Nice moments in PC gaming are bite-sized celebrations of a few of our favourite gaming recollections.
The Orange Field
Developer: Valve
12 months: 2007
Think about a significant sport developer releasing three new video games not simply in the identical 12 months however on the identical ding dong dang day. And never simply any outdated three video games! One was the following chapter in one of many largest singleplayer shooter collection of all time, one other was a sequel to one of the vital beloved multiplayer shooters of all time, plus we received a totally new first-person sport that regarded completely different to something we would ever seen earlier than.
That was the scene manner again in October 2007 when Valve launched The Orange Field containing Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Workforce Fortress 2, and Portal. (Technically it was 5 video games as a result of it additionally included Half-Life 2 and Episode 1, as if everybody did not already personal them.)
It is genuinely laborious to think about something like The Orange Field taking place once more in gaming, ever. It would be like Ubisoft releasing a brand new Murderer’s Creed, Far Cry, and The Division sport on the identical day, or Blizzard giving us Hearthstone 2, StarCraft 3, and a Diablo 4 enlargement abruptly.
It simply would not occur that manner. Nobody needs the launch of their sport to be overshadowed by one other sport popping out on the identical day, and but Valve willingly smooshed all three of its massive releases shoulder-to-shoulder and shoved them into our PCs on the identical time. Weird but lovely.
I am not 100% certain which of the three video games I performed first. Together with tons of different individuals I pre-purchased The Orange Field, which let me play Workforce Fortress 2 a couple of month early, so my actual selection was whether or not to play Portal earlier than ending the second episode of Half-Life 2. I think I jumped into Portal first, as a result of it simply regarded so rattling cool within the trailers Valve confirmed earlier than launch, and I do know I performed all of it in a single sitting. It was quick and candy, taking only some hours, after which I instantly performed it once more as a result of these few hours left me wanting extra.
I am fairly certain I performed Portal all over 3 times in simply that first week, and since then I’ve most likely performed it a half-dozen extra occasions. In the meantime, I might go on to play about 500 hours of Workforce Fortress 2 over the following couple years. For simply two of its three video games, The Orange Field was one hell of a deal.
I do keep in mind feeling rather less passionate about Half-Life 2: Episode 2. There was numerous bug-killing in underground tunnels, which was a bit lame. The driving was tremendous however there was a lot stopping and getting out that it felt somewhat bizarre to actually have a automobile at occasions. A giant focus was on Alyx’s journey, and I used to be already a bit miffed that she may achieve this far more cool stuff than Gordon may, like kicking zombies, bashing them together with her shotgun, and climbing buildings. I keep in mind being confused as to why Valve thought it might be enjoyable to let me watch her do this stuff quite than letting me do it myself. I suppose we all know why Alyx finally received her personal sport.
We additionally had no thought then that Gordon Freeman’s story would obtain such an unceremonious ending. Half-Life 2: Episode 3 merely by no means arrived, signaling the beginning of Valve’s weird aversion to the quantity 3. We by no means received a Workforce Fortress 3 or a Half-Life 3 or a Portal 3, both. Or a Left 4 Lifeless 3. Or a Dota 3.
And we positively by no means received three new video games from the identical developer on the identical day once more, and I am certain we by no means will. The Orange Field was a real anomaly.
