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. Kirase
    Jan 1, 2012
    10
    The overall package with its brilliant singleplayer, multiplayer and modability were much more than any other game could deliver back in 98. Every aspect of this game was as good as it gets, only unreal managed to have slightly better graphics and music back then. While its basicly technically superior competitor unreal focussed more on mulitplayer games in future, half-life managed toThe overall package with its brilliant singleplayer, multiplayer and modability were much more than any other game could deliver back in 98. Every aspect of this game was as good as it gets, only unreal managed to have slightly better graphics and music back then. While its basicly technically superior competitor unreal focussed more on mulitplayer games in future, half-life managed to succesfully create a new singleplayer univere and keeps it alive till today. This was the start of a flawless series that still keeps million of people hooked.… Expand
  2. Siim112
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is very good, Graphic is best, the old game of taking. Valve makes good games. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played despite it coming out so long ago. Sorry for my bad english.… Expand
  3. Mouse
    Jan 4, 2012
    9
    PC gamer? You need to play this. Take all the great things that Valve does, like great map design, mood, satire, dark humor, fun humor, emotional pull, good dialog, driving gameplay, award-worthy story telling, guns guns guns, and physics!, and then go back to the roots. Here you are, now go kill some aliens with your PhD, crowbar and shotgun, because you're GORDON FREEMAN.
  4. namDa65
    Jan 17, 2012
    10
    This game is KING . I spent a good chunk of time playing half life, but most of the time was spent playing all of its mods. CS, DOD, Ricochet,Brainbread, HOSTILE INTENT(favourite, wish it wasn't dead) , the trenches, the specialists, natural selection, action half-life, syndicate, afraid of monsters, the trap, sven co-op, and more. Played so many mods , and many of those mods are more funThis game is KING . I spent a good chunk of time playing half life, but most of the time was spent playing all of its mods. CS, DOD, Ricochet,Brainbread, HOSTILE INTENT(favourite, wish it wasn't dead) , the trenches, the specialists, natural selection, action half-life, syndicate, afraid of monsters, the trap, sven co-op, and more. Played so many mods , and many of those mods are more fun than games out today.… Expand
  5. 1AddictedPlayer
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    For 1998 this is a very good game with great graphics. (For the date.) What I can't stand is the voice acting, which kills me, but yet again it's a VERY old game and this is what old games were like. It deserves a such high score because Valve was a success with this series, and has always been a success. Remember, for the old date of this game, it's a good game. Everyone who is ratingFor 1998 this is a very good game with great graphics. (For the date.) What I can't stand is the voice acting, which kills me, but yet again it's a VERY old game and this is what old games were like. It deserves a such high score because Valve was a success with this series, and has always been a success. Remember, for the old date of this game, it's a good game. Everyone who is rating this down due to it's graphics or sound by a lot, is obviously not a old school gamer and use to good graphics.
    Great game.    … Expand
  6. buddyconnor331
    Jan 23, 2012
    9
    Half Life is an amazing game that has very few flaws. The games mapping is very good and almost every level looks unique and different. Id give that a 9.5. The Graphics for the time were amazing, now days they aren't very special but i'd give them a 10 out of 10 like they were given back in 1998. The sound is really good for the most part, there are a few lines of dialogue from people thatHalf Life is an amazing game that has very few flaws. The games mapping is very good and almost every level looks unique and different. Id give that a 9.5. The Graphics for the time were amazing, now days they aren't very special but i'd give them a 10 out of 10 like they were given back in 1998. The sound is really good for the most part, there are a few lines of dialogue from people that sound to fake, but as for alien howls and guns going off there great. 9.5 out of 10. As for the game play its very good for the most part. The wide variety of enemies from small little headcrabs to soldiers working as a team are great, a few boss fights and platforming sections later in the game bring this score down to a 9.7 out of 10. The final part for my review is the story and what a story it has. While i wont go to deep into a detail about it, here is a small rundown aliens are attacking earth and you need to escape the base black mesa. The best part of this game is its told entirely from the players point of view and there is not a single cut scene in the whole game.… Expand
  7. mcclano
    May 24, 2012
    9
    I downloaded the demo when this first came out with no real expectations and it was one of a kind and insanely good! It looked and played excellent on my 133mhz 16meg ram and 2 meg graphics card computer... The best thing about Half Life was it's unique atmosphere which every element of the game contributed to.
  8. luminites
    Jul 24, 2013
    10
    I first bought this game because I heard so many good things about it that I HAD to see it for myself. The first thing that hit me (playing it in 2013) was the graphics (produced 1998). I laughed a bit at the graphics at the beginning, but I don't think I thought about them again after the 10 minute mark. At all. I became so immersed in the story that I didn't have any spare thoughts toI first bought this game because I heard so many good things about it that I HAD to see it for myself. The first thing that hit me (playing it in 2013) was the graphics (produced 1998). I laughed a bit at the graphics at the beginning, but I don't think I thought about them again after the 10 minute mark. At all. I became so immersed in the story that I didn't have any spare thoughts to give. I launched it expecting to play an hour, but was surprised when 3 o'clock rolled around and I hadn't eaten anything! The very next day, I started it up telling myself I wouldn't let that happen again. The story kept my full attention and I had to be called for dinner. At that moment I realized, after making me do nothing but game on that one game all day, two days in a row(which I try never to let happen), that Half Life was exactly what everyone told me it would be. After thinking about it for a bit, I have decided that it is one of the best single-player games I have ever played, if not for but everything other than the graphics (which doesn't even matter, after one stops obsessing over them and remember exactly when it was made).

    One thing that I was really impressed about was the variety of weapons one found. For me, in different situations I liked to whip out Weapon X to confront Guy A and then switch to Weapon Y to finish off Alien B, or altogether stay back and pick them off with Weapon Z. I also impressed with the amount of ammo you get throughout the duration of the game. Half Life seems to give you just enough ammo for Favorite Gun X that you have to pick and choose when you want to use it while still allowing you to use it when you want without fear that you will be left defenseless. I leaves you with exactly enough to get by a point in the game to make you FEEL that you might run out.

    My favorite thing about Half Life is its adrenaline moments. This game keeps you on your feet the entire time. Aliens can teleport in at any time, you walk around a corner and you are assaulted on all sides, an unseen headcrab jumps at your face, something completely unexpected happens. You can never take any little task for granted in this game; if something happens normally a two or three times, its a prime target for some sort of unexpected jump.

    The negative reviews seem to all say the same thing: Bad graphics, how they don't understand the story, and that the character movement is difficult to manage. To enjoy the game, you have to let go of the graphics. Simple as that. If you are one of those guys that won't even touch a game that has bad graphics, you can download Source SDK Base 2007 and the free mod Black Mesa (It is basically the same story, minor changes, newer graphics, but it is not made by Valve nor does it have the end portion of the game). The story is not exactly explained to you like a storyteller is explaining it to you, but instead you have to deduce from what you are asked to do in the game and the results of those actions what exactly is happening. If you did not understand why you did a certain task, I would suggest looking up the chapter you just completed (it says whenever you save on the list of loads which chapter you are on) on the internet. I know I missed at least one thing while playing this game, and it really helps keep the game enjoyable and understandable as you progress. Now, for some reason people are complaining about how hard it is to jump across a pit of *insert miserable object here* or how they can't use ladders, falling to their death in either case. This game does have its very short and subtle moments of parkour, but it is only difficult if you make it difficult. For these moments I can only tell you to jump at the last moment or look around to see if there is another way around/another jumping point. Lastly, the WASD keys are automatically set to a "Run" or "Jog" type of action. To climb down a ladder in real life, you wouldn't RUN down the ladder, would you? There is a "Walk" key--normally bound to SHIFT, where you can approach the ladder as one would in real life; walking carefully and accessing it full on and not an angle.

    After addressing a good 80% of the reviews, lets take a look at the numbers now. As of today, 1826 people thoroughly enjoyed this game. 34 people were pretty OK with this game, but generally had some problems with it. 108 people (80 of which I have addressed) did not like the game at all. That leaves 28 people who just didn't like the game because they were not that into it legitimately (which I can totally accept). 28 out of 1968 people on Metacritic did not like this game for reasons that are unchangeable. If that trend continues for whoever reads this and is wondering if they should get Half Life, you have a 98.577% chance(1940 people who liked the game 1968 total people) of liking this game(rating it 5 or higher) or a 92.785% chance (1826 people 1968 total people) of enjoying this game a lot(rating it a 7 or higher). I'd say those are good odds.    … Expand
  9. Noxious
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    I'm never sure if the people who give games like this 0's are mentally handicapped or trolling. I hope it's the latter. I played half-life 2 in 2006ish. I was 15 years old. I loved Half-life 2. I'm now 22 and I just decided to buy half-life because idk, for whatever reason I just decided I had never played the first one and it was time. It was released in 1998 and I beat this game in 2I'm never sure if the people who give games like this 0's are mentally handicapped or trolling. I hope it's the latter. I played half-life 2 in 2006ish. I was 15 years old. I loved Half-life 2. I'm now 22 and I just decided to buy half-life because idk, for whatever reason I just decided I had never played the first one and it was time. It was released in 1998 and I beat this game in 2 days because it was that good. I couldn't stop playing the campaign. After 15 years of it's release, accounting for generational differences in games, it's a top 5 best game of all time.… Expand
  10. eldarkness
    Feb 27, 2013
    10
    Half life...There are so much adjetives to describe this game but it will take longer than 5000 characters because it not only got some good graphics, animation, argument (a distant feature in fps games) but its got all it can get. A perfect game that will not be forgotten....
  11. ManiGoldo
    Jan 23, 2015
    10
    this game is beautifull, one of the best games ever made great story. All is amazing 10/10 100/100 this game is for pro players (Best game ever). i love half life
  12. Skals
    Jan 8, 2013
    10
    One of the most influential games of all time, not only influencing the first-person genre, but also spawning so many great spin-offs and sequels such as Half-Life 2, Portal, L4D, Team Fortress, Counter-Strike etc.
  13. TheUnbeholden
    Apr 22, 2014
    10
    What Half-Life does well is tell a story through action
    HL has no cutscenes because cutscenes are the opposite of action, they are inaction because it takes control away from the player.
    One of the key features of a "Rail Shooter", go from point a to point b with few diversions & no backtracking. Rail Shooter as in like a train, you always keep moving. Valve knows that backtracking    What Half-Life does well is tell a story through action
    HL has no cutscenes because cutscenes are the opposite of action, they are inaction because it takes control away from the player.

    One of the key features of a "Rail Shooter", go from point a to point b with few diversions & no backtracking.
    Rail Shooter as in like a train, you always keep moving.
    Valve knows that backtracking gets frustrating faster than anything else, and is the most artificial way to enhance difficulty (hell increasing the damage the player takes is a better way if only marginally).
    Valve is also fond of vent crawling and puzzles which I've never seen much appeal in apart from the initial novelty of vent crawling.

    Apart from being very moddable and userfriendly,
    Half-Life also does something incredibly well that has helped modders improve their own skills, and thats level design. Each place in the game looks hand crafted. No copy and pasting of sections or randomization here! It also knows how to be challenging without throwing tons of enemies at you, and thats with good enemy placement as well as knowing when to give the player rewards (weapon/ammo/health placement).

    Its a game designer's poster child, thats what it is.    … Expand
  14. icepepp
    Jan 26, 2013
    10
    One of the mile stones for PC Gaming production. Was one of the best innovative game for it's time - especially for game-play IF, graphic and innovative Map design_ In 1998, was really a big jump that has setted new standards in FPS/Game making at least for subsequent 5 years!
  15. danibuttpirate
    May 1, 2013
    10
    Half-life was and still is a great PC games, although it lacks the graphics, it's still the horror experience that was promised! I enjoyed every bit of it and the chills every time I played through the dark, quite, alien infested environment that gave you surprises lurking around every corner! Now this is what I call an FPS classic!
  16. MasteRR
    May 3, 2013
    10
    Half-Life is one of the best games ever made.

    The action is set in the fictional Black Mesa Research Facility, where the player takes the role of Doctor Gordon Freeman, a Ph. D, MIT Theoretical Physics scientist. So the beginning is nothing really special, but the action itself begins only after the disaster. After being late, Gordon steps in his HEV Suit MK IV, and enters the chamber    Half-Life is one of the best games ever made.

    The action is set in the fictional Black Mesa Research Facility, where the player takes the role of Doctor Gordon Freeman, a Ph. D, MIT Theoretical Physics scientist.
    So the beginning is nothing really special, but the action itself begins only after the disaster.
    After being late, Gordon steps in his HEV Suit MK IV, and enters the chamber where they test a special crystal from a borderworld called Xen.

    During the preparations, the scientist make a mistake by settings the Anti-Mass Spectrometer at 105% causing malfunction, and after inserting the crystal in the spectrometer, everything goes wrong.
    The machine doesn't respond and in the same time numerous alien creatures enter Earth and the facility through outnumbered portals opened during the incident.

    After this Gordon must fight his way outside the facility, which is a hard job after the facility goes infested with aliens, and even more, zombies.

    After seeing the disaster, the Marines are called to ,,clean,, the mess, and destroy the facility. Until the end of the game, Gordon rapidly becomes the prime target for the marines, who now must eliminate him, considering that the mess is only his fault, and eventually temporary captures him.

    During the game, Gordon must solve puzzles, and is also helped on his way by security guards and scientist pinned down in the facility.

    Until the end, Gordon makes his way in a last refuge of the remaining science team, where he finds out that the rocket(that he previously launched) didn't make full effect, and the portals were still kept opened from the other side.

    As I already gave some spoilers, I won't reveal the next parts.

    The game play is just pure awesomeness.

    Gordon uses many real weapons such as mp5, 9mm Glock Pistol, Spas-12 Shotguns and others, to fight his way out the facility.

    The AI is really good, the enemies aren't blindly attacking the player and other suicidal things, and using their own tactics to stop the player.

    The game features some scripted sequences, that makes the game feel more cinematic, but not a ridiculous amount, and just where needed.

    Also the game itself is linear, so there aren't many places you can miss during the game, but there are some, and still, even so, the game feels fluent, and the story doesn't really seem to be forced.

    But even so, the game has a great replay value, and has a real memorable journey.

    The graphics aren't ground-breaking, but even nowadays looks kind of decent, but outdated compared to others.

    The game also features an both integrated, and separate multiplayer(the separate one is called Half-Life: Deathmatch), with no kind of plot, separate from the story, just in the same universe and just for fun, by being able to nuke some maps, where you must get in time inside the protected place to not get killed, but the game can also contain and be played on coop maps, in which you must complete the map's objective, solve puzzles, but also kill enemies here and there to progress.

    Also due to the very friendly engine, the game can be very easily modded, by adding new maps, re-create the original weapons, sounds and more, or even make separate mods from the original game, which led to the creation of one of the biggest modding communities, most notable mods being Sven Co-Op, Black Operations, Life's End, but many many others.

    There game also inspired a re-creation, called Black Mesa, being a total Source recreation of the original game, with same levels, but better physics, and graphics.

    So my final word for the game is that is a masterpiece, with very little flaws(this ones being only bugs and minor glitches), and deserves to be played numerous times.    … Expand
  17. Zeshiro9001
    Jun 3, 2013
    10
    Half-Life is an amazing action game, based around a simple but fun plot. You got aliens, right, but there's a little bit more to it than that. The variety of weapons, enemies, and level design is nothing short of spectacular. There's no chapter that outstays its welcome. It's a really old game now but honestly, the graphics will always be good enough to stand the test of time. You areHalf-Life is an amazing action game, based around a simple but fun plot. You got aliens, right, but there's a little bit more to it than that. The variety of weapons, enemies, and level design is nothing short of spectacular. There's no chapter that outstays its welcome. It's a really old game now but honestly, the graphics will always be good enough to stand the test of time. You are alone most of the time, and the game can be a little scary at times, I was too scared to play it when I was a kid (lol), but it shouldn't be a concern for any grownup. I will admit the last few chapters don't quite hold up to everything else beforehand, but they're still decent; and the conclusion of the game doesn't disappoint, it's quite mysterious (and a cliffhanger). The game is a 10/10 for people like me, but I don't expect everyone to feel the same way, because there's not much story, it's 99% action. Regardless, it's a must-play.… Expand
  18. POSTAL_DUDE
    Jun 7, 2013
    10
    Classic, all I can say is that Valve has brought the world something Magnificent and that sparked off later First Person Shooters such as Halo, Area 51, and even changed how Quake played. Not to mention the numerous mods such as Counter Strike, Team Fortress and Day of Defeat. The graphics were great for it's time, gameplay was fresh and orginial, and to top it all off, it was a gameClassic, all I can say is that Valve has brought the world something Magnificent and that sparked off later First Person Shooters such as Halo, Area 51, and even changed how Quake played. Not to mention the numerous mods such as Counter Strike, Team Fortress and Day of Defeat. The graphics were great for it's time, gameplay was fresh and orginial, and to top it all off, it was a game devolpers very first game. Half-Life cannot be missed by an PC Gamer and is still a must own for 2013, Please people, spend your money on the Half-Life series, support the Valve so they can give us other great titles like this.… Expand
  19. Mrfran512
    Jun 13, 2013
    10
    The best game I've played in my life, I never delve into a character much like Freeman, the story is very good and has something not very common, has no scene that can not interact with someone or something
  20. karatekitte
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    This game is truly the pinnacle of its time. It flawlessly integrates story, combat and puzzles. I feel it hasn't aged a bit, and is still a brilliant purchase 15 years later. 10/10 would recommend.
  21. Batfan
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    Half-Life is one of the best games ever made. Immersive and fun. Great story, cool weapons, and good voice acting. An experiment goes wrong causing aliens to wreak havoc on the Black Mesa Facility.
  22. overfiend87
    Aug 7, 2013
    10
    Had incredible fun when I finally got to place this game. First I played the PS2 version but this is FAR better. Intense story line, great controls and bosses that don't die from simply shooting them. This is a FPS where you use your brain.
  23. Urby
    Jun 5, 2014
    10
    Remember back when FPS games were like this? No iron-sights. No objective markers. No endless streams of "terrorists" running at you with their non existent AI? They were good times.

    Half-Life was the most impressive game of it's time and really dropped you into the thick of it. Starting with the moment you step on the tram to head to your lab, to the cataclysmic events that unfold not    Remember back when FPS games were like this? No iron-sights. No objective markers. No endless streams of "terrorists" running at you with their non existent AI? They were good times.

    Half-Life was the most impressive game of it's time and really dropped you into the thick of it. Starting with the moment you step on the tram to head to your lab, to the cataclysmic events that unfold not 30 minutes later, you're there. It's not narrated to you or written on loading screens. Along the way, your colleagues guide you and keep you up to date with the current events. Black Mesa had a real sense of place that you could really sink your teeth into. To top it all off, it fully open source with the tools immediately available for you to get into the thick of it and make your own story?

    People still develop mods for this game today, 15 years later, meaning that the play time is practically limitless.

    Half-Life was and is to this day a groundbreaking game and its greatness is challenged only by it's sequel.    … Expand
  24. Lucif3r
    Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Valves Masterpiece. Instant classic.

    And game that you can actually call an quality game. It offers long playtime. Developers who commit themselves making single player first person shooter experiences, then Half Life is an prime example how its done.
  25. silversurfpunk
    Jan 21, 2014
    10
    This stands as one of my favorite games of all time. It is enthralling as well as challenging. There were a few parts that were really difficult to figure out the puzzle, but once you got it you felt instant gratification. It has a very unique way of telling a story, and if you're not careful you could miss it. Overall I will remember this game with a lot of fond memories.
  26. EdgarAllanFlo
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    This game revolutionized what a single player fps could be. It's packed from start to finish with some of the most enjoyable gameplay in the genre. A true masterpiece in the art.
  27. MisterShmi
    Apr 26, 2014
    10
    this game revolutionized and shaped so much of modern gaming its hard to fathom it. it deserves nothing lower than a perfect score. its dated and a bit derpy now, of course (it came out in 98!) so if youre playing it for the first time now, take it in context of when it was released.
  28. Subject-name
    Nov 27, 2013
    10
    I played this game nearly 15 years after it was released, and compared to today's games, it is truly a great game. Its graphics are still good, even with todays standards, and it keeps you immersed into a sci-fi world where story doesn't have to be thrown in your face for you to keep up with events. Half-Life proves that time does not decide how good a game is, but how the game withstandsI played this game nearly 15 years after it was released, and compared to today's games, it is truly a great game. Its graphics are still good, even with todays standards, and it keeps you immersed into a sci-fi world where story doesn't have to be thrown in your face for you to keep up with events. Half-Life proves that time does not decide how good a game is, but how the game withstands that time, seeing as it is a quality game even today and probably will be one of my top favourite games of all time.… Expand
  29. johnnycruz
    Dec 4, 2013
    10
    A great game! Great story line, great characters, what more could you want?! The graphics are bad but remember this game is over a decade old so don't let the graphics fool you. I didn't want to try it out that much because of the graphics but when I did I was hooked.
  30. ThePuffedTufin
    Jan 31, 2014
    10
    This game is what set it all in motion for me, it changed how gaming in the FPS world is done today. I have yet to find a game that even comes close to how much fun I had with Half Life. Not only was the story line engaging and the graphics (for the time) awesome, but it opened up a whole new style of gaming with it's ability to make mods such as TFC. TFC is a completely differentThis game is what set it all in motion for me, it changed how gaming in the FPS world is done today. I have yet to find a game that even comes close to how much fun I had with Half Life. Not only was the story line engaging and the graphics (for the time) awesome, but it opened up a whole new style of gaming with it's ability to make mods such as TFC. TFC is a completely different experience by its own merit, but none of what we have today would be possible without the utter glory that is Half Life. This is a classic and a legend!… Expand
  31. chem64
    Jan 24, 2014
    10
    This game is a work of art. Playing through the amazing story of the Black Mesa breakdown and surviving the horrors within is amazing. For 1998, the gameplay mechanics and over all game was and still is revolutionary. As far as being and FPS, this game is not your typical "Hide, Shoot, Run", it requires thinking and patients, which is rare for an FPS, and still brings action. One of theThis game is a work of art. Playing through the amazing story of the Black Mesa breakdown and surviving the horrors within is amazing. For 1998, the gameplay mechanics and over all game was and still is revolutionary. As far as being and FPS, this game is not your typical "Hide, Shoot, Run", it requires thinking and patients, which is rare for an FPS, and still brings action. One of the greatest games in history. I recommend for anyone who loves video games.… Expand
  32. psylife
    Oct 31, 2022
    4
    The game throws the player in a maze-like underground facility that will have to be navigated by means of poorly implemented controls and excruciatingly frustrating platforming.

    Most problematic I think, is the manner in which the developers conceived the notion of 'challenge'. Most of the difficulty the player deals with comes from tedium. In that sense, the game was somewhat immature    The game throws the player in a maze-like underground facility that will have to be navigated by means of poorly implemented controls and excruciatingly frustrating platforming.

    Most problematic I think, is the manner in which the developers conceived the notion of 'challenge'. Most of the difficulty the player deals with comes from tedium. In that sense, the game was somewhat immature and outdated - if not retarded - even by 1998 standards.

    For instance, enemies absorb bullets like you wouldn't believe, and some creatures - like the crab-crawlers - perfectly illustrate the tedium based design philosophy of the game . Hazards are also intentionally placed around tight corners and hardly visible areas, so as to procure as much grief to the player as possible.

    It doesn't help that Half-life is a pretty bad looking game, and I think it is fair to say that the game was and remains artistically illiterate. (Keep in mind that Metal Gear Solid was already 2 months old by the time Half-life hit the shelves)

    Some set-piece moments centered around gameplay and the environmental puzzles were somewhat enjoyable, yet the broken platforming and tedious progression firmly cement Half-life into mediocrity.    … Expand
  33. AriesDragon50
    Jan 29, 2014
    10
    I started playing HL in deathmatches with friends when it first came out. Then my system at the time could barely handle it. Now, some 10 year later and a new laptop that is 16 times more powerful than my previous system. I have found it a new and love it.
  34. Scottyv2
    Feb 16, 2014
    10
    This is classic I love it, I played it for 18 hours for my first play through and now I'm on my second and I am now 3 more hours in. It is still amazing, it has definitely stood the test of time.
  35. bi9scuit
    Mar 2, 2014
    10
    Okay, so it's 1998. A new game is on the shelves under the name of Half Life, from a new Valve company. You pick it up, buy it, then load it up. You find yourself at a computer playing a game where you are on a train going through a facility. Then just as you start a test.... BAM. Everything goes wrong. Now you are Gordon Freeman, a theoretical scientist escaping the ruins of Black Mesa.Okay, so it's 1998. A new game is on the shelves under the name of Half Life, from a new Valve company. You pick it up, buy it, then load it up. You find yourself at a computer playing a game where you are on a train going through a facility. Then just as you start a test.... BAM. Everything goes wrong. Now you are Gordon Freeman, a theoretical scientist escaping the ruins of Black Mesa.

    Would like to note that the game is a little glitchy, but remember it's 1998 ;)
    Great game. WPOAOAOASOSOSF.

    (Would Play Over And Over And Over And So On So Forth)    … Expand
  36. Namesicnik
    Mar 7, 2014
    10
    ple who play this game will last a life time in there hearts because this game still ROCKs all others ever made for the PC Valve i love your Work! please keep kickin ass on the best game series you have made in the Year
  37. davskal
    Mar 26, 2014
    10
    Up to this day, there hasn't been a game that would drop my jaw lower. Every single part about this game was and is enjoyable, from the great gameplay all the way to the story or the music, which beautifully enhances the atmosphere of all the locations you have a chance to visit. A 10/10 must, one of the best gaming experience you can find even today.
  38. Jub
    Mar 2, 2015
    10
    One of my select few 10/10 games. Gameplay, music, level design, and story are all great.

    Admittedly I haven't played it in some years now but I'd wager that it's still playable even today, something that can't be said about most old games.
  39. Simich110
    Apr 16, 2014
    10
    One of the few gme sthat have set a standard for future games is the best FPS ever no doubt better than most games 2k14 too. Balanced weapons, even better than the other Half-Life games.....
  40. Docteur
    Jun 22, 2014
    10
    Half-Life 1 is still what we thought it was: the best game of the century. Nothing may surpass the ingenuity, the genius of VALVe while making that game. The gameplay is revolutionary, the map design is wonderful, the split between puzzle and fight is excellent to ensure a comfortable playthrough.
    There is no way you may think this is a FPS; this is the ancestor of modern ones. Doom    Half-Life 1 is still what we thought it was: the best game of the century. Nothing may surpass the ingenuity, the genius of VALVe while making that game. The gameplay is revolutionary, the map design is wonderful, the split between puzzle and fight is excellent to ensure a comfortable playthrough.
    There is no way you may think this is a FPS; this is the ancestor of modern ones. Doom unraveled a new genre, Half-Life perfected it.
    It made it.

    This is art, in all of its forms. I can't simply say else.    … Expand
  41. tupungato
    Feb 24, 2015
    10
    Immersive story, spooky atmosphere and graphics that is beautiful even 17 years after the game was first released - these features make Half-Life one of greatest FPS games ever made.

    It features very satisfying gameplay with lots of diverse weapons to choose and various aliens and humans to defeat.

    Fantastic achievement by Valve!
  42. SirKiwiTheFirst
    Sep 29, 2014
    10
    An absolutely fantastic game, great game play and an amazing story. This game leaves everything to you, instead of using a bunch of nonsense cut-scene to tell the story, you actually have to interact with the NPCs to understand the story. I can promise you that the game will not ever get boring because you are constantly introduced to new concepts. Unfortunately it is an old game and youAn absolutely fantastic game, great game play and an amazing story. This game leaves everything to you, instead of using a bunch of nonsense cut-scene to tell the story, you actually have to interact with the NPCs to understand the story. I can promise you that the game will not ever get boring because you are constantly introduced to new concepts. Unfortunately it is an old game and you modern "gamers" will just complain all day long about the graphics and how it is way harder and take way more skills than your new "games", its OK you just have a primitive brain.… Expand
  43. Ethanace
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    This is the second-greatest game of all time, just slipping shy of it's successor Half-Life 2.

    Despite being dated (1998) the graphics are amazing for their time, and despite the textures on the original not being high-resolution, the game still scales to 1080p perfectly and remains crisp and sharp. Although the textures themselves are obviously dated, the atmosphere that the team have    This is the second-greatest game of all time, just slipping shy of it's successor Half-Life 2.

    Despite being dated (1998) the graphics are amazing for their time, and despite the textures on the original not being high-resolution, the game still scales to 1080p perfectly and remains crisp and sharp. Although the textures themselves are obviously dated, the atmosphere that the team have created for Half-Life is wonderful. The into cinematic scene is still possibly the best introductory sequence of any game ever to date. It draws you into the world that is Half-Life, and you feel right at home from the start. The characters speak with you, address you by name, involve you in conversations among themselves, and even those who are not needed for the game to proceed will acknowledge you; something even most modern titles fail to do. The story-telling is excellent, moving transitionally from chapter to chapter without the need for annoying cut-scenes or sequences or flashbacks. Because of this, you're truly immersed in the gameplay since you are never distracted or removed from the first-person view at any time. The dialogue is incredible, the story is immaculate, and the gameplay is fantastic. The puzzles, enemies, friends and allies, and sound effects, the charm; this game set the bar for almost every first person shooter. The only thing which makes this game sub-par to Half-Life 2 is two minor things; the graphical limitations (which I know is unfair, since we are comparing a 6-year technology gap) and the controls. The control system itself is fine, but the movement can at times be notoriously difficult as there is no option to move slowly. Also, targeting small enemies can be difficult with firearms weapons at times. These are so minor, that it is not enough to shave a mark off the final score, as this game is near-on perfect. You NEED to play this game, and if you haven't already, you need to play Half-Life 2 after playing this. Best two games in the world.    … Expand
  44. 99dolar
    Dec 28, 2014
    9
    This game released in 1998 and I'm still playing it instead of boring ordinary games with fancy graphics. Half Life gives you pure fps experience better than any game.
  45. truxton
    Jan 1, 2015
    10
    A solid 10.0 for me.It has one of the best storylines ever with the most badass protagonist ever Gordon Freeman. An experiment goes wrong, its to do with an alien world.which leaves you asking for answers,who?why?how?Its graphics still are acceptable today, gameplay is still as good as ever and it has a brilliant atmosphere and I have never had such a good gaming experience in my life.
  46. gui2310gBR
    Apr 14, 2015
    9
    best damn game valve gameplay good story fantastic characters charismatic your ass people who hate this fantastic game and some people do not know the afff franchise
  47. the_review_man
    Feb 23, 2015
    10
    HλLF-LIFE Review

    Year Of Release: 1998 Date Of Release: November 8 Introduction-When Half-Life was released in late 1998 it shocked the world, and it changed first person shooters forever. No other FPS game at the time had a decent enough story, proper voice acting and a realistic atmosphere but Half-Life did that and it became a game that would still be played to this day and was    HλLF-LIFE Review

    Year Of Release: 1998
    Date Of Release: November 8

    Introduction-When Half-Life was released in late 1998 it shocked the world, and it changed first person shooters forever. No other FPS game at the time had a decent enough story, proper voice acting and a realistic atmosphere but Half-Life did that and it became a game that would still be played to this day and was so successful it sprung a sequel. Half Life really is a brilliant game, not in its ageing graphics, not in its poor voice acting but how good it is gameplay wise.

    Plot Summary: You are a scientist called Gordon Freeman you work at a top secret facility called Black Mesa Research Facility. Today you have a special experiment. You enter the test chamber, As you place the specimen into the scanning beam it all goes wrong. Aliens start teleporting all over the facility and kill anything they see Gordon takes matters into his own hands, for his own survival.

    Gameplay: You have a range of weapons under you disposal all the weapons in Half-Life have a good use, unlike most FPS games. There are plenty of clever puzzles which most FPS games lacked, even now FPS games don't have proper puzzles. A useful addition is the duck jump which is used well in Half-Life. These additions were very welcoming considering the usual find a key next door and then the next door to the exit. But this was a more realistic approach.

    Switching a fire chamber on to burn a giant monster, turning on a generator to electrocute a big alien this is the kind of thing FPS was hungry for and Half-Life proved that adding these environments and goals would make a realistic, puzzling atmosphere.

    Music: There is not much of a musical score in Half-Life in fact there is not theme song. But when you do hear a song in game, its tense or a fast paced action song.

    AI: The AI was perfect for the day and there still hold up good today but the AI really was clever in Half-Life which most FPS lacked back in the day.

    Conclusion should I buy it or not?

    The answer is obviously yes! Without a doubt Half-Life is truly a fantastic game. Its a must have! You will have a very nostalgic and fulfilling adventure you have ever had from a FPS game. Its a great classic that still holds up today it has everything a FPS needs you will not be disappointed.I rate it a solid...

    10/10    … Expand
  48. M3R1D1U5
    May 20, 2018
    10
    Sin más ni menos, el juego de mi vida. No se engañen, mi playtime es aparentemente poco porque no fue sino hasta hace unos días que finalmente compré el juego en steam, sin embargo, tengo más de diez años jugándolo constántemente.

    Podría ponerme a listar la serie de elementos que hacen a HL1 una obra maestra absoluta del pc-gaming, sin embargo este análisis se prolongaría demasiado.    Sin más ni menos, el juego de mi vida. No se engañen, mi playtime es aparentemente poco porque no fue sino hasta hace unos días que finalmente compré el juego en steam, sin embargo, tengo más de diez años jugándolo constántemente.

    Podría ponerme a listar la serie de elementos que hacen a HL1 una obra maestra absoluta del pc-gaming, sin embargo este análisis se prolongaría demasiado. Para evitar dicho exceso me limitaré a mencionar los elementos que el juego graba en la memoria a través de un diseño increíblemente exquisito y elegante.

    El level design es una maravilla, no sólo por las diferentes capas de verticalidad fotorrealista que dotan a Black Mesa de una sensación de plausibilidad sumamente difícil de encontrar en los videojuegos, sino por la ilusión de continuidad. Half-Life está segmentado por capítulos, dichos capítulos llevan al jugador a través de la mayoría del complejo (quedarían zonas sin explorar que serían retro-conectadas a través de las expansiones) continuas, separadas por pantallas de carga de apenas unos segundos y manteniendo el escenario tal y cómo el jugador lo había dejado tras su paso, no sólo abarcando los objetos sino los mismísimos patrones de la inteligencia artificial.

    Esto me lleva al siguiente punto:

    La inteligencia artificial en Half-Life ha sido galardonada a lo largo de la historia por crear escuela en cuanto a AI Design, ejemplos notables de esta filosofía de diseño siendo el primer F.E.A.R., juego con un indiscutiblemente bien conseguido feel muy similar a las interacciones emergentes propuestas por Half-Life.

    Además de esta sofisticada capacidad para la interacción emergente de las distintas inteligencias artificiales, cada patrón de comportamiento tiene características similares que dotan al mundo de un realismo impresionante. Desde cucarachas atraídas a los restos por un sistema de hedor, hasta los Houndeyes utilizando un sencillo pero eficaz (e impresionante de observar) sistema de manada; me atrevería a decir que es Half-Life el shooter lineal más inmersivo de la historia precisamente por ese amor al detalle puesto a cada una de las entidades del juego.

    Y finalmente, la historia.

    Marc Laidlaw relata la escalofriante travesía de un físico teórico egresado del MIT con guiños al terror clásico de diferentes escuelas, pasando por el cosmohorror más lovecraftiano, hasta el worldbuilding al estilo King (Marc Laidlaw afirma haber bebido directamente de la famosa novela The Mist para la concepción intelectual de Black Mesa) y la ciencia ficción pulp de los años cincuenta. Cero cinemáticas. Cero exposición. Un buen gusto que acojona.

    Qué más decir de esta obra maestra. Juégalo, regala todas las copias que puedas y paga precio completo si estás dispuesto, veinte años después el juego sigue valiéndolo.

    Un diez de diez inmejorable. (Publicada originalmente como Handsome Shrek a través de mi perfil de Steam el 25 de Diciembre del 2017)    … Expand
  49. PootisBird
    Aug 5, 2015
    10
    This is the best game in my opinion, the story is very original and the gameplay is fun and has lots of action. Balanced enemies and wide variety of weapons. It also had great graphics for it's time. 10/10 17 years old and still better than call of duty.
  50. Bladeofwar94
    Dec 1, 2015
    10
    One of those games I played due to the good old demo disc. This game blew my mind when I was younger and I still love it today. The atmosphere is great and the combat feels amazing. The only downside is that Half Life 3 still hasn't been made for the newer gaming audience to enjoy.
  51. 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
  52. DiegoParedesHD
    May 22, 2016
    9
    Clasico de Valve .En el que Ocupamos el Lugar Del cientifico de black mesa Gordon Freeman.
    Half-Life narra las aventuras de Gordon Freeman, un investigador del Laboratorio de Materiales Anómalos del Centro de Investigación Black Mesa, un enorme complejo científico subterráneo y ultra secreto instalado en una base militar en desuso emplazada en el desierto de Nuevo México.
    A Favor:    Clasico de Valve .En el que Ocupamos el Lugar Del cientifico de black mesa Gordon Freeman.
    Half-Life narra las aventuras de Gordon Freeman, un investigador del Laboratorio de Materiales Anómalos del Centro de Investigación Black Mesa, un enorme complejo científico subterráneo y ultra secreto instalado en una base militar en desuso emplazada en el desierto de Nuevo México.

    A Favor:
    -Contamos con una muy buena Historia.
    -Buenas Armas.
    -Buena Ambientacion /Buenos Mapas.
    -IA enemigo Decente
    -Excelente Optimizacion.

    En contra:
    -La IA de Tus amigos (Mililtares,Cientificos,Guardias) es bastante mala ya que se quedan atorados la mayoria de la veces
    -Contiene Algunos Bugs por ejemplo el bug del ascensor en power up.

    Puntuacion
    9/10    … Expand
  53. FelipeVital
    Feb 15, 2020
    10
    At that time, we thought that this was the future. And now we certainly know that this game has made the future possible.
  54. FacundoCritics
    Jul 25, 2016
    10
    Un clásico, buena jugabilidad, super divertido, buena historia, buena atmósfera, increíble para la época que salio. El padre de muchos FPS de hoy en día... Un juego que todos deberían jugar.
  55. Opcode_
    Aug 6, 2016
    9
    The game that made the best gaming company in the world. This classic redefined a genre, and in fact an entire industry. Although its rather dated now, go ahead and give this game a play. Its an essential piece to the gaming world we know today. The Mario of first person shooters.
  56. alexaltair
    Mar 28, 2018
    10
    Well, that was the game... Pioneer in many ways. Good graphics. Good story line .Instant classic.
  57. Kramyful2109
    Oct 1, 2016
    10
    There is a 150 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content.
  58. luisv
    Dec 3, 2018
    10
    2 decades later and this game is still at the pinnacle of single-player campaign stories. It's unique continuous first-person story telling is something that is still impressive to this day. It submerges you into the hell that you are going through.
  59. MrMaloteARG
    Feb 13, 2017
    9
    Ademas de ser un juego de culto que marco un antes y un despues en los videojuegos, Half Life es un videjuego con una historia atrapante y que al dia de hoy se sigue jugando muchisimo.
    Graficos: 8/10 (Basados en los de la epoca)
    Jugabilidad/Mecanicas: 9/10
    Dificultad: 10/10
    Banda sonora/Sonidos 10/10
    IA: 8/10

    Calificacion final: 9/10
    PD: Jugarlo si o si: Juego de culto.
  60. Szydlacz
    May 14, 2017
    10
    Każdy z nas ma swoją grę życia, w moim wypadku jest nią właśnie Half-Life. Gdy zagrałem w nią pierwszy raz, zakochałem się. Sugestywny klimat zaszczucia i walki o przetrwanie, czułem że to ja walczę o wydostanie się z kompleksu Black Mesa. To dzięki Half-Life-owi pierwszy raz posmakowałem gry FPS i to dzięki niemu uwielbiam ten gatunek do dziś. Nie bez powodu gra nazywana jest "graKażdy z nas ma swoją grę życia, w moim wypadku jest nią właśnie Half-Life. Gdy zagrałem w nią pierwszy raz, zakochałem się. Sugestywny klimat zaszczucia i walki o przetrwanie, czułem że to ja walczę o wydostanie się z kompleksu Black Mesa. To dzięki Half-Life-owi pierwszy raz posmakowałem gry FPS i to dzięki niemu uwielbiam ten gatunek do dziś. Nie bez powodu gra nazywana jest "gra wszechczasów".

    Polecam.    … Expand
  61. joacoandresen
    Dec 7, 2017
    10
    One of the best shooters ever made. I am not a fan of shooters but this game is not just a shooter, it's a masterpiece. For such an old game the graphics are great and the phisics are spectacular. It truly deserves it's place in history.
  62. j1182567
    Jul 26, 2017
    9
    WAY better then HL2 in every way, better shooting, originality, level design and mechanics. My only complaint's the Xen exists but at the time it wasn't THAT bad.
  63. frappocino
    Nov 22, 2017
    10
    What a classic. The game that changed gaming forever. Still nothing has lived up to its glory. I wounder why? It should be easy to make videogames but i guess its harder then it looks.
  64. md5fungi
    Dec 3, 2019
    9
    From the moment it starts to the moment it ends, Half-Life is a wholly immersive experience.

    The game eschews the use of cutscenes or narrative text, telling an unfolding story through the eyes of the voiceless scientist Gordon Freeman. While this style of cinematic storytelling is commonplace these days, in 1998, it was revolutionary. The game begins as you arrive to work (late) via    From the moment it starts to the moment it ends, Half-Life is a wholly immersive experience.

    The game eschews the use of cutscenes or narrative text, telling an unfolding story through the eyes of the voiceless scientist Gordon Freeman. While this style of cinematic storytelling is commonplace these days, in 1998, it was revolutionary.

    The game begins as you arrive to work (late) via a subway tram. It seems to be just another day on the job until the experiment you run goes horribly wrong and Earth is overrun by vicious aliens.

    As Freeman, you will navigate your way through the extremely large and complex Black Mesa complex, battling a variety of enemies and obstacles. Each level has a distinctly different central mechanic and theme, and the action never cuts away: the game is one long set piece, and this makes it all seem extremely real, even to this day.

    Half-Life’s pacing is nearly perfect: after overcoming a certain type of combat encounter or series of obstacles, the game makes sure to mix things up or transition before you get too bored of it, for the most part. The major exceptions to this are an extremely long outdoor combat segment (which was still exciting throughout but had me anxious for the next level) and the penultimate chapter, which honestly felt like a slog compared to the rest of the game.

    The game smartly alternates between intriguing platforming sections and charged combat situations, both of which have aged very well (for the most part) and are appropriately challenging. The game is also incredibly creative with combat. You’ll have to stealthily avoid the tentacles of a cranky alien beast, lure a large, menacing creature into an electric trap, and take potshots at enemies while riding down a high-speed rail cart. Every new chapter offers something fresh and exciting.

    Even in 2019, the combat in Half-Life is frantic and appetizing. The more typical weapons pack a punch and give satisfactory feedback, while you’re treated to an array of more interesting weapons such as a couple experimental science-y guns, a homing rocket launcher, an alien limb, and a disturbingly manic beetle..

    Despite everything great about Half-Life, it is far from perfect, especially in the current age of video gaming. As breathtaking as most of the game is, the pacing really suffers towards the end, as mentioned above. I was glad to get to the final boss encounter, but I did find it pretty frustrating compared to everything that came before. There’s very little margin for error, here. I would not say it was a complete letdown, but it was not the most enjoyable end to the game.

    On the gameplay mechanics end of things, ladders can be a little sketchy: you may be quite certain you are on a ladder when the game thinks you aren’t, causing you to plummet to your death. Crouch-jumping is also somewhat awkward (by nature, honestly). Finally, not being able to quick-switch your weapons is pretty inconvenient: you’re forced to use the mouse wheel to switch between them, and then click again to select a weapon.

    Aside from these minor quibbles, Half-Life is still a near-perfect and phenomenal first-person experience. It’s mind-blowing how well it stands up today, and I felt no lack of excitement and emotion playing through it decades later.    … Expand
  65. HaRDCoRSHiK31
    Dec 9, 2017
    10
    One of the best games ever made. No cutscenes, so you see everything from the eyes of Gordon Freeman, the protagonist. There are almost no invisible walls, but no open world, although the game doesn't feel like it's leading you somewhere when you play the first time. You always feel like you made the right decision to go here or there. Even with few annoying details, such as marines doingOne of the best games ever made. No cutscenes, so you see everything from the eyes of Gordon Freeman, the protagonist. There are almost no invisible walls, but no open world, although the game doesn't feel like it's leading you somewhere when you play the first time. You always feel like you made the right decision to go here or there. Even with few annoying details, such as marines doing 20 dmg with shotgun sometimes on hard or the 5 minute beginning of the game.… Expand
  66. Deid2
    Dec 26, 2017
    10
    Great game by Valve Software, innovation of 1998 and, this good and now. Story about Gordon Freeman. 20+ years old. New-Mexico. Black Mesa.
  67. Em6r
    Feb 19, 2018
    10
    Best Game On My Life The Game is really GREAT!
    -10! IM GIVING TEN THATS AWESOME GAME EVER MADE!
  68. Felipex5012
    Feb 18, 2018
    10
    Simply the best game I've ever played!
    An engaging plot involving aliens and interdimensional portals with a filthy character who leaves killing all enemies with his crowbar. Excellent graphics for your time using the powerful GoldSource engine and for being a game of Valve already to see that this game was made by a very good group I'm just waiting for Half Life 3.
  69. polyakov23
    Mar 20, 2018
    10
    Love this game.20 year was been,but she was great and first significant First Person Shooter.
  70. IceDude01
    Jul 19, 2018
    10
    YOU HAVE to play this sometime. A classic.

    A game that should not be missing in anyone 's collection.
  71. hopeless1x
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    Best game of all time.It still interesting to play it again and again,awesome!
  72. PCMasterraced
    Sep 10, 2018
    10
    Best game of all time :DDD If you don't own this you are a poor PC gamer.. Recommended buy!
  73. voditelnlo
    Dec 19, 2018
    10
    A masterpiece of epic proportions, the "Saving Private Ryan" of first-person shooters.
  74. 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
  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. Michael_Freeman
    Apr 3, 2020
    10
    Это игра моего детства. Она для меня лучшая и точка. Огромное спасибо Valve за этот шедевр !
  77. Chubac
    May 13, 2020
    10
    Revolutionary in the FPS genre and games in general (just like the 2nd one).
  78. FantiR
    Jul 16, 2020
    9
    I've never managed to finish this game when it came out the first time but last christmas I felt nostalgic and bought a copy on steam. It's a great game and I'm glad I've managed to finally finish it despite I was so terrified to carry on when I was a kid.
  79. storygamer
    Sep 15, 2020
    10
    Where it all started...Half-Life is groundbreaking! Clever story, cool physics and simple but gold gameplay. Every shooter fan should have played this game at least once. Epic!
  80. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    8
    Extraordinary game, A masterpiece from Valve, Thank you! A must-play for PC gamers.
  81. 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
  82. 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.
  83. 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.
  84. 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
  85. 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
  86. 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
  87. 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.
  88. 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
  89. SprityXD
    Mar 27, 2023
    7
    Half-life is undoubtedly one of the best shooters in history, but there are multiple problems with the game.
  90. DavidW.
    Jun 4, 2003
    10
    This game kicks ass.
  91. 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.
  92. JamieT
    Mar 12, 2009
    9
    Half-Life is a great game. A great storyline and great comabt makes this game feature on my list of top ten games of all time. Of course, number 1 is Deus Ex. The main reason Half-Life is below Deus Ex in my opinion is the fact that Deus Ex's storyline is so immersive and interactive. for those of you who have never played Deus ex, I recommend you do. That being said, Half-Life is Half-Life is a great game. A great storyline and great comabt makes this game feature on my list of top ten games of all time. Of course, number 1 is Deus Ex. The main reason Half-Life is below Deus Ex in my opinion is the fact that Deus Ex's storyline is so immersive and interactive. for those of you who have never played Deus ex, I recommend you do. That being said, Half-Life is still an excellent game. Valve did a great job creating an exciting and compelling game. I just dont get why it has a higher score than Deus Ex!… Expand
  93. Frostbite
    Oct 9, 2010
    10
    Half Life, even today, remains a masterpiece of epic proportions. The graphics may be dated, but you'll be ignoring them the moment you get thrown into the combat, which is executed perfectly. You'll face a variety of enemies, from gun-toting U.S. Soldiers to aliens like headcrabs and vortigaunts. Luckily, you get a number of great weapons as you play on, like the powerful revolver or theHalf Life, even today, remains a masterpiece of epic proportions. The graphics may be dated, but you'll be ignoring them the moment you get thrown into the combat, which is executed perfectly. You'll face a variety of enemies, from gun-toting U.S. Soldiers to aliens like headcrabs and vortigaunts. Luckily, you get a number of great weapons as you play on, like the powerful revolver or the smg with an attached grenade launcher. The ambiance is also amazing; you'll hear growls of hidden enemies as you pass through dimly-lit areas. A simply amazing experience that must be played… Expand
  94. JoshC
    May 27, 2009
    10
    This game is unbeatable. When you think of a 1998 video game, it my be bad in graphics, lacking a real storyline, etc etc. However, still I find myself booting up the game just to re-live the action of Gordon Freeman again and again. This is truly an "oldie but goodie".
  95. SandeProElite
    Jan 5, 2012
    10
    This is probably one of the best FPS experience I've had. The game has a great story and atmosphere and is very fun to play. Graphics were outstanding when it got released. They're not the greatest right now, but you can install an HD pack to improve them. The game is a must buy for those who want to know what FPS really means.
  96. Svenborg
    Jan 14, 2012
    10
    Half-life is an amazing game. It defined storytelling in FPS games (and probably other genres too). It's FPS combat was masterful. The graphics, while outdated in this day and age, were excellent for it's time and are still excellent. It's a great combination of modern and futuristic warfare with militants and aliens. Well done Valve. Well done.
  97. XxHAZAxX
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    I've played all the Half-Life games since the first and Each and every one is AMAZING! I just cant get enough of it! I Can't wait until Episode 3! I
  98. poshbloke
    Mar 3, 2012
    10
    The best game ever, along with Zelda, Goldeneye, Deus ex, Metal gear, FF7 and (insert your favourite MMORPG here). Basically. Showing it's age but if you download the 'HD' version with nicer visuals, it's still worth a play. Lets hope the endless sequels of today wind down and quality original games become the norm again.
  99. Novi4ekNone
    Sep 9, 2006
    10
    good game
  100. gvazdas
    May 6, 2012
    10
    If you want to buy this game:
    What the **** are you waiting for? DO IT!
    The game is extremely fun and paced, it's mostly composed of action and understandable story. Great graphics (for the time it was released anyway).
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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 »