The Orange Box PC
The Orange Box Image
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 34 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1208 Ratings

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  • Summary: Games included in The Orange Box compilation: The original Half-Life 2 - The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. And a lot of people - people he cares about - are counting on him. Half-Life 2: Episode One - The player reprises his role of Dr. Freeman, who must immediately face the repercussions of his actions in City 17 and the Citadel. Freeman reconnects with Alyx Vance and her robot, Dog, as they continue their support of the resistance's battle against the Combine forces. Half-Life 2: Episode Two -- the second installment in Valve's episodic trilogy advances the award-winning story, leading the player to new locations outside of City 17. Portal - a pioneering type of single player action game that rewrites the rules for how players approach and manipulate their environment – much like how Half-Life 2's Gravity Gun reinvented the way gamers interact with objects in the game. Team Fortress 2 - an all-new version of the legendary title that spawned team based multiplayer action games. The game's daring new art style features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. [Valve Software]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. Edge Magazine
    100
    As a whole it is almost overwhelming in its depth, irresistible in value and certainly, unreservedly, brilliant. [Dec 2007, p.82]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. GameSpy
    100
    Every game in the package is a winner, and the price makes it a no-brainer for anyone remotely interested in Half-Life or PC shooters in general.
  3. GameTap
    100
    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.
  4. IGN AU
    95
    Damn you Valve. That's what rival game publishers must be thinking.
  5. IGN
    95
    Not only do you get the best single player first person shooter ever created, you also get the two next chapters, a 3D puzzle game that also happens to live in the Half-Life universe and a terrifically fun team-based multiplayer first-person shooter. This is a lot of game in one package for only 50 dollars.
  6. PC Gamer
    94
    Leave it to Valve to deliver the goods on such an ambitious game package...The Orange Box is one of the finest compilations of gaming content ever produced. [Nov 2007, p.58]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. The New York Times
    88
    The Orange Box reminds me of those knife sets sold on late-night TV, where if you act now you get a vegetable chopper and a cutting board. Besides Episode 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2, the package includes the original Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode 1. But no cake. If someone tells you the Orange Box comes with cake, remember that whatever else you choose to believe, the cake is most definitely a lie.

See all 34 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 225 out of 232
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 232
  3. Negative: 3 out of 232
  1. MarkP.
    Oct 11, 2007
    10
    Each of the games are brilliant, but I must say, it's a 10 out of 10 because I'm still laughing from the end credits music on Portal. Hilarious!… Expand
  2. JohnS
    Oct 11, 2007
    10
    Every game included in the orange Orange Box is Uniquely amazing. The orange Box will set a new standard of quality and entertainment by which all games will ascribe to... only the Orange Box did it first!… Expand
  3. El_Burrito
    Dec 4, 2010
    10
    What's that, you need to be convinced that 5 games for the price of less than one is worth it? Shame on you. Not only does this master piece come with Half life 2 and the first two episodes, which have amazing single player story value, it also comes with Portal, possibly the most innovative game of the year! Then on top of that, when you have to get your multi-player fix, you have one of the most diverse, fun and chaotic team based shooters on the market! Valve really know how to make you think you're stealing from them.… Expand
  4. DannyV.V.
    Oct 18, 2007
    10
    This box is downright awesome. Portal is the most innovating game ever, everyone already knows that half-life 2 is amazing, and so are episodes one and two. Team fortress 2 is also a blast.… Expand
  5. BobB.
    Sep 7, 2008
    10
    Almost any game being sold for 10 dollars is amazing, but five of the best ever created for 10 dollars each is beyond description.
  6. lordjrs
    Jan 22, 2012
    10
    The best game compilation ever. Includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two, the sequel of one of the best games in history, with great plot, graphics, gameplay, etc., Portal, a almost indie experiment from Valve resulting in a beautiful and simple game, and Team Fortress 2, a great cartoon FPS with 9 classes, lot of weapons, hats, and fun. Also includes HL2 and the first episode if you haven't played HL2 yet. With 5 excellent games, you will think that the pack will cost around $60 or something like that. NOPE.AVI, the price is $20. Twenty dollars for five excellent games from Valve. If you hadn't bought this pack yet, you sir, you are not a PC gamer.… Expand
  7. MessiahL.
    Oct 21, 2007
    0
    Here's an idea: don't shove medicine down people's throats if you are unwilling to take it yourself. Quit under-rating Halo 3 because you don't own a 360, and quit hyping up the Half-Life franchise like it's full of innovation. What, exactly, aside from the gravity gun, is innovative about Half Life 2? It's possibly one of the most HEAVILY scripted and narrow games I've ever played. Is it good? Hell yes. But so is Halo. So quit trashing another good franchise just because you're a spoon-fed fanboy. I've built several of my own machines and Half-Life 2 looked gorgeous on ALL of them, but I've also owned an Xbox in my time, and I'm willing to concede that Halo is just as good as a series. My biggest complaint is with Steam. Yes, maybe steam users are stupid enough to put their money into what is obviously going to be a monopoly, but I'm not. The only Steam games I will ever purchase are Valve games, because Steam is all you can play them on. So go ahead, put money into something like this and watch as the market is monopolized and you have to pay for every game through Steam, keeping in mind that if your account was ever lost for whatever reason, all your games would be gone. Sadly, people don't think ahead, they've got the sheep mentality and it's going to screw us all.… Expand

See all 232 User Reviews

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