Half-Life 2 - Citizens Analysis

My take on the Citizens from Half-Life 2 and its episodes.
Combine Overwiki Main Page:
combineoverwiki.net
Retail Citizen models:
combineoverwiki.net/wiki/List...
E3 Citizen model used for corpse:
combineoverwiki.net/wiki/List...
Marc Laidlaw on American accents: steamcommunity.com/app/70/dis...
Laidlaw on the Consoling Couple:
marclaidlaw.com/stories-on-the...

[@RescoeZ]

Just a few things: I know Half-Life Alyx has probably expanded upon Citizens and related topics, but I've stuck with everything shown in HL2 to Episode Two. Once I get HLA I may do a little video about it. I didn't include Citizen combat abilities as I didn't feel I knew enough to talk about it. Citizens appear to have better accuracy yet I've read elsewhere they do not. Like Combine soldiers and Metrocops, they can also identify and call out an enemy type (Haaaaaax!)

[@rarelyevenusedaccount]

hax

[@MrGermandeutsch]

It is possible to change their accuracy, and it's pretty simple aswell. Because there is the option to change the accuracy of an NPC via the Hammer Tool, the World Editor for Source Games. So *_yes and no_* The accuracity is both better, worse, and the same, depending on what the settings of the accuricy has been set to in Half Life 2.

[@Ribbons0121R121]

they do have quite the accuracy as i think some of the ai data from combine soldiers is carried over into their ai. just a hunch but i just think this as they behave and shoot a little similar

[@uioup7453]

If overwatch can take any citizen and turn them into a soldier, or stalker, why didnt they turn them all in from the beggining?

[@Gmodfan750]

@@uioup7453 i'm pretty sure that will take too long to do

[@darkninjacorporation]

Reacting to Gordon Freeman’s death: “Any last words?” “Dibs on the suit.” “*sigh* ...somebody take his crowbar.”

[@lifemythanimations6606]

Don't forget "He's done this before, he'll be ok"

[@alterrapda9057]

“Should we bury him here?”

[@colindaman4143]

Lots of those lines remind me of "Heavy is dead".

[@chepless2785]

"Wait a minute, that's not Gordon Freeman!" is my favorite

[@Boostro960]

“Dibs on the suit” made me genuinely laugh

[@TheMilitantHorse]

"He's done this before, he'll be okay." That citizen is meta af.

[@canary8741]

that's my favorite citizen line

[@zaikolebolsh5724]

*gordon appears randomly on stasis* G-man:"... So Mr Freeman... You fucked up again didn't you" *gordon nods in shame*

[@I_am_a_human_not_a_commodity]

@@zaikolebolsh5724 I've never thought about it that way lol

[@spajanercraft]

Or could be a reference to HL1 where the HECU captured and threw him into a garbage press

[@ShadowHunter120]

That citizen converses with the vorts a lot.

[@kylefinn5301]

One of the rebel’s responses to Gordon’s death: “He’s done this before, he’ll be alright” talk about a 4th wall break

[@XeonGame]

“I thought he was invincible” 19:11

[@Preinstallable]

One was along the lines of "Freeman, if you see a light don't go into it!"

[@FusionArrary119]

Maybe they know G-Man and they thing the G-Man will just revive Freeman??..

[@FusionArrary119]

sorry i meant think

[@portal2kid]

It’s the stages of grief. The first stage is Denial. “He’ll be alright.” “He’ll get up again.” “This can’t be the end.” This is a common process in the stages of grief, and so it would make sense if the lines are of that nature, other than a fourth wall break.

[@JJungleJapeson]

I used to think "Sometimes, I dream about cheese" was just a funny line, but after playing Half-Life: Alyx and realizing the food these people get is as basic as "water flavour", I can see why they would dream about cheese. I bet Russell dreams of club sandwiches.

[@isokessu]

"To think, I used to sell insurance" I always wondered what that means, I mean how old is that guy or girl who says that, maybe it's a bug in the voice acting because the citizens are not so old like Eli and Dr. Kleiner or Dr. Breen. City 17 is like North Korean Pyongyang where everybody are young and handsome. Old people are send to Siberia or maybe another planet. Who knows

[@magitrekTV]

Not gonna lie to you, could go for some water flavored sustenance bars.

[@Yourlocalanglosaxon]

@@isokessu because the irony is now their a rebel and not a boring insurance man

[@spongebitchbobface]

@@magitrekTV dick?.

[@BallonEEE.]

@@isokessu they’re sent off to another city where CP are like nurses, they basically live in a huge, awful nursing home. It’s like a whole city full of old people. That or their sent to the citadel. Or just… died.

[@gildedlivvin7877]

throwing an object at a citizen and having him say “Dr. Breen, again?” is the Half-Life universe’s equivalent of “Thanks, Obama.”

[@LocalGoober10]

Never before have I been offended by something I 100% agree with.

[@vit968]

*Nowadays I have more sympathy for Breen.*

[@MFKR696]

@@vit968 That's probably because you're a horrible person in all likelihood. He was a coward and an absolute traitor who sold his species into enslavement just so he could survive. There's literally nothing to like about him. If you like him, it means you're like him. Starting to see the problem?

[@oxygeninhaler4542]

chill out, its a youtube comment

[@overseerbomb7632]

@@MFKR696 well i mean the choices were either everyone gets enslaved or everyone dies

[@kroneyt1493]

Half Life 2 Players: Charred Corpse Garry's Mod Players: Homeless person

[@SheldonCreeper]

KroneYT true

[@insertnamehere1865]

Preach 🙌

[@DMlTREl]

Half Life 2: Just corpse Garry's Mod: Scary screamer

[@benbebop]

MASLIN BRUNER physdick monster you mean

[@kroneyt1493]

@@benbebop Mingebags you mean

[@natalie6811]

Why is it, out of all the voice lines, “You’re scaring off the pigeons” makes me the saddest?

[@KamKrzem]

Same... The pigeons, as irrelevant as they are to most people in normal times, are still present in the cities of Half Life, unaffected by the Combine (as much as the humans are at least), they can easily fly away from City 17 at a whim, and, sadly, they're most likely the reminder of a way of life that has once been. Small little pigeons, searching for crumbs, not even aware of the horror inflicted on the planet. Besides, I don't think there's much to do when in City 17, so even pigeon watching beats doing nothing at all or listening to the looped Breen podcast.

[@sirbibton]

KamKrzem That's what I was thinking. They're the only distraction from the horror, a reminder of how the world once was and one of the few living species left that you can fully trust. When dealing with a threat as hostile and cruel as the Combine, a random pigeon looking for food a few feet away from you almost seems like a friend.

[@hipsterpigeon7452]

P i g e o n s

[@roddydykes7053]

It’s got the most apathetic and realistic delivery

[@EmbeddedWithin]

@@KamKrzem Pigeons... saved soldiers in World War One. They delivered letters when delivering one by man was dangerous and not very practical. It’s not just that, there’s a lot more to pigeons.

[@jerm131333]

"When this is all over, I'm-" _r o t a t e s_ "Ah, who am I kidding."

[@ALPHABARLOG]

Real life in a nutshell.

[@sauceboss2210]

Very dramatic.

[@gamingmaster6377]

no more mating! no more cheese! no more shower!

[@Rhino1004]

Crack Theory: Cheese isn't manufactured anymore due to the Combine, so the dreams about cheese are actually cravings for something that isn't a thing anymore.

[@nothankyou4859]

or maybe only the civil protection rations contain cheese

[@VagineerHuur]

Not a crack theory, the whole point of that quote was to imply that. In HL:A Russel explains how magnificent a sandwich is, and that pigs are extinct. Cows are probably extinct alongside pigs and other cattle because of the combine and invasive xen wildlife, so no cheese.

[@EdgyPickle]

HL2 itself implies this; the citizens can be seen collecting rations; which are probably not real food

[@auramaster2068]

@@EdgyPickle its fake dream cheese to invade people's brain with cheese so they get distracted from fighting combines

[@TheTdw2000]

Didn't all native Earth fauna get wiped out? If so, no cows, no milk, no cheese.

[@scienceteam9254]

The first time i heard the npc response when i died, i felt like i let down all of humanity

[@Allen667sjja]

“Dibs on the suit”

[@scienceteam9254]

@@Allen667sjja rip

[@Journey_Awaits]

Even he couldn't help us :(

[@ethanwinters1469]

It's ok you just let them down in one timeline and have to live without for eternity

[@fierysaint327]

They tried to take your suit, same for your crowbar.

[@asais1024]

15:20 Imagine having a videogame character modeled after yourself, but your model is only a low-res model used in distant places which you're not supposed to see.

[@generalkenobi8591]

Imagine having your character named "cheap person"

[@beatyeah8840]

that's what my life is like already

[@landlockedcroat1554]

@@CD-BVL rip

[@unused7629]

unfortunately, warren died, so male cheaple is part of his legacy

[@QuestionableSprite]

@@unused7629 wait he died?

[@TinyDeskEngineer]

"Someone take his crowbar." I guess they think the crowbar is what gives Gordon his ungodly capability of murdering alien invaders.

[@itsducc0953]

well its true

[@elpoyo8062]

"Did Dr. Kleiner just tell everyone to... get busy?"

[@capscaps04]

They didn't choose the best candidate for that annoucement.

[@Boostro960]

Capsy Dash okay, I hear you. But who do you think is the best candidate though, honestly? I am not saying that the Dr. Kliner is the best, but I am kind of saying that there is no best candidate :)

[@alterrapda9057]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@edfreak9001]

@@Boostro960 Barney'd probably be a little more down-to-earth at least.

[@iamboringvideos6832]

@@edfreak9001 how is he gonna give a speach when he is busy with transporting people out of the city?

[@yarra3d]

Male_07 is most loved and a hero

[@yarra3d]

@ yes

[@valkrae4876]

You mean M'hale O'Sven?

[@FrahdChikun]

JOHN FREEMAN SAVER OF HUMENS

[@italiangarbageposting]

HALF LIFE: FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES FREE. MAN.

[@PebsBeans]

Gordon Frohman

[@Hadgerz]

24:56 this fake-out is ingenious. The skeletons are positioned in a way that a player will certainly recognise and think 'perhaps it's the couch couple I've seen several times throughout the game'. This appearance comes on the heels of the second encounter when they're joking around somewhat happy again, and you're filled with a sense of dread as you're reminded that this world is a dark place and no character is safe. The relief i felt when i saw them again at White Forest was _almost palpable._

[@CaesarAugustus18]

All i can say about this is that they were the citizens with the most development

[@Average_K]

Gotta appreciate how Dr. Kleiner ensures everything he says is a suggestion instead of an order. It greatly contrasts the authoritarian wording of the combine and Breen.

[@thelastpheonix]

Common Dr. Kleiner W

[@bababooey7216]

W

[@panzerdragon1121]

Ah yes, yelling "You're not the man I thought you were" while being stabbed to death on gm_construct

[@odinlindeberg4624]

When you get sniped playing TTT.

[@MrSpruce]

People change Rod, people change!

[@sabotabo7476]

GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE

[@gaming27110]

“Sometimes I dream about cheese”

[@explodingbearz]

@@MrSpruce PEOPLE CHANGE ROD PEOPLE CHANGE

[@theli3143]

When Freeman dies you forgot to add this phrase:Glad there are no kids around to see this. Seems really funny for me

[@SillyUwUBilly]

Wat actually happened to 'em ? I don't remember seeing any .

[@theli3143]

@@SillyUwUBilly the kids grew up under combine opression.

[@bananamustard1151]

@@theli3143 nah there are no children because of the suppression field

[@auramaster2068]

@@bananamustard1151 well it prevents new children but doesn't vaporize them

[@helium-379]

@@bananamustard1151 There were children before the supression field.

[@alterrapda9057]

The voice line “He’s done this before, he’ll be okay.” is kind of fourth wall breaking. They either know the player can load a save file or they made a joke.

[@Ricky-jd6fs]

I always tought it as how people talk about how he survived the black mesa incident

[@RigobertosTacoShop]

its been theorized that g man does some voodoo shit and rewinds time before Gordon dies. Like some re zero shit

[@hylianro]

​@@RigobertosTacoShopI've heard that theory used in Zelda like how Link's triforce of courage just gives him that ability or some shit 😂

[@samuraijackoff5354]

“Wait a minute! That’s not Gordon Freeman!” *Slowly turns head to the player*

[@SzymonosTSARGA]

Cheaple looks like he's trying to sell his mixtape.

[@PebsBeans]

His face model did too.

[@NickJerrison]

Apparently he died in 2006 and his parents still leave comments under his online obituary every year on his birthday.

[@superjchamma]

@@NickJerrison :(

[@superjchamma]

@Traveling Taco Salesman m.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=warren-slough&pid=20112585&referrer=0&preview=True

[@LocalGoober10]

Every SoundCloud rapper.

[@048738940]

HL2 update: NPC can blink eye after 12 years later. oh wow

[@NguyenHaTheHoang]

6 years only. It's just a bug. NPC can blink before 2014. Valve already fixed it and NPC can blink eyes again after 2016.

[@Dave-if7nx]

"this suggests they've survived Manhack attacks" no, the Vortigaunt just messed up when he gave him a haircut

[@Weebalo7825]

"Galunga. I messed up the haircut we gotta go The Bald."

[@hierophantgreen2065]

​@@Weebalo7825 wanna see my vort essence?

[@rodi8266]

Missing hairpatches on refugees/rebels may also be related to extreme stress levels, they are constantly facing, aswell as permanent fear of "getting found".

[@GalluZ]

"Somebody take his crowbar." Even Gordon's crowbar is so iconic that citizens took notice of the legendary tool that helped him survive Black Mesa Incident.

[@cavejohnson4306]

Apparently the legend about him forgot all the other weapons and say he survived with the crowbar alone.

[@viridian6812]

gordon did the crowbar only run, it's canon :P

[@GalluZ]

@@cavejohnson4306 Legends are legends, they never came in with full details.

[@TheTdw2000]

Even though he uses like 4 different crowbars throughout the series

[@TooCooFoYou]

Cave Jhonson The other weapons weren’t his. They were government property.

[@rickro2878]

19:01 Oh my god, that guy genuinely sounded terrified, that, their leader and the savior of humanity, as depicted by the vortigaunts.. is now dead. Dead, in front of them. He knows, they're nothing without him. They see his corpse and all are surprised and terrified with fear. Knowing, that this is now their end. Meanwhile that one guy says "Dibs on the suit."

[@WTFBOOMDOOM]

The delivery was so emotional indeed!

[@bacon-sandwich4726]

another guy tells freeman not to go into the light, which i find hilarious "Freeman, can you hear me? Do NOT go into the light." "I'm going into the light."

[@mattstorm360]

And that one guy who's in denial. "Wait a second... that's not Gordon Freeman!"

[@IceTopAtoo]

It's so sad, yet so magnificent.

[@baalgar5530]

He’s done this before he’ll be fine.

[@sirbushmansrules3622]

"He's done this before, he'll be okay" *THEY KNOW*

[@sweetheavenpancakes3605]

17:19 male_01: "Sometimes, I dream about cheese..." *silence* female_02: "Yeah, that's enough out of you." Fantastic.

[@kanderion5685]

"Don't worry, he will come back." "Somebody take his crowbar." The first voice line proves that the rebels know that gordon freeman always comes back and the second one just says that the rebels are assholes.

[@sydneylong2322]

dibs on the suit!

[@Journey_Awaits]

At the start of the game they are rude to you but start the worshipping near the end

[@robowisanveithasung6022]

@@Journey_Awaits Not all of them are necessarily rude, they're just timid.

[@bellflower1183]

Once I looked at this, I immediately thought of glados' voice speaking your text.

[@pakoti96]

Or maybe, *just maybe* there are different people with different characters among the rebels, just as in any society or group ever.

[@CaptainOguretz]

17:14 For a second I thought he was going to say “You smell that? It’s Freeman”

[@badreddinegacem]

XD

[@124Nightwing]

All that running and gunning with alien gore all over him, he probably does stink.

[@auramaster2068]

@@124Nightwing nah dude he uses black mesa brand body spray

[@insertnamehere1865]

@@auramaster2068 Ive allways had a feeling Dr Freeman smells of old spice for men for some reason

[@bukachell]

I think that the fact all the half life 2 characters are modelled after real people is what makes them feel so real in game

[@maddy3852]

I just realized there actually is one character with an Eastern European sounding accent: Father Grigori. I feel like that makes sense as he's probably local to Ravenholm seeing as he has stayed on the fringes presumably out of sight of the Combine.

[@Looona_fan]

Makes sense

[@InHerMajestiesDefense]

considering he stayed in one place without moving, he never picked up any other accents

[@samuelantoniocastillomeza5034]

I never tought that a possible reason for some people missing spots of hair was because of surviving to Manhack attacks. I like this explanation.

[@snakefoolery2177]

i always thought it was them escaping CP's that were hitting them with stun sticks

[@reignponce7946]

@@snakefoolery2177 stunstick does 40 damage and citizens have 40 health

[@Feasco]

The other explanation is they have to do their own haircuts

[@DM_2145]

i thought it was some type of disease

[@reignponce7946]

@@DM_2145 corona virus on half life

[@leo_the_v.3847]

There actually is a canon reason why everyone sounds american. In Half life: Alyx we see that America has been completely destroyed and thus every American was moved to Europe.

[@maximgun3833]

Displacing them and constantly relocating citizens would also help in preventing any dissenting groups and make organizing somewhat more difficult.

[@maximgun3833]

It does make me wonder though. Where did the original population go, the Eastern Europeans?

[@auramaster2068]

@@maximgun3833 the only place that hasnt been corrupted by combines

[@SlimbTheSlime]

Auramaster 206yt da moon

[@MykolaSternenkoDroneBoyHoleMan]

@@auramaster2068 Metro

[@javieraravena5345]

I like how the lines about Freeman dying are put in an order that it sounds like a squad of rebels discusing his death. Rebel 1(holding Gordon): "Doctor Freeman, if you hear me, don't go into the light!" Rebel 2: "We need to spread the news." Rebel 3: "Why? It doesn't matter. We are done for. It is all over." Rebel 2: "Now what?: Rebel 1: "Dibs on the suit."

[@redpup6126]

“Some one take his crowbar” grave robbing at it’s finest

[@Sythll]

I love that they only used one Voice actor each for the Male citizens and Female Citizens and yet every one I find feels unique is quite incredible

[@zzqqoo123]

Even though they have same voice for 2 type of them is like their a clone. But I don't feel something weird about them. it's just perfection and detail valve make

[@InHerMajestiesDefense]

i never noticed that

[@DrewBert324]

It's so cool how Valve adds all these details that you would usually miss playing the game but they make the world so much more believable and interesting

[@Silwerowy]

I have to say, valve really worked hard on npcs and their ai's, but i hate that some people think citizens are dummys and combines are idiots that shoot you

[@thesucc990]

This. One of the things that really make Half Life 2 so special and ahead of its time.

[@mredgeworth4428]

@@Silwerowy Citizens are morons and always get in your way. Combine soldiers are one of the most interesting and intelligent enemies of all times but the problem is that they don't live long enough for the players to experience some of their more advanced AI due to level design combined with their low HP, speed and damage.

[@Silwerowy]

@@mredgeworth4428 yea

[@capscaps04]

The combine AI is bad because if yoy use a bucket to hide the combine from your own line sight, they will not shoot you.

[@silverbeach1557]

I, too, have some observations: 1. Terrible sense of fashion, bad haircuts 2. Pretty good at mechanical maintanence but terrible at cleaning 3. Eat too many unhealthy vending machine snacks

[@RescoeZ]

So... Black Mesa scientists?

[@silverbeach1557]

@@RescoeZ Well if the scientists were any good at mechanical maintanence, none of this would have happened then, would it?

[@RescoeZ]

@@silverbeach1557 their equipment was never meant to do that much in the first place. Not to mention those ridiculous ties!

[@dwarvenmoray7019]

17:15 These four lines of dialogue are nothing short of amazing together.

[@thepizzacarpizza1056]

My favorite line. "Sometimes, i dream about cheese."

[@korvo9936]

I think there was a character named Cheese

[@yarra3d]

I was looking for this

[@VOKZEL]

good ole Gmod Murder

[@blax140]

Sometimes i dream about cheese

[@MiguelHernandez-lo5lg]

Wait, you can flush the toilet? Damn that's crazy.

[@trashrabbit69]

It was the first thing I found when I got the game. Truly groundbreaking immersion!

[@CaveyMoth]

Games from this era loved having toilets that can flush. Just look at Bioshock, for example.

[@pikkuadi]

You could flush toilets and take a piss in Duke Nukem 3D in 1996

[@armoredmilkman3288]

@@pikkuadi the future is 1996-2004

[@mrbloom5183]

You lost me at there

[@narbogbugsploda7660]

I love how some people react to Gordon's death with sheer terror and mental agony, and others just sort of joke about it. "Dibs on the suit!" I also like how the Male voice actor said "Don't go into the light!" almost jokingly, whereas the female one tried to sound genuinely concerned.

[@valkaerie8715]

Maybe they're in shock seeing their one hope for freedom die right infront of the them

[@6darlingnikki9]

Gordon Freeman: *Literally dies* Citizen: “Dibs on the suit”

[@timtrinox9775]

Sometimes, I dream about cheeeese.

[@subliminaldoomer1966]

Half Life: Cheese

[@DrMogilus]

@Adam Ellis Poor cheese got fucked up.

[@mredgeworth4428]

YOU PICKED THE WRONG CHEESE FOOL!!!

[@snelkku2261]

What’s the point?

[@jimmysseedandfeed4062]

Yeah thats enough out of you

[@hazmatmatt1039]

My interpretation of "or if you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time" was that citizens might end up as stalkers just due to suspicion of resistance, by being in the proximity of rebellious activities or if one's housing block gets caught for that. Getting properly, legally investigated probably not being a chance. I wouldn't think they'd make stalkers randomly, and definitely can't imagine combine soldiers getting randomly assigned. I'd imagine Nova Prospekt making both would be due to similar techniques and equipment in surgery.

[@PedanticPig]

Yeah, becoming an Overwatch soldier is pretty clearly a voluntary process that comes with some prestige, rather than a punishment like being made into a stalker is.

[@ceu160193]

​@@PedanticPig Guess it varies. If you volunteer to become Overwatch soldier, you still keep some of your own personality and memories, despite having most of your memories replaced by brainwashing and combat training. However, if you are rebel and got captured alive, if you show great combat potential, you may undergo "full erase" of your memories and personality traits, and also become soldier...just without any resemblance of your former self.

[@ZeronFXL]

@@ceu160193 I like to think the Universal Union is pretty spiteful when it comes to resistance. Unless you showed GREAT promise I think you'd get made into a stalker if you rebelled.

[@ceu160193]

@@ZeronFXL More like they are rational - why waste good potential soldier? Especially if rebel is resilient enough to be upgraded into Elite - something not all human subjects can endure.

[@RescoeZ]

@@PedanticPig there's cut dialogue from Episode One where Alyx says Combine soldiers volunteer to be altered.

[@respectedsalmon9390]

15:32 Few people know this, but Dr. Breen loves throwing garbage at people. Occasionally, Breen comes down to the transit station to throw junk lying around at passing citizens for fun, though he's limited this to not look like an idiot to the Advisors.

[@maddy3852]

This comment made me laugh omg there's a firefly in my room sorry that surprised me idk why I wrote it down

[@KeWDu]

Imagine being Michael G. Smith. Sure, you're not nearly as big of an involvement as the voice actors for all of the main characters and whatnot, but you can always tell people that your face is in one of the most revolutionary and famous games of all time. And your character model is also used a lot by the fans.

[@jcdenton2187]

Sometimes I wonder where those people are today and if they comment on that much at all.

[@NickJerrison]

JCDenton 2187 Some of them have passed away. Face model for "Cheaple" died in 2006 I think, there's an obituary online somewhere and his parents leave a comment every year on his birthday. Some faces were people working for Valve or offices in the same building. Kleiner was a secretary upstairs I think, and Barney is one of the heads at Valve, still works there. I believe I also read somewhere on reddit that someone found out their landlord is the face model for Mossman, they even asked for an autograph. Don't remember if there was ever proof though.

[@theonionsystem7779]

@@NickJerrison may they rest in peace

[@drywallgrass]

@@NickJerrison his birthday is tomorrow

[@themaskedman8793]

@@NickJerrison just went on the obituary... that must have been a heartbreaking loss. It is said the worst loss is when the children pass before the parent; may his soul Rest In Peace.

[@mredgeworth4428]

People reaction to objects being thrown at them: In games---> 15:27 In reality---> 15:53

[@SheldonCreeper]

Mr Edgeworth true

[@MrGermandeutsch]

ah yews

[@landlockedcroat1554]

true, when i yeet something at someone i always get beat up with a stunstick

[@yoboikamil525]

*crack* YOU LIL SHI-

[@IceTopAtoo]

I love how you set it up so it's almost right when you get hit

[@spacebread3920]

This dude gets a bottle thrown at his head and his reaction is just to kindly say "cut it out"

[@iskawhiskers]

Under Combine oppression, getting glassed is probably a love-tap compared to Civil Protection stunbaton beatings.

[@SubaruImprezaWRXSTi-mo7tx]

“Don’t worry, he’s done this before.”

[@mredgeworth4428]

Citizens reloading : Lame Combine soldiers reloading : Tactical

[@combieelite5184]

let"s be honest the way Citizens reload is dumb while Combine Soldiers reload like John Wick. EDIT: I like how weapons reloading sounds fits well with the Combine Soldiers reloading animation unlike Citizens where the sound will play after the animation.

[@hanachi2865]

It's alien mp9 lol.

[@davvvvo]

MP7 not MP9

[@mantisynth2186]

"The Resistance was also there because they were lame." -Bot

[@thatdudemetro6271]

Citizens:rag tag rebels with no training or discipline. Combine soldiers:modified super soldiers with training and discipline. Soldiers still die because freeman has the hev suit, and because the plot destroys their aim.

[@argentavisimpia1390]

"dibs on the suit" , yeah , i would have said the same

[@elteto6978]

I am not a native English speaker. What is the meaning of "dibs"?

[@argentavisimpia1390]

@@elteto6978 jaja me neither , i speak spanish, but "dibs" is a way to claim something as soon as you saw it , "i saw it first , so is mine" , or that is the meaning that i have associated it with

[@elteto6978]

@@argentavisimpia1390 Ahhh vale. Pues muchas gracias! xD

[@Paddy656]

You're really gonna put on a suit AFTER you've seen it fail to protect it's wearer?

[@Osmann45]

@@Paddy656 Even the most dogdy armor is an upgrade from blue denim

[@BobafromPoland]

"Last humans on earth" this makes the whole half life even more scarier Edit: i dont remember writing this comment

[@rickro2878]

I mean, not THAT scary. I suppose humanity lost around 2-4 Billion people, and with 2-3 Billion leftover and the suppression field now gone, and Dr Kleiner streaming his message through the Breencast in every other city, I’d expect for the human population to rise drastically after taking use of the combine technology after the uprising

[@drsnakhenry653]

@@rickro2878 oh :(

[@Zamntron]

@@drsnakhenry653 implying that a planet sized orgy is not a good thing

[@Palexite]

When I discovered their were 20 different voice lines of citizens reacting to Gordon’s death. And some of them made me laugh. Some said: “He’s done this before. He’ll be okay!”, “I call dibs on suit”, “if you tell me it hurts. I will kill you.” This was when I was creating a map. And I found a lot of funny dialogue in the sound files.

[@forsaille4655]

"1984: the game" looks lit.

[@pandemic1421]

Orwell's work and half-life has many intertexual connection. I think Orwell influenced Laidlaw in many aspects.

[@thefoolishgmodcube2644]

Beta version makes it even better

[@consul.4930]

Did i hear "Beta"?

[@CRT-PHOENIX]

Not a single game in existence that got the Orwellian feel down like Half-Life 2 did.

[@NickJerrison]

You can literally take the entire Point Insertion chapter and replace the name Dr. Wallace Breen with Big Brother, name it "1984: Virtual Experience" and no one would have argued with you.

[@Celestial_Wing]

I remember playing Ep2 during the shoot out with the Ant Lions I saw a medkit go flying across the room and heal me right as I was about to die. That medic instantly became my favorite, the other medics would stand there and watch me bleed to death.

[@havoc3-243]

The guys were Griggs(medic) and Sheckley(regular gunner)

[@eggcrack1746]

The AI of Griggs is different from all the other medics

[@killermen962]

19:40 All that pessimistic talk then suddenly "DIBS ON THE SUIT"

[@me-lz7jb]

Me fr.

[@TheRealGears]

"He's done this before, he'll be OK." _he knows the truth_

[@purplestreak8511]

"...They're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always... they're always departing but they never arrive... and the ones that do arrive... they never leave... you never see them go they're always full... no one ever gets on but they're always..."

[@peeka_]

YAYVIDEOGAMES 2:the electric boogaloo

[@Nathan-kk6lb]

I honestly love that they never delve further into train guy or water guy. Knowing that it’s equally likely that there’s some big conspiracy or that they could just have finally cracked adds more to the world than any explanation could.

[@cletusmandeletusman2328]

*always on leave*

[@mohaisenpanolong4808]

BABULEX YAYVIDEOGAMES but KZbin?

[@peeka_]

@@mohaisenpanolong4808 thats right too

[@janors5722]

20:09 The way she says "Any last words, doc?" makes her sound like she's glad Gordon is dying lol

[@waffler-yz3gw]

russel's description of a sandwich in half life alyx being incredible to both him and alyx puts into perspective how bland the food is, cheese is probably considered higher than ambrosia of the gods "water flavor" "egg flavor"

[@xweert711]

15:00 That cheaple spot was always so funny to me, because they used a cheaple citizen for that scene, while also simultaneously having a Vortigaunt walking through the same area, whom is one of the most technically expensive NPC's to run in the game. It was like-.. There was no point in putting a cheaple citizen here.

[@Hallwo_333]

Y’know it’s pretty powerful hearing the rebel’s mild racism towards Vortigaunts

[@janoycresva7006]

They were literally enslaved by a hostile alien race within 24 hours of their arrival, what makes you think humans would roll over to the vorts? Idiot.

[@janoycresva7006]

"Woah man, human racist, alien friendly. So powerful. 😔" Shut the fuck up

[@Uniformtree000]

@@janoycresva7006 also you know some had trauma with them....

[@Hallwo_333]

Janoy Cresva May have made my comment sound a little over exaggerated by using “powerful”, it just kinda struck me as odd that I could draw connections like that, no need to get all pissy over it dude

[@mohammedrazeenzaeencamil9344]

@@janoycresva7006 it's only a game smh no need to call people idiots for it

[@beeninja2539]

Spoilers: 2:00 also in HLA a globe at the beginning of the game has a giant red X scribbled over all of North America implying that it might’ve been destroyed in the 7 hours war, forcing the humans to relocate to Europe

[@lakesidepyre7956]

Maybe it's just all wasteland?

[@italiangarbageposting]

maybe there are just no remaining cities fit to be used

[@kimmyjohnny31]

America, Mexico, Cananda’s cities could have been reduced to rubble as they resisted or North America is a full combine continent.

[@FireBlaze-kk1ls]

Portal Storms probably shredded it to pieces, making it inhabitable, or said portal storms are still occurring over there. Also maybe since portals opened over there, maybe it’s completely covered by Xen and Alien wildlife and inhabitable by humans. Or a gene worm terraformed North America and it was killed before it could reach Europe.

[@beeninja2539]

I’ve always thought that since the USA has the strongest military in the world and Canada was above it with lots of resources and the such along with Mexico below it means that North America posed the strongest opposition to the combine and refused to surrender when pressed hard. I’m thinking North America might’ve destroyed itself through use of nuclear technology or the combine destroyed it completely to set an example to the rest of the world.

[@srbrant5391]

"God _damn_ the Combine." Man, I felt that.

[@joseaca1010]

you might not always notice it, on account of being in control of Gordon, a borderline messianic figure in the Half-Life, but the setting is incredibly bleak, its amazing how people manage to hang on and even establish an effective resistance

[@VictorCampos87]

I love the fact that the coast has dozens of small details that indirectly say that water is being withdrawn from Earth.

[@AndersonMallonyMALLONY-EricCF]

Por exemplo? (faz muitos anos que eu não jogo HL2)

[@ketaminepoptarts]

@@AndersonMallonyMALLONY-EricCF you can see high up docks far away from the water in a lot of the maps, and they have algae on the wood that shows where the water line used to be

[@AndersonMallonyMALLONY-EricCF]

@@ketaminepoptarts Oh cool, kinda like Tom Cruise's Oblivion then.

[@EnemyAC130Aboveu]

So the youngest anyone can be at the start of the game has to be Alex’s age or older. Gives a good preceptive of whose left.

[@arandomperson5434]

Since the combine probably installed all the suppression field after 7 hours of half life 1's end.

[@magitrekTV]

@@arandomperson5434 i dont think it happened directly after Black Mesa. I think it had to be a few weeks or days for the war to happen. The middle is the world trying to fight back against the Xen wildlife

[@arandomperson5434]

@@magitrekTV Yeah. I would also like to see enemies of each other, such as the U.S.M.C and Taliban forming truces just to desperately fend off Xen Wildlife.

[@tychusenfieldlarsson206]

@@arandomperson5434 lol taliban wont stand a chance in desert and sand. antlions must have wiped them out in a day.

[@AN_PVS-2]

@@tychusenfieldlarsson206 Afghanistan isn't just sand dunes and open desert. It's very mountainous and forested too.

[@randomdude-4353]

I like how Half-Life 2 has different reload animations for the NPCs that reflect their experience with firearms. It really adds some depth to the game rather than having every NPC use reload_animation_1

[@someoneelsedoit8706]

Glad to see nearly 16 years later people are still making videos on Half-Life 2 and it’s episodes.

[@bekkayya]

"Sometimes, I dreeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaam about cheeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase" "I dont even have to tell you to SHUT UP "

[@Spaztron64]

19:07 Ah so that's where "Heavy is Dead" Sniper's "Dead?!" comes from.

[@Predator20357]

I think that’s because they are the same voice actor

[@PebsBeans]

@@Predator20357 THAT'S THE POINT

[@kittyluvr]

and the others too like "Well, now what" and "Oh, god"

[@stproducciones9140]

"somebody take his crowbar" Literally me if i was a citizen

[@sierra6321]

Theory: The refugees wearing a beige shirt instead of the labeled blue one is because the other either broke or as a form of rebellion. You can in fact see the beige shirt under the denim one in the citizens, probably issued to shield them from the cold (it does look pretty windy and cold in city 17).

[@atrociousbean4096]

19:44 "He's done this before, he'll be okay" Wait, what?

[@theuncalledfor]

Reloading last save...

[@user-tn1sp7im2l]

Plot twist: they remember each time you die

[@Journey_Awaits]

Gman opens the door and slaps you back up

[@Nathan-kk6lb]

I mean, normal people don’t know about the G-Man. Most people just know about this orange guy who fought the entire US military AND all of the aliens *at the same time*, before disappearing for two decades but then showing up in Eastern Europe to fight the entire Combine. And also (mostly) succeeding. I mean, yeah, given that I’d be totally inclined to figure Gordon can just resurrect himself at will.

[@a.k8185]

He fucked everone up at black mesa

[@svijj_]

13:23 Yes, finally! We have found the real life counterpart of the sacred one, Male07!

[@MSORP2008]

Male_cheaple is the true god

[@arzkaful1]

@@MSORP2008 NO!

[@Nova-vk5qb]

@@arzkaful1 PERHAPS!

[@svijj_]

@@MSORP2008 No, heretic

[@MSORP2008]

@@svijj_ Male 07 doesn't pay his taxes

[@dracorian4011]

14:43 i love the greeting nod for the g man lol

[@EnderDude124]

"Sometimes... I dream about cheese." "Yeah, that's enough out of you."

[@peanutnoodles2902]

7:18, In half-life Alyx there is many references of citizen workers, such as the xen Infestation cleaners and worker zombies.

[@mehmetefegorur641]

Other medics: *Calmly hands Freeman the medkit* Here, patch yourself up. Griggs: YEET

[@zzqqoo123]

Griggs and sheckley are smart and badass

[@Speed4Runs]

5:51 "what idiot put Kleiner in charge?" What idiot puts part of their TV beyond the edge of the otherwise entirely empty desk?

[@doctornsilver3882]

boy let's not forget the main character of the story... Male_cheaple honestly, class-A story development for that character, truly goes to show how far valve goes with their storytelling

[@AndersonMallonyMALLONY-EricCF]

Why I see this Riolu on every Half Life video lol

[@ketaminepoptarts]

ikr, i was actually sobbing when i heard his backstory. the writers at valve are so talented

[@piggosalternateaccount4917]

The Marphy Black of HL2, confirmed

[@canita4027]

As a Game developing student, its amazing how they created such AI in 2004

[@waffler-yz3gw]

the increase of opression from the events of half life alyx and hl2 is insane - the homes are much more furnished (which obviously is partially a hardware thing but it ties into the story too) - they dont have the mandatory blue outfits, they wear whatever they want in alyx - people socialize in public

[@Resecupss]

“Dr. Freeman.... is dead?” THE FREEMAN IS DEAD?!

[@andre_er-ledes]

Correct!

[@user-tn1sp7im2l]

Someone needs to make a "Freeman is dead"

[@user-tn1sp7im2l]

No, sorry mate

[@user-tn1sp7im2l]

@@DS-lm7vb *applause*

[@user-tn1sp7im2l]

@@DS-lm7vb We know...

[@Kapin05]

My eyes lit up when I saw this in my notification feed, I'm glad you're still making this informative and intriguing content!

[@Gigglesnix]

i remember playing episode 1 for the first time my dumbass walked off a cliff and once i fell i heard alyx scream "Gordon!" and you could tell how much she cared for gordon

[@kermitclassified]

lmao me too.

[@antalgergo2699]

*empties MP7 into resistance fighter* "Lead on, Freeman!"

[@jcdenton2187]

5:15 No. Breen is talking about the supposed *need* to get rid of those sexual urges, not implying that's what the Suppression Field does.. You are correct though that Episode 1 makes clear what the Suppression Field actually does. Basically a planet-wide forced birth control.

[@llSuperSnivyll]

Yeah, it's more like "Stop doing 'that' so that we don't have to keep the Suppression Field"... as if it were going to work.

[@kenythegr]

"Citizen Analysis" Mmm yes, this human is made out of human.

[@LocalGoober10]

Hmm, yes this A_Stranger2256 is made out of [NOT UP TO DATE ON MEMES]

[@armoredmilkman3288]

@@A_Stranger2256 why are you capitalizing every word

[@bastbo3225]

keny This comment makes no sense

[@yarra3d]

HECU is here open the door or i will kick the door

[@VOKZEL]

@@LocalGoober10 no it just made no sense and wasn't funny

[@kanderion5685]

"I can't remember the last time i had a shower..." "You smell that? it's freedom." i don't think freedom smells so terribly now, does it

[@spanishnameisjesus]

I never noticed those suitcases outside the interrogation room, that's chilling. It's like the piles of suitcases at the death camps.

[@GermanTrollface]

death camps? wdym?

[@toaster9922]

Pretty soon: “Half life 2: Pidgeon analysis”

[@CaveyMoth]

The birds in Half Life: Alyx definitely need analysis. They never stop squawking!

[@televisionandcheese]

There is actual analysis of them, like if you leave you buggy for more than 5 mins, a few of them will perch on it, and leave a mess

[@yarra3d]

No next is half life : cockroach analysis

[@yarra3d]

@Black what u think where i found this idea

[@CaveyMoth]

How about mouse analysis? The mice in Half Life: Alyx are adorable.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

You know, sometimes I wish the Combine were smarter or tougher. Then I look at the aspects of this analysis and that goes straight out the window. God DAMN it feels good to assfuck entire armies of them and their synths, steamroll entire scores of occupation forces to the point where it makes Breen and Overwatch practically panic. For real, I'm eager to kill some advisors as bosses in HL3.

[@thatdudemetro6271]

Honestly freeman survived because of the hev suit and the experience he earned on black mesa.The soldiers are actually augmented humans in other words super soldiers i can see why valve made them weak in game.

[@drenchedinsyrupp6059]

The Combine’s soldiers are just people with tons of experience that don’t need to eat, sleep, or drink. Only the Elites have further augmentation, which is why they’re stronger in damage and HP.

[@thatdudemetro6271]

@@drenchedinsyrupp6059 Not only that but the soldiers belong to the transhuman category nova prospect shows the mods they are undergone, a transhuman is a posthuman something like a super soldier.

[@logged-out]

17:34 i love a good minute and a half of citizens being racist to vortigaunts to get me up and going in the morning, lmao also 19:40 "dibs on the suit?" is my absolute favourite by far

[@bacon-sandwich4726]

"Dr. Freeman, can you hear me?" "Do NOT go into the light!"

[@kabibi8010]

That guy is so sad that Gordon is scaring off the pigeons. 😪 4:28