Larger than half-life: valve's highly anticipated computer game sequel pushes gaming into another realm.(Gaming)(Cover Story)

Just as motion pictures began as a technological novelty, interactive storytelling remains in a similar state, awaiting classics that will finally unleash the emotional potential (if the medium. Millions of players would agree that one such classic is Half-Life, a 1998 PC title from Valve that obliterated the formulate mold of the first-person shooter by charging its narrative structure and action-packed gameplay with "real" emotion.

Now, a little more than five years later, it appears that this groundbreaking title is being followed by another--Half-Life 2--already realism, interactivity, and artificial intelligence have already earned it industry accolades, ...