Oh I get you now. I thought you meant culturally bigger. Haha
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Is the Orange Box the greatest deal in gaming? Will something like it happen again?
- Thread starter Max|Payne
- Start date
Oh I get you now. I thought you meant culturally bigger. Haha
Metal Gear... Halo... Sega 16-bit classics... Super Mario...
People are starting to fill this thread with releases that were collections of already-established games that proved themselves on their own when they first were published. The Orange Box was a collection of DAY ONE never seen before releases where all three of them eventually became some of the best games ever in their respective genres.
You guys aren't even trying to make an apples-to-apples comparison for the thread topic when the real alternative options are eons behind the one, true king. That crown will never be taken. Ever.
People are starting to fill this thread with releases that were collections of already-established games that proved themselves on their own when they first were published. The Orange Box was a collection of DAY ONE never seen before releases where all three of them eventually became some of the best games ever in their respective genres.
You guys aren't even trying to make an apples-to-apples comparison for the thread topic when the real alternative options are eons behind the one, true king. That crown will never be taken. Ever.
It was a stupendous deal, so was Mario All Stars + Mario World.
My favourite deal was from 20 years ago, when I worked in a video game store. Nintendo GameCube + Mario Kart Double Dash + The Legend of Zelda + The Adventures of Link + Ocarina of Time + Majora's Mask for £99.99 . I just thought it was brilliant value for money and we sold out of our allocation pretty quick.
My favourite deal was from 20 years ago, when I worked in a video game store. Nintendo GameCube + Mario Kart Double Dash + The Legend of Zelda + The Adventures of Link + Ocarina of Time + Majora's Mask for £99.99 . I just thought it was brilliant value for money and we sold out of our allocation pretty quick.
For me it's the greatest. There are a few one that are nice too like Halo: MC and Mass Effect LE.
Als you really underestimate the success of GOW nowayds my friend, I mean by that time Half-Life was the star but now it lost its momentum. Even if they announce a new HL game now, it will be really huge but a new GOW game which is very mucha waiated in new settings, won't pale in front of it (I won't go as to say it will shine more than it).
Oh, Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time and Master Quest for £37.99 was a brilliant deal considering that one was a brand new game, one was an N64 release that no one had ever played before, and one was a release of a very popular game. For a Zelda fan, that was pretty huge.
Rare Replay and Halo: MCC are in contention as well. Well, the current version of MCC because it was pure ass at the time.
Definitely a favorite of mine (finally gamepad support on PC!), but the lack of ME3's multiplayer is still disappointing.
To be fair to All-Stars, the work that was done to those games was pretty unprecedented at the time. It was like an HD remake decades before that even became a thing. I think it's worthy of being in the conversation here.
It also had Lost Levels, which was new content at least outside of Japan.
First thing I thought of, and I think that as time passes, it will be be even more highly regarded as more people see its brilliance as not just great games, but a truly cohesive package.
Wow, I hadn't heard about this, I'd definitely buy it if it includes Ascension (the only one I haven't played all of).
My only complaint with God of War is that I tried doing a replay of the series back on PS3 and half-way through the second game my fingers were killing me from button mashing to open doors, and the rumble was so intense that it actually started hurting my hands.
Nowadays I can just turn off rumble, but it would be nice if they manage to turn down the button mashing in the early games, or at least have an option to just hold the button down.
Feel like I'm missing something that it took so long for these to get mentioned. 5 games for the price of 1 is good and all, but you can play like 500 for £10 a month these days
This.
It'd be incredible to see something like this again, but we'd be talking something on the level of like an Elden Ring rerelease which includes a second expansion, Bloodborne 2, and a brand new IP on the same disc lol.
I guess from the OP it was implied that we're talking about individual packages and not like, subscription services here.
I fully agree especially the part where you twist the analogues to free up yourself from the medusa stone gaze and similar, I really don't want to break the controller anymore ( I didn't mind for PS2 back then XD).
iirc they never bothered updating TF2 which made it an awful version of the game, same as when they released CS:GO on consoles.In terms of AAA (and arguably all of games, even with UFO 50 recently out), this is going to be hard to top.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition definitely comes close for me and, to a lesser extent Halo MCC, but The Orange Box gets the edge because it came out with three brand new actual games with its release in HL2: Ep 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2.
Plus, this is still for me one of the best splash screens in a game or a package of games together ever.
I'm surprised nobody has mention any of the Mini Consoles. $80 for a Greatest Hits collection of SNES games is hard to beat AND it doesn't require any other hardware other than a TV or monitor.
I've only played a fraction of UFO 50 and I already feel like I've more than gotten my $25 USD's worth. The included 2D brawler is the first time I've ever really understood that genre's appeal and that's just one game.
I enjoyed The Orange Box in the day, but you can sum it up as a 20-25 hour first-person shooter, a multiplayer first-person shooter, and Portal. If you take out Portal, it's not that different than just buying a FPS with multiplayer and a bulky single-person campaign. And of that single-player campaign only about 5-hours is stuff you couldn't have played before. Now admittedly, the formula changes somewhat in that Portal is an all-time classic and this was its debut, but as time goes on, I become less and less impressed with the package (loved it at the time, but I don't think HL2 has aged all that well).
I've only played a fraction of UFO 50 and I already feel like I've more than gotten my $25 USD's worth. The included 2D brawler is the first time I've ever really understood that genre's appeal and that's just one game.
I enjoyed The Orange Box in the day, but you can sum it up as a 20-25 hour first-person shooter, a multiplayer first-person shooter, and Portal. If you take out Portal, it's not that different than just buying a FPS with multiplayer and a bulky single-person campaign. And of that single-player campaign only about 5-hours is stuff you couldn't have played before. Now admittedly, the formula changes somewhat in that Portal is an all-time classic and this was its debut, but as time goes on, I become less and less impressed with the package (loved it at the time, but I don't think HL2 has aged all that well).
Yep, that's the difference with the Orange Box. There's absolutely arguments to be made if value for money is the only metric (and in fairness, it's the one this thread focuses on) but the real magic of the Orange Box was that it included three brand new, arguably generation-defining bangers from a beloved studio on the same day.
It's definitely up there with the Master Chief Collection, Rare Replay, God of War Saga, and MGS Legacy Collection for me. MGS Legacy Collection is the greatest to me tho. $50 for 7 titles of one of the most influential and critically acclaimed series of all time was incredible then and even more so nowadays.
People have gotten tired of them because they've done them so many times but the Genesis collections Sega puts out every so often are an insane value.
Hmm, it depends on who you'd ask. Orange box is basically worthless to me aside from Portal. Great game.
For a compilation of older games I'm probably go with Rare Replay. Viva pinata games, Blast Corps, Banjo, Battle toads, Perfect Dark, ect ect. UFO 50 is probably the overall winner but it will need to simmer in the collective for a while. I mean, I'd rather play Party House than most games these days, compilation or not!
Also if FF pixel remastered ever comes down in price I'd probably add that to the conversation as well.
For a compilation of older games I'm probably go with Rare Replay. Viva pinata games, Blast Corps, Banjo, Battle toads, Perfect Dark, ect ect. UFO 50 is probably the overall winner but it will need to simmer in the collective for a while. I mean, I'd rather play Party House than most games these days, compilation or not!
Also if FF pixel remastered ever comes down in price I'd probably add that to the conversation as well.
If you've seen the Steam folder on PC, it makes sense.
They all use Half-Life 2 as their base, with different assets on top.
But it's basically HL2 with extra mods.
MCC would run away with this perception if it had actually worked for the first few years it was out. But it didn't 😬
Yep. Nothing is close.
Orange Box is a classic however, and I'm honestly not upset if someone gives this as the answer.
It works now perfectly fine (and got additional content due to the earlier troubles), so it satisfies the question.
Not really comparable. Thats a compilation of already released games Orange box was 3 brand new AAA level games.
People writing off UFO 50 are nuts. 50 full, brand new games for 50 cents each. In a variety of genres. All playable in single player. Many with coop or versus modes as well. Several with sequels in new genres within the collection.
I'm not gonna try to pull down Orange Box to lift up UFO 50 but to say there aren't valid arguments for both is wild.
I'm not gonna try to pull down Orange Box to lift up UFO 50 but to say there aren't valid arguments for both is wild.
I think what elevates The Orange Box is that a good portion of the package was new. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 all debuted in The Orange Box. Pretty hard to top that.
I'm terms of overall packages I'd put Master Chief Collection in its current form up there. It had a terrible launch, but 343.. er, "Halo Studios", has gone above and beyond to update it. Minor things like restoring some of the graphical effects in Halo CE that were lost in the initial PC port, are really appreciated.
I think Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a great package—and what I recommend to newcomers—but I think a lot of the art changes in ME1 are universally worse. It's missing Pinnacle Station, and while that isn't the best DLC, it's still a relatively big piece of content. The ME2 port also has a few issues that weren't in the original 360 and PC releases.
Haven't played UFO 50 yet, but it looks fantastic.
I'm terms of overall packages I'd put Master Chief Collection in its current form up there. It had a terrible launch, but 343.. er, "Halo Studios", has gone above and beyond to update it. Minor things like restoring some of the graphical effects in Halo CE that were lost in the initial PC port, are really appreciated.
I think Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a great package—and what I recommend to newcomers—but I think a lot of the art changes in ME1 are universally worse. It's missing Pinnacle Station, and while that isn't the best DLC, it's still a relatively big piece of content. The ME2 port also has a few issues that weren't in the original 360 and PC releases.
Haven't played UFO 50 yet, but it looks fantastic.
It will never be anywhere near as well known as the Orange Box though.
The value is also debatable. Don't get me wrong, I love UFO 50. But a bunch of small games emulating design from the 80s isn't exactly AAA-quality DLC for one of the greatest games of all time, one of the best multiplayer shooters of all time, and one of the best puzzle games of all time packed into one.
Plus IRRC Orange Box was the first time HL2 and Episode 1 were available for that console generation, which was huge too.
That was going to be my answer, that's the first thing I think about when I think of "greatest value in gaming."
Arguably some long single-player games would be a better value than Orange Box or UFO 50. Like I'm guessing there's a TON of people who have played Skyrim for hundreds of hours more than the average person is going to spend with those two.
I hate that they never released it on modern consoles. I get it as a business move but like, hasn't enough time passed by now. you rule the gaming world, Steam and have been ruling the gaming world for a long time. I'm sure you can afford one less exclusive without your company collapsing. hell, I'll even buy the Half-Life games piecemeal.
edit: nevermind, nothing to see here
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It's still backwards compatible and upscaled on Xbox i think
That's really selling UFO 50 short - most of the games aren't just emulating design from the 80's, they're doing clever things that actual games from the 80's never did and the whole thing has a meta wrapper full of secrets. If Metaphor: ReFantazio didn't just come out (and I'm partial to turn-based JRPGs), I'd say it's clearly the best game released this year.
By the same tact, I could say that The Orange Box is just some old stuff you probably had, with a new 5-hour expansion pack, a 3-hour puzzle game, and a GaaS multiplayer shooter.
I understand the framing you are trying to create. But, I think your angle requires a whole lot of handwaiving past what Orange Box actually is, to more/less bring it down to parity with other individual games.
Orange box was the first release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2. A fantastic expansion to the much praised Half-Life 2. And personally, I think that Episode 2 is a better game to actually play, than HL2. It also includes HL2 and the solid Episode 1.
Along side, is the release of Team Fortress 2. Which ended up setting trends in gaming and gaming culture, for years. Trends in gameplay. Trends in art and presentation. Community and comedic trends. Etc.
Also included, is a game called Portal (also freshly released). Which on many days of the week, I would say is the greatest game of all time. And even at the time, was often at least regarded as worth the entire cost of the Orange Box, despite its short length. Portal also set trends in game design, story telling and tone, comedy, memes, etc.
Its very difficult to briefly, yet effectively articulate the major ripple effects of TF2 and Portal. And you also got the latest, excellent expansion to HL2.
I know I bought it and as a result got Steam and as a result have given them a lot of money.
So a great deal, but also a great way to get people on the Steam platform
So a great deal, but also a great way to get people on the Steam platform
Yeah... there's like a gas leak in this thread or something.
Orange Box will never be topped again.
WTF
why was I utterly convinced it wasn't?
I just googled it and found a Reddit post asking if it was removed, and people replying that no, it was not removed. so at least I'm not the only person losing my mind?
anyway, this is slightly embarrassing but more importantly thanks, I now have a reason to dust off the old Xbox One that a friend gave me.