Product ReviewsThe Orange Box (Sony PlayStation 3 2004)

Why you need to add The Orange Box to your library

I come from a PC gaming back ground. Only in the last year did I buy my PS3. I was skeptical about my ability to transition to a paddle controller on a shooter. Have no worries here my friend. You too can have fun on your PS3 very closely to the PC. The problem with shooters on a console is lack of control or precision control and the inability to quickly survey your environment. The controls are layed out and in practice work very well to make up for this difference. To the point where after the first level or two I had no problem at all moving and shooting to the point where I didn't even have to think about what I was doing. (I've since moved onto other shooter titles on the PS3! Ye-ah I did it !)

I've played HL2 on the PC and made it 90% of the way through twice...HDD failures both times. I was finally able to finish the game on the PS3. I was also able to play both expansions: Episode One and Episode Two. All this without Steam. Having played most of HL2 on the PC I can say the port over to the PS3 is superior quality as nothing was lost and and changes made were to compensate for a paddle controller which were executed exquisitly. If you've played FEAR on PS3 you know of an inferior port... ptuie I spit i'm so upset over that lousey garbage port job... se la vie... The game play is fantastic sometimes frenetic, the story is compelling and driving. The graphics are just as good as the PC version. Better than some games worse than others. I never saw a graphical error such as a tear or texture issue. Framerate was completely acceptable and I don't recall any lag. Due to the lack of updated graphics is the only reason I didn't give this game an "Excellent" rating. And that's not bad.

Episodes One and Two, well... It's HL2 even better. New weapons, new enemies, new vehicles, new story twist, new areas, new ideas in mapping and level design and puzzles.

Team Fortress 2 - I don't have time anymore to play online games on the PS3. I used to play Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat back in the day. I cannot make a comparison as I just haven't played TF2. Tried it for a minute... Toony graphics, seemed ok... very fast paced, too fast for me so I turned it off.

Portal. I cannot say enough. I would have paid $60 just for this game alone. One gun, it shoots a blue and an orange portal anywhere, wall, ceiling floor. Shoot a blue on the ceiling and an orange on the floor directly underneath and hop in to an infinite loop of falling. The gun also acts a little like the gravity gun for picking up boxes or objects. Physics based puzzles utilizing your portal gun. Awesome, such a fresh idea. Outstanding. Bravo. Encore?Read full review...

FPS should stay onthe computer...

I'm a HUGE Half Life/Portal/Team Fortress fan, and I have all the Valve games on my PC, so I'm not ragging on the game or the company... The Orange Box comes with Half Life 2, HL2: Episode One, HL2: Episode Two, P0rtal, and Team Fortress 2. I'm an avid player of these games, and can honestly say Valve is the only game company for me (as I also play Left 4 Dead, Day of Defeat, etc.) These games are excellent - just not on consoles.

On the console, you don't get the precision, control, speed, or accuracy you would on a computer. If you don't have a computer, or it's not good enough to run these games, the PS3 version is definately the next best thing! (I can't recommend an XBOX 360 at all, so I wouldn't know about that version.)

The PS3 version has a couple bugs, but nothing that affects overall gameply/enjoyability. The only outwardly noticeable bug is that the games' default sound output is 5.1, but if you play ORANGE BOX on a TV with the 2.0 sound, it will begin to make "crakling" sounds, but these go away shortly, and if you play in 5.1, you'll never even experience this.

I wondered why there is no trophy system for this on the PS3, as there is on the computer/Xbox. It's no big deal, but it would've been a welcome improvement. In fact, even on the computer, there *still* isn't an achievement system for HL2 or HL2 Episode One.

The gameplay is incredibly smart, fun, and enjoyable, if you don't fight with the inaccuracy of a controller the whole time. The puzzles are challenging and rewarding, but not too irritating, the multiplayer (in TF2) is some of the funnest you can find from any game out there, the visuals/effects rival that of some movies, and the PS3 with HD sound/video output really pull you into the experience and keep you submersed.

Overall, I recommend these 5 games 100% (and ask anyone to please check out the other games by Valve as well), but try to get them on your computer first. Computers are made for first person shooters, consoles just don't give you the accuracy/control you need. The reason I rated it as "Good" is because the games are excellent and worth playing through. I did not rate it "Excellent" only because First Person Shooters just don't have any place on consoles. I did not rate it "Average" because the games themselves are far above average. Granted I realize most of this review is personal opinion, but if you grew up playing FPS's on the computer, take my word for it at leave the console for platformers/racer.Read full review...

Excellent games, decent version of them.

If PS3 is your only way to play the Half-Life 2 games, Portal, or Team Fortress 2, then by all means purchase Orange Box on PS3. The games are still fully intact like the PC and 360 versions, the only problems are that the load times are a bit long and the framerates sometimes a bit low. The game does run at full 720p and most of the time runs at a respectable framerate, but sometimes it's just downright unplayable. Supposedly EA is releasing a patch in March, and if it was brought up to par with the 360 version it'd be perfect for those of you without beefy computers. I have a computer that can run all these games at max settings flawlessly, but there's still something a bit more fun about using a controller to play games. In short, if you have a PC or 360, those would probably be better options, but Portal and TF2 alone are games no self-respecting gamer should miss, and so this provides PS3 owners a very respectable version to play them.Read full review...

The criticisms are lies!

When you look on the Internet for reviews of the PS3 version of the Orange Box, almost all you see is hate. People complain that the lag and loading times, as well as a lack of a proper autosave, render the game unplayable. Don't believe a thing they tell you though. I have the Orange Box for PC, and I have a high end gaming PC, and the load times are barely any worse on my fat PS3 (although my brother, whom I bought the PS3 version for, has a slim PS3, which seems to load everything much slower, and lag a lot more in games) than they are on the PC, and certainly not nearly as bad as the load times in many other PS3 games. As for lag, I never encountered anything more than the occasional brief lag spike, something you get even on super high end computers. All in all, this plays just as well as any other shooter on the PS3 (better, in fact, than some of the more mainstream ones out there... *cough*Call of Duty*cough*).

Also, some of the bugs from the PC version have been fixed (such as an exploit in Portal that allows you to beat certain levels without any effort whatsoever).Read full review...

Great deal, great game.

This is the best deal you will find if you love vavle's games. The Half-Life series will probably be your main reason for getting this. The Portal and Team Fortress are amazing as well, and a good break from Half-Life if you're still playing your system. Many will be very pleased to find that unlockable commentary can be accessed simply by completing a level for the Portal and Team Fortress. You can completely customize your control scheme, whatever you may want it to be, in all of the games. For instance, you can make the fire button to be X, or the jump button to be R1. The loading times, and occasional glitches will sometimes take away from the experience on the console versions, but overall it is worth your money. This game is a MUST BUY.Read full review...

I like that it comes with other games including one particular favorite that I wanted to play.

It was like brand new no smudges or scratches. Great condition! The only problem I found was the sound of static coming from the game Portal.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: wholesale_gamin...

5 GAMES IN ONE!

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Let's sum this review up:
5 Games in 1! Ok 3 are very similar. 3 UNIQUE Games in 1!
Half Life 2 is a classic at this point and won tons of awards. Even if you've beaten it like I have, there's still new content with the new episodes and even incentive to experience the main quest again to unlock achievements. Portal is one of the most unique game experiences I've had recently and Team Fortress 2 is a very balanced and fun multiplayer experience.

Gameplay: 10/10
Pros: With 5 games there has to be one that you find yourself drawn to the most. For me, that's Portal and Team Fortress 2, but you may be a more story driven Half-Life 2 person. The controls are solid (and pretty similar) across all the games and the gameplay is extraordinary. In fact, my only complaint with the whole package is that there's plenty of Half-Life 2 action and not nearly enough Portal and Team Fortress. Portal is over way too fast and Team Fortress could use some more maps, but is wanting more really a fault?

Graphics: 9/10
Pros: Team Fortress 2 looks so sick! I love the cell-shaded/cartoon/looney tunes look. The animation is also absolutely top-notch. Team Fortress really steals the show in the graphics dept. Portal is truly an impressive technical feat and I still can't entirely fathom how it all works...incredible. The Half Life 2 series still has fantastic facial animations.
Cons: Half Life 2 is showing its age somewhat but it is a 3 year old game.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: Fantastic voicework throughout all the games with good sound effects and the classic Half Life mood music.
Cons: There is not nearly enough music and much of the time it feels vacant. While this is probably on purpose, it accentuates sound effects which can be annoying and loud.

Lasting Appeal: 10/10
Pros: 99 Achievements, 5 different games, 9 classes in multiplayer to master and hours upon hours of gameplay.
Cons: People may get bored with the Half-Life story/gameplay before finishing out everything. Only 6 maps in multiplayer.

Average: 92.50%
Tilt: +0.50%

Ultimately, you can't really NOT recommend this game. It is after all only $60 for 5 games. So maybe all 5 games aren't full fledged $60 titles, but they are all pretty substantial and Half-Life 2 for Xbox was $50 only a few years ago. It's a phenomenal deal and as long as you don't hate games from the First Person Perspective, you'll find something to love in the Orange Box. The Orange Box is certainly one of the best game compilations ever.

Verdict: 93%Read full review...

Continuation of great series!

Orange Box for PC is a better deal, because you receive all the previous episodes of HL2, multi players, and Portal. I don't think the previous episodes are available on PS3. The games are so good though, I purchased these PS3 games for Orange Box without owning a PS3 yet, but I'm close. Portal is an ingenious puzzler where you are generally presented with an entrance to a room, and must logically think your way through the space presented by firing two portals at walls, floors, and ceilings to weave your way to the exit. Differs from the survival horror, shooter puzzler of all of the other HL games before it. The only thing resembling shooting, is throwing a portal under a gun turret sitting on the floor or other surface. HL2 Episode 2 is quite a bit different from the other HL2 episodes. Many different environments are thrown in your path. The city streets are gone, and many more outdoor or even underground scapes will makes this a very interesting and challenging trek. The final battle has some old and new enemies, and is very frantic at times, but not overly difficult to accomplish. The folks creating the Half Life series keep proving they are the best game creators. The multi player addition, has gotten great reviews, and I'm not a multi kinda guy, but I am going to try this one. I cannot comment on the control scheme, and hope that it has a mouse enabled. If so, this would definitely be a must have game for the PS3.Read full review...

The Orange Box PS3 version

This game has the best value of any game on any next gen system out there. There are 5 games in this game set. The first is Half Life 2 one of the best first person shooters of our time. It features a complex storyline with great characters and fantastic action and pacing throughout the game. The latter levels of the game are among the best I've ever played in games. The next game on is Half Life 2: episode 1 which is a short sequal to Half Life 2 the starting portion of the game is fantastic. This game doesn't really measure u the the other games in The Orange Box but its stil good. The next game is Half Life 2: episode 2 has probably the best action of any game in the Half Life series. This game features more open envirements and several massive battles that can make ones mouth drop in shock and awe. The next game is Portal which while short is one of the best games you'll ever play. Its a puzzle game that features some of the most creative gameplay I've seen in years. The game also has one a greatsense of dark humor and amusing lines that make it a joy to play. The final game is called Team Fortress 2 which is an online shooter with a very unique look and the most balanced gameplay in a online shooter you'll find. There are a number of classes with very specific skills and will always leave you satisfied after playing. This is by far the best deal you will find for any system out there. But the Ps3 version is inferior to the X box 360 version as it has many glitches and can even freeze up during high action parts of the game. If you have both a ps3 and a 360 then the 360 version is the way to go but if you only have a ps3 then this is still a great purchase and will leave you happy about your purchase.Read full review...

Don't Listen to the Bad Press

The Good:
The Orange Box for PS3 is an outstanding purchase for any Half Life fan or for those that wanted to play HL2 but didn't have a PC that could run it. This package comes with 5 games which give roughly 30 hours of single player gameplay and infinite online multiplayer.

Included are the titles: Half Life 2, HL2: Episode 1, HL2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. I have played through all five titles and can say that, on the whole, this is a very good port to the PS3. It has enhanced Hi-Definition graphics and the whole package has a very cool vibe to it.

Half Life 2 and the two expansion episodes are basically intellectual First Person Shooters with a huge emphasis on puzzle solving. HL2 was named game of the year by over 50 gaming publications when it was released. This version is better looking and is almost like playing the game for the first time. Portal is an insanely fun puzzle game where you shoot two portals onto walls and then warp between them to clear levels and reach objectives. It is easily the best puzzle game I've ever played and even better, my wife loves playing it as well. Team Fortress 2 is a fast cartoonish team-based online FPS. You use one of eight character types (engineer, scout etc.) to work together to defend your team's objectives. The game is a blast and has a crazy style to it.

The Bad:
There have been many complaints about this game having longer loading times and worse framerates than the other versions. But, I am here to tell you that these issues are WAY overblown and that in over 15 hours of playtime I have experienced only one substantial framerate drop and the few that popped in were gone within a few seconds and were barely noticeable. In fact, the framerate issues are no worse than they were in Heavenly Sword, or Assassins Creed.

Also, the loading times are longer than the other versions, but only by a few seconds and this is outweighed by the PS3 exclusive console ability to quick save at any point during the game. Loading times are also much worse on other highly praised games like Oblivion. But it does get annoying if you start dying a lot!

The Verdict:
If you're like me, you heard the bad press and got really worried about getting the highly anticipated and acclaimed orange box for PS3. I'm here to tell you that on its own merits as a game for PS3, this game is simply OUTSTANDING. The issues are minimal, and the overall fun and value of this game outweigh any of the negatives. If you only have a PS3, like Half Life, and want the best puzzle game of 2007 (Portal is incredible), then get this now. It may not be the best version available, but it's definitely a version worth getting and is an awesome addition to any PS3 library.Read full review...