I thought the AI was pretty good, at least not as bad as most games. If there was a group of combine soldiers they would charge me, but if there was on or two they were more catious, on many occaisions moving back behind cover, particularly once I'd blasted some of them.

The squadmates did tend to be a mixed blessing. They were great for taking enemy fire and creating multiple targets, particularly when fighting strider. Their usefullness tended to disappear in close quaters combat, blocking movement and fields of fire. More often than not I had to blast through them myself to get out of the way of a grenade or mine, when they were blocking a doorway. But thats what we have shotguns for.

My only complaint would be how easy some supposedly "hard" areas were, particularly that first big battle with the striders. At no point was that difficult. I only died when someone ran in front of me when I fired a rocket. That first huge battle outside the prison was pure madness, a beautiful example of what a hard area should look and play like. absolutely beautiful.

And the end battle, make that the entire last chapter, was a walk in the park. I found earlier chapters to be so much more involving, so much more difficult, and so much more well constructed. It was somewhat of a disappointment to be built up throughout this entirely awesome game then be let down by the last, lack lustre chapter. It felt like they just slapped it together because they'd had enough.

And that ending, do I smell a sequel.