Gamers, what should I buy?

[beth_leonard]

I want to get Peter and Amber (and me too!) the game "Portal" for Christmas. A look at Amazon leads me to believe I can no longer buy it in box form -- the company website directs me to Steam to buy the game. It looks like I can get Portal 2 for mac for $20 in box form. I haven't (successfully) used Steam before, and I don't know how well it works. Plus, then there's nothing fun for the kids to open on Christmas. Unless of course I give it to Jon in steam form with only a note to unwrap (he won't mind) and give the kids something else. We have somewhat older macs, but they run 10.6.8.

I am a sucker for bundles, especially where there is good value. We don't own any of the games mentioned, and I don't know how good any of the others other than Portal are.

[Poll #1946748]

The games included in "The Orange Box" are: Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, Portal

The Valve Complete pack includes: Counter-Strike, Team Fortress Classic, Day of Defeat, Deathmatch Classic, Half-Life: Opposing Force, Ricochet, Half-Life, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Half-Life: Blue Shift, Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life: Source, Day of Defeat: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life Deathmatch: Source, Left 4 Dead, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead 2, Portal 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

I don't think I need all those... but it's possible that includes a lot of good games I missed along the way and should play for a good price. What is necessary to give the kids a robust education in the classics? I have enough money saved in my frivolous expense budget for any of the options.

Comments

[mrmorse.livejournal.com]

The original Portal was always sold in box form as part of The Orange Box. It was originally created as a bonus to throw in with Half-Life 2, and then went on to have a life of its own. Half-Life 2 is a more conventional first person shooter. Team Fortress 2 is an online multiplayer shooter based on the same technology as Half-Life. I think you can still find The Orange Box on CD for PC, but possibly not for Mac. If you got it on CD, the first thing it would do is install Steam, so you will end up using Steam no matter how you get it.

Getting more than The Orange Box and Portal 2 is definitely overkill. If shooting lots of things while being shot at doesn't sound like fun, you should just get Portal and/or Portal 2.

I've played a bunch of Portal, and a little Portal 2. My impression is that you can probably jump straight into Portal 2. There's not much continuity.

[mrmorse.livejournal.com]

Also, I should give a warning that younger children could find the story of Portal potentially upsetting. The set up is that you have been brought in to do experiments testing the Portal gun under computer control. But it becomes apparent that the computer is simply trying to kill you, that others have done this before, and ultimately you must destroy the computer to escape. It's somewhat dark emotionally and could be upsetting. On the other hand, a lot of this is subtext and could go over the heads of younger children.

I haven't played enough of Portal 2 to be know the story.

[beth_leonard]

Jon has been playing the ending soundtrack for them so I think they'll be ok with the theme. Thanks for the info about the other games. I've never really gotten into first person shooters (unless you count Minecraft).
--Beth

[dmorr.livejournal.com]

I played Portal with Jackson, who was just 5, and he loved it. I drove but I had him tell me what to do. We haven't done Portal 2 yet.

The others are mostly various first person shooters, some of which are good, but just not that exciting unless you're a particular fan of the genre.

[beth_leonard]

Thnks for the info. It probably says something that I don't own any other first person shooters, unless you count Minecraft.

--Beth

This is not a poll answer

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

Not filling out the poll because i have no idea how well those games will work on a Mac or how the saves will work. Though Portal does offer you multiple save slots, so it's possible to have multiple people play it even on the same computer as long as you're careful.

I own pretty much all those games and the only one i've played much at all of is Portal (intend to do Portal 2, but haven't gotten around to it except for some of the multiplayer.)

I'm not really fond of FPS games, at least ones where the point is the shooting. I've tried to start Half-Life twice and never gotten very far. One of these days i may manage it, but it hasn't happened yet. I've done some Team Fortress 2, but only in "single player" mode against bots, and i can't even beat that =P

So _if_ you want to give FPS games a try Half-Life is supposedly one of the better ones, but Portal and Portal 2 are the real winners in my opinion, because they're shorter, they're about puzzle solving instead of shooting things, and the first one at least is an excellent example of minimalist storytelling.

Re: This is not a poll answer

[beth_leonard]

If Portal offers multiple save slots, then that might be the way to go.

Based on all the comments, I think I'm leaning toward just the Portal 1 & 2 pack. Given that it's digital goods, if sharing doesn't go well, I can just order up a second copy Christmas morning.

--Beth

[elissali.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm with the others. I don't like first person shooters but Portal 1 & 2 are great, both puzzle-wise and story-wise. That's a lot of other first person shooters that it sounds like you won't be interested in, otherwise. And I got a chuckle out of the idea that Minecraft could be considered a first person shooter... :) I guess that's technically correct. :)

I disagree about starting Portal 2 without having played 1 first - there is definitely continuity in the plot, and the observant player will notice elements from the first in the second. The voice acting and writing in both are spot-on. And I actually think the skill-building in the first will make it easier to play the second, which adds a few new puzzle elements.

I have no idea about Mac compatibility. I'm not personally a fan of Steam, but it sounds like that's how you'll have to do it.

[theeidolon.livejournal.com]

I have Portal 1 and 2 on Mac (10.8) using Steam and they run very well.
The rest of the games are not so kid-friendly, so Portal 1 & 2
is a a good place to start. Steam has large sales once or twice
a year where you can pick up quite a few fun games very cheaply.
If you own a game on Steam you can play it across multiple computers
with one account, including cross-platform (not at the same time).
Portal has multiple save slots, so if you don't use quick/autosave as your
only save you can share it between multiple family members pretty easily.