Note that I didn't discover this game now and it's somehow gotten old, I've tried to like this game for several years, but have always given up due to nothing interesting happening. Picked it up again now. 
 
I just got through Ravenholm and to the mines and so far this supposedly unbelievably amazing game with a deep story, brilliant puzzles, believable enemy AI and hyper-realistic characters is a completely average FPS with absolutely no story at all (YOU NEED TO GET THERE. Okay you're here? YOU NEED TO GET OVER THERE NOW) with mostly really ANNOYING enemies.
 
The puzzles so far haven't tested my intelligence, but rather have proved to me that this game, indeed, does have physics.
 
So is this kind of like a FFXIII-like situation where the last few hours aren't terrible and that somehow makes it okay? Does anyone have a specific point I should reach before passing final judgment on this game?

It's probably not for you.

If you think there is no story you aren't paying attention. 
 
Play the game to completion and then pass judgement.

"It's probably not for you. "

" @SethPhotopoulos said:

"It's probably not for you. "

Yeah, I too tried to enjoy the half-life series, but I just couldn't get into it.   "

" @Arker101 said:

" @SethPhotopoulos said:

"It's probably not for you. "

Yeah, I too tried to enjoy the half-life series, but I just couldn't get into it.   "

Speaking of which, I played Half-Life 1 to completion and loved it. "

" If you think there is no story you aren't paying attention. "

I find it very hard to believe you loved HL1, but don't care for HL2. 

" I find it very hard to believe you loved HL1, but don't care for HL2.  "

You're not really catching the story because it's not telling you it in your face, you have to figure out what's going on and piece locations, character dialogue and other potential story-driven thing in the game together to get a picture. That's the genius of the Half-Life games, you're not told the story of the game in a little dialogue box, the whole story happens in the whole world or something.

" It's probably not for you. "

" You're not really catching the story because it's not telling you it in your face, you have to figure out what's going on and piece locations, character dialogue and other potential story-driven thing in the game together to get a picture. That's the genius of the Half-Life games, you're not told the story of the game in a little dialogue box, the whole story happens in the whole world or something. "

If your not having fun yet stop playing.

It's kinda weird that you liked the first game but not this one, all I can say is if it's not clicked with you yet it's probably not going to but it might be worth playing it to completion so you have the story wrapped up for yourself.

Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but... whoever told you it had an great story and amazing puzzles is full of shit.

I love it for one reason: the scenarios. You go from escaping from and fighting a helicopter while riding a fan-boat to firing saw blades at zombies in a creepy ghost town to driving a dune buggy across a giant insect-infested beach, and there's never a dull moment -- as soon as you start getting tired of whatever it is you happen to be doing at the moment, you're put in a new, exciting situation.

If you aren't into it after Ravenholm, it's probably not for you though.

" Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but... whoever told you it had an great story and amazing puzzles is full of shit.. "

" @ComradeKritstov said:

" If you think there is no story you aren't paying attention. "

I am paying attention because I love if I get a great story with my game but this is a completely average FPS with an occasional NPC going OH MY GOOD LOOK EVERYONE IT'S GORDON FREEMAN in your face. "

" You're not really catching the story because it's not telling you it in your face, you have to figure out what's going on and piece locations, character dialogue and other potential story-driven thing in the game together to get a picture. That's the genius of the Half-Life games, you're not told the story of the game in a little dialogue box, the whole story happens in the whole world or something. "

" @Icemael said:

" Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but... whoever told you it had an great story and amazing puzzles is full of shit.. "

Oh you mean, every single reviewer who played it? "

" @BenLaserlove said:

" You're not really catching the story because it's not telling you it in your face, you have to figure out what's going on and piece locations, character dialogue and other potential story-driven thing in the game together to get a picture. That's the genius of the Half-Life games, you're not told the story of the game in a little dialogue box, the whole story happens in the whole world or something. "

The first 30 minutes kinda had a story with the whole Combine overlordship thing going on, but then I got a gun and went into the sewers to whack some headcrabs, so yeah.  Shit's deep. "

I loved it, and episodes one and two. I find it to be a good, fun shooter and the story and characters are ones which stand out to me. The Vance family in particular I cared a great deal about. The physics based puzzles were never difficult, just impressive for the time and didn't age as well as the rest. Nowadays stacking bricks on a see-saw to reach a higher ledge isn't quite the feat it was then. 
 
 I tried to get one of my best friends into it, and she hated it. She wanted to play, and gave it repeated attempts just cause of how much I liked it, so she wanted to see what the fuss was about. In the end, she didn't make much further than Ravenholm. Just not for her.  
 
So yeah, to mirror what others have said, it's probably just not your thing. If it's not sucked you in thus far, I doubt it will. 

If you don't like it by now, you won't like it. I've always thought of Half-Life 2 like this:
The first half of the game is literally the best game ever made. The second half of the game is a bag of shit. Well, the turning point might not be exactly halfway through, but yeah, it goes from best game to worst game ever in the space of time it takes to introduce a new mechanic.
 
Also, there was a story?

" @Icemael said:

" Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but... whoever told you it had an great story and amazing puzzles is full of shit.. "

Oh you mean, every single reviewer who played it? "

" You're not really catching the story because it's not telling you it in your face, you have to figure out what's going on and piece locations, character dialogue and other potential story-driven thing in the game together to get a picture. That's the genius of the Half-Life games, you're not told the story of the game in a little dialogue box, the whole story happens in the whole world or something. "

" @Ventilaator said:

" @Icemael said:

" Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but... whoever told you it had an great story and amazing puzzles is full of shit.. "

Oh you mean, every single reviewer who played it? "

Indeed.The same thing happened to Uncharted 2. "Amazing story" my ass. It's more of a mess than Indy and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. "

The half life series is a god damn masterpiece, you really have to play them all to appreciate the bits of story you pick up from each game. I think its a bit late to be trying to get into them now - i had to get through half life one quite a few years after it came out to catch up and it was a proper slog but it was worth it.
 
Or just maybe its not your thing...
 
God forbid everyone doesn't appreciate every well rated thing ever!!!?

" @Icemael: Let me guess, the only stories you like come from Japan right? Oh wait, I didn't just say that. "

It's more of how the game's universe is set up, the atmosphere, and how the story is told rather than the story itself, though I do still find the story to be good. The game just does a great job of making you feel like a smaller part of something much bigger, and it's interesting seeing everything slowly unfold as you play. The puzzles are really there to break up the action and to demonstrate the physics, but the game as a whole is excellently paced and you're almost constantly being faced with different scenarios. The game is amazing from beginning to end, you just have to be in to what it has to offer.
 
@GunslingerPanda said:

" If you don't like it by now, you won't like it. I've always thought of Half-Life 2 like this: The first half of the game is literally the best game ever made. The second half of the game is a bag of shit. Well, the turning point might not be exactly halfway through, but yeah, it goes from best game to worst game ever in the space of time it takes to introduce a new mechanic.

It's a very good game. Saying that the Half Life series is overrated as a pinnacle of videogaming when the reality is that it is merely an innovative FPS with a genuinely well crafted FPS game world. There are some holes in the story, the shooting mechanics aren't the best, some of the guns feel quite weak, there are annoying platform elements which don't quite hold up, the game world doesn't quite feel as cohesive as you first believe and the sound in the game is almost too minimal most of the time for it to make any lasting impact.

I found that only the last 10% or so of HL2 was any good, the Episodes are a bit tighter in terms of the experience.

I have to agree, I'm 10 hours in and so far I haven't liked it.  Shooting is mediocre for me and I don't find the story compelling or the puzzles one bit compelling.  I can see why others would like it, but I don't find anything about it fun.

wat

The first time I played Half-Life 2 I thought it wasincredibely boring and tedious. Just power throughand beat it. Somehow when I finished it though the thought in my head that is was an amazing game set in. 

The game hasn't aged very well (particularly the physics puzzles and some of the vehicle stuff), but there are still some amazing bits. Like Nova Prospekt and fighting in the streets. 
 
And yes, there is story, it's told in a very oblique way. You should be paying attention and wondering things like: why is everyone expecting me? who payed for my "services" and what was the price they paid? what was Breen's previous relationship with the rest of the cast and why has he gone over to the other side?
 
 If you just want someone in your earpiece giving you exposition the whole game, yes you are going to be disappointed.

when the menu loads

Episode 2. 
  
I didn't like Half-Life 2 or Episode 1, but i thought Episode 2 was alright.

"  You should be paying attention and wondering things like:  "

OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!

I think Half-Life 2 makes more of an effort to marginalize the "whats" and "whos" and "whys" of the narrative. And that's a product of there simply being no fucking time to deal with that. What you need to know is exactly what you've expressed: Shit's bad, and you're almost always on the run as a result.  
 
That said, the narrative is there, but it's told through extremely non-traditional methods. Dr. Breen's propaganda. Newspaper clippings posted on the walls of buildings. Dialogue between soldiers. That shit's all there. You kind of have to give yourself over to the game, though. It's not going to do any work for you. 

I thought it got good as soon as I got an achievement for chucking a soda can at a security guard's head. I thought it got great early on once I had to survive that escape sequence.

" The first time I played Half-Life 2 I thought it wasincredibely boring and tedious. Just power throughand beat it. Somehow when I finished it though the thought in my head that is was an amazing game set in.  "

I love HL2 but I guess you really had to play this back in '04. The first time you saw the source engine cranked up and got your gravity gun on, it was an epiphany. Many things have come since and done better. Story wise, it's confusing as shit 6 years later, but the later episodes go some length to clearing it up a little. A little.

Point missed.  Play a different game.  Troll fail.

1. Why have you only just decided to play this game now? 
2. If you don't like this game then I'm concerned about what other amazing games you don't like.  
3. Half Life 2 is the best game ever made.

I'm one of those people who doesn't get why Half Life 2 is so popular as well.  I finally got to try it on the Orange Box and I didn't see anything special about it.  From what I've played, it was fine, but not mind blowing.

" 1. Why have you only just decided to play this game now?  2. If you don't like this game then I'm concerned about what other amazing games you don't like.   3. Half Life 2 is the best game ever made. "