Half-Life 2: Follow Freeman

28th April 2013

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This chapter involves heavy urban combat, aided by resistance members, against Striders, Gunships, and both regular and elite Combine Soldiers.

Gordon Freeman teams up with Barney, together leading a battle at the Overwatch Nexus, and finally fighting their way to the foot of the Citadel.

There they encounter DOG, who is running rampant through the streets looking for Alyx.

DOG provides a pathway into the Citadel by lifting up a portion of a Combine Smart Barrier, allowing Gordon through.

Trivia
  • This is the last chapter in which Barney appears in Half-Life 2.
    • Achievements

    Counter-Sniper (5G) Kill all of the snipers in City 17.  Fight the Power (10G) Shut down the suppression device by disabling its generators.  Giant Killer (10G) Survive the rooftop Strider battle in the ruins of City 17.

    Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
    Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
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    Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
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    The Replay Experience Experiment

    This post is part of the The Replay Experience Experiment event. This is a chance to replay all the Half-Life games and discuss them based on our experiences since we first played them.

    Hat Tip

    The intro and trivia text are taken from the CombineOverWiki, a fan-supported, editable wiki covering the Half-Life series of games.

    Walkthrough
    A Complete Half-Life 2 Walkthrough

    On the left is a complete text walkthrough for Half-Life 2.

    It has been written by Stanley E. Dunigan and updated with all the tricks and tips from PlanetPhillip.Com readers.

    It is in PDF format, meaning you can open it directly in modern browsers or download it and print it.

    (Left-click to open and right-click to save)

    Do Not Own This Game?

    You can purchase Half-Life 2 directly through Steam and could be playing in within moments, depending on your internet connection.

    Categories (?)
    Games Half-Life 2

    10 Comments

    1. PlanetPhillip

      I used the image of the dying soldier for the thumbnail as it struck me as representative of the overall cost of this chapter. I don’t know for sure, but it seemed to me more rebels were killed in this chapter than any so far, and probably to come. I’m not a big fan of the squad idea and having these people helping or following me was often more distracting than helping.

      That said, I don’t know how it easy would have been to complete this level without them and I suppose I could replay it and just kill them when they come running up to me, but that’s not the issue here.

      I actually feel responsible for their deaths. I couldn’t just tell them to stay somewhere until I had cleared the area. They followed me and died.

      Anyway, enough virtual dramatics. This is a splendid level with some great use of height and 360 degrees worth of action. There are distinct sections that require boldness and others than require more careful consideration. Valve did a great job of making it feel as though there was plenty going on around me without distracting me.

      It could almost have been an end level.

      Just a quick note about Steam: I had to play this chapter offline as my connection was a bit flaky. As of writing this review, one hour after finishing the chapter, my achievements haven’t updated. Does anybody know if they don’t register offline? Would be pretty annoying if they didn’t.

      Playtime: 1 hour 14 minutes

      Reply
      1. Stanley Dunigan

        I don’t pay much attention to achievements, especially these days, but I do remember back when I was writing UHS hint files for HL2: Episode 2 and Portal. I was doing achievement hints for both games, and usually played them with Steam in offline mode due to having a slow old dial-up Internet connection in those days. I never got achievements officially noted, and had to use the PC console to monitor my achievement progress (it gave an “achievement ignored” line every time I did something achievement-related).

        It’s probably still that way, with online mode required to actually get achievements. Also, I’ve noticed that in several different Steam games, I sometimes don’t get achievements even when I’m in online mode. Replaying the area where the achievement is gotten sometimes gets it, and sometimes doesn’t. It’s all really very flaky. They need to fix it to always properly give achievements, and to keep track of achievement progress (on your local hard drive) while you’re playing in offline mode so it can be updated when you next play in online mode.

        Reply
      2. Blue Lightning

        Just a note that I hope you continue this review of the HL2 levels, with Lost Coast, Ep1 and Ep2.

        Reply
    2. Blue Lightning

      Great level of course, lot’s of nice outdoor action as mentioned above. Different stratagies must be emplemented depending on the battle situation, also as mentioned above. This is a real battle level.

      The visuals are pretty stunning, but like Phillip I’m not crazy about following squads, though I agree that they were needed in this level.

      I guess I agree with everything said already, so I probebly should of just made a one word post: “agreed”. Lol

      Reply
    3. Olrick

      “Follow Freeman” is the last big chapter of the game. Like in “Forget about Freeman”, Gordon is close to his goal but there is no more for comparison.

      We are in the right continuation of Anticitizen One, the difference is the precense of Barney and our first objective is to rescue him from snipers.
      On this map something is weird to me. After killing the two first snipers we must go on the roof to triggers the others and there, how does we should fight?
      Personnally I always go down in the street and when I kill the last snipers Barney go down himself, but he don’t pay attention to the two headcrabs on the roof! So, I suppose that in devellopers minds, we should fight from the rooftop, something I never succed and rarely attemped.

      After Barney rescuing we reach the Nexus and the main piece of the chapter. The fighting in the building is interesting due to the three generators and the three ways to reach them. I particularly enjoyed the ambush room.
      Later, from the roof, we can mesure the range of the insurrection. City 17 is already in ruins and the battle in the Nexus square is more and more violent.
      The square that we already crossed before entering the Nexus is now a huge battlefield rushed by striders. The idea of walking in two version of the same place is not new but very well made here.

      We finally reach the Grand Hotel and the Horse Column which are very symbolic in the game. How can we forgot this incredible battle in the building?
      The first time I played it I was very troubled by the second strider because I didn’t have rockets anymore. Later in the hotel I didn’t understant that I must wait for the strider destroying the wall. Nice barrier idea!

      For the transition with the next chapter, Dog open a way by the sewers under the walls of the Citadel. Simple and reminding classical air vents.

      CAUGHT MY EYES

      This is the most noisy hotel I ever seen!

      G-Man sighting

      None, or maybe that tag in the Nexus, at the exit of laser room.

      DEATHS

      Three! Two due to snipers and third in the laser rooms.

      PLAYTIME

      49 minutes

      MY FRENCH LET’s PLAY

      Reply
    4. Unq

      I liked the combat in Anticitizen One, but the pinnacle of combat in Half-Life 2 is in this chapter. You’re up against the best of the Combine now: Elites, striders, gunships, and of course those damn floor turrets. It starts off slow enough, where you have to get past some headcrabs and zombies, and then rescue Barney from the snipers. But once you start crossing the square to reach the Nexus, from then on the tension and combat are ratcheted up bit by bit.

      I honestly loved the tension in this chapter. I’m playing on Hard and did indeed find it quite difficult, and that’s even with bypassing some of the striders where possible, since they take a good 6 or so rockets to take down. But it’s the sense that if you stay too long in any area, more Combine forces will just hone in on your position and make life even more difficult. This may have only actually been the truth in a couple of areas, but Valve did a great job of making you feel pressure throughout much of this chapter.

      I think another important aspect of this chapter was the non-linear “feel” to the levels. You of course go though the maps linearly, but they feel wide open and non-linear, in the sense that you get to see the entire area from multiple perspectives as you make your way. The ruined buildings nearing the horse statue are a good example, as is the courtyard in front of the Nexus building – you can see all around, but there’s really only one path through.

      Playtime: 1 hour, 23 minutes due to getting my ass kicked many, many times by striders

      Reply
    5. Kaito Kid

      Sorry, i’m late. I’m pretty busy these days, I’ll catch up when I can. All the levels are played, but I’m running out of time to edit, upload and review.

      Follow Freeman! looks a lot like Anticitizen one, except for the fact that this time we have a different goal than just “survive and move forward”. We are the one attacking.

      We start up in dm_overwatch (kinda) and have to save Barney from the snipers. If I remember correctly, there is also a small zombie standoff in the basement, but I skipped it. Then, a small fight with some soldiers and turret, and soon enough Barney tells us exactly what we’ll have to do. take on the Nexus and shut off the suppression device on the top. easy? might be.
      We run through the plaza, dodging “suppression” shots and fighting soldiers. then when we get in, we meet a new type of turrets. One that renders the gravity gun useless (except if you throw the grenade in with it, but it’s a loss of time). Barney has no idea how to beat those, so it’s up to us. Then we run around the Nexus to turn off the 3 generators, and after that we can get out. Leaving Barney behind, there’s a nice battle against the gunships on top, but again I skipped it. When we get back in the plaza, the landscape changed a lot from the fighting, and we have to use a different route to get back to the start. There are quite a lot of striders, so it’s actually very dangerous. then we move through an abandoned subway or something, we fight one more strider (he pushed me down so many times I lost at least a minute… maybe I should have fought it instead)

      Then we get to the final strider battle, where we must dodge their attacks for a while before reaching the rooftops and being able to fight back.
      After that we meet with Barney again, this time he’swith DOG, who knows (how?) that Alyx is in the citadel, and he opens the way for us. The level ends with Barney attempting to swear.
      “If you see Dr. Breen, tell him I said F…*huge metal rumble*…K YOU!”

      Challenges:
      – Counter-Sniper
      nope, didn’t even save Barney. He saved himself anyway
      – Fight the Power
      Yep, can’t skip that one
      – Giant Killer
      Same here

      My challenges:

      – Complete the level without killing a single Strider
      Nope, it’s extremely hard to move forward in the last map without killing the striders

      – Get Barney killed without dying because “subject failed to preserve mission-critical ressources”
      Nope, requires luck

      Five words or less review:
      STRIIIDEEEERRRRR!!!!

      Deaths:
      none 😀

      Playtime:
      14 minutes 49 seconds 417 milliseconds

      Reply
    6. rikersbeard

      Firstly I forgot to time this level after a short gaming break and secondly, I forgot how intense this level is! Running out in the open while being constantly attacked by striders and combine elite is pretty hard work and snipers to; that’s just taking the Mickey!
      My comrades decide to “Follow Freeman”, but every time I looked to see where they were they were usually dead! I did get a few much needed health jabs but I still died three times hunting for rockets.

      This level is very complex and great fun and rises from ground level to the rooftops and back again making it feel like a real urban battle; helped by the intense battle symphony!

      CAUGHT MY EYE:
      Damn those pesky new scanners!
      Going one on one with Striders.

      PLAYTIME: 1.7 hours (according to my Steam account).

      Gman I didn’t have time to look!

      DEATHS: everyone who followed me! Me three times!

      FIVE WORDS OR LESS REVIEW:
      War of the World!

      PS. My achievements do not seem to update anymore?

      Reply
    7. Ade

      The vertical light beams is again another element not used in mods
      I really love the puzzle area with all the sensors in 1 room, I was really impressed the first time I played this.
      We get to see the citadel up close; havin the street blown up from under u was awesome!
      Darn invisible wall in the blown up building is v annoying, it doesn’t go away til both strider shots are fired; every time I play that area I think I’m doing something wrong, missing some exit but in fact I just have to wait it out til the exit is strider-made..
      In the final area we see the UMF building from the e3 presentation 😀 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=158365955

      Playtime: 58 minutes

      Reply
      1. Sparks

        Oi, you vandal, put that back!!

        Reply

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