Half-Life

 PC
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 5680 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5,113 out of 5680
  2. Mixed: 349 out of 5680
  3. Negative: 218 out of 5680
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  1. BomjShpagin
    Apr 28, 2022
    8
    i was played in 13 age old, and together 5 age young child, i download no steam no torrent, i'm just download and install my folder, i'm startup that game.

    Gameplay: 10/10
    Graphics 7/10
    Story 8/10

    thank you this is game:D
  2. mariavkj
    Apr 18, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Agora sim joguei Half Life 1 e posso prosseguir com Half Life 2
    Um jogo mt criativo e único, e tem mt gore comparado com o HL2
    Bom d+ saber como tudo aconteceu    … Expand
  3. StarkAgentos
    Apr 11, 2022
    5
    Наконец, спустя долгое время я смог запустить эту игру, но на старом компе 10-летней давности с 2ядерным процессором. На удивление, даже на таком кирпиче на максималках выдавало 60 фпс стабильнейшие (я их ограничил на 60). Первое время мне даже нравилось играть, потом мне дали пушку, и мне игра надоела. Коридорные локации, подгрузки каждую секунду. Потом, после 1 смерти пушку почему-то неНаконец, спустя долгое время я смог запустить эту игру, но на старом компе 10-летней давности с 2ядерным процессором. На удивление, даже на таком кирпиче на максималках выдавало 60 фпс стабильнейшие (я их ограничил на 60). Первое время мне даже нравилось играть, потом мне дали пушку, и мне игра надоела. Коридорные локации, подгрузки каждую секунду. Потом, после 1 смерти пушку почему-то не вернули. Игра устарела.… Expand
  4. Kuzeyekrem
    Mar 20, 2022
    10
    If you came to see the bad reviews of the game, don't look at the bad reviews. I know the game came out in 1998 but it's still fun
  5. Emirkartal
    Mar 16, 2022
    8
    It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that.
  6. Bloxycube
    Mar 12, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This Is One of The Best Games I've Ever Played!

    even though huge flaws in Game Design after the Train Chapter and Xen this is a complete Masterpiece!
    Amazing Story-Telling, actually smart AI **** you Cyberpunk 2077), and challenging Gameplay.

    Also, this game has a banger OST and I just love Half-Life

    Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak, Half-Life Peak    … Expand
  7. yuriy_mosiychuk
    Mar 8, 2022
    10
    A real legend. Excellent mechanics and graphics for 1998.
    The father of the second part.
    10/10 unambiguously.
  8. ErixKing
    Mar 7, 2022
    8
    Un clasico si los hay, si bien a envejecido en su momento esto era lo mejor y aun sigue siendo un buen juego
  9. NachoGameplays
    Feb 21, 2022
    10
    Muy diferente a Half Life 2 en casi todos los sentidos pero con el mismo nivel de calidad. Half Life cambio los videojuegos.
  10. Uarabei
    Feb 21, 2022
    10
    One of the best games in the history of the gaming industry. A revolution in the genre in its time.

    One of my first games ever. I hope that at least my grandchildren will be able to play the third part and it will also be a breakthrough.
  11. gautamkumar633
    Feb 20, 2022
    10
    A masterpiece first person shooter. Revolutionized the gaming industry and fps genre.
  12. User11234
    Jan 21, 2022
    10
    excellent game for the time it was one of the best games of all time of course it's not gonna hold up today to modern games but i'm still having a blast playing it.
  13. ertyz
    Jan 13, 2022
    9
    legend
    legendary game if I need to compare among all other games by the way.
  14. fedec
    Jan 13, 2022
    10
    Uno de los mejores fps de toda la historia, cambió el género para siempre. Muy divertido, a mi me parece más que el 2, lo siento mas directo a la acción, pero es una cuestión personal. La historia no se lleva ningún premio al mejor guión, es una invasión extraterrestre producto de un accidente científico, pero no es lo que cuenta lo interesante, sino como lo cuenta, pura narrativa enUno de los mejores fps de toda la historia, cambió el género para siempre. Muy divertido, a mi me parece más que el 2, lo siento mas directo a la acción, pero es una cuestión personal. La historia no se lleva ningún premio al mejor guión, es una invasión extraterrestre producto de un accidente científico, pero no es lo que cuenta lo interesante, sino como lo cuenta, pura narrativa en tiempo real (que luego se perfeccionó al 200% en Half Life 2). La IA de los enemigos es aceptable, los combates son frenéticos contra los militares y los alienígenas. Tiene fallos mínimos como la carga de mapas abruptas e inesperadas, pero al lado de todas sus virtudes no le prestas ni atención.
    Si querés un shooter divertido con una buena variedad de armas, un buen diseño de niveles, con una historia más o menos interesante que te sirva para terminarlo, éste juego está totalmente recomendado    … Expand
  15. lidwang
    Jan 11, 2022
    7
    I understand the influence on the fps genre this game had, and I had a lot fun with it, but I was still a bit underwhelmed. Some part felt like they overstate their welcome in termos of lenght, specially the bzarre plataforming parts that feel out of place. It's still a techinchally impressing game and the shoting itself was preety satisfying tho, so I don't regret playing it.
  16. Overlooked
    Jan 5, 2022
    10
    Holy. **** ****

    Where do I even start, I don’t even need to start, it’s Half-Life, for god’s sake! I suppose I should start with HOW GOOD THIS GAME FEELS TO PLAY! Valve has mastered the art of making the player’s controls natural, and the maps help with it, sure, there were a few too many jumping puzzles, but otherwise, this game controls great! The shooting is somehow the most satisfying    Holy. **** ****

    Where do I even start, I don’t even need to start, it’s Half-Life, for god’s sake!
    I suppose I should start with HOW GOOD THIS GAME FEELS TO PLAY! Valve has mastered the art of making the player’s controls natural, and the maps help with it, sure, there were a few too many jumping puzzles, but otherwise, this game controls great! The shooting is somehow the most satisfying thing I’ve ever felt, and a lot of shooters can feel disappointing when it comes to gunplay, but Half-Life has guns with as many upsides as there are downsides.
    Now for some complaints,
    Graphics are a bit primitive, and the Steam version uses the uglier HD models as the default, and the challenge can be a bit much in places, but **** man, this game really pulls itself through, and even in the slopfest that is Xen, you can still have a ton of fun.
    tl;dr, Half-Life is good, and you should play it.    … Expand
  17. tututdyure
    Jan 3, 2022
    8
    This game is so good. I like about the story of science fiction and the problem that the monster come out from the machine on the laboratory.
  18. PorridgeBoy3000
    Dec 31, 2021
    10
    Best game ever best game ever best game ever best game ever best game ever!
  19. Oldschoolgeek07
    Dec 28, 2021
    10
    Its half life so 10/10
    (in all seriousness, its an amazing game, amazing singleplayer and multiplayer component, literary revolutionized FPS gaming, literary jumpstarted Counter Strike and Team fortress, still a solid game to this very day
  20. rnureef
    Dec 13, 2021
    10
    17 ปีที่แล้วผมได้สัมผัสเกมครั้งแรกบนเครื่องคอมพิวเตอร์ก็คือ Counter-Strike Half-Life ผมไม่เคยเห็นเกมไหนถืออาวุธชะแลงมาก่อน มันทำให้ผมสนใจที่จะเล่นมัน แล้วก็ไม่ผิดหวังที่จะเล่นมัน ผมรักเกมนี้มากจนถึง ณ ปัจจุบัน ถึงแม้ภาคต่อมันอาจจะไม่มีมาเรื่อยๆ หรือ อาจจะไม่มีเลยก็ตามแต่ผมก็ไม่เคยเบื่อที่จะมันเล่นวนมันซ้ำๆ :)17 ปีที่แล้วผมได้สัมผัสเกมครั้งแรกบนเครื่องคอมพิวเตอร์ก็คือ Counter-Strike Half-Life ผมไม่เคยเห็นเกมไหนถืออาวุธชะแลงมาก่อน มันทำให้ผมสนใจที่จะเล่นมัน แล้วก็ไม่ผิดหวังที่จะเล่นมัน ผมรักเกมนี้มากจนถึง ณ ปัจจุบัน ถึงแม้ภาคต่อมันอาจจะไม่มีมาเรื่อยๆ หรือ อาจจะไม่มีเลยก็ตามแต่ผมก็ไม่เคยเบื่อที่จะมันเล่นวนมันซ้ำๆ :)
  21. petrkozak13
    Dec 12, 2021
    9
    One of the best games ever. I'd recommend to play this to everybody. And the DLCs are awesome too.
  22. Lrzluckyvgs
    Nov 26, 2021
    9
    I love this game, but if you want to know all the story and those things the game can't be your only source. The game is very long and you need to play it 5 times or search on the internet to know the story. Anyway, I like the idea and the places you walk through, from the begging to the ending. Everyone should play Half-Life, it has some problems but it's 100% worth trying it.
  23. andyg33
    Nov 23, 2021
    9
    Hl imo still goes unrivalled even these days in terms of polish and engine structure. A must play original
  24. Ferrerip
    Nov 18, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ░░░░░░░░░▓▓▓▓▀█░░░░░░░░░░░░░
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  25. abalyon
    Nov 17, 2021
    10
    Best.game.ever.made. Level design, story and gameplay is amazing. Has a lot of weapons and balanced enemies and it's almost never repetitive. Xen was terrible but hey who cares.
  26. EriSChaves
    Nov 14, 2021
    10
    Um game tão revolucionário em sua época que ainda permanece incrível nos dias de hoje!
  27. KitterKatster
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    I can replay this so many times so clearly they did something right. Same with its expansions. HD models are ugly and u should delete them.
  28. Alejandr4Ocando
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    El mejor de la historia
    ..................
    .......................... Cómo que 75 letras tengo que poner
  29. HyptoGamer
    Oct 8, 2021
    10
    Half-Life was a high point in my gaming life, the game mesmerized me from start to finish and i remember each level giving me a certain type of feeling and mood. Half-Life was so good that i couldn't stop playing it for 5 straight hours; my mouse was sweaty and i couldn't raise my hand from the keyboard because i wanted to know what will happen at the end of the game!
    The narrative    Half-Life was a high point in my gaming life, the game mesmerized me from start to finish and i remember each level giving me a certain type of feeling and mood. Half-Life was so good that i couldn't stop playing it for 5 straight hours; my mouse was sweaty and i couldn't raise my hand from the keyboard because i wanted to know what will happen at the end of the game!
    The narrative structure of Half-Life is so strong and well-paced that no other story-driven game could top Half-Life at the time. The attention to detail and world building that Valve put into Half-Life is astonishing, you might say what if gordon freeman gets hungry or thirsty during his survival run... Well, there are several vending machines throughout the game that he could use for his basic needs. The few characters that inhabit Half-Life's world have so much character and personality built into them making this world very realistic... They are funny, scared, smart and even terrified during the game and that's exactly how human nature answers to real life catastrophes. Half-Life is a must-play for every pc gamer out there and one of the best video games ever made. It won't disappoint you.    … Expand
  30. theasic
    Sep 30, 2021
    10
    23 years later and I still hop on every once in a while for a couple rounds or a solo playthrough.
  31. Woolee
    Sep 26, 2021
    10
    masterpiece of epic proportions, the "Saving Private Ryan" of first-person shooters.
  32. hwanin
    Sep 17, 2021
    9
    This is possibly the best single player FPS I played. Not because it was flawless, but because of the overall experience it provided.
    I really like "sandbox" type games and this is exactly the opposite. Quite a corridor-type game with invisible or made up walls if needed, but the AI was definitely one of the best (if not the very best) to that date of initial release.
    It has an intro    This is possibly the best single player FPS I played. Not because it was flawless, but because of the overall experience it provided.
    I really like "sandbox" type games and this is exactly the opposite. Quite a corridor-type game with invisible or made up walls if needed, but the AI was definitely one of the best (if not the very best) to that date of initial release.

    It has an intro a person can never forget!
    The graphics were very good, though really not groundbreaking. The controls were just flawless.
    The NPCs made a lot of difference with their also clever AI. I mean you could technically bring other people with you who (if armed) could shoot opponents saving you ammunition.
    The decision to create the Xen planet also added a depth - like playing a base game + an expansion.

    The characters were good, the animations, sounds and voices remarkable.
    The weapons were all and usable.

    I refrain from giving this 10/10, but a close one for sure.
    I bought a collector's edition back in the day with both expansions and even Counter-Strike on separate CD! - that reissue deserve 10/10.    … Expand
  33. Lidikmer
    Sep 12, 2021
    10
    I love it, the first time you play it you don't know what to expect, it's not like other video games of the time where you start with a weapon and now, in this one they tell you a story and everything makes sense, recommended, even if its final boss is bad
  34. CloudStrife05
    Aug 29, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is simply historic and legendary in every way possible. Never judge a book by it's cover is fitting here as Dr. Gordon Freeman does not look the part of the hero but it was great playing as him.
  35. Tosaver0324
    Aug 17, 2021
    7
    The game has 2 pluses for me, its gameplay and multiplayer. Half life's story is very simple. There is a man, as a result of a wrong experiment, aliens invade the world. The story is just that. I was able to finish the last 2 hours of the game just by cheating. I felt like throwing up every time I played it. Sooooo boring.
  36. defenz
    Aug 8, 2021
    5
    ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
  37. Papu_master
    Aug 3, 2021
    10
    Precioso, no hay palabras suficientes para explicar esta increible obra de arte, uno de los mejores juegos de la historia, inovador para su epoca, y tambien hasta ahora sigue siendo una experiencia unica en el genero tan aclamado de los shooters fue el primer juego que he jugado en mi vida, le doy esta calificacion mas por merito que por nostalgia. Juegazo totalmente apasionante y vibrantePrecioso, no hay palabras suficientes para explicar esta increible obra de arte, uno de los mejores juegos de la historia, inovador para su epoca, y tambien hasta ahora sigue siendo una experiencia unica en el genero tan aclamado de los shooters fue el primer juego que he jugado en mi vida, le doy esta calificacion mas por merito que por nostalgia. Juegazo totalmente apasionante y vibrante en diversion y entretenimiento… Expand
  38. bruhman54
    Aug 2, 2021
    8
    One of the most engaging games I have played. The only real downside I would say would be the graphics which is because its a rather old game. In a way it provides certain charm that a lot of other older games give. Its a great game and a definite must play.
  39. EatmeApart881
    Jul 20, 2021
    10
    It's mind-boggling that Half-Life is still a solid first-person shooter experience 20 years after its initial launch.
    The graphics and gameplay can be a bit tricky to get used to but after that you realize why Half-Life is so praised. I loved the sophisticated story and the different ways the game tried to tells its plot. The opening sequence, for example, was one of them. The gameplay is    It's mind-boggling that Half-Life is still a solid first-person shooter experience 20 years after its initial launch.
    The graphics and gameplay can be a bit tricky to get used to but after that you realize why Half-Life is so praised. I loved the sophisticated story and the different ways the game tried to tells its plot. The opening sequence, for example, was one of them. The gameplay is so fun and for a 1998 game, so realistic too.
    There are puzzle-solving and platforming sections in the game as well, making the survival aspect of Half-Life more realistic and paced.
    In Half-Life you aren't a super soldier or a special person but a normal scientist that gets stuck in a deep mess that will haunt humanity until its end. The silence protagonist aspect of Half-Life made the game a lot more immersive as i was thinking that i was going through this all the time. The visuals might have aged but the world's interactivity with the player is still there, showing how much Half-Life was ahead of its time.
    I love Half-Life and in my opinion is one of the best first-person shooters you can play as of now.    … Expand
  40. CosmosGamer27
    Jul 17, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half-Life's sophisticated narration and moral ambiguity really fascinated me. I had to play the game for like five times to fully understand the story. Half-Life is a demanding game; it constantly throws new gameplay mechanics and story elements at you. Half-Life always keep you on your toes because the world around you changes as fast as you run through the Black Mesa Research Facility. You are Gordon Freeman, a 27-year-old scientist with a PhD in Theoretical physics from MIT, who is going to his work on a normal day, or is he?
    From the very first scene, Half-Life shows you what the game will be about:
    1. You see military action in the facility. 2. You see A rocket ready to be launched. 3. You can see scientists running for something and they're in hurry. It doesn't sound like a normal day, does it?
    From the start, Half-Life establishes an ominous tone that will carry on within the game; it's not obvious who's right or who's wrong... Are we really the guy who started this mess or thy tricked us into doing it?
    Half-Life plays with simple narrative structures like no other video game title or even movie. It's one of the most interactive stories ever made because it demands your full attention and care. Half-Life isn't perfect though; the final few levels that happen in Xen are weak from several aspects: sloppy level design, not so satisfying visuals and lack of enemy variety; but Half-Life makes up for it with the ending which leaves you wanting more from this dark and mysterious world.
    I highly recommend playing the original Half-Life for Black Mesa ruins the charm of the original. Whether you like it or not, Half-Life's impact on video games and gaming is undeniable and we should all praise Valve software for taking such huge risks back in 1998. Half-Life's visuals might be old but as everyone says: it's an old dog with new tricks. Even if you have played all the first-person shooter games in the modern day; Half-Life will have something for you because it's a game like no other. My final score: 9.6/10    … Expand
  41. Jirentix
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    The Half-life series contributed to gaming technology with groundbreaking innovations. Both the engine, the graphics, the level designs and the bosses are beautifully designed!
  42. Schmchr
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    I played this game as recently as 2018, without a doubt one of the best games I've ever played, and considering the time it launched it was without a doubt the biggest innovation to date.
  43. 1Shorzz
    Jul 12, 2021
    10
    SHORZZ / Half-Life: Hi I'm Shorzz. If you haven't played this game yet, I think it's definitely a game you should play. I think it would be unfair not to see what this production has accomplished and the innovations it has brought to the game world. A game that every player must have finished once.
  44. Torment3837
    Jul 12, 2021
    10
    Half-Life's sophisticated narration will suck you in and never let you go. The dated visuals might be distracting at first but as you go; the game shapes an immersive world. Half-Life's launch in 1998 simply shifted the industry, making the previous shooting galleries look dated in comparison, everything in Half-Life was meaningful and important to the story, from npc dialogs to a simpleHalf-Life's sophisticated narration will suck you in and never let you go. The dated visuals might be distracting at first but as you go; the game shapes an immersive world. Half-Life's launch in 1998 simply shifted the industry, making the previous shooting galleries look dated in comparison, everything in Half-Life was meaningful and important to the story, from npc dialogs to a simple crowbar, Half-Life depicted a dark and mysterious reality that was serious and gruesome, so much that sometimes i felt Half-Life plunged itself into the survival horror genre.
    Half-Life's level design isn't something revolutionary or new these days but back in 1998 Half-Life's closed and open areas felt more real and natural than any other first-person shooter that came after and before it.
    To summarize it, Half-Life is a masterpiece that will amaze you with its deep story, sophisticated narration, balanced gameplay and a realistic world filled with tons of character and uniqueness. Play the game on steam or buy the original 1998 copy from Amazon.    … Expand
  45. Cocleta1718
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    This is just a masterpiece, I advise everyone.This is just a masterpiece, I advise everyone, and still on the schedule, there is a remake where we play for the same Gordon Freeman in the same laboratory in the same suit AAAAAAAAA, and yes the game is a shooter, I love shooters and if you, too, then you should it is necessary to play, this is the game of my childhood
  46. Tromble
    Jun 28, 2021
    10
    Half Life is one of those few games that came along and pushed the entire medium forward.

    However the most mind bending part is that this title would not be the last time this franchise revolutionized gaming.

    Half life is on the of the greatest games I have ever had the pleasure to play.
  47. Correspond76
    Jun 27, 2021
    10
    My video game journey started with Half-Life (1998). From the very start, Half-Life felt like a tour de force. Half-Life will challenge you with its complex story-telling, heart-pounding action, horror themed elements and a world that is hard to gasp. Half-Life used the elements that the previous icons, like doom and wolfenstei, n established and created its own art. The game didn't useMy video game journey started with Half-Life (1998). From the very start, Half-Life felt like a tour de force. Half-Life will challenge you with its complex story-telling, heart-pounding action, horror themed elements and a world that is hard to gasp. Half-Life used the elements that the previous icons, like doom and wolfenstei, n established and created its own art. The game didn't use any cutscenes instead it presented its story with maximum coherence. If you think you will be disappointed by a 23-year-old video game, you're wrong. Even if the graphics annoy you and you can't play with them, i still recommend going through the game because Half-Life delivers a real first-person shooting experience. A classic that changed our industry forever.… Expand
  48. Goodbadcritic45
    Jun 26, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What can i say about Half-Life? The game pulled me into the world of video games. The whole idea to experience a story in this way made me realize how immersive video games are. Half-Life puts you in the shoes of Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist who works in Black Mesa Research Facility. As the game's famous ominous soundtrack, Black Mesa Inbound, starts playing, it contrasts with the smooth robotic voice that is going through the facilities rules, creating a sense of dread and insecurity. Everything turns upside down when an experiment goes wrong and opens up a portal into a mysterious dimension. It's now up to you to escape from the facility and unravel the mystery behind the experiment. Black Mesa is a weird place, as you're going from place to place to survive and fight back against the enemies, there's a mysterious man following you and watching you, suddenly soldiers start attacking the scientists that they were supposed to rescue, huge weird monsters appear in the facility that seem to have specific behaviors. Half-Life presents the story like opening a box. Its slow yet fascinating; your objectives change, your allies change, with each step that you take, the world around you changes as well. There are no cinematics or cutscenes. Half-Life is a work of art that combines traditional story-telling methods with innovative aspects. It pioneered the idea that a video game's story can be as complex as a novel.
    Half-Life's gameplay is simple yet so fun. The game's main focus is story and environments but the gameplay doesn't have anything annoying that ruins the experience. I didn't encounter any bugs in the game and it ran as smooth as possible.
    The final episodes of Half-Life which take place in Xen are a bit weak in the gameplay department yet still having strong story-telling.
    Half-Life pacing is also something so brilliantly-balanced; The game knows how to manage the fun without sacrificing either gameplay or story. Half-Life may feel a bit overlong due to its dated graphics but you will get accustomed to them after some time or you can play the fan-made remake BLACK MESA which i will play in a few days myself. Don't miss the Steam Summer sale. Have Fun!    … Expand
  49. MYP
    Jun 18, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is a true artistic first-person shooter that introduced the elemnts that the genre really needed back in the 90's. A vast open world with a lot of character, more realistic gameplay, cutscenes or scripted sequences, modding, a complex story, puzzle-solving moments, combining action, horror, story and a brilliant title. Half-Life is a classic that won't disappoint you, the onlyHalf-Life is a true artistic first-person shooter that introduced the elemnts that the genre really needed back in the 90's. A vast open world with a lot of character, more realistic gameplay, cutscenes or scripted sequences, modding, a complex story, puzzle-solving moments, combining action, horror, story and a brilliant title. Half-Life is a classic that won't disappoint you, the only disappointing aspect of Half-Life is its graphics and tbh in my opinion they look very unique and deep. Half-Life changed video games forever and even amazed me today. Play the game if you're a video game enthusiastic, Half-Life is a true gem from the past that everyone should get their hands on.… Expand
  50. Ka3rA_freeman
    Jun 8, 2021
    10
    یکی از بهترین گیم هایی که پلی دادم و هیچ گیمی هنوز اون حس خاصی که هف لایف یک بهم داده رو هنوز نداده بهترین گیم تاریخ...
  51. PublicNuisance
    Jun 7, 2021
    8
    Half-Life is certainly a great game and playing through it over twenty years after it’s initial release only strengthens that for me. That being said it is far from perfect. It’s story; characters; world building and presentation are ground breaking and still worthy of praise. It was a pioneer in not having any cut scenes and keeping you in Gordon Freeman’s shoes. It also managed a greatHalf-Life is certainly a great game and playing through it over twenty years after it’s initial release only strengthens that for me. That being said it is far from perfect. It’s story; characters; world building and presentation are ground breaking and still worthy of praise. It was a pioneer in not having any cut scenes and keeping you in Gordon Freeman’s shoes. It also managed a great feat in that it Valve chose to communicate the story through side characters you encounter and through announcements. Having Freeman be a mute could have been a terrible choice but they pulled it off. The presentation of the game was fantastic. In that I mean things like the intro train ride setting up the facility and little things such as Gordon’s locker giving him some backstory. The characters of Barney; G-Man; and the scientists all cemented their place in gaming history. There was a good selection of weapons that had many good and memorable choices. The difficulty curve of the game felt a bit off though with some sections feeling extremely easy and others feeling almost sadistic. The enemies were varied and all had little differences that made them unique as well as have slightly different strategies for. The graphics were good for the time. I wouldn’t say they were the best of 1998 but certainly top 5. The reload sounds and animations of the guns were varied and gave them extra character. I will now get to something that brought the game down for me from possible all time great to just great: the physics. Half-Life has by far some of the worst physics I have ever seen and to top it off it is compounded by having brutal levels of fall damage. The worst part of the physics for me was interacting with ladders. Going up or down would be an exercise in patience as it was all to easy for the game to think I wanted Gordon to leap off of it. Other times I would climb up the ladder and it may shoot me up in the air a bit having me lose half of my life in fall damage when I hit the ground. The fall damage and poor physics made some of the platforming very frustrating as well. Some of the issue was timing the jumps while others were seeming to slide a bit after landing. I had these issues years ago when I first played the game and they’re still there now. There are health kits scattered about as well as medical stations scattered as well. You can’t carry any med kits with you though.

    I played Half-Life on Linux. It never crashed on me. The game ran great which given the age wasn’t a surprise. There was an option for V-Sync but not any graphics options. The game seemed to be locked to 101 FPS regardless of if V-Sync was turned on. I will say that voices felt a bit muffled or with an echo at times. I also had one time where I went through a platform and got stuck making me have to reload my previous save. There were also textures that appeared black and others that would flicker. I could manually save whenever I wanted and there seemed to be no limit on number of saves. You can also just let the game auto save if you want to. You can’t change the difficulty after starting the game. Alt-Tab works.

    Graphics Engine: GoldSrc
    Graphics API: OpenGL
    Disk Space Used: 529 MB
    Save System: Manual and Auto
    Health System: Med Kits/Stations
    Input Used: Keyboard + Mouse

    Settings Used: V-Sync on; 1920x1080
    GPU Usage: 3-13 %
    VRAM Usage: 534-717 MB
    CPU Usage: 14-17 %
    RAM Usage: 2.2-2.8 GB
    Frame Rate: 92-101 FPS

    If you haven’t played Half-Life yet you really should. Physics issues aside it is a great game that has stood the test of time. I finished the game on medium difficulty in 9 hours and 30 minutes. I beat it on hard years ago and knew that with it’s difficulty curve spikes I didn’t want to do that again. I got the game for free years ago from a friend, and also got it through the Orange Box I bought for $49.99 CAD. It is easily worth it’s current price of $11.49 CAD.

    My Score: 8.5/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.1.2 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.0.6 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.12.8-1-MANJARO | AOC G2460P 1920*1080 @ 144hz    … Expand
  52. ToldmeHam
    May 29, 2021
    10
    You just have to take a look at some of the first-person shooters that came before and after Half-life to realize how revolutionary this game was. Back in the late 90's Half-Life revolutionized video games forever. It introduced several aspects to video games and changed the way first-person shooters were made. Half-Life has one of the richest legacies in video games and Half-Life 1 & 2You just have to take a look at some of the first-person shooters that came before and after Half-life to realize how revolutionary this game was. Back in the late 90's Half-Life revolutionized video games forever. It introduced several aspects to video games and changed the way first-person shooters were made. Half-Life has one of the richest legacies in video games and Half-Life 1 & 2 are considered to be two of the most important video games ever made but is Half-Life still worth playing in 2021?
    Well, yes.
    Half-Life offers an experience that you won't ever forget. Half-Life was a serious risk in the 90's because Valve's ambitions were too high for the standards in those era. Just like when the movie the godfather came the expectations for a gangster movie were really different but the godfather changed that but it also changed cinema forever. Just like that movie, Half-Life played the same role; it changed fps games forever but it also revolutionized the industry. Half-Life is a true classic.    … Expand
  53. Politicalgamer7
    May 26, 2021
    10
    For me Half-Life is the most important shooter ever made, if you go into Half-Life expecting Doom you will be disappointed, Doom (1993) was an awesome fast-paced action phenomenon, but Half-Life was more satisfying to play. Half-Life's complex world, fascinating narration, exciting gameplay and simple but twisted story makes it a perfect video game experience for every type of gamer. It'sFor me Half-Life is the most important shooter ever made, if you go into Half-Life expecting Doom you will be disappointed, Doom (1993) was an awesome fast-paced action phenomenon, but Half-Life was more satisfying to play. Half-Life's complex world, fascinating narration, exciting gameplay and simple but twisted story makes it a perfect video game experience for every type of gamer. It's a classic like Fallout, and it will a great experience.… Expand
  54. BoogieReviewer
    May 24, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half-Life wasn't a shooting gallery unlike any other shooter at the time, you weren't some huge ass dude with tons of crazy weapons or huge muscles surrounded with girls... No no Valve didn't want to blend in with the ecosystem of first-person shooters in 1996, instead they created a mysterious rich world that offers tons of complexity.
    Half-Life changed the way many people looked at the games back in the late 90's, it revolutionized PC gaming and with 50 goty awards Half-Life proved video games can be as complex or as interesting as novels or movies. The story has enough surprises for you to keep you going for the whole game and the narrative is told flawlessly, Marc Laidlaw used the old ways of story-telling brilliantly and offered an old-fashioned story which is being told through the most modern ways of narration. The level design is unforgettable, the levels will stick with you even after you're done with a certain level. Half-Life never leaves you, the monsters are always lurking somewhere, the soldiers are always coming for you and the intelligent scientist friends of yours betrayed you and made YOU make a mess and you aren't some badass dude with a cigarette in his mouth; you are just some random scientist stuck in a long loop of conspiracies and betrayals. Many other games after Half-Life used this story-telling method to keep you on edge or surprise you like Halo 1, so yeah as i was saying Half-Life is a lonely game; a game that requires all your brains and brawn to get by. There are a lot of puzzle sections in the game that you need to solve to progress, the whole concept of solving puzzles to overcome the problems was established with this game.
    In conclusion Half-Life may be the most important shooter ever made, It balanced and revolutionized many things in the genre and introduced tons of new innovations as well. Half-Life will definitely be a surprising experience with anyone accustomed to the 90's action games because Half-Life has been and always will be the most important shooter of all time. God bless Valve and gabe newell for giving us this masterpiece and they shall burn in hell for not giving us Half-Life 3 (just joking!?) but anyway thank you for reading this post if you made it till the end. Play this piece of gold if you haven't already, i'm sure you'll have a great time at least :)    … Expand
  55. GogglesofCritic
    May 23, 2021
    10
    Half-Life was my first game on a personal computer, so i have a lot of nostalgia for it and this review might sound a bit biased; but nevertheless before Half-Life i basically thought games were for young people but Half-Life changed my opinion. From the very first moment, Half-Life will surprise you. It doesn't give you a gun, it doesn't open with badass music, and you are certainly not aHalf-Life was my first game on a personal computer, so i have a lot of nostalgia for it and this review might sound a bit biased; but nevertheless before Half-Life i basically thought games were for young people but Half-Life changed my opinion. From the very first moment, Half-Life will surprise you. It doesn't give you a gun, it doesn't open with badass music, and you are certainly not a badass; you are just a dude going to his work but that ominous tone and soundtrack is like a warning of something mysterious happening in the facility, a weird suited man continues looking at you as the tram moves on, there's a rocket, you see military action, scientists are running for something and so on. It shows that today something secret is happening. The voice guide feels so real and creepy and tells you about a suit. Back then the H. E. V suit was such a cool thing. Half-Life knows when to use its soundtrack to startle you and keep you on edge. The game never stops for your weaknesses, Half-Life is an intense tale of survival. The gameplay feels so real as it combines Horror, action, mystery, puzzles and exploration. The story never gets boring for it is filled with twists and turns, this game uses true old-fashioned hitchcock suspense and the sci-fi elements of the story are so balanced, Half-Life plays you like a piano. Half-Life is a TRUE classic all the way that changed the gaming industry for ever, and became an icon in the first-person shooter genre.… Expand
  56. SneakingTom
    May 22, 2021
    10
    this game is so good that you wouldn't even care about the graphics anymore! everything about this game is just very awesome!
  57. ILostMySanity
    May 21, 2021
    10
    One of the best FPS games I have ever played in my life. Great story. Totally worth playing in 2021.
  58. SadenRedTT63
    May 20, 2021
    10
    Half-Life was one of the best PC experiences that I had in recent years. The story had so many twists and turns that kept me on my seat, the visuals were dated but so unique and memorable, the puzzles were so much fun to solve, the platforming felt a bit dated but it was so realistic at the time. Half-Life is a must-play classic that is definitely worth buying and experiencing, it madeHalf-Life was one of the best PC experiences that I had in recent years. The story had so many twists and turns that kept me on my seat, the visuals were dated but so unique and memorable, the puzzles were so much fun to solve, the platforming felt a bit dated but it was so realistic at the time. Half-Life is a must-play classic that is definitely worth buying and experiencing, it made people realize that first-person shooters are more than shooting, they can have complex stories, mysterious surroundings, unique art direction and realistic combat. Half-Life built upon DOOM's unrivaled legacy and started a new era for PC gaming. Half-Life was the beginning of a new era for first-person shooters and video games in general. The game's so fascinating and well-made that is hard not to like it. Half-Life became the next gem in my video game collection.… Expand
  59. Hormanee
    May 20, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. To me Half-Life is the most revolutionary shooter ever made, it might not be the most important (that title goes to DOOM 1993) but Half-Life's impact was so huge. Not only did it redefine the first-person shooter genre but also changed how we viewed games as an art form. Half-Life showed many across the world (including me) that video games can be true interactive experiences. Half-Life immerses you with its world and characters from the first moment, the tram sequence was so jaw dropping back in 1998. The gameplay was a combination of story, action, puzzle-solving, scripted sequences and platforming; Half-Life even gives away some survival horror vibes too. To be honest Half-Life felt like an interactive novel, each moment felt like i was turning the page for the next thing to surprise me, the game doesn't stop. In many other first-person shooters you are like a super human or something but in Half-Life you are just a scientist late for his work, you are a guy that was betrayed by his fellow scientists, betrayed by the military and stuck in a array of conspiracies, betrayals and horrific sequences. Horror wasn't Half-Life's main goal but Valve succeeded in that regard. The game makes you feel alone and stranded, it tests your survival instincts and challenges you through so many situations. Your arsenal in this game is phenomenal, so many weapons to choose from and so many ways to play the campaign. The game kills it with enemy variety, the enemies have fascinating lores and designs that makes each one of them more interesting. The level design in Half-Life was so revolutionary for its time, and now it is damn smooth and fun to play through. The game's art style is coherent throughout the campaign except for the xen levels (i get to that later). Each counter is memorable and challenging, the story brings so many twists and turns and the narration itself never bores you and always keeps you on your toes. Half-Life is a classic that everyone should own and play, it's a game filled with brilliant mechanics and gameplay; Half-Life broke many laws of video games in 1998 and set new standards; games like Bioshock, Halo, DOOM 3 are all products impacted by this game. I highly recommend playing the original game, the steam version is still great though. The xen levels are still challenging and fun to play, Interpoler and Gonarch's lair are some of my favorites and the final boss is so weird and unique ; it's not just another boring fight but a fight that requires all your skills. The final portion of the game was so memorable and iconic. The ending made everyone so hyped about Half-Life 2 and left a lot of room for interpretation. Half-Life isn't a game that you can breeze through, it's a game that requires all your attention. The game wants you to experience the situations and take it slow. Half-Life isn't an action game, it's a very story-driven title with portions of intense action planted into it. If you haven't played the Half-Life franchsie, or at least the first one you have to do it after reading this review.… Expand
  60. CerafM
    May 19, 2021
    10
    The only thing that is dated about Half-Life, after 23 years, is its graphics. This game was way ahead of its time and paved the way for more story-driven games. While i was playing the game i was feeling the impact i was making around myself, the story was well-paced and xen and the ending were really unpredictable. Half-Life took what a game could offer and simply revolutionized it. ForThe only thing that is dated about Half-Life, after 23 years, is its graphics. This game was way ahead of its time and paved the way for more story-driven games. While i was playing the game i was feeling the impact i was making around myself, the story was well-paced and xen and the ending were really unpredictable. Half-Life took what a game could offer and simply revolutionized it. For its time Half-Life was mind-blowing and today it is an all-time classic. If you're a beginner in gaming, Half-Life is one of the first titles that you have to experience.… Expand
  61. HarborMan3838
    May 17, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First Review Here. I have to say, the xen levels were a bit disappointing, interpoler was a very good level but other areas like Gonarch's lair or the first area of Xen when you have to wait and jump for 10 times were really simple and lackluster for Half-Life Standards. But the game itself is flawless. Half-Life understood the word "First-person shooter" and created the base of the genre for the next 20 years in 1998. The First moments of Half-Life are some of the best moments in any video game ever after the resonance cascade the game turned into a tour de force and it was non-stop action, story, mystery and puzzle-solving after that. The ending was so fitting and got me hyped for Half-Life 2.… Expand
  62. FabuJono
    May 17, 2021
    10
    Half-Life was a revolution in the first person shooter genre and it still holds up pretty well, the graphics can look a bit odd because we are looking at a late 90's game engine but they add a unique feel to the original Half-Life. From the magnificent opening sequence to the end, Half-Life won't stop surprising you, it will challenge you with its complicated story, desperate situationsHalf-Life was a revolution in the first person shooter genre and it still holds up pretty well, the graphics can look a bit odd because we are looking at a late 90's game engine but they add a unique feel to the original Half-Life. From the magnificent opening sequence to the end, Half-Life won't stop surprising you, it will challenge you with its complicated story, desperate situations and odd encounters. Half-Life inspired a genre and a whole bunch of new games and is definitely a welcome addition in our PC libraries.… Expand
  63. Ali129
    May 13, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sonunda ben de Half-Life'ı bitirdim. Oynadığıma değdi diyebilirim. Oyunda Gordon Freeman isimli bir bilim adamını kontrol ediyoruz. Oyunun hikayesi Black Mesa isimli araştırma tesisinde başlıyor. Gordon'ın tesise gelmesi ile bilim adamları tarafından kendisine bir deney yapılacağı söyleniyor. Fakat deney ters gidiyor ve tesiste bir patlama yaşanıyor. Bu patlama ile birlikte Dünya ve "Xen" isimli gezegen arasında bir geçit açılmış oluyor ve Xen gezegeninden uzaylılar dünyaya geliyor. Bir süre sonra askerler tesise varıyor fakat ordu, bilim adamları da dahil olmak üzere tesisteki tüm görgü tanıklarını ortadan kaldırarak olayı örtbas etmek istemektedir. Freeman, "Lambda Kompleksi" isimli bir yerde bu olayı düzeltme konusunda ona yardımcı olabilecek bilim adamlarının olduğunu öğrenir ve yola koyulur. Lambda Kompleksi'ne vardığında oradaki bilim adamları durumu çözmenin tek yolunun Xen gezegenine gidip geçidi oradan kapatmak olduğunu söylerler ve Gordon'ı Xen gezegine ışınlarlar. Gordon uzaylılarla savaşarak geçidi kapatır ve oyun bu şekilde biter. Oyunun hikayesi kabaca bu şekilde. Hikaye olarak oyun çok detaylı değil. Hikayenin yüzeysel anlatılması bu tür hızlı ve kesintisiz oynanan bir Birinci Şahıs Nişancı oyunu için doğru bir tercih bence, zaten bu tür oyunlarda oyuncu genellikle detaylı hikaye aramaz. Fakat ana karakterin konuşmaması ve ana karakterin hiçbir kişilik özelliğinin oyuncu tarafından bilinmemesi karakter ile bağ kurulmasını ve karakteri ciddiye almayı zorlaştırıyor. Evet Gordon oyun dünyasında sessizliği ile ünlü olup bu haliyle sevilmiştir fakat Gordon'ı kontrol etmek hiç özel hissettirmiyor bana kalırsa, bu oyunda Gordon'ı kontrol etmek sıradan bir karakteri kontrol etmekten farksızdı benim için. Oyunun kendi dönemine damga vuran özelliğine gelirsek; Half-Life resmen bir çığır açarak ara sahneleri kullanmıyor ve hikayeyi oyuncuya neredeyse hiç kesintiye uğratmadan anlatıyor. Tüm diyalogların, aksiyon sahnelerinin ve bölüm geçişlerinin kesintiye uğramadan direkt oyuncunun gözünden aktarılması o dönem için gerçekten çok güzel bir şey, bugün bile bunu yapabilen oyunların sayısı oldukça az. Oynanışa gelelim, oyunun çok yüksek tempolu ve seri olmayı gerektiren bir oynanışı var. Oyuncunun çatışmalardan galip ayrılabilmesi için sürekli hareket eden ve pozisyon değiştiren taraf olması lazım, aksi takdirde düşmana üstünlük kurmak çok zorlaşıyor. Ayrıca oyun zamanına göre düşman türleri bakımından oldukça zengin, oyuncu sürekli farklı düşman türleri ile savaşıyor ve bu da oyuncunun sıkılmasını önlüyor. Oyun boyunca askerler, özel eğitimli infazcılar ve birçok farklı çeşitte uzaylı ile savaşıyoruz, dediğim gibi oyun düşman çeşitliliği konusunda çok zengin. Çeşitlilik demişken, oyun silah türleri bakımından da oldukça çeşitli. Levye ile başladığımız oyunun sonunda elimizde roketatar, ışın silahı, altıpatlar, bomba atarı bulunan bir saldırı tüfeği ve başka birçok silah daha bulunuyor. Bu da aynı düşman çeşitliliği gibi oyuncunun sıkılmasını önleyen unsurlardan biri. Fakat oynanış ile ilgili sıkıntılar da var, bunlar kontroller ve kayıt sistemi. Günümüz şartlarında oyunun kontrolleri biraz zor ve yer yer sinir bozucu oluyor diyebilirin. Kayıt sistemi olarak da oyun manuel kayıt sistemini kullandığı için bazen kayıt edilen yer dolayısı ile karakter ölüm döngüsüne girebiliyor ve en sondaki otomatik kayıt açılmadan oyuna devam edilmiyor, bu benim başıma bir defa geldi ve çok zaman kaybetmeme sebep oldu. Manuel kayıt sistemi yerine daha çok otomatik kayıt olsa daha iyi olurdu. Bölüm tasarımı olarak oyun genel olarak iyi olsa da "Xen" isimli bölümde ben oldukça sıkıldım. Bu denli hızlı oynanışı olan bir oyunun sonlarına doğru oyunun temposunu düşüren bir bölüm eklemek ve bu bölümü bir yerden bir yere zamanında zıplama gibi sıkıcı oynanış konseptleri ile doldurmak bana göre kötü bir dizayn seçimi. Ek olarak "Gonarch's Lair" isimli bölümde bir hata var ve bu hata oyuncunun ilerlemesini engelliyor, Gonarch aşağı atlaması gerekirken olduğu yerde bekliyor ve oyuncu ilerleyemiyor, ben bu sorunu açılması gereken yere bomba atarak çözdüm fakat neredeyse 23 senelik bir oyunda bunun gibi oyuncunun ilerlemesini engelleyen bir hata nasıl oluyor da hala düzeltilmemiş anlayamadım, bu oyunda böyle bir hata ile karşılaşmayı beklemezdim. Grafik konusunda oyun doğal olarak günümüz standartlarının oldukça altında ancak performans konusunda oldukça stabil ve sorunsuz. Half-Life, her oyuncunun oynaması gereken önemli bir yapım ve oyun bazı problemleri olsa da günümüzde hala oynanabilir seviyede.… Expand
  64. kndr
    May 11, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "good morning and welcome to black mesa transit system"

    What to say about half life? We all know it and we all played it. It is one of the revolutionary fps's that changed the gaming industry.

    One of the things I really love about half life is there are no cutscenes. You all experience it from first person and Gordon doesn't speak so it really feels like you are really there. I have no problem with cutscenes but I am glad half life doesn't have them.

    Hud is very simple. You got health, ammo, weapon and flashlight. And I love this simpleness. I don't need millions of icons in my screen.

    Game also doesn't tell you where to go and what to do. You figure it out yourself. No hand holding, no arrow pointing, no objective marker. It makes you think. This is how it should be, atleast in linear games.

    Sfx is something special to me. Every one of them. It is iconic and memorable.

    The overall black mesa atmosphere is something unique. There are not much games that are placed on research facility and that is a shame. Level design is great.

    Some people may say graphics are outdated and bad but I honestly see no problem with it. They look fine to me.

    There are of course some problems:

    Ladders are your worst enemies. Forget everything. Ladders are the actual villain in this game.

    Some enemies are bullet sponges.

    Ally AI pathfinding suck ass. They always stuck at some places and you need to be in certain position to make them move.

    I hate Xen levels. Game not telling you not to do in previous levels are okay because they were linear and easy to understand but Xen is big alien planet and it is hard to navigate. And don't make me start on those alien controllers.

    Other than those it is still enjoyable.    … Expand
  65. TGseram736
    Apr 30, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Loved the started sequence and the graphics have something special about them. The story may sound a bit like DOOM (1993) but as you progress you realize there's alot more to the story and it's way more complex and mysterious that you initially thought. A Classic 90's fps that finished the good old days of first person shooters and started a new era of PC games.… Expand
  66. Geronimo33
    Apr 30, 2021
    10
    Half-Life offered me something that i couldn't refuse and that was the novel feeling of it. From the start Half-Life plays like a story being unfolded infornt of my eyes. I loved the action and the guns were too realistic for their time but the final levels as much as i loved the narration of the story in those levels, were a bit weird and unsatisfying.
  67. Wernyi39
    Apr 28, 2021
    10
    My First video game EVER. Well Half-Life established the idea of great story-telling in video games by introducing Scripted moments, complex narrative and perfect narration. The game feels like a novel and a movie simultaneously.
  68. HelloMane8
    Apr 28, 2021
    10
    Half-Life even today is at its full life. It didn't age at all (or maybe that's how i feel about it) but Half-Life is one of those things that is so good you don't want to finish it. Although i'd say that the final portion of the game is a bit out of the place but overall Half-Life is a perfect survival experience. It revolutionized the genre and PC gaming in many ways like adding scriptedHalf-Life even today is at its full life. It didn't age at all (or maybe that's how i feel about it) but Half-Life is one of those things that is so good you don't want to finish it. Although i'd say that the final portion of the game is a bit out of the place but overall Half-Life is a perfect survival experience. It revolutionized the genre and PC gaming in many ways like adding scripted moments, different types of weapons, a very intelligent AI i should say and a complex and mysterious horror story that will grab you like a novel.… Expand
  69. GreatUmbasa1
    Apr 27, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is a tour de force. It throws new plot points and surprises that keep you hooked from start to finish. It explores many themes and mechanics while offering an absorbing gameplay and narrative.
  70. ADITYA0526
    Apr 27, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TTHIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS... you're someone into PC gaming in the 90's and i think you would agree that there were two largely defining moments for shooting games that decade.
    this is one of the most influential and groundbreaking FPS games.in this game you take a role of gordon freeman, the typical the oritical physicist working in the fictional black mesa re-scarch facility.
    here the character begins a long journey fighting all manner of aliens and hostile soldiers along the way gordon can also be added by members of the science and security team.
    the most essential feature is of unlocking security doors. its reliability is good due to its amazing 1080p resolution graphics, which has practically zero compatibility problems ,which makes a lot easy to get into and up and running.
    everything they put in this game world was put in a way that felt a lot more realistic ,guns were kept in storage rooms for instance and health or battery packs found in crates or on shelves.
    playing this game for hours doesn't disappoint you at all.
    valve software did a pretty good job as per my view.    … Expand
  71. ReviewedMan
    Apr 26, 2021
    10
    This is my first review, so I'm going to be honest. Half-Life is a video game that surprised me with each moment, the game does not slow down, the story does not stop developing, the horrors and scares aren't going to leave you. Half-Life is a lonely game, a masterpiece that showcases humanity's lust for survival and power. It was a post modern story filled with familiar themes andThis is my first review, so I'm going to be honest. Half-Life is a video game that surprised me with each moment, the game does not slow down, the story does not stop developing, the horrors and scares aren't going to leave you. Half-Life is a lonely game, a masterpiece that showcases humanity's lust for survival and power. It was a post modern story filled with familiar themes and interactions. Half-Life brings the true face of humanity and its actions, Half-Life is a very deep game it needs time to be understood and processed but i think the first sequence is enough for anybody to appreciate this game as an art form.… Expand
  72. Buboub47
    Apr 25, 2021
    10
    A memorable experience from start to finish. Half-Life was one of those reasons that made games important, a Sci-fi horror with deep themes and fantastic world building? Oh i like that. I understand some may say it's dated, but Half-Life feels and plays more realistic than any other shooter i have ever played.
  73. Fpscritic
    Apr 25, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is not flawless, but it's great. Many of its flaws are present in the xen levels although i love gonarch as a boss, Xen levels are considered a flaw for Half-life. The idea of Xen is so fascinating but the execution is not great which has to do with the time of the release of Half-Life. From the very first moment i found myself hooked and i became interested in the mysterious andHalf-Life is not flawless, but it's great. Many of its flaws are present in the xen levels although i love gonarch as a boss, Xen levels are considered a flaw for Half-life. The idea of Xen is so fascinating but the execution is not great which has to do with the time of the release of Half-Life. From the very first moment i found myself hooked and i became interested in the mysterious and weird world of Half-Life, One thing that Valve never Fails at is presenting a rich and meaningful world through complex story-telling elements that many of us don't even notice but enjoy.… Expand
  74. Haekan
    Dec 24, 2020
    10
    It's unbelievable that this game still holds up, specially the plot and atmosphere, i don't care about the graphics but the overall gameplay is near-perfection.
  75. IntheNameofUno
    Apr 25, 2021
    10
    There are certain things that i didn't like about Half-Life like the final boss, or some levels in Xen but when i put those alongside what i really liked about Half-Life, they are nothing. The opening sequence by far is one of the best scenes in any video game ever, it shows why video games can be art, in the tram sequence Half-life presents its world, it shows so many details and storiesThere are certain things that i didn't like about Half-Life like the final boss, or some levels in Xen but when i put those alongside what i really liked about Half-Life, they are nothing. The opening sequence by far is one of the best scenes in any video game ever, it shows why video games can be art, in the tram sequence Half-life presents its world, it shows so many details and stories without telling you anything.… Expand
  76. BradleyJumble
    Apr 25, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is an authentic experience throughout. The level design was far ahead of its time, it still holds up today the only thing that doesn't hold up is its graphics. But for me everything else being perfect is more important than the graphics. Half-life is one hell of an experience that everyone should taste.
  77. MaKu7
    Apr 24, 2021
    4
    I thought I should play this game, because it is cult classic. Now, after final cutscene I get only another one evidence that "cult classics" are fun only if you have nostalgia for them.

    Mediocre, outdated shooter, that's what it is.

    Thx gaben for wasting my time.
  78. SgAkErRu
    Apr 16, 2021
    10
    Ну это классика. Сто раз уже перепроходил. Лучшая игра 98 года (и не только). Ну в общем хорошо тут все, сюжет, атмосфера, графон, геймплей, музон, локации. Без проблем играется в наше время, никаких проблем с управлением. Короче, однозначно одна из лучших игр на планете. [9.5/10]Ну это классика. Сто раз уже перепроходил. Лучшая игра 98 года (и не только). Ну в общем хорошо тут все, сюжет, атмосфера, графон, геймплей, музон, локации. Без проблем играется в наше время, никаких проблем с управлением. Короче, однозначно одна из лучших игр на планете. [9.5/10]
  79. MotherSpore4335
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    Half-Life started a series of revolutionary first person shooters like system shock 2 or Deus X and Bioshock. Bioshock specifically was heavily influenced by Half-Life, its heavy tone and atmosphere and complex story-telling were all inspired by Half-Life.
  80. Yelson463
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    Whether you are a PC gamer or whatever... Half-Life offers an authentic experience from the very first moment, the game sets its tone and feeling and offers new story elements in each segment. Half-Life is the godfather of First person shooters and the reason why gaming reached this state today.
  81. JJMorj
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    Half-Life felt like a Rollercoaster ride that introduced new gimmicks and surprises along the way that kept you interested and invested until the end. Everything in this masterpiece is engaging from its interactive combat to its phenomenal and epic narrative.
  82. Beronchers93
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    It's really weird to feel empathy for an AI in a video game, until i played Half-Life i never cared about any NPC or character in any video game but Half-life showed me that characters in the game are important, they can help you, they can give you hints, they can treat you or they can open a path for you to continue your journey, this simple element itself changed everyone's view of NPCsIt's really weird to feel empathy for an AI in a video game, until i played Half-Life i never cared about any NPC or character in any video game but Half-life showed me that characters in the game are important, they can help you, they can give you hints, they can treat you or they can open a path for you to continue your journey, this simple element itself changed everyone's view of NPCs and characters in video games.… Expand
  83. RenitadU55
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    Thr elements that Half-Life introduced to the gaming are what every game needs to have be considered at least a good game these days; elements such as complex story-telling, a rich open world, layered level design, deep combat, responsive AI and etc. That's why Half-life is an important piece of history and gaming in general.
  84. Brownies
    Dec 22, 2020
    10
    Just like combat evolved, Half-life changed the world when it came out, and it will always be remembered as one of the best and most influential video games in the history.
  85. YoelofLothric
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    Half-Life Was my first computer game ever. After my father bought a PC for himself he randomly got Half-life for it and started playing after he finished it,He introduced me to Half-life and since then iconsider games an art form.
  86. BanjoYarman
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    Late 90's and Early 2000's were such great eras for fps games. Masterpieces like Half-life, System shock, Deus X and halo came during that time.
  87. YigidOx2
    Mar 19, 2021
    8
    This game is already a game that has taken the age of video games. I still can't even understand how fascinating it is.
  88. Zeyon88
    Mar 17, 2021
    9
    Story: 9/10
    The Way story is given: 18/20
    Gameplay: 28/30
    Design: 10/10
    Feelings left after playing: 20/20
    Playability(Bugs and optimization): 9/10

    AVARAGE: 94/100
  89. JohnMetax
    Mar 16, 2021
    8
    The graphics have kinda aged,and the shooting is not the best but the story and enviroment is great,one of the most revolutionary games of all time.You should definetely give it a try.If you do not wanna play it due to the graphics and gameplay,be sure to check the remake called Black Mesa
  90. tufekciero
    Mar 12, 2021
    9
    ALTIN zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  91. nazarkin123
    Mar 10, 2021
    7
    Legendary game. I still remember some moments after years. It is a great beginning.
  92. Antictra
    Mar 10, 2021
    5
    Half Life is strongly overhyped (even when it was just out on the market back in the end of 1990s) , while it has one strong advantage: strong moddability, that entered to the cultural canon of long time computer gamers, it's story has not much of interesting or original quality, the gameworld felt rather empty, not engaging and not that interesting. The interactivity of the game wasHalf Life is strongly overhyped (even when it was just out on the market back in the end of 1990s) , while it has one strong advantage: strong moddability, that entered to the cultural canon of long time computer gamers, it's story has not much of interesting or original quality, the gameworld felt rather empty, not engaging and not that interesting. The interactivity of the game was interesting and it was used extensively by modders. It also gets old badly.… Expand
  93. Melih10712009
    Mar 7, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Half Life hakkinda düşüncelerim;
    1. Hikaye: Black Mesa denen adlı bi bilim merkezi vardır. Orda da çalışan "Gordon Freeman" adlı bi bilim adamı vardır. Bi gün bi tane riskli bi deney yapacaklardı. Deneyi yaparken bi anda bi patlama olmuş ve değişik değişik uzaylılar ve yaratıklar çıkmış ve Black Mesa denen bilim merkezinde nerdeyse çoğu bilim adamı ölmüş. Yaşayanların arasında ki "Gordon Freeman" ise canavarların ve yaratıkların arasında ki yaşam mücadelesini anlatıyor Half Life. Hikaye böyle biraz ilgi çekici ama biraz daha derine inersek o kadar güzel değil.
    2. Diyaloglar: Diyologlar o kadar boş ki oyunun bi yerinden sonra diyologlara bakmadım. Yani diyologlara hiç bakmazsanız bi şeyleri kaçırısınız ama oyunun ortalarına geldiğinizde diyologlara bakmazsanız bi-iki şey kaçırısınız ama o kadar bişey kaybetmezsiniz.
    3. Karakterler: Oyunda doğru düzgün karakter yok amq. Herkes birbirinin klonu aq. Bide o Black Mesa'da bulunan profesör ve güvenlik görevlileri hep yanımız da geziyo ama hepsi mal. Hepsi birbirinin klonu,hepsi mal,hepsi sanki bot gibi. Ana karakterimiz belki iyidir falan dedik adam konuşmuyooo!!! Kabul ediyorum ki bazenleri ana karakteri oynarken sanki ana karaktermişim gibi hissediyorum ama bi zahmet biraz diyolog,biraz kişilik falan ekleyin. 10 dakika da bir konuşup o konuşmalarında ise kendi kişiliğini gösteren diyologlu ya da anlamlı ve mantıklı diyologlu bi karakter olsa ona ben Razıyım.
    4.Grafikler: Şimdi 1998'de ki oyunun grafiklerini eleştirmek şaçmalıktır bana göre.
    5. Bölüm dizaynı: Her bölüm de nerdeyse değişik yerler,değişik düşmanlar,değişik şeylerle karşılaşıyoruz. Cidden bu özelliği çok iyi. Bi de nerdeyse Gordon Freeman'ın yaşadığı herşeyi görebiliyoruz. Bu da çok güzel bi özellik.
    6. Düşmanlar: Düşman çeşiti yok yani ama oyunun finalin de o kadar çeşit düşman var ki.(Zaten oyunun finalinden de bahsedeceğim.)
    7. Yapay Zeka: Yapay zeka fena değil ama bazenleri mallaşabiliyorlar.
    8. Bosslar: Cidden 1998'de çıkan bi oyun da boss var şaka maka. O kadar boss olmasa da yine de fena değiller. Bide son Boss... M-U-H-T-E-Ş-Ş-E-M.
    9.Atmosfer: Oyunun atmosferi çok iyi.
    10. Müzik: Oyunda ki müzikler beni gaza getiriyor.
    11. Zorluk seviyesi: Oyun o kadar zor ki... Oyunu oynarken illa internete bakmam gerekiyor. İlk kez Half Life'ı oynayan kişiler internette bakmadan oyunu bitirdiyse ne diyim helal olsun. Bide oyun çok hızlı. Aynı speedrun yapılacak gibi. Hem zor hem de hızlı olması çok değişik.
    12. Silahlar: Silah çeşitleri çok fazla ve çok iyi. Silahlarla savaşırken hiç sıkılmadım.
    13. Oynanış: Oynanış da zor bi bakımdan. Çünkü nişan alırken sanki gerçekten savaşıyormuşuz gibi hissediyorum ama yine de zorlanıyorum.
    14. Buglar: Oyun da o kadar bug var ki... Arada sırada oyun çöküyor. Savelerin siliniyor. Ya da bi bölümü geçemiyorum. Valve artık bu bugları düzelt bee yaw.(Tabi onun yerine yeniden yapımı ismi "Black Mesa" olan bi oyun çıkardılar. Onu da oynayacağım.)
    15. Final: Finali o kadar güzel ki... Böyle bi anda uzaylıların mekanını basıyorsun. Sonra daha oyunda hiç görmediğin değişik yaratiklarla savaşıyorsun. Sonra o canavarları öldürdükten sonra Uzaylıların Lideri yani son boss'la kapışıyoruz. Epik bi savaş geçirdikten sonra karşına gizli bi "G-Man" adlı bi adam geliyor. O G-Man bize iki seçenek sunuyo ya benim tarafıma geçip çalışırsın ya da hayatin sona erir gibi bişey diyor. Dedikten sonra da bi trenle gidiyoruz değişik bi evrende. Ve trenin kapısında bi portal var. O portala atlarsak mutlu bi şekilde oyun bitiyor ama portala bi yerdem sonra atlamazsak G-Man bizi canavarların ortasına bırakıp yediriyor.

    Ekstra: Oyunla alakalı o kadar önemli seyler olsa da yine de yazıyım.
    1. Oyunun ilk saatlerinde güzel güzel canavarlarla,yaratıklarla savaşırlen bi anda askerler olaya karıştı. Asker ne alaka amq. Askerlere bişey yapmadık ama yine de bize saldırıyorlar o kadar saçma ki. Bide oyun bunu adam gibi anlatmıyo. Tabi bu olay o kadar sıkıntı değil ama yine de bana saçma geliyor.( Hatta o ordunun bi çavuşunun olduğu bi oyun var. Onuda oynayacağım.)
    2. Oyun da çok easteregg var. Mesela oyunda arada sırada G-Man geliyor. Bi de nerdeyse hikayenin çoğunu internetten öğreniyorsun. Bu yönde biraz üzüldüm.

    Sonuç: Şimdi bunları derleyip toplayınca size sunucağım. Bu yazdıklarıma bakılınca oyunun hikayesi bana göre "BOMBOŞ" olduğunu ama öbür yanlardan güzel olduğu anlami çıkarılıyo.



    Puan=81    … Expand
  94. BStheBOBI
    Feb 25, 2021
    9
    This legendary title was one of the first to show how storytelling can work in an FPS. The way scientists talk to you and progress the story really helps you to take an interest in what's happening and not just shoot your way from A to B and thankfully no key hunting. The graphics by today standards is very poor but compared to other games in 1998 it looked very advanced. The guns areThis legendary title was one of the first to show how storytelling can work in an FPS. The way scientists talk to you and progress the story really helps you to take an interest in what's happening and not just shoot your way from A to B and thankfully no key hunting. The graphics by today standards is very poor but compared to other games in 1998 it looked very advanced. The guns are pretty weak against the soldiers you play but pretty strong against the monsters. Overall gameplay, sound and music are good. It is a must play for any FPS fan. My only main problem is with the last couple of levels when you enter xen. They shouldnt even be there.… Expand
  95. Khaffy02
    Feb 24, 2021
    10
    Half-Life is a 1998 game that revolutionized the first-person shooter genre. At that time, an unknown company, Valve, licensed the Quake engine from idSoftware, in order to significantly rework it and create their own game. No one expected such a success, but HL has become a truly unique project. The game has won numerous awards, and has received high ratings from critics and was warmlyHalf-Life is a 1998 game that revolutionized the first-person shooter genre. At that time, an unknown company, Valve, licensed the Quake engine from idSoftware, in order to significantly rework it and create their own game. No one expected such a success, but HL has become a truly unique project. The game has won numerous awards, and has received high ratings from critics and was warmly welcomed by the usual players. There were many reasons for this: a well-thought-out, interesting, intriguing plot (which, however, in the second part revealed much more than in the first), graphics, which at that time was a breakthrough, advanced AI of opponents and allies, a convenient and at the same time simple interface, excellent voice acting and soundtrack. Also, the HL feature was that the plot developed inside the game space, without any video inserts. Everything that happened in the game, we watched with our own eyes in real time and it made us dive into the game much more. And of course, skeletal animation.

    You, Gordon Freeman, a researcher at the Black Mesa Portal Research Laboratory, located in New Mexico, are on your way to conduct another planned experiment, but in the course of it, a large-scale disaster occurs. On the territory of the laboratory, portals from other worlds are opened, from where alien, aggressive mutants come, attacking people. The main character's goal is to make an attempt to eliminate the consequences and understand the causes of this tragedy.

    In addition to the classic skirmishes with enemies and shooting monsters, part of the gameplay is involved in the use of physical puzzles. Thanks to the advanced game physics, we could perform various manipulations with objects and objects of the environment, which in other games of those years was almost absent.

    Special mention should be made of the AI system and its allies. We can ask a security guard to come with us and cover us, or call a scientist who will open the door, having access to it. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the engine, AI can not pass everywhere, but even this, not the most perfect system could be proud of in 1998.

    Very well designed environment, the interior of the laboratory, models of monsters and zombies. The result is a very unique and sometimes eerie atmosphere, thanks to the beautiful sound, picture and method of narration.

    The game also features 32-player multiplayer, with multiple modes. The gameplay is very dynamic, interesting and addictive for a while. The servers are not empty to this day.

    Among the minor disadvantages, we can mention the bots (allies in the game), which get stuck in the floor, often blunt out of the blue, can run along an incomprehensible trajectory. Or the AI of the military, who simply run out on you in the open, like cannon fodder, can sometimes ignore the player, without reacting to him in any way.

    Great game, great story, good graphics (for the 98th year), interesting gameplay and great sound.

    This game in my opinion should be for everyone.

    10/10    … Expand
  96. Baltifru
    Feb 24, 2021
    10
    You obviously don't need to hear from me that this game is cult, so I'll stick to this: having played it through for the first time in 2021, I can clearly see why Half-Life has its place in the Hall of Fame of videogames. Extraordinary sci-fi atmosphere for that time, digital voices, intriguing scenario: the game is absolutely unique and I now have a backward perspective on many games thatYou obviously don't need to hear from me that this game is cult, so I'll stick to this: having played it through for the first time in 2021, I can clearly see why Half-Life has its place in the Hall of Fame of videogames. Extraordinary sci-fi atmosphere for that time, digital voices, intriguing scenario: the game is absolutely unique and I now have a backward perspective on many games that I've played, that clearly take inspiration from it.… Expand
  97. Nernstein
    Feb 23, 2021
    9
    this is one of the best games of all time.i really like the storytelling and the weapons have a good feeling to them.the graphics are dated by today standers but i don't think thats a problem.my only problem with the game are the chapters on a rail and the xen chapters
  98. ilya_zotov24
    Feb 22, 2021
    8
    _Good game _
  99. Allenbeker
    Feb 16, 2021
    10
    Best shouter game
    From where should i start? The revolutionary storytelling? The fantastic game play? The epic story itself? The adrenaline horror?
    Half life is a way more than just a video game
  100. BEG5210
    Feb 9, 2021
    10
    this is an amazing game. it relies on visual storytelling and is incredible to play. you are able to choose how your character acts with no consequences, and it adds another layer of immersion. its linear design is unforgettable, and so are the events that happen, yet, it's just as fun to play through it multiple times. the only annoyance is that you may have to quick save a lot, but thethis is an amazing game. it relies on visual storytelling and is incredible to play. you are able to choose how your character acts with no consequences, and it adds another layer of immersion. its linear design is unforgettable, and so are the events that happen, yet, it's just as fun to play through it multiple times. the only annoyance is that you may have to quick save a lot, but the game is so good, that I'm able to ignore it. half-life is a masterpiece, and I think every gamer, old and new should play it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 1998
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 1998
1
#1 Most Shared PC Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. All Game Guide
    100
    It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that.
    Read full review
  2. My Gamer
    94
    The storyline runs in perfect harmony with the action and acts as a conduit not a stopgap, or a padding device. Each gaming element compliments the next and the entire presentation is nothing short of, well…dare we say it…revolutionary.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer
    97
    This is The Big One, and it's even better than we could've hoped. [Jan 1999, p.166]
See all critic reviews »