Was great as well. Buying the game unlocked around 25% more content, which is a nice business approach (freemium) and one worth supporting. 

Btw. Steam has removed the demo from all German accounts (stealthily as always). Now there's some confusion in various forums whether it'll be even possible to activate and play the full game (retail import or gift) from here. I was under the impression that MP was tied to the Steam network, so that would make it suck even more.
We'll see how turns out. If they fuck German customers over once again, I'll happily warez the game for the short SP part. 

why would they remove the game only from german accounts?? 

Why there's no riot police uncommon infected in the German version of L4D2 - also why the achievement 'kill one of each special infected' doesn't include them.

Oversensorship, but not as bad as Australia. 

I thought Germany banned Wolfenstein because it was such a horrible piece of shit, but it was just because they failed to remove some Swastikas :( 

for Friction who gifted me Half-Life 2. Yes, I installed Steam (in Wine...). :(

Also, haha. Once there is a censorship/control mechanism, you can be assured that it will be used against you sooner or later. 

that the game was refused classification in Germany and banned, so steam will not let German players download/play it.

Sega/Rebellion also said (I think) that they will not be making a toned down version for Germany.

:( sucks 

They are incouraging piracy. I mean people will just go in search of a "cracked" copy, who cant play it because its banned in there country 

After trying to place a bucket on Barney's head, peeking at Alyx' butt and getting driven over by a train with my fat bbox, I just have been levitated against a ceiling and crushed from the weight of the world. Well, one bug in the 10 maps I played in these 45 minutes is not too bad.

I played this far several times already so it was very boring and annoying not to be able to skip the damn scripted sequences. So my grumpyness is over the top. I am looking forward to playing more.

Is it me or is the "action music" not really fitting the theme? 

You never played HL2? 

meant to play it over christmas but computer broke down. Pushed back to Easter now. 

I just wonder why Steam doesn't add a proper age verification system to allow people to buy such games. Probably a gray area still, but then again, it's not so much different from imports (which are legal). Hell, they're losing so much money as they now can't charge exaggerated Euro prices from a not-so-small de.market.

I think a gifted copy will still work (like L4D2). Though a few people mentioned that, in the case of Saint's Row 2, it actually didn't.

Spirit: Cut back on the Steam/Valve hater attitude and you'll be able to appreciate the game more. ;) Well, and once you're through the canal section... The Ravenholm and the uprising bits are pretty cool. 

+1 vote for piracy.

+2 votes for trying to change the stupid german rules, but that's a bit harder for the average gamer. 

Woflmaostein was a really cool game. 

for control mechanisms like steam :) 

If they've figured out how to sell good games for a measly $2 US then they're awesome.

That we have to put up with bullshit enforced upon them by whatever country we happen to be then the blame isn't difficult to direct.

For example a friend bought Psychonaughts but the credit card charge was more than the cost of the game.

I remember when they brought Steam to the Russian market (link please) and basically said 'there's only alot of piracy there because they can't get hold of the game legally'. 

That boatcarwhatever sequence was painful. Please tell me there are no more vehicle sections or at least none as stupid as this one. The physics puzzles feel very forced, out of place in a "realistic" game. Grenades love to bounce from corners that are not in their way.

Gorgeous textures and brushwork. 

Spirit: Agreed. Especially about the physics puzzles. But do remember: in 2004 physics was a "new" thing. 

There's an equally long car sequence later on, but it's slightly better than the hovercraft one.
See here for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slRsexrhbG8 

I just played the boat part again and I thought it was awesome.
what was it that bothered you so much ( other than the lame floating barrel puzzle)? 

i like the boat section, especially how the sun slowly goes down as you play so that it's nighttime when you reach the base.

also, the section half way through where you escape into these leaky tunnels and the chopper flies away. the whole chopper chase is very loud but that one section with the physics puzzle is really really quite and moody. very cool audio contrast.
it's not a subtle effect, but i love it every time it's done in a game. 

Tank! 

Hacked Rochelle:

"Tank!!!! Tank!!!! TatatatataTank! Tank Tank Tank Tank TANK!!!!" 

http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/halolz-dot-com-left4dead-confusion.jpg 

I would shoot the gas canister *clever*