Half-Life 2: Episode One

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3112 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,622 out of 3112
  2. Mixed: 334 out of 3112
  3. Negative: 156 out of 3112
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  1. RichL.
    Jun 6, 2006
    4
    Its half-life 2 expanded... a little bit. some new ways to play, some new graphics. but it is way too short, leaving you at a cliff hanger after about 2-3 hours of play. For 20$ this should have been much much more.
  2. SimeonM.
    Oct 4, 2007
    4
    I've just played through this game, so here are my fresh impressions. Positive: - a lot of new puzzles and ideas - some new enemies - I kind of liked the zombie chapter for finally giving some real use to the flashlight. Negative - No strong atmosphere/immersion, at least for me. HL2 was way better in that respect - Story can be summed up in about three sentences - Music doesn't I've just played through this game, so here are my fresh impressions. Positive: - a lot of new puzzles and ideas - some new enemies - I kind of liked the zombie chapter for finally giving some real use to the flashlight. Negative - No strong atmosphere/immersion, at least for me. HL2 was way better in that respect - Story can be summed up in about three sentences - Music doesn't do anything to create an atmosphere either, and is just used to underline dramatic scenes. That was a problem in HL2 as well. - Alyx praises you for every lame and obvious solution you come up with - Important areas with gates feel confining. If you're worried the player will miss something important, just use a cutscene! What's the use in "don't take control from the player" if you then confine him to a small room and want him to look at a specific thing?… Expand
  3. sinadoom
    Sep 29, 2011
    3
    Running through this only firing 1 bullet isn't too bad considering how easy Half-Life is in general, but is helped even more by the extremely short length. Nothing new or exciting here in terms of level design. The game itself doesn't do much to further advance HL2. Be warned though: 1 bullet means pistol not shotgun. Running through the game twice without firing a gun still doesn't makeRunning through this only firing 1 bullet isn't too bad considering how easy Half-Life is in general, but is helped even more by the extremely short length. Nothing new or exciting here in terms of level design. The game itself doesn't do much to further advance HL2. Be warned though: 1 bullet means pistol not shotgun. Running through the game twice without firing a gun still doesn't make the gameplay any more exciting. There's really nothing creditble about this game.… Expand
  4. RobertB.
    Jun 7, 2006
    0
    20$ for some maps and cutscenes? this takes halflife2 further and further away from halflife1 style and closer to counterstrike. be prepared for the rat race, cuz thats what you are gonna be doing in your gaming experience. looks like its going to be time to avoid the haflife series.
  5. Joe
    Jun 6, 2006
    0
    Rubbish. A short piece of extremely linear gameplay such that you might think it had been cut from HL:2. No challenges and underwelming set pieces. Didn't feel like an exploration. Alyx is a pointless, characterless companion. Come on, nothing happened, nothing new was revealed
  6. KongFu
    Jun 8, 2006
    3
    Well, what can I say about it? I can not find the feeling from playing Half-Life 2 when 2 years ago... The Episode is a failure, a trap that sucks up your money... Valve, if you like the way of making game like Episode 1... Make some more....and remember, they should be FREE but not $20.00.
  7. TerenceC.
    Jun 10, 2006
    1
    all the same weapons from Half-Life 2, no new ones, only one new enemy creature, and well zombines are a disappointment, there's only 2-4 hours of gameplay, so it's not worth $20 very disappointed with you valve.
  8. Martin
    Jun 7, 2006
    0
    i liked it but i said to my self after halflife 2 that i wouldn't buy any more valve stuff because of the online activation and the fact that you dont realy own the game they do , and if valve software was to go bust next week you would not have that halflife 2 to ever playagain. but i made the mistake of spending £15.99 on mine and its just not worth 15quid for 2 hours i liked it but i said to my self after halflife 2 that i wouldn't buy any more valve stuff because of the online activation and the fact that you dont realy own the game they do , and if valve software was to go bust next week you would not have that halflife 2 to ever playagain. but i made the mistake of spending £15.99 on mine and its just not worth 15quid for 2 hours gameplay. this is the last time valve get anything more from me. Goodbuy Valve software and good luck in ripping off all those people out there with your episodic gaming.… Expand
  9. TSeckerson
    Jul 7, 2006
    3
    I'm sure it would be a very good game if you could get it to load. I have had it for 3 days know, spending hours on it tring to get it to load. All I keep getting is an error saying, "hl2.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." I'm ready to try and return it today!
  10. JonH.
    Aug 9, 2006
    3
    Half - Life 2: Episode One is ok but paying the cost of a full price game is a rip off! It's is very small and takes next to no time to finish it, fun as it maybe i think the makers are being gready cutting a game into epiodes. Just bring out the full game and i we be glad to pay full price! if you put all the little episodes together to make it the same size as Half Life 2 it will Half - Life 2: Episode One is ok but paying the cost of a full price game is a rip off! It's is very small and takes next to no time to finish it, fun as it maybe i think the makers are being gready cutting a game into epiodes. Just bring out the full game and i we be glad to pay full price! if you put all the little episodes together to make it the same size as Half Life 2 it will end up costing about $100.00, sort it out valve its not fair!… Expand
  11. FranciscoMartinez
    Apr 5, 2007
    1
    Beware : crashes your computer every five minutes of play !!!

    How would you rate a Mercedes that goes dead after every 5 miles on the freeway, it takes another 5 minutes to start it again, just to see its engine die after another 5 miles. Think if a computer on an airplane goes off every five minutes on your next flight, will you board such an airplane ever again ? Well, this is just    Beware : crashes your computer every five minutes of play !!!

    How would you rate a Mercedes that goes dead after every 5 miles on the freeway, it takes another 5 minutes to start it again, just to see its engine die after another 5 miles.
    Think if a computer on an airplane goes off every five minutes on your next flight, will you board such an airplane ever again ?
    Well, this is just what happens with Episode 1 and Valve's much hyped Source engine. No matter how beautiful is that Mercedes, or how touted is that Airbus 340, you don't want to buy such a piece of crap. Whereas this not true for a Mercedes or an Airbus plane, it's exactly what happens with this game.
    See for yourself at :
    http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=500297
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_engine#Common_issues    … Expand
  12. Jason
    Jan 24, 2008
    4
    First off, the game is short...Real short...i beat it in 5.7 hrs. To have to play through what seemed a weak expansion of HL2 is a vast disappointment...The enemies are the same, as are the weapons....And having Alyx follow you around with Dog is a constant annoyance, She doesn't shut up and neither does anyone else you run into...It all just feels the same. Its not worth the First off, the game is short...Real short...i beat it in 5.7 hrs. To have to play through what seemed a weak expansion of HL2 is a vast disappointment...The enemies are the same, as are the weapons....And having Alyx follow you around with Dog is a constant annoyance, She doesn't shut up and neither does anyone else you run into...It all just feels the same. Its not worth the money...i will not buy Episode 2...as i understand it to is only about 5hrs long...woo...Please give us something with a decent amount of substance Valve...Not a bunch of episodes that are supposed to resemble a full game.… Expand
  13. AdamTominoio
    May 7, 2006
    2
    This Game Was Complete Cr*p and not just that, the graphics on this game could be done by a 12 year old, im not joking, my son is making a mod for half life 2 with better deatil then this game, please valve, steam and all that, give us a game we can ENJOY!
  14. DanB.
    Jun 1, 2006
    4
    The game was fun felt like a good mod. It took me four hours to finish this game, and I took my time to look around. For the price of $20 there should at least be six to eight hours of game play. I mean four hours. Give me a break. After buying sin I should have known better than to spent another $20 on this episode. Remember when they made expansion packs for nine dollars more that had The game was fun felt like a good mod. It took me four hours to finish this game, and I took my time to look around. For the price of $20 there should at least be six to eight hours of game play. I mean four hours. Give me a break. After buying sin I should have known better than to spent another $20 on this episode. Remember when they made expansion packs for nine dollars more that had twelve or more hours of game play. This episodic thing is a joke and rip-off.… Expand
  15. SubversiveTrooper
    Jun 1, 2006
    2
    This game is not worth it. It is far too short. People beat this in 2:30. There are much better games. A must have is Guild Wars. Half-Life 2 is horrible and I am starting to wonder if Valve is till alive cause of a mod they aquired a long time ago????? CS... CS made Valve what they are today, and they sure have more to buy... By the looks of Half-Life EP 1 at 2:30, Half-Life 3 should be This game is not worth it. It is far too short. People beat this in 2:30. There are much better games. A must have is Guild Wars. Half-Life 2 is horrible and I am starting to wonder if Valve is till alive cause of a mod they aquired a long time ago????? CS... CS made Valve what they are today, and they sure have more to buy... By the looks of Half-Life EP 1 at 2:30, Half-Life 3 should be outsourced. 2/10… Expand
  16. thestory
    Jun 20, 2006
    1
    Remember when you spent £40 on Half-Life2 and you played it to the end only to feel completly ripped off because the ending was just plain crap. well guess what you can now spend another £20 to see how they all survive. this time around this episode does not want to let you aff the tracks as you are guided without any freedom to do anything else through this realy short add on.Remember when you spent £40 on Half-Life2 and you played it to the end only to feel completly ripped off because the ending was just plain crap. well guess what you can now spend another £20 to see how they all survive. this time around this episode does not want to let you aff the tracks as you are guided without any freedom to do anything else through this realy short add on. you would think that they should have at least thrown in half-life source as part of the package but all you are offered is halflife 2 multiplayer and if you own HL2 it means you have the multiplayer game anyway. For the price they are asking you will feel let down and to realy rub salt into your already open wounds you are stuck with your retail copy as you cant trade it in. After valve screwed vivendi over you would think that they would sell the game fo a cheaper price because they got rid of the middle man, NO!! all Valve did was to assorb the extra money. ill Bet you all my complete game collection that after Mr Freeman gets to Episode III your gonna be left with another complete crap ending suggesting that the story will continue into Half-Life 3 and will also be followed by a further 3 exspansion packs, you all should all be ashamed for allowing episodic to get a foot hold because this will now give the go ahead for other software houses to rip us all off.… Expand
  17. GeneT.
    Jun 29, 2006
    3
    Its just same as b4 only new is co-op with alyx till the whole game finish,sad nothing improves.
  18. PieterJ.
    Jun 7, 2006
    1
    [***SPOILER***] Where do all these positive comments come from? Does Valve hire or pay people to rate this game with an average of 9?!? Come on! This can't be serious. Any (even just a little experienced) gamer who actually played this game must be disappointed. All the people I have spoken to in my neighbourhood think alike and somehow all the people here are EP1-addicted/fanatics?[***SPOILER***] Where do all these positive comments come from? Does Valve hire or pay people to rate this game with an average of 9?!? Come on! This can't be serious. Any (even just a little experienced) gamer who actually played this game must be disappointed. All the people I have spoken to in my neighbourhood think alike and somehow all the people here are EP1-addicted/fanatics? Where have you all been in the past few years? When you rate this EP1 with a 10 what were CoD (2), Battlefield (2), F.E.A.R. and HL2 then.....a 25??! Yes the graphics are great, just as they were in HL2 (ok HDR is added and it does look nice, but it's not that much of a difference). The weapons are ok....and exactly the same as in HL2. The monsters are ok....just as they were in HL2. Well, they did add one whole new monster. Some 'genious' used almost a year to come up with a....ZOMBIE! It's just a fatter and faster version of the standard-zombie from HL2. How refreshing. Did they become smarter? No...not at all. They just come rushing towards you. It feels like my duty to inform potential buyers. PLEASE go and play the game at a store or at an friends place. It surely ain't worth the $20,-. Even at 'difficult' you will probably be able to end this game in about 2-3 hours. Do you pay for an superb new concept with fantastic eyecandy, great gameplay and AI? No....you pay $20,- for 3 hours 'more of the same'. Please Valve: Stop just making money....start making great games/expansions again.… Expand
  19. Bodiddly
    Jun 7, 2006
    4
    Much of the same, for 20 notes, a bit of a ripp off me thinks. not gonna bother with the next installment feel ripped off...so for 4 hours gameplay you spend 20, the nxt installment will probably be another 4 hours another 20...valve r gonna milk this :(
  20. Wasteofmoney
    Jun 7, 2006
    1
    Good add on, but not worthy of price tag, should have been a free download..for only 3 hours of gameplay, play eve, or wow instead, at leat you dont feel conned buy the charges..here i did..aint gonna buy the nxt one not worth it.
  21. MrG.Freeman
    Jun 7, 2006
    1
    WTF. wel it dont continue straight off from the final scene of HL2. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for spending £20 on this. I will admit that HL2 was a good game but they screwed it up with all that online activation stuff and the fact that you cant trade it in when you finished it. I am totally against this episode thing as all they have to do know is very little in the WTF. wel it dont continue straight off from the final scene of HL2. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for spending £20 on this. I will admit that HL2 was a good game but they screwed it up with all that online activation stuff and the fact that you cant trade it in when you finished it. I am totally against this episode thing as all they have to do know is very little in the way of the development of the game, and charging £20 for 2 hours worth of gameplay ( 3 hours if you take your time) is just to expensive. i would give this game a higher score if the price for episode gaming was a relistic £6.99 then i would be happy to hand over my money. i mean i pay £5.99 for my PC Gamer mag and i get many hours of fun sitting on the toilet having a dump while reading but £20 for a game that is using the original HL2 engine with no major tweeks. £20 just aint worth it concidering you are stuck with it for the rest of valves life. if i could trade it in when i had finished with it maybe i would hav given in a higher score. ( and yes i know you can pick it up a little cheaper over the net but its still way over priced for 2 hours gameplay) Regards Mr G Freeman… Expand
  22. RetR.
    Jul 4, 2006
    0
    Amazing.
  23. ShodenB.
    Oct 20, 2007
    3
    I've been waiting for the first and second episodes of HL2 but it was a very big disappointment.. Graphics: Same graphics that has been used in HL2 which is very old compare to the new next-gen games. (GoW, GRAW 1 - 2, Darkness, Call of Duty 4, ...etc) Gameplay: Pretty same as the old HL2.. no improvement at all. I got really bored after playing it for around 3 hours trying to see I've been waiting for the first and second episodes of HL2 but it was a very big disappointment.. Graphics: Same graphics that has been used in HL2 which is very old compare to the new next-gen games. (GoW, GRAW 1 - 2, Darkness, Call of Duty 4, ...etc) Gameplay: Pretty same as the old HL2.. no improvement at all. I got really bored after playing it for around 3 hours trying to see how long it'll be the same old game. Throughing balls in the first mission kinda sucks and repeating it sucks more. In the second mission it's all "dark" and very minimal ammo has been giving. Also, the same NPCs already been reused again. Sound: Reused sound from the previous HL2. Nothing new about it. Last comment. Episode one is really disappointment in my opinion hence they didn't add anything except new areas. (same old environments)… Expand
  24. NB
    Jun 12, 2006
    0
    I saw here that some wrote "you won't be disapointed"..... well... they were wrong. this is the biggesty waste of $20 since.... um... there never has been a bigger waste of $20! Come on! it only has ~5 levels! there is nothing new. no new guns, no new enemies (except the zombines) the only thing new was the levels, which mostly sucked. who wants to just use the gravity gun for theI saw here that some wrote "you won't be disapointed"..... well... they were wrong. this is the biggesty waste of $20 since.... um... there never has been a bigger waste of $20! Come on! it only has ~5 levels! there is nothing new. no new guns, no new enemies (except the zombines) the only thing new was the levels, which mostly sucked. who wants to just use the gravity gun for the whole first level! i got enough of that in HL2!… Expand
  25. ReneMaes
    Jun 14, 2006
    0
    What is the use to vote here if you don't publish real clients opinions? I don't see my comments about the dreadfull "memory could not be read" error I posted days ago. I know I did: Prepay, wait for 2 weeks, download for hours, play none! Now have done all that is suggested on the Valve FAQ including flashing a more recent Bios with no avail. I can't even be critic,What is the use to vote here if you don't publish real clients opinions? I don't see my comments about the dreadfull "memory could not be read" error I posted days ago. I know I did: Prepay, wait for 2 weeks, download for hours, play none! Now have done all that is suggested on the Valve FAQ including flashing a more recent Bios with no avail. I can't even be critic, positive or negative, about EP1. I simply can't play it (while I can play HL2 without probs). 20$ in the bin. Thanks Valve. Will remember.… Expand
  26. BellinoP.
    Jun 2, 2006
    0
    Way to little content for Way too much Money. Don't fall for this rip off like I did.
  27. RachaelA.
    Jun 22, 2006
    3
    What was that? A few logic puzzles and an hour of gameplay?! (half of which you only have the gravity gun) They will have to do a LOT better than this if valve wants anymore of my money. I had more fun playing Lost Coast, and it was almost as long as "episode" one! If you havent bought yet vote with your dollars, I cant recommend this "episode" for any reason.
  28. T.S.
    Jun 24, 2006
    1
    very unhappy with the game. very small / short, nothing is accomplished in episode 1 a waste of 20 bucks in my opinion. No improvements to game play, weapons, or image quality. For having used scenes from hl2 (i.e. the reactor) and having the engine already this expansion was pretty sad, especially for the time they have had to do it.
  29. MartinL.
    Jun 3, 2006
    3
    Today at half past 2 I purchased this game, an hour and a half later it had finished downlaoding through Steam and I could finaly play it, 3 hours and 45 minutes after that I had finished it... In my opinion Episode One to Half-Life 2 is what Blue Shift was to Half-Life, only shorter. Officially this year's biggest waste of 20 dollars.
  30. TooShort
    Jun 3, 2006
    0
    Short mod for 20$?
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2006
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
82
#82 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 61 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. Eurogamer
    90
    Just like the original Half-Life 2, Episode One keeps the player entertained almost the entire time through perfect pacing and by being inventive, surprising and getting the basics absolutely right. It's a wonderful advert for the excitement that true episodic content can generate when approached the right way.
    Read full review
  2. GameSpot
    87
    Episode One is a memorable romp through the Half-Life universe, with gameplay that's even more satisfying than that of "Half-Life 2." The only downside is that, due to its episodic nature, it's over far too soon.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    85
    A brief, stylistically claustrophobic experience whose polish and personality manage to keep things moving.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »