help me get Half-Life 2 cheap ASAP

Okay, in light of the upcoming GWJ foray into the world of HL2: Sourceforts, I am looking for somewhere to score a cheap (or cheaper) copy of Half-Life 2 (the full game).

Please help a guy out with suggestions. Massive bonus points for quick responses.

Haunt your local EB/Gamestop and look for a used copy.

Unfortunately, I believe that installing HL2 means associating that specific install key with a specific Steam account. Used copies are useless unless you have the user name/password to the account that it was installed with or that copy has never been installed.

For a while there you could pick up the game by itself for $19.99 at some places, but now they've thrown the things that were in the collector's edition into the basic edition and charge either $30 or $40 for it.

This was briefly touched on before, but I think it might be worth clarfying. Hl2: Episode 1 may be your best bet. EP1 is a stand-alone expansion pack that, according to EB's site, still comes bundled w/ the deathmatch:source component.

Not sure if you can find any specials, but going rate from a few months back was 20 bones (USD) for a new copy.

You could buy Episode One from Steam for $19.95. Shopping without pants: what a glorious thing.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I am looking for somewhere to score a cheap (or cheaper) copy of Half-Life 2 (the full game).

I want the full game, so that I can actually play through it.

If anyone else is looking for the cheapest way to get HL2 DM, it can be had for a mere $9.95 off of Steam.

I haven't heard yet if Sourceforts can be run purely on HL: DM, everyone so far has just suggested getting Episode 1. Would that do it?

My understanding is that it requires HL2 DM, which is available as part of HL2, part of Episode 1, or all by itself through Steam.

For a mere 10$ more, I'll probably just get Ep 1 anyway. Thanks for starting the thread, Fed!

^ just as a heads up JB, EP1 is pretty short. I personally see it as an expansion pack that's been distilled down to a point of refinement. Not a lot of useless fluff between the good spots, but the downside is that FPS gods can crank through it in like 3 - 4 hours, though I imagine most people will take about 6 - 7 ish.

You can play Sourceforts with just HL2DM, it takes a little minor finangling, though.