Half Life 2 vs N.O.V.A. 2
Half Life 2
Half Life 2 is the exciting sequel to the original Half Life game and is also the inspiration for a new Half-Life-based spin-off series. The game took the suspense, the challenge and the momentum of the first game and added in a much improved and realistic graphics and responsiveness that removes a lot of the clunkiness that old games often experience.The story also continues where it was left off before, with the crowbar-wielding scientist Gordon Freeman who now finds himself in an Earth that is not only infested with aliens but is also slowly decimated by them. He now needs to make amends for the incident back in Black Mesa and at least save the people that he cares about.
Half Life 2 is a great sequel, but it is unfortunately the last... at least for the Half Life series. On the bright side, you can somewhat continue the storyline through the spin-off games Half Life 2: Episode 1 and 2.
N.O.V.A. 2
N.O.V.A. 2 is the exciting sequel to a pretty popular FPS game series. Set in a time 6 years after humanity has successfully repelled the Judger invaders, another more devious, telepathic alien race, the Volterites, arrived under a banner of peace but had brainwashed a majority of the human race into thinking they are some kind of deity who had come to create a Utopian world that humans deserved.Join Kal Wardin once again as he tries to fight to free humans from the corrupting mind control the aliens have imposed on mankind, reunite humanity to rise up against the Volterites and potentially find out what these aliens have in plan for the humans they control.
N.O.V.A. 2 basically retained everything that had made the original game so popular among fans of the FPS genre. Although it's not exactly an innovative sequel, it is still a pretty nice addition to the franchise and well, you get to enjoy a brand-new storyline.
That said, N.O.V.A. 2 is no longer available. If you're interested, you can get N.O.V.A. 3 instead or browse through the list of alternative games below.