Half-Life

released on Nov 19, 1998

Dr. Gordon Freeman doesn't speak, but he's got a helluva story to tell. This first-person roller-coaster initiated a new era in the history of action games by combining engrossing gameplay, upgraded graphics, ingenious level design and a revolutionary story that may not be all that it seems, told not through cutscenes, but through the visual environment.


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I'm normally ambivalent towards single-player shooters, but I think that Half-Life's focus on strategy as opposed to the actual act of shooting captivated my interest. Resource management combined with intelligent enemy AI and smart level design coalesce to create a deeply tense atmosphere which is further strengthened by the game's immaculate presentation.

Though the dated graphics can at times impact the readability of certain environments, their contribution to the game's tone is palpable. Black Mesa's sterile gray halls, the surface's red desert, and the orange dimension of Xen combine to give the player a great sense of alienation and loneliness. The sheer size of the Black Mesa facility was conveyed very cohesively as well: despite each level being different in meaningful ways, I never felt like I was in a completely different location. I love how seamlessly the game's levels flow in that way, where you'll be chugging along and all of the sudden be thrust into a new level.

There's some really great sound design, too. I love how loud the game can be, with military soldiers barking nonsensical radio messages, aliens making weird noises, explosions, gunfire and occasional music all piling on top of each other in combat scenarios to create unbelievably tense encounters. This clashes with the utter silence of the game when the fighting is over, creating an eerie effect which kept me on my toes throughout the entire experience.

In many ways, it felt to me that Half-Life was the natural evolution of DOOM, which I already loved. For me, it's in the "Legendary Game That Lives Up To Its Reputation" club, squeezed between Final Fantasy VII and Super Mario Bros. 3.

suprisingly, it still holds up to this day

I might be wrong about Half-Life, but about 2/3 of the way through the game I enabled god-mode and blasted through the end sections. For reference, I loved Half-Life 2. I might come back to this one some day.

old game with great feel and combat