My parents got me two games for Christmas: for the PC and for the PS2. I'm playing them as much as I can this week before homework saps up all my free time.
HL2 is unbelievable. What can I say that hasn't already been said ? The environment perfectly reflects the vision of a downtrodden, post-alien invasion Earth. The story set in this world feels like an action movie full of hair's breadth escapes and plenty of explosions. At point I was driving a fan boat down a channel while enemies shot rockets at me from the banks. I hit a ramp and flew underneath a bridge from which more enemies where dropping burning barrels. A game has never gotten my heart pounding like that did. I am also constantly amazed at the physics. Objects fly, fall, stack, roll, and break with near-perfect realism. See-saws and pulleys both act as one would expect in the real world. The programming that must have gone into all that boggles my mind. I can't comment on the graphics, unfortunately. My computer can't handle the highest setting. It doesn't dull my overall enjoyment, however.
Eric also bought HL2 over break, and we have already Counterstriked (Counterstruck?) twice on a ChemE friend's server.
THUG is grand fun. It is the fifth Tony Hawk game I've played and the fourth I own. It is by no means groundbreaking in the sense of HL2, but it doesn't disappoint. The levels grew and the graphics improved slightly from THPS4. I like the improved stats system the most. Instead of being rewarded "stat points" for completing various odd goals in the game, THUG increases stats when I perform some action related to the stat itself. For example, performing a 20-second grind increses my rail balance.