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. saraysamuel
    Dec 25, 2022
    9
    es un juegazo , solo que como estaba en dificil , pero igual eso no le quita lo bueno , menos 1 punto porque no puede coshear con el bebe giganrte
  2. xalugg
    Nov 30, 2022
    9
    Esse jogo tem uma historia muito boa e a jogabilidade tambem e muito boa, eu vou perdoar a parte dos graficos por que o jogo era de 1998 então ne mas tirando isso e um dos melhores jogos do mundo
  3. Epicmonster5600
    Dec 5, 2022
    9
    For an fps back in 1998 this is really damn good, combat is solid and challenging. When going against human enemies with guns you cant just run straight in. The game holds up somewhat well, however can we please stop adding platforming to first person games, whoever though it was a good idea is a buffoon.
  4. arllda
    Feb 4, 2023
    9
    When I was little, my computer was so bad that when I turned on the flashlight, my computer went black. I would try to pass by randomly trying the dark places without turning the flashlight on.
  5. FrankCreeper
    Jul 11, 2023
    9
    A game that 25 years later still manages to be magnificent... and it's amazing how it's structured better than other games of its kind that are even recent....Truly magnificent for his years good job Valve!
  6. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 28, 2023
    9
    I'm not fan of shooter games but this game is awesome... Great history, great immersion, very good shooter. The options for multiplayer games made the title infinite
  7. JIMEY
    Aug 24, 2023
    9
    "Half-Life," the original entry in the franchise, is often considered a landmark game in the first-person shooter genre. Its impact on gaming history, innovation, and lasting influence contribute to its reputation as a 9 out of 10 title. Here's why:

    While "Half-Life" is praised for its contributions to the gaming industry, some players might not rate it a perfect 10 due to potential    "Half-Life," the original entry in the franchise, is often considered a landmark game in the first-person shooter genre. Its impact on gaming history, innovation, and lasting influence contribute to its reputation as a 9 out of 10 title. Here's why:

    While "Half-Life" is praised for its contributions to the gaming industry, some players might not rate it a perfect 10 due to potential dated graphics and technical limitations compared to modern games. However, its innovative gameplay mechanics, narrative presentation, and lasting legacy easily justify a 9/10 rating.    … Expand
  8. AnonymousMC
    Aug 1, 2009
    8
    Good game. Sadly, this review comes too late because of the age of the game. If it was '98, I would most likely give it a 10, but due to the antiquated graphics and somewhat slow storyline compared to contemporary titles, I can't get into it as much. However, everything is very well designed and the experience is top-notch.
  9. PhilT.
    Mar 10, 2004
    8
    Absolutely groundbreaking in its day, still very playable today. A very engaging narrative level design that is still not surpassed by some more recent games. I Loved it! Bring on Half Life 2!!!!
  10. AnonymousMC
    Sep 29, 2007
    8
    i found the program limiting as all closed in screens are in real life. theres no perifegy vision and its hard getting used to. story line is lame as the head suckers have no purpose other than to jump on your head and become a parasite. its action is almost believable. as you go thru the story looking for whatever. i was always unsure of what i was after.
  11. HelpU
    Jul 19, 2009
    8
    Every thing is well detailed and designed to an amazing degree. Everything is awesome until were the game should have ended. Before The Desert. I mean, you fight through everything until you get to the main goal of making it to the surface after that everything drags on. Its directionless. Once you open the doors to get to the desert that is when you should have been revieled the entire Every thing is well detailed and designed to an amazing degree. Everything is awesome until were the game should have ended. Before The Desert. I mean, you fight through everything until you get to the main goal of making it to the surface after that everything drags on. Its directionless. Once you open the doors to get to the desert that is when you should have been revieled the entire plot of everything, but no you keep going. Sometimes its feels like the level designer is trying to fill the game with cheap tricks instead of good design when you get to this point. This is were the fun ends. Honestly, the desert and the levels after should have been an expansion that no one bought, it totaly deviates from the game's design. Even the soldiers AI seems confused and out of place. If the desert wasn't apart of the game I would give this game a 10 and the desert a 5. Actually, I stopped playing after I hit the desert because it really pisses me off and I can tell the rest of the game is like it because I briefly played it.… Expand
  12. ERIDIAN
    Dec 4, 2010
    8
    This is a good game, everyone who is a REAL gamer knows what Half Life is and respects it for being an important piece of video game history. However, it is well known that first person shooters do not age well, that is all that is keeping this game from being a 10 in my eyes. So instead of purchasing this game, it may be worth the wait to download a copy of Black Mesa Source (aThis is a good game, everyone who is a REAL gamer knows what Half Life is and respects it for being an important piece of video game history. However, it is well known that first person shooters do not age well, that is all that is keeping this game from being a 10 in my eyes. So instead of purchasing this game, it may be worth the wait to download a copy of Black Mesa Source (a independent source engine remake of the original Half Life) to play the old fashioned shooter and puzzle action in a restored modern glory.… Expand
  13. keefbaker
    Jan 1, 2014
    8
    An old classic. A good storyline (but not a patch on its even better sequel) but it's a classic "for its time". Best game of 1998, sure. But unlike some games it's not survived the test of time as well.
  14. Ztride
    Dec 21, 2011
    8
    Played this game for the first time this year (2011), and I was positively surprised by it, altough I knew how much people like it. The graphics are dull today, but I imagine perhaps the best '98 had to offer. Despite that it is 13 years after release they still work fine, and gameplay is great aswell. The best thing about the game however is the way it tells the story, constantly throughPlayed this game for the first time this year (2011), and I was positively surprised by it, altough I knew how much people like it. The graphics are dull today, but I imagine perhaps the best '98 had to offer. Despite that it is 13 years after release they still work fine, and gameplay is great aswell. The best thing about the game however is the way it tells the story, constantly through the eyes of the players with no cut-scenes, and that said it is quite an interesting story aswell.… Expand
  15. potatoes351
    Apr 1, 2012
    8
    Half Life is a game of epic proportions, Valve provided a knock-out game. Good shooting mechanics, great map design, deep and involving story and of course hitting alien zombies with crowbars. Gameplay gets slightly repetitive at times though.
  16. KalanYamato
    Mar 26, 2013
    8
    Dr. Freeman is a pretty cool game, he diagnosed me with ichthyophobia and doesn't afraid of anything. 8/10.
  17. Cubixreviews
    May 19, 2012
    8
    Results: The Best FPS of 1998, The Best Story in games of 1998. With It's outstanding story, great single player and the terrific multiplayer, still It's not perfect. Still, It is great, and It shows some fancy classic graphics. It is a great FPS. It is difficult, but great.
  18. Simolius
    Jul 1, 2013
    8
    I thought Half-Life was a standard 90's shooter...but then I played Alien Vs Predator (Classic 2000) and I saw how HL was so ahead of its time, both in controls and graphics. The game plays very similar to today's first person shooters, the graphics still hold up (in my opinion) and the story is quite nice, even though the storytelling suffers a bit from the lack of cutscenes or other waysI thought Half-Life was a standard 90's shooter...but then I played Alien Vs Predator (Classic 2000) and I saw how HL was so ahead of its time, both in controls and graphics. The game plays very similar to today's first person shooters, the graphics still hold up (in my opinion) and the story is quite nice, even though the storytelling suffers a bit from the lack of cutscenes or other ways of telling the story. You will simply not understand the story if you're not paying attention. Nice soundtrack, nice pacing...Overall, its a great game! 8/10.… Expand
  19. K1LL34
    Aug 31, 2013
    8
    Wonderful game, lots of mods, at a low price?! The answer, YES! This game delivers on a massive scale, having lots of awards and praise for it being the first game Valve ever released!

    Pros: -Very influential and unique story and concepts -Extremely moddable, great mods out there -Obscure and cool weapons, such as the Egon and the Tau Cannon. -Still being supported in the modding    Wonderful game, lots of mods, at a low price?! The answer, YES! This game delivers on a massive scale, having lots of awards and praise for it being the first game Valve ever released!

    Pros:
    -Very influential and unique story and concepts
    -Extremely moddable, great mods out there
    -Obscure and cool weapons, such as the Egon and the Tau Cannon.
    -Still being supported in the modding community.
    -The graphics are a little dated, but still hold up today.
    -10+ hours of gameplay (unlike some games today)
    -Good sound design for the technology back then.
    -Very affordable, ONLY $10 in the US!

    Cons:
    -It gets a little repetitive towards the end.
    -It does not hold up well today, since it is so influential.
    -The boss is a bit too long and tedious.
    -Loading screens everywhere, but this is not such a big problem, since with computers
    now can breeze through the loading process
    -Some of the puzzles are easy to figure out and are not challenging.
    -The voice acting is nothing special.

    Those are all the pros and cons that I can list off of the top of my head. I am sure there are more things to list, but overall, this game is great! Buy it! It is very cheap!    … Expand
  20. TheBlueConsole
    Oct 18, 2013
    8
    A masterpiece and in my opinion better than HL2. It has more weapons, enemies, challenges, difficulty and all in all fun. Gordon Freeman feels more 3-D rather than an empty shell even though he's still silent, characters to hate and love, enemies to destroy and it ranges from aliens to zombies to soldiers. Really, its enjoyable for everyone. The storyline is simple, and based in a labA masterpiece and in my opinion better than HL2. It has more weapons, enemies, challenges, difficulty and all in all fun. Gordon Freeman feels more 3-D rather than an empty shell even though he's still silent, characters to hate and love, enemies to destroy and it ranges from aliens to zombies to soldiers. Really, its enjoyable for everyone. The storyline is simple, and based in a lab rather than in a city like HL2. It also gives some backstory on HL2 in the ending. Weapons are wide-ranged and for the 90's the graphics are top notch. Go play it, you might not LOVE it but you'll still enjoy.… Expand
  21. sengork
    Nov 24, 2013
    8
    One of the games people grew up on in the late 1990s. Gordon Freeman is a memorable character however time has not done him well as he had no voice acting associated with him so all that remains is a blocky character render and a few paintings. Today it appears Valve are busy enough with Steam to give Half-Life series serious focus. HL1 was a stepping stone in storytelling first personOne of the games people grew up on in the late 1990s. Gordon Freeman is a memorable character however time has not done him well as he had no voice acting associated with him so all that remains is a blocky character render and a few paintings. Today it appears Valve are busy enough with Steam to give Half-Life series serious focus. HL1 was a stepping stone in storytelling first person shooters and varied environment interactivity (eg. physics puzzles).… Expand
  22. 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
  23. Honestcritic19
    Sep 20, 2014
    8
    A true gaming classic that should be played by everyone. The story (like half life 2's) is great, the gameplay is always exciting and fun. This is a must own.
  24. Machine1211
    Oct 9, 2014
    8
    I liked this one, but Half Life 2 blew my mind. The storytelling is quite good here, the maps are very well edited. The graphics looks dated today but overall it's quite OK. A very innovative and enjoyable FPS, one of the most obvious classics of the genre
  25. Pawulon
    May 23, 2015
    8
    While it was a bit revolutionary in its times with more variety and puzzles, it lacks in one key element: satisfaction from using weapons. Some enemies, while being human are bullet sponges. Sometimes you spend a minute or two blasting one mutant in face until it falls.
  26. G1GN_pH
    Dec 11, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Run, Think, Shoot, Live. This is still one of the greatest games i played. As the modding community for Half-Life is still very active, that made Half-Life whole. Story plot is awesome and all but, sometimes puzzles are too hard and can lead you to nowhere. But hey! That doesn't mean that the game is not cool!… Expand
  27. imnotyourguy
    Aug 13, 2016
    8
    This game is great,but not as great as it's made out to be.The first thing that I should get out of the way is that the visuals haven't aged very well but that shouldn't be that much of an issue.The presentation,besides the graphics,is also outstanding.It's a game that never switches to cutscenes and is constantly in first-person perspective allowing you to stay immersed at all times(IThis game is great,but not as great as it's made out to be.The first thing that I should get out of the way is that the visuals haven't aged very well but that shouldn't be that much of an issue.The presentation,besides the graphics,is also outstanding.It's a game that never switches to cutscenes and is constantly in first-person perspective allowing you to stay immersed at all times(I felt like I had to wash my hands after the sewer level.That speaks volumes.).The sound design is great,but the voice acting is pretty cheesy by today's standards.The shooting,on the other hand,has aged very well.It has a kind of an auto locking system which slows down your cross-hairs whenever you place them over an enemy,allowing you to shoot much more comfortably.That shooting system goes hand in hand with the game's great weapon variety.There is a weapon for every situation and it's always up to you to figure out which one it is.The levels are also very varied too;not at a single point did it feel repetitive.By the end of the game you'll be encountering mostly the same enemies,but the varied environments will make it feel completely different.As for the story,while not very complicated,it's still functional due to the game's narrative.The story's most standout feature is the use of the G-man.I don't want to spoil anything about him,just play the game and you'll see.There are two bad things I can say about this game:the controls feel kinda slippery,making the early platforming segments infuriating(though,the later ones are okay),and the final boss is not fun to fight at all.But still,the game is more than recommendable,and I guarantee you'll enjoy it… Expand
  28. DreamEaglr
    Apr 8, 2020
    8
    Отличный шутер, но дизайн уровней ужасен.

    Игра хорошо вносит разнообразие в геймплей, чередуя то монстров, то врагов с огнестрелом, но к сожалению, в солдат стрелять абсолютно уныло.
  29. Garybaldo
    Mar 3, 2020
    8
    This game not only has defined what shooters are today and broke infinite amounts of new ground in the gaming industry back in its day; it has also aged incredibly well and it's still a very fun game when compared to newer titles.
  30. CoKronakan
    Jan 30, 2018
    8
    An Awesome Classic game that changed games back then. This game has a solid and original story to it's core. Great immersive music is also present in the game. And the mechanics are pretty polished. Gameplay is very good, and easy going with the player, although the HUD is pretty slow at times. Graphics hold up even for today, considering that they are 20 years old. The game is veryAn Awesome Classic game that changed games back then. This game has a solid and original story to it's core. Great immersive music is also present in the game. And the mechanics are pretty polished. Gameplay is very good, and easy going with the player, although the HUD is pretty slow at times. Graphics hold up even for today, considering that they are 20 years old. The game is very frustrating every now and then, when it forces you to guess what you have to do. Which is great for some gamers, but not for all. The total lack of a pointer or objective hint (at least) was definitely needed. For this game was programmed to make you fail. After all this the difficulty of this game is appreciated, but also frustrating after a very short amount of time.… Expand
  31. gold
    Aug 29, 2019
    8
    Есть очень важный для меня минус который очень сильно мешал - вы будете (наверно) смеяться, но это прицел. Он вообще не заметен и пока разглядишь его, прицелишся тебя могут убить. Я понимаю, что прицел на середине экрана, и можно просто сфокусировать на него (середину экрана) врага, но в суматохе боя это вообще не удобно. А так весёлый шутер, непонятный хоть и линейный, но можноЕсть очень важный для меня минус который очень сильно мешал - вы будете (наверно) смеяться, но это прицел. Он вообще не заметен и пока разглядишь его, прицелишся тебя могут убить. Я понимаю, что прицел на середине экрана, и можно просто сфокусировать на него (середину экрана) врага, но в суматохе боя это вообще не удобно. А так весёлый шутер, непонятный хоть и линейный, но можно смириться. Долгий.
    Итог: 8.666/10    … Expand
  32. sebastianali
    Apr 8, 2020
    8
    Me parece bastante innovador para la época el haber introducido la narrativa en un fps como un punto realmente fuerte. Half Life ha innovado en su genero, y eso hay que reconocerlo y respetarlo. Pero se mantiene para los estandares actuales? Bueno, por lo que puedo ver, Half Life 1 en parte se baso en Quake 2, y comparandolo con este juego, jugablemente es inferior. Me explico: Half Life 1Me parece bastante innovador para la época el haber introducido la narrativa en un fps como un punto realmente fuerte. Half Life ha innovado en su genero, y eso hay que reconocerlo y respetarlo. Pero se mantiene para los estandares actuales? Bueno, por lo que puedo ver, Half Life 1 en parte se baso en Quake 2, y comparandolo con este juego, jugablemente es inferior. Me explico: Half Life 1 a veces abusa excesivamente de tiroteos fijos y saltos milimetrados bastante frustrantes que requieran muchos intentos para superar; te matan de una. Es mucho ensayo y error, y el personaje no se siente tan agil, se siente algo resbaladizo, especialmente a la hora de saltar y estar esquivando ataques. Las armas tampoco tienen mucha punteria, y con esto de las armas, puedo decir que en Quake 2 es mucho mas interesante y pulido el sistema de combate, ya que tampoco cuenta con inventario. Tambien el juego cuenta con algunos extraños bugs, como que a veces los NPC se traban o dejan de hablar de repente, y tengamos que cargar la partida para solucionarlo. Graficamente se ve muy bien para su epoca, pero la verdad es que Quake 2 lo supera, ya que sus mapas son mas grandes. En cuanto a los personajes, esto si que no se ve bien para estandares actuales, pero se lo perdono. Quitando todo lo malo, la historia y la ambientacion es lo que Half Life hace bien, y hace espectacularme bien! Ir yendo por tuberias, areas militares, laboratorios destrozados, la progresion se siente muy bien y es esto precisamente lo que ha hecho que Half Life sea considerado un juego que ha envejecido bien! Sin embargo, en los puntos negativos anteriormente mencionados es lo que hace que a algunos les parezca un juego algo anticuado. Este juego salio para PS2 y considero a esta como la versión definitiva del juego, ya que cuenta con mejores gráficos, pantalla dividida, el Half Life Decay y bugs solucionados. En resumen, Half Life 1 fue y sigue siendo un gran juego. No ha envejecido bien del todo, pero si ignoras esos problemas, te la pasaras muy bien. Aunque yo sigo considerando a Quake 2 superior debido a la mejor jugabilidad e implementacion del multijugador, pero ya eso son opiniones personales. Recomendado.… Expand
  33. Bottlecaps
    Jun 17, 2019
    8
    Half-life 1 , if doom and wolfensien pioneered the fps genre Half-life redefined it but like both of those games half life shows its age but when the game is 21 years old showing a little age is not a big deal.its hard reviewing this title because i know i didn't like it as much as every one else and that probably has something to do with its age. the sheer amount of universal acclaim thisHalf-life 1 , if doom and wolfensien pioneered the fps genre Half-life redefined it but like both of those games half life shows its age but when the game is 21 years old showing a little age is not a big deal.its hard reviewing this title because i know i didn't like it as much as every one else and that probably has something to do with its age. the sheer amount of universal acclaim this game has is kinda astonishing.

    Story: you're name is Gordon freeman and you are an everyday scientist thrust into a grand inter dimensional conflict and your only real goal is survival. sure the story concept sounds good but characters die or are silent, witch is where the game shows its age . sometimes silent protagonists work if you can have them emote in other ways like more recently doom guy in the doom remakes or facial reactions like in legend of zelda. still for the time the story is really good it just hasn't aged the best but even still i think world building was the games best strength not its story
    Story:7.5/10

    world building: creating an interesting world that your game takes place in is the actual anti ageing solution to keeping a game relevant ( star wars did it for film ) and half-life was not the first one to make an interesting world but it was the first one to do it this well. most of the story telling is environmental everything you learn about black messa is from exploring it at first the scientists seem innocent and will act innocent because they don't see them selves as having done anything wrong, all the creatures feel like they have their own spot on the food chain and having a lot of different human npcs really helps the worldbuilding as well , with different factions the world feels more than just yours and that makes it feel bigger than the black messa facility.
    World building 10/10

    Graphics: for its time the game looks great, hell it still looks fairly good today. the animations are slick but a little to the point. the guns look great and are rendered in a detail that makes you able to recognize what real life guns they actually are, the partical effects , and even lighting are really good for their time the only thing that' really shows its age graphically are the models they are all ridged and blocky.
    Graphics:8/10

    Game play: honestly this was the worst part of the game. it feels less like a game and more like a performance witch i suppose it emulates action movies, you pretty much have to traverse some parts perfectly or else you will not make it and it makes it even worst if you got in a bad save, this was frustrating at best and infuriating at worst. now i know its partially my fault but you basically have no room for error witch give this game a steep learning curve. things were easy to spot levels were designed in such a way i rarely got stuck on what to do next witch i find with old games is a something that happens a lot i did need to look up walkthroughs but mostly how am i to tackle combat encounters and not where to go.
    gameplay: 8/10

    Sound design: the music was good at its best and forgettable at its worst. the music is brings a mood to where you are and for most of black messa it feels like industrial rock and industrial sounds and the last few missions just sound like demonic gospel witch is fitting. guns sound snappy and crunchy and are really satisfying. explosions sound incredible. this is the earliest video game voice acting id consider good. lines are delivered really well and i didn't notice any awkward inconstancy in the acting
    Sound design: 7.5/10

    7.5+10+8+8+7.5=41
    41/5= 8.2/10

    Half life is a great game , despite its age and i think people should experience even if they don't understand its technological push there is enough world building to keep people interested. but i can see that the age is enough to keep people at bay but id like to tell peoople despite this game being 21 years old. its very much worth the less than 5 dollars i payed for it comeing with the valve complete pack that goes on sale alot witch means you can get this game and its spin offs and sequel(s) for dirt cheap.    … Expand
  34. Kreyt
    Aug 28, 2019
    8
    A game that everybody should play, this game done in the 90s does more things well than so much games actually
  35. teenageSpirit
    Jul 21, 2023
    8
    VERY IMPRESSIVE

    For the 98th it was definitely very good. Graphics, gameplay, storytelling. A story that still captivates to this day. Since I am a small fan of "X-Files", the game impressed me with this mystery. The only thing I didn't like and what made it a little boring to play was because you often don't understand where to go, what to do and stuff like that. In my opinion, it was    VERY IMPRESSIVE

    For the 98th it was definitely very good. Graphics, gameplay, storytelling. A story that still captivates to this day. Since I am a small fan of "X-Files", the game impressed me with this mystery. The only thing I didn't like and what made it a little boring to play was because you often don't understand where to go, what to do and stuff like that. In my opinion, it was possible to leave at least a couple of inscriptions somewhere in the corner of the screen what to do next. I understand that before all the games were like that, so this is my personal pen.
    For the atmosphere and for the sake of curiosity, you can play even now, even though it will be 10 years later, it will always be relevant.    … Expand
  36. GregLobstery
    Mar 27, 2020
    8
    half life 2 just comes off as boringly easy when compared to this game. this one is just better
  37. ilya_zotov24
    Feb 22, 2021
    8
    _Good game _
  38. 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.
  39. gamingwportal
    Jun 27, 2020
    8
    classic. some parts didn't hold up as well, like the ending or the graphics. but the game is amazing fun and awesome piece of video gaming history
  40. the_judge22
    Oct 19, 2020
    8
    one of the best game by far
    The whole time I could not put the controller down
  41. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    8
    Extraordinary game, A masterpiece from Valve, Thank you! A must-play for PC gamers.
  42. 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
  43. hypy
    Jan 30, 2021
    8
    A timeless masterpiece with sometimes junky (especially in the platforming sections) but all-around great movement and combat, complemented with the game's beautifully designed A.I. Some of the later section are a bit disappointing like the chapter Forget About Freeman and the final boss it's a huge let-down in my opinion but there are so many iconic and interesting sections in this gameA timeless masterpiece with sometimes junky (especially in the platforming sections) but all-around great movement and combat, complemented with the game's beautifully designed A.I. Some of the later section are a bit disappointing like the chapter Forget About Freeman and the final boss it's a huge let-down in my opinion but there are so many iconic and interesting sections in this game that I don't even care.… Expand
  44. 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
  45. 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
  46. 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.
  47. 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
  48. 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.
  49. Ciocolici
    Aug 2, 2023
    8
    Half-Life is not typically the type of game I gravitate towards, but surprisingly, I found myself quite fond of it. While I must admit that I despised the m4 recoil and the character movement, and at times, I struggled to comprehend the purpose of my actions, the overall experience was undeniably intriguing.

    Venturing into Half-Life in 2020 felt like a peculiar journey through gaming    Half-Life is not typically the type of game I gravitate towards, but surprisingly, I found myself quite fond of it. While I must admit that I despised the m4 recoil and the character movement, and at times, I struggled to comprehend the purpose of my actions, the overall experience was undeniably intriguing.

    Venturing into Half-Life in 2020 felt like a peculiar journey through gaming history, immersing me in a pleasant retro escapade. It's astonishing to realize that this masterpiece was crafted back in 1998, a testament to its enduring impact on the gaming world.

    Despite its quirks and the occasional confusion, Half-Life managed to capture my attention and appreciation. The game's innovation, coupled with its rich narrative and atmospheric gameplay, offered a unique and unforgettable gaming experience. If anything, this journey into the past reminded me of the profound impact this classic title has had on the gaming landscape.    … Expand
  50. 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.
  51. 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
  52. 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
  53. The_D4RknesS
    May 24, 2023
    8
    This game is already great so you just put the BRUTAL HALF LIFE mod then it's perfect! and much more realistic
  54. Matrix_777
    Jun 16, 2022
    8
    Сюжет 9.0
    Графика 6.5
    Саундтрек 8.5 Геймплей 7.0 Визуальное оформление 8.0 Оценка 7.8 Сюжет, даже сравнивая с играми 2000-2022 замечательный. Прекрасный стори-тейл тематики: научной фантастики и утопии, стилестически грамотно построенный рассказ не даст заскучать почти всем игрокам, которым нравятся такие тематики. Графика сравнивая с современными играми конечно не очень, хотя главный    Сюжет 9.0
    Графика 6.5
    Саундтрек 8.5
    Геймплей 7.0
    Визуальное оформление 8.0

    Оценка 7.8

    Сюжет, даже сравнивая с играми 2000-2022 замечательный. Прекрасный стори-тейл тематики: научной фантастики и утопии, стилестически грамотно построенный рассказ не даст заскучать почти всем игрокам, которым нравятся такие тематики.

    Графика сравнивая с современными играми конечно не очень, хотя главный минус за маленькое доступное разрешение.

    Саундтрек очень бодренький и задаёт темп игре. Музыкальный бум в стиле научной фантастики приследует вас почти весь сюжет и как показуют другие обзоры: игрокам очень нравятся такие "дорожки".

    Геймплей, не считая замечательный и интересный сюжет, весьма прямолинеен: от точки А в точку Б, хотя и разбавлен музыкой и интереснымм стычками с мобами.

    Визуальное оформление воссоздано очень хорошо! Попадая в Black Mesa игрок сразу чувствуется антураж крутой секретной лаборатории: новые технологии, загадки в стенах базы и другие вещи, которые создают отличное ощущение, из-за чего ты ненароком начинаешь чувствовать себя частью команды Black Mesa.

    Мой комментарий: До того как я не прошёл игру Half-Life, мне казалось, что это творение не достойно звания лучшей игры до 2000 годов и подальших. Будучи типичним грофоманом, я не понимал сути таких сюжетных игр, ведь в них было невозможно играть. Но сейчас я поистине всем советую пройти эту игру. Она перезапускает ваш мозг, из-за чего ВЫ сможете полюбить другие стори-тейл игры. Не зря Half-Life называют легендарной игрой, ведь тайны таких проектов таятся в сюжетных мелочах и тайнах а не в гравике и геймплее.    … Expand
  55. christyguy
    Aug 9, 2022
    8
    Amazing game. The only thing I don't personally like is that you need to backtrack sometimes. It's a valid gameplay element, and sometimes I'm down for it, but when you're in such a linear environment in closed-off spaces, it makes me feel extra dumb. Which is not helped by the fact that I am dumb as is.
  56. PrototypeXD8
    Nov 18, 2022
    8
    Is was a good revolution of first person shooter games. You should play this game if you interested in old games.
  57. bakpak
    Dec 18, 2022
    8
    Killing scientist trying to help you is one of the best things you can do in video game history
  58. Fake_Stalker
    Aug 19, 2023
    8
    [game finished on hard level]

    78/100 - even from 2023 perspective

    Good shooter with pretty good sci-fi setting. Game aged well and despite it's release in 1998, game still playable and enjoyable.

    Sci-fi setting is not written flawlessly. Lore not flawless too.
    Gameplay sometime is being frustrating.
  59. ElKooi
    Aug 31, 2023
    8
    Esta bueno el juego, hizo que los FPS dejen de ser como DOOM de no solamente matar monstruos o sino tambien que los NPC's te ayuden abrir puertas
    lo malo son sus bugs, el jefe final y su version de Steam tiene una baja calidad de la musica (la version fisico tienia en alta calidad) y el menu ahora se ve inferior
    En su version fisico te traia mods preinstalados llamados Team Fortress    Esta bueno el juego, hizo que los FPS dejen de ser como DOOM de no solamente matar monstruos o sino tambien que los NPC's te ayuden abrir puertas
    lo malo son sus bugs, el jefe final y su version de Steam tiene una baja calidad de la musica (la version fisico tienia en alta calidad) y el menu ahora se ve inferior
    En su version fisico te traia mods preinstalados llamados Team Fortress Classic, Ricochet y Deathmath Classic (se requieren jugadores e internet para jugar estos mods).

    Graficos para su epoca: 9/10
    Jugabilidad: 9/10    … Expand
  60. DemonicAngel
    Feb 9, 2004
    7
    Just for the fact that it showed the FPS genre was capable of much more than Quake and the like were able to deliver, I award Half-Life a 7. Now let's get down to business. The game is unfortunately very uneven, and whilst the first half is excellent, I soon found myself losing interest around the middle section of the game. The pacing really starts to suffer around this point,with Just for the fact that it showed the FPS genre was capable of much more than Quake and the like were able to deliver, I award Half-Life a 7. Now let's get down to business. The game is unfortunately very uneven, and whilst the first half is excellent, I soon found myself losing interest around the middle section of the game. The pacing really starts to suffer around this point,with too many sections where it's very unclear what you're supposed to be doing. The story, for a game that recieved so much praise for its "deep" storyline, is not developed nearly enough - we're left with just "experiment goes wrong, aliens appear, government soldiers arrive to cover it up, and you have to do something about it all", and that's more or less it. Now System Shock 2, that was a game with a fully-developed backstory that you could really sink your teeth into. With Half-Life, the story was mostly irrelevant and in itself provided little incentive to continue. In addition, the final couple of stages are nothing less than ridiculous. So overall, a game that heralded a (brief) new era for the FPS genre, but didn't quite live up to its own hype. … Expand
  61. TimB.
    May 23, 2006
    7
    fun game. some spots are confusing to get around. wish that shooting the guns would be more realistic.
  62. JordanP.
    Aug 29, 2004
    7
    Let me take you back to 1998. A heated battle between the two big FPS's namely Unreal and Quake II. Now, they were good for their time, but the AI was poor and both had next to no story and little interaction with the enviroment the player was placed in. Then comes Half-Life, and it features good AI and a storyline, plus interaction. With it's features many overlooked the fact Let me take you back to 1998. A heated battle between the two big FPS's namely Unreal and Quake II. Now, they were good for their time, but the AI was poor and both had next to no story and little interaction with the enviroment the player was placed in. Then comes Half-Life, and it features good AI and a storyline, plus interaction. With it's features many overlooked the fact that all were under-developed and the game was repetitive. My point is, it's only amazing due to the timing of it's release. A good game, just overated.… Expand
  63. EddieD
    Sep 13, 2009
    7
    In it's day, this was one of the premier FPS available. Nothing else came close to the storyline and the gameplay. In the intervening years the game has become somewhat long in the tooth. Going back and playing it today I realized just how far game technology has come. I never knew just how difficult to control this game was! With modern hardware and good quality controls, this game In it's day, this was one of the premier FPS available. Nothing else came close to the storyline and the gameplay. In the intervening years the game has become somewhat long in the tooth. Going back and playing it today I realized just how far game technology has come. I never knew just how difficult to control this game was! With modern hardware and good quality controls, this game really shows its age. But comparing it with modern games isn't completely fair. If you played Doom, Quake, or other FPS in the 90's, you know how far ahead this game was. And, in a way, it still is. Just don't expect 21st century realism from a 20th century game.… Expand
  64. Moses89
    Nov 11, 2011
    7
    I never thought it was the game changer everyone else did but it was a good game. However most of the mods that came out of it were amazing. So for that I give it a 7 otherwise I would give it a 5.
  65. GhettoGarden1
    Feb 3, 2011
    7
    Ok, so, everyone, i understand all of your reasons for disliking this game. First of all, buttons. I agree, this game gets rather boring fast because of the extremely large use of buttons. But all games have their ups and downs. And graphics, its very aged. If you dont like aged graphics, wait for black mesa source to come out. Next, Vehicles, I find these very very very annoyingOk, so, everyone, i understand all of your reasons for disliking this game. First of all, buttons. I agree, this game gets rather boring fast because of the extremely large use of buttons. But all games have their ups and downs. And graphics, its very aged. If you dont like aged graphics, wait for black mesa source to come out. Next, Vehicles, I find these very very very annoying too, and i am a huge fan of half life. I prefer the later games, and the only thing that prevents me from rating this a 5 or less is the enemy variety, the final boss, and the beautiful graphics for its time.… Expand
  66. KulakxRatings
    Nov 26, 2010
    7
    I thought that his game was a realy great game, it has a much better experience than the 2nd one, not that half life2 was bad, but this game had a pretty fun element, and a good story. A fun fps. It is definatley a classic and will not be forgotten.
  67. sampearl
    Jul 27, 2011
    7
    It's just OK. I found myself lost in a huge maze without ever knowing what is going on or what to do. Killing things didn't really feel satisfying and monsters came without variety. But the weapons did! I think half life 2 is a lot similar, but half life 2 just worked, I think it was just much more enjoyable.
  68. BasilZero
    Oct 4, 2014
    7
    Game: Half-Life
    Genre: FPS/Horror
    Developer: Valve System: Steam (PC) Total Score: 77/100 Value Score: 7.7/10 • Story: 7/10 • Characters: 7/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 8/10 • Music: 7/10 • Length: 7/10 • Replay Value: 6/10 • Player Value: 7/10 Pros +Great environment design and theme +Great Variety of weapons and the mechanics are nicely done    Game: Half-Life
    Genre: FPS/Horror
    Developer: Valve
    System: Steam (PC)
    Total Score: 77/100
    Value Score: 7.7/10

    • Story: 7/10
    • Characters: 7/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 8/10
    • Sound: 8/10
    • Music: 7/10
    • Length: 7/10
    • Replay Value: 6/10
    • Player Value: 7/10

    Pros
    +Great environment design and theme
    +Great Variety of weapons and the mechanics are nicely done
    +Well designed puzzles and scenarios
    +Console mode enabled lets you play the game differently than it should (i.e. NoClip, Godmode, etc)
    +Multiplayer allows you to do PvP type matches against other players
    +Choice of 3 different difficulties

    Cons
    -Sometimes certain NPCs that killed make it inaccessible to certain areas unless you use cheats
    -The game tends to be glitchy at times such as enemies going through walls, etc (very rare though)
    -This is the original - the source edition is considered to be the superior version due to some changes such as the engine, the sound effects, etc.    … Expand
  69. PodreySanchez
    Feb 29, 2012
    7
    This game is a OK game in my opinion and I see why people love it. I'm not doubting the quietly of the game because yes it is probably one of the PC. But I'm not really into the game, which has repetitive action sets.And a story i don't find interesting enough to carry on playing.
    But I love the character development such as G-Man and Alxy but the for the all the other character i don't    This game is a OK game in my opinion and I see why people love it. I'm not doubting the quietly of the game because yes it is probably one of the PC. But I'm not really into the game, which has repetitive action sets.And a story i don't find interesting enough to carry on playing.
    But I love the character development such as G-Man and Alxy but the for the all the other character i don't care for.
    But I love, and i mean love! The moded story's modes, such as Nightmare house 2. And the fantastic first person shooter war game Counter Strike. And the well respected Sandbox, Garry's Mod which is one of the most funniest game that i have ever played. Overshadowing Half-Life 2 its self. Which ruined my first play-through for me! Because I ask myself "why am I player this when I have Garry's Mods?"
    So Half-Life 2 is a great game because if there wasn't no Half-Life there would be no Garry's Mod Or Counter Strike. But having that I would rather player Gmod than Half-Life 2.    … Expand
  70. Speed4Runs
    Nov 24, 2012
    7
    Superb game: amazing story and longevity, it hardly ever makes you bored. If you do not like this game, you can't be a real gamer: these are the real games! Not the new ones that you complete in 45 minutes.
  71. WPCritic
    Jan 25, 2013
    7
    I actually had a lot of fun with this game. The weapons are fair and the ammo consumption is enough to deter you from using the heavy weapons on grunts.

    The only things keeping me from going higher than an 8 are the minor system discrepancies and the story. It was very confusing, but that's partially my fault for not wearing headphones. It's difficult to hear dialogue without headphones    I actually had a lot of fun with this game. The weapons are fair and the ammo consumption is enough to deter you from using the heavy weapons on grunts.

    The only things keeping me from going higher than an 8 are the minor system discrepancies and the story. It was very confusing, but that's partially my fault for not wearing headphones. It's difficult to hear dialogue without headphones and lack of a captioning system makes it impossible to know what's going on if you're not wearing headphones.
    The saving system is also hard to work with. There was no autosave feature, so I had to force myself to save every 5 minutes or so.
    The last thing (I think this is really important) is the developer console. If you're familiar with the Source engine and the half life commands like I am, then it's just a few keystrokes to give you mac ammo/armor/health. With no achievements to deter the usage of "sv_cheats 1", this option is very appealing for those having trouble in the game.

    Overall, I thought this game was great. I've replayed it about 5 times for a total of 6 playthroughs just because I like some of the combat in it. I would suggest buying this game at full price if you want it because it is worth full price.    … Expand
  72. DeusXCom
    Aug 5, 2014
    7
    After 16 years, until this day, I still don't remember what was all that hype about and the funny thing is that the same hype train continued with Half-Life 2. Don't get me wrong, both games are a good solid FPS games, I liked them and enjoyed both, but they never took my breath away, they just never got me or gave me something to value them so highly, I never understood their massiveAfter 16 years, until this day, I still don't remember what was all that hype about and the funny thing is that the same hype train continued with Half-Life 2. Don't get me wrong, both games are a good solid FPS games, I liked them and enjoyed both, but they never took my breath away, they just never got me or gave me something to value them so highly, I never understood their massive appeal and I feel there are much much better titles in this category out there. Maybe I'm just immune to that supposed positive Valve vibe everyone else seems to get, I never even liked Steam, so it's pretty possible. 7/10… Expand
  73. JustSomeGamer
    Jun 16, 2016
    7
    This was an amazing game............almost two decades ago. Don't expect so much from this game, as it can't really be compared to modern games. It's was revolutionary a long time ago and it set the standard for the fps games for a long time, but in this day and age it is nothing more than a decent game that didn't age very well.....
  74. REEDDLES
    Jul 19, 2019
    7
    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 7
    -Atmosphere: 6 -Characters: 6 -Graphics and design: 8 -Gameplay: 8 -Sound and Music: 7 -Bugs: 9 -Interface: 9 -Completeness of the world: 7 -Balance (Multiplayer): 8 - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10 Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment): -Freedom of choice: 0 -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 7
    -Atmosphere: 6
    -Characters: 6
    -Graphics and design: 8
    -Gameplay: 8
    -Sound and Music: 7
    -Bugs: 9
    -Interface: 9
    -Completeness of the world: 7
    -Balance (Multiplayer): 8
    - Donates influence on the game (Pay to win): 10

    Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment):
    -Freedom of choice: 0
    -Coop in Story mode: 0 (only with mod)
    -Multiplayer: 8
    -Mods and the ability to change the game: 7

    Scores from 1 to 10, the higher the better    … Expand
  75. 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.
  76. PnuTTT
    Jul 2, 2020
    7
    The game is fun but it gets a bit repetitive also the story is kinda bad, not horrible but not amazing.
  77. DefaltWorld
    Jun 19, 2020
    7
    Demasiadas buenas mecanicas y graficos para su tiempo lo malo es la censura que hay en la nueva version, quitando efectos que incluia el original y algunos bugs visuales que no existian en la original
  78. BaileyJ
    Nov 15, 2020
    7
    Despite this game finally showing its age, it still is and always will be one of the best most influential, innovative FPS games of all time.

    Unfortunately, playing it today it's a real sludge to get through. With enemy AI being dumb, bugs showing up every now and then, and level design being really outdated and boring. But aside from that, I believe this is a game everyone should play.    Despite this game finally showing its age, it still is and always will be one of the best most influential, innovative FPS games of all time.

    Unfortunately, playing it today it's a real sludge to get through. With enemy AI being dumb, bugs showing up every now and then, and level design being really outdated and boring. But aside from that, I believe this is a game everyone should play. It's a landmark in video game history and really shows how much influence this game has had on all video games.    … Expand
  79. TEG_17
    May 6, 2022
    7
    Ну что сказать, это классика, даже на теперешнее время играется бодренько, но конечно не ровня современным шутерам. Единственное что не понравилось, плохая реализация уровней сложности и баги с застреванием в текстурах.Ну что сказать, это классика, даже на теперешнее время играется бодренько, но конечно не ровня современным шутерам. Единственное что не понравилось, плохая реализация уровней сложности и баги с застреванием в текстурах.
  80. Skysea28957
    Dec 31, 2020
    7
    Very good game-in scenes very good sounds and not bad graphic but one enemie is very bad can’t aim to headcrabs and they take so much health and this
  81. Richard_dias
    Aug 14, 2023
    7
    Yeah, I like it but not that much. Really think HL2 did it better and after beating the OG two or three times I don't really see myself playing it again. It is a important piece of history though, and most people should do themself a favor by giving it a fair chance. You most likely will find it better than I did!
  82. MrIslamic
    Jan 28, 2021
    7
    I like this game but there are so many things that just bring down the experience (especially the last couple of chapters) Definitely worth playing especially with how cheap it can be on steam.
  83. nazarkin123
    Mar 10, 2021
    7
    Legendary game. I still remember some moments after years. It is a great beginning.
  84. 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
  85. 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.
  86. Nick7000
    May 1, 2023
    7
    Заценил только сейчас. Наверное, для свое времени это было нечто, сейчас, безусловно скучновато.
  87. Rocket04
    Nov 19, 2022
    7
    It's a very good Horror FPS. The combat is great though the AI is a little clunky. It's graphics have aged, but i don't think that takes away anything in terms of enjoyment. The Scientists and Guards really make Black Mesa Feel like it's been lived in, though the scientists can be ironically funny.
  88. SprityXD
    Mar 27, 2023
    7
    Half-life is undoubtedly one of the best shooters in history, but there are multiple problems with the game.
  89. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    7
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  90. 1nSaNe!!!??
    Nov 11, 2003
    6
    The good points of the game are the awesome story and creepy moments. The bad points are more conspicous. For example, as the game goes on it degenerates into one boring jumping or crate-pushing switch flicking puzzle after another, although it does have a great final boss.
  91. Pomornik
    Jul 23, 2011
    6
    This is where the trend of puzzles in FPS games have started? I must say i prefered the old(er) school where we just shooted things instead of pushing crates around. Probably a good game, i just didn't feel it.
  92. Defianc4
    Feb 19, 2012
    6
    I played the first 2/3rds of this game at least 4 times when I was 8 years old. Only problem is, the game glitched me out of finishing the last and likely most fun portion, so all I got was an incomplete game. At least the building up part was a lot of fun, even if the payoff was nonexistent.
  93. LonePiper
    Feb 27, 2013
    6
    Half-life is a solid FPS, nothing more. The gameplay progresses at a decent rate, and is fairly well balanced, but that is about all you can say for the game. The cons are that the pacing is erratic, the aesthetics (at least for the first three quarters of the game) are bland and sterile, the story (as praised as it is) is shallow, cliched and irrelevant and there is nothing particularlyHalf-life is a solid FPS, nothing more. The gameplay progresses at a decent rate, and is fairly well balanced, but that is about all you can say for the game. The cons are that the pacing is erratic, the aesthetics (at least for the first three quarters of the game) are bland and sterile, the story (as praised as it is) is shallow, cliched and irrelevant and there is nothing particularly original about the whole thing.
    I don't understand how this game (and its sequel) gets all the praise it does. I suppose it has a lot to do with the average level of FPSs at the time, which is depressing more than anything.    … Expand
  94. Stealth_Blade
    Aug 31, 2013
    6
    I kind of like it but after a while of game play it starts to get very repetitive. Doing the same thing a lot killing an alien, solve a puzzle, kill an alien, solve a puzzle. The graphics are good on some things but not others. I would give it a 3 but it was made in 1998 which is mind boggling. Best game of the millennium (1000 years). Thanks for reading!
  95. Steeldude
    May 7, 2017
    6
    + nice beginning
    + great graphics for the time
    - way too hard - not impressed - dropped twice - the game is just annoying to play through The beginning is awesome but once the gameplay starts it gets tedious and difficult really fast. I tried to play this game twice, but gave up each time. It just wasn't worth the frustration. Still, I'm giving some points for the great intro    + nice beginning
    + great graphics for the time
    - way too hard
    - not impressed
    - dropped twice
    - the game is just annoying to play through

    The beginning is awesome but once the gameplay starts it gets tedious and difficult really fast. I tried to play this game twice, but gave up each time. It just wasn't worth the frustration.
    Still, I'm giving some points for the great intro section and an awesome tutorial.    … Expand
  96. mr-NachoMen
    Nov 27, 2019
    6
    I've heard wonders about Half-Life for years (specially the second game), I've heard that is the best game ever created and stuff like that and I never had the chance to play it until now, and honestly it wasn't what i was expecting it to be. (AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO READ THIS WOULD HATE ME FOR THIS) but Half-Life was a huge disappointing game in my opinion and a really bad game.I've heard wonders about Half-Life for years (specially the second game), I've heard that is the best game ever created and stuff like that and I never had the chance to play it until now, and honestly it wasn't what i was expecting it to be. (AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO READ THIS WOULD HATE ME FOR THIS) but Half-Life was a huge disappointing game in my opinion and a really bad game.
    I have to admit in a positive way that even that the story is not ground breaking or anything like that, it was a huge improvement into storytelling, all the game's plot was shown via "scripted sequences" and this made useless the need of use pre-rendered cutscenes or cutscenes in general, so the players don't loose the immersion that this world has build playing as one of the most iconic video game characters.
    It's a shame that the gameplay in general is... well... bad. Let's begun with the combat, one of the very first weapons that the player got their hands off was the iconic crowbar, but... melee combat is awful in this game, it is good to break crates and glasses but combat totally no. Fire weapons are so inconsistent in their damage rate, like, how is it possible that a pistol is more powerful than an assault rifle? or a shotgun? the best gun is the magnum revolver, unfortunately ammunition for this gun is really scarce, this gun is literally one shot kill.
    Enemies are annoying, specially those little alien things that zombies had in their heads, those things appear out of nowhere and can inflict a lot of damage, and the soldiers too, those guys are bullet sponges!!!. In this game you will die a lot, but you die in the most unfair ways possible and this end of feeling like a really cheap move to make the game feels "challenging".
    Even that the levels are lineal, and the game's nature is lineal as well, I end being lost a lot of times wondering "what am i suppose to do now?" there's no objectives tab or anything like that, you have to interact with NPC's that will give hints to were to go next, a good addition from this NPC'S is that some can be useful to unlock some doors or even help you in combat, but they die quickly, even more that what you could expected.
    Platforming sections are terrible and it's a good example of why platforming and First Person Shooters usually don't get along, and the game's implementation of boxes with physics... are awful (good thing this was fixed in the second game).
    Half-Life is indeed an iconic game from the late 90s and calling it the worst game would be fair or perhaps it wouldn't be a very accurate statement. The game isn't entirely that bad as i made it look, it had it's moments of glory, but still, calling it a masterpiece... well, it's not masterpiece.
    Half-Life is a most have game or even one of the game you should play before dying, give it a try, master game, learn it's combat pasterns and you will have a really satisfying experience.    … Expand
  97. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 8, 2020
    6
    I can see the appeal of the game in its early years, but it hasn't aged well. The story is cool and it gets progressively better. The gun play is also quite OK. But I do not see myself replaying it, I liked it the first time and that's it for me. I understand the story of Valversum better now, but some parts I just swung through not even thinking about it and wanting to get done with themI can see the appeal of the game in its early years, but it hasn't aged well. The story is cool and it gets progressively better. The gun play is also quite OK. But I do not see myself replaying it, I liked it the first time and that's it for me. I understand the story of Valversum better now, but some parts I just swung through not even thinking about it and wanting to get done with them as fast as I could.

    Especially the Xen levels are just a pain to go through and seem pointless.    … Expand
  98. turgaysenturk
    Jul 13, 2023
    6
    I didn't have the opportunity to play this game during my childhood, but I finally got to experience it in 2020. While I had fun playing it, I couldn't fully grasp the feeling of playing one of the best games in history, as it was originally released in 1997 and understandably feels dated by today's standards. Overall, it was an average experience for me.
  99. OpticalFred
    Mar 28, 2023
    6
    Another classic that aged poorly.

    Bad platforming, repetitive maze, old fps format.
  100. CoreyA.
    Jun 5, 2006
    5
    This game is overrated, it's fun but I'd rather not waste my time with this when I can play HL2.
Page:

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 »