the voice of the Vortigaunts.[17] He replaces Louis Gossett, Jr. in the role.[18] 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.[17]
Reception[edit]
Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator
Score
GameRankings 90.68%[19]
Metacritic 90/100[20]
Review scores
Publication
Score
1UP.com A+[21]
CVG 9/10[25]
Eurogamer 9/10[24]
GameSpy [27]
IGN 9.4/10[22]
PC Gamer (UK) 93%[23]
New York Times 86%[26]
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.[19] On Metacritic, the game had an average score of 90 out of 100, based on 21 reviews.[20]
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.[22] 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."[22] 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.[10] 1UP.com praised the game, noting that the game's "entire five-hour experience" was "vivid, emotionally engaging, and virtually unsurpassed."[21] PC Gamer UK also applauded Episode Two, noting it "is the most sumptuous chapter of the Half-Life saga, and by a country mile."[23] 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."[26]
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 [...] doesn'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.[25]
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."[26] 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.[27]
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c 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: a b 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: a b c "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: a b "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: a b c 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: a b c d "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: a b "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: a b "Half-Life 2: Episode Two — PC". GameRankings. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
^ Jump up to: a b "Half-Life 2: Episode Two". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
^ Jump up to: a b 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: a b c Adams, Dan (2007-10-09). "IGN: Half-Life 2: Episode Two Review". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
^ Jump up to: a b "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: a b "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: a b c 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: a b Accardo, Sal (2007-10-10). "Half-Life 2: Episode Two (PC)". GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
External links[edit]
2000s portal
Video game portal
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007)
Official Half-Life 2: Episode Two website
Half-Life 2: Episode Two at MobyGames
[show]
v
t
e
Half-Life series
Main series
Half-Life
Opposing Force
Blue Shift
Decay
Half-Life 2
Episode One
Episode Two
Deathmatch
Lost Coast
Universe
Characters
Gordon Freeman
Alyx Vance
G-Man
Combine
Headcrab
Vortigaunt
Locations
Gravity gun
Portal series
Related articles
Black Mesa
Concerned
GoldSrc
mods
Half-Life: Escape from City 17
Half-Life 2: Capture the Flag
The Orange Box
Source
mods
Book
Category
[show]
v
t
e
Valve Corporation
Video games
Half-Life
Half-Life
Opposing Force
Blue Shift
Decay
Half-Life 2
Episode One
Episode Two
Deathmatch
Lost Coast
Portal
Portal
Portal 2
The Lab
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Condition Zero
Source
Global Offensive
Day of Defeat
Day of Defeat
Source
Team Fortress
Team Fortress Classic
Team Fortress 2
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Dota
Dota 2
Artifact
Other
The Orange Box
Alien Swarm
Bridge Constructor Portal
Technology
Hardware
Steam Controller
Steam Machine
Steam Link
HTC Vive
Software
GoldSrc
mods
Source
Filmmaker
mods
Steam
SteamOS
Valve Anti-Cheat
People
Current
Mike Ambinder
Jess Cliffe
IceFrog
Sam Lantinga
Mike Morasky
Brad Muir
Gabe Newell
Jane Ng
Chris Remo
Jake Rodkin
Sean Vanaman
Robin Walker
Former
Michael Abrash
Kelly Bailey
Doug Church
Chet Faliszek
Mike Harrington
Marc Laidlaw
Minh Le
Jay Pinkerton
Bay Raitt
Kim Swift
Erik Wolpaw
Book
Category
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Half-Life_2:_Episode_Two&oldid=838254729"
Categories:
2007 video games
First-person shooters
Episodic video games
Half-Life (series)
PlayStation 3 games
Science fiction video games
Valve Corporation games
Linux games
MacOS games
Windows games
Xbox 360 games
Source (game engine) games
Video games with commentaries
Zombie video games
Single-player video games
Video game sequels
Dystopian video games
Abandoned buildings and structures in fiction
Video games developed in the United States
Video games set in the 2020s
Video games set in Europe
Video games using Havok
Laboratories in fiction
Rebellions in fiction
Hidden categories:
Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters
Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images
Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode
Good articles
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Languages
العربية
Català
Dansk
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
한국어
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Lietuvių
Magyar
Bahasa Melayu
Nederlands
Norsk
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
Українська
中文
16 more
Edit links
This page was last edited on 25 April 2018, at 21:49.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: This is a good article. Follow the link for more information.

attrs: class id

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

values: list-style: none none; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; font-size: 105%; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: inherit; display: none;

values:
NavFrame collapsed
border: none; padding: 0;
NavFrame1

values: width:22em;float: right; width: 22em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; border-spacing: 3px;

values:
/wiki/Linear_gameplay
mw-redirect
Linear gameplay

values:
/wiki/First_person_(video_games)
mw-redirect
First person (video games)

values:
/wiki/Antlion_(Half-Life_2)
mw-redirect
Antlion (Half-Life 2)

values:
/wiki/Combine_(Half-Life_2)
mw-redirect
Combine (Half-Life 2)

values:
/wiki/Lambda_Resistance_(Half-Life_2)
mw-redirect
Lambda Resistance (Half-Life 2)

values:
/wiki/White_Forest_Rocket_Facility
mw-redirect
White Forest Rocket Facility

values:
/wiki/Black_Mesa_Research_Facility
mw-redirect
Black Mesa Research Facility

values:
/wiki/Aperture_Science
mw-redirect
Aperture Science

values:
/wiki/Louis_Gossett,_Jr.
mw-redirect
Louis Gossett, Jr.

attrs: alt src title width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
/wiki/New_York_Times
mw-redirect
New York Times

values: background:transparent;padding:0em;margin:0em 1em 1em 1em;text-align:center;float:right;clear:right;width:23em

values:
/wiki/PC_Gamer_UK
mw-redirect
PC Gamer UK

values:
nofollow
http://store.steampowered.com/app/420/
external text

values:
nofollow
http://guides.ign.com/guides/812574/
external text

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values: display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle

values:
/wiki/Portal:Video_game
mw-redirect
Portal:Video game

values: margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;border:solid #aaa 1px

values:
navbox-image
3
width:1px;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:Abandoned buildings and structures in fiction

values: Category:Video games developed in the United States

values: Category:Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters

values: Category:Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images

values: Category:Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Half-Life_2:_Episode_Two
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values: portal navigation p-wikibase-otherprojects p-wikibase-otherprojects-label

values: هاف-لايف 2: إبيسود تو – Arabic

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-ca
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-da
display: none;

values: نیمه‌عمر ۲: قسمت دوم – Persian

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-fa
display: none;

values: 하프라이프 2: 에피소드 2 – Korean

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-lt
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-hu
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-no
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-pl
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-ro
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-sv
display: none;

values:
interlanguage-link interwiki-tr
display: none;

values: 戰慄時空2：二部曲 – Chinese

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Half-Life_2_Episode_Two rootpage-Half-Life_2_Episode_Two skin-vector action-view