A fairly substantial upgrade from the original and a great game in it's own right. It's got a lot of fun new mechanics, well-justified fanservice, a good amount of variety, and just about everything you'd want in a half life game. It does feel a tad excessive in fanservice at times, but that's fine for a mod. Compared to the first, the game is much better at conveying information to the player. I got lost much less often, although there were a few instances of poorly telegraphed environments. If you like half-life, check this out for sure.