One thing you should know before you dive into Episode One, is that if you have not played the original Half life 2, you will be very very lost. This game plays just like a continuation of the story in the original, and to say the least, is amazing. It takes all the intensity and creativity of the HL2 and kicks it to high gear. It may go by quick, but it might just be the most exhilirating 4 hours of gaming I've ever had. Content wize, it has the same amount of violence as the original. Blood splaters when someone is shot, disfigured zombies roam in the dark, and youll come across the occasional dead-guy-with-messed-up-face. Still, this game is no where near the violence of other M games like Resident Evil 4, FEAR, or Doom 3. But what this game does have that those do not, is an overwhelming sense of doom and dread. The visuals here may disturb even though they are not particularly violent. The characters are well-developed and add a sense of humanity to the game. Other then that there are a few dirty words (nothing beyond a few s-words). On a good note, there are strong female and minority characters and the puzzles require some high critical thinking and logic skills. Play away my fellow gamers, here is one true work of art!