HL2 Questions *Warnining* Spoilers will be here

[SoulReaver]

Well I have some questions. First of all, who exactly are these combine? And at the end of the game when you see Dr. Breen talking to a big wormlike creature, what the hell is that thing? I know that Breen is probably a slave to the Combine. I didn't like how it ended, it let us hanging. I can't wait for the sequel!

[ZeLL]

Normally i like endings that leave you hanging a little bit, but the ****in explosion makes you think that everyone died... I hate hangers that have nothing but bad ways to look at it. As for that big worm like creature... I'm trying to recall who that is. The guy on the screen he's talking to before he sees you and jumps in the elevator and leaves that crazy matchinko gun with you?

[burnthewitch]

OK, here are some actual answers, as well as some conjecture and other crap I've thrown in.

IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME, THIS WILL RUIN IT ALL FOR YOU...SO DON'T. READ. IT.

Question: How long has it been since HL 1?

FACT: Over ten years, based on the picture Eli shows you of his family from Black Mesa.

Question: WTF is the thing on the monitor talking to Breen?

FACT: the Worm is called a "Combine-Advisor". That means its either an actual combine, or that its something which advises the true enemy. This info is found in the book which comes with the special edition of Half Life 2...I cannot remember the exact name, or the description (as I don't have the book) but the combine are a race of aliens that became very advanced, technologically, very quickly. Over millenia they evolved to be so fat because they over-relied on their technology and now need it to survive, its possible they are born part-technologically now. This would explain the Covenant seal-like flying ships that piss me off. Allegedly, the Combine have mad-super mind control powers.


Question: Where did the combine come from?

FACT: They "burrowed" in from another dimension. The combine are not, allegedy from Xen (the alien world in HL 1). They beat earth in either the "Seven Day War", or the "Seven Hour War". Its on a paper in the game somewhere...I think its the "Seven Hour War".


Question: Why are the combine here?

PART FACT: Well, its not exactly explained, but Breen refers to them as "our benefactors", and throughout the game there are several pictures of a monkey skull, to a human skull, to a combine civil protection soldier. My guess is they are forcing human evolution to turn them into combine forces with soldiers. The combine skull has alot of machinery inside. Therefore they are "combining" flesh and metal. Geddit?!?

Evolution Picture:

http://www.yoxio.com/img/113279.jpg


Question: Why is Breen helping the Combine?

NO IDEA: Probably because he doesn't want to die, or he is mad, in the mad-scientist-type-fashion. No clue.


Question: What the hell is G-man playing at?

ERRR...: We still have no idea. However, at one point in the game, if you use the no-clip cheat (which, incidentally, using on one of the level lets you see the models of the Combine Advisor and Dr. Breen, as well as other models, hidden, close up), you can go close to him when he appears, to find him selling, or giving a rocket launcher to the general at one point in one of the buggy levels.

http://npti.eurekawd.com/hl2pics/40.jpg


Question: How does the G-man fr***e time at the end?

UM....: We don't know it was G-man, it may of been Gordon destroying the Dark-Energy Reactor.


Question: Are the striders and other enemies you don't get to fight (on the conveyers at the end of the game, during the second ride) part of the Combine?

FACT: They are called "Synths", another fact giving in the HL 2 book (called "Raising the Bar", I just remembered) and were assimilated by the Combine.


Question: Why are the Vortigons helping me, after HL 1?

THEORY: Now, the Vortigons are the guys who tried to electricute you in HL 1. Why would they have changed sides? Well, ok, here are some facts (that I stole off other forums...forget it, I'm not playing through HL 1 again):

G-Man refers to Xen as the "border world" in HL 1.

The Vortigons all wear shackles on their wrists in Half Life 1, and appear mindless. No shackles in HL 2.

Half Life 1 tricks you into thinking the Head Crab Mother is the final boss.

OK, the dominant theory of the moment is that, well...remember when you beat the Head Crab Mother in HL 1? You thought it was over. But it wasn't. You still had to beat The Nihilanth. The Nihilanth doesn't look like he belongs on Xen, and he uses mind-powers against you.

The Combine, the true ones, are all about using mind powers.

So....look at the pictures:

The Nihilanth:

http://perso.club-internet.fr/gryzor/half-life/gfx/ennemis/17-01-Nihilanth.jpg

Combine Advisor:

http://img107.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img107&image=d1_trainstation_050012.jpg

http://img107.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img107&image=d3_breen_010052.jpg

(Damn, I cannot find the picture of the no-clip)

The Nihilanth and Advisor don't look identical, but they DO LOOK SIMILAR. I am bat**** brilliant. Zing!

So thats what people think/know. Thats alot of reading heh, but oh well.

[SoulReaver]

I have a little to add to your why are the combine here answer. In the hint book that I got with the CE retail, it said that they were attracted to Earth because of the Black Mesa incident.

[burnthewitch]

Mwahahah, all the pieces are falling into place!

[SALvation]

I just finished the game and was definitely like, WTF? But now that I think of it, they will have to finish up the story in an expansion or true sequel that can't be far off. All around is was the single greatest single player PC game I have ever played.

*Loads up HL1:Source

[BobtheCkroach]

I just finished the game and was definitely like, WTF? But now that I think of it, they will have to finish up the story in an expansion or true sequel that can't be far off. All around is was the single greatest single player PC game I have ever played.

*Loads up HL1:Source

Can't necessarily count on an expansion to answer anything...consider HL1...Opposing Force and Blue Shift pretty much showed us nothing that we didn't know...just a different perspective. I would think that Valve will take the same course, giving us the game from the eyes of a combine soldier, or something to that effect. We may have to wait for HL3 before we get answers...on the otherhand, there could be some answers just from it being from the combine perspective (getting instructions from the Benefactors, etc)...<crosses fingers>

[ZeLL]

Damn twitch thanks for the report. That honestly helped a lot. I didn't play HL1 because i didn't get a PC until long after it came out, so there were much better games i had on my list at the time. I'm just sad that gordan didn't get the girl you know? :)

I must say the ending wasnt too bad. It could have been a lot worse. Just wish they could have thrown in an extra seen or the G-Man could have made some fwicken sense to help with the closure.
coolios :thumbs:

[burnthewitch]

I actually liked the ending, hell, it was far more of an "ending" Halo 2 had, but I can see why alot of people hated it.

On the topic of the HL2 ending, I agree that it's the middle chapter is something much bigger (at least, I hope, some closure would be nice), and an expansion pack would be good. Now, there are several threads that the HL1 various things didn't tie up (although I never played OF or HL1 PS2, so...):

What happened to the field scientists at the end of HL1 Co-Op PS2?

What happened to Shephard? (He was the guy you play in Opposing Force, he either ends up trapped by the Gman, or stuck on Xen...)

[ZeLL]

damnit i haven't beaten my Halo 2 yet. gotta get on that. :/