These days, it's probably fair to say that Valve Corporation is most known for their iconic digital distribution service Steam; it's by far the most popularly used digital storefront for PC games, and they've become one of the most influential companies in the space off the strength of that alone. But, as everyone knows, their influence on the gaming scene goes far beyond their distribution network. And their first product, Half-Life, is a shining example of such. Released in 1998, the era of the so-called "DOOM & Quake Clones", Half-Life's goal as described by Valve was to add some much needed innovation to the FPS genre. Special attention was paid in order to create a game that didn't feel like just another run-and-gun shooting gallery, but an immersive, narrative-driven experience that would push the genre forward. And unless you've suddenly time traveled from the past, you know that this was a success; Half-Life was massively successful, both commercially and critically, and ushered in a new age for the PC FPS genre.
When playing a definitively retro game for the first time in the modern age, it is important to remember the context in which it was released. This was 1998, and the narrative driven FPS game hadn't really reached the PC mainstream market yet. Even on consoles, Goldeneye had only been released a year earlier, and that game's story was derived from its namesake movie. Then, suddenly, Half-Life; it's sure to say it wasted no time innovating. The first half an hour or so of this game are done without a weapon in hand, and while that may not be anything special today, it was pretty revolutionary for its time, and a testament to HL's commitment to immersion over traditional FPS gameplay. For the time, the worldbuilding is impressively strong, and the entire Black Mesa compound serves as a good backdrop for the story.
There are no distinct breaks in the action (save for one, very late on) here, and by ditching the mission structure that had been so common in the genre, it gave Half-Life a sense of connectivity never seen before. In-game scripted events, player-initiated dialogue, and a story revealed through gameplay rather than cutscenes all helped this game stand out. Of course, the story of Half-Life is not anything special; it's a pretty generic sci-fi outing when read on paper. It was its storytelling method, not its story, that impressed the most.
All of this is immensely important to remember for the modern day player, especially if playing it for the first time. That being said, the very best classic games are the ones who have both been influential in their field, and retained the pristine gameplay qualities they were acclaimed for at the time. In this case, it's hard to argue that Half-Life has done the latter. Uniquely, the game is actually quite impressive graphically; it has a smoothness that a lot of its contemporaries would be jealous of. Unfortunately, they aren't utilized as much as they could be; most of HL take place in the Black Mesa facility, and while that helps with immersion, it also makes generic hallways the most popular location of the game. And this mixed bag is very emblematic of how it feels to play Half-Life in the modern day; it feels like so many of its iconic aspects have their drawbacks.
Most noticeably, your movement in Half-Life is quite sensitive; after a little getting used to, this gives you the ability to weave in and out of firefights, and generally lets you feel more in control during combat. But during the numerous platforming puzzles, it feels way too slippery and imprecise. The quicksave feature is a blessing, but it feels entirely over-relied upon; unfair enemy placement, impossible to predict hazards, and random ambushes make for a tiring experience. Gunplay is generally good, but limited-it doesn't feel like HL takes advantage of its sci-fi setting, and it certainly gets repetitive quicker than you'd expect. Crucially, the gameplay experience starts out great and thrilling-the game is at its best when you feel more like a scientist trying to survive vs. a one man army-but certainly falls off towards the second half, and the last few chapters especially are largely unpopular (for good reason) among even the game's biggest fans.
Half-Life is fondly remembered today as one of the most influential FPS games in gaming history, and no one can take that away from it. So many of its intangibles have made the genre better, and it's fascinating to see where so many modern ideas came from, especially when it's a shooter that's decidedly old school. But its underlying jankiness and monotony make for a sometimes frustrating, sometimes fun experience, and HL can feel more like a history lesson than a game sometimes. Is it worth playing today? Absolutely. It's still a fine game, and it's a classic title which launched a famous series. It just might be worth it to temper your expectations somewhat.
When playing a definitively retro game for the first time in the modern age, it is important to remember the context in which it was released. This was 1998, and the narrative driven FPS game hadn't really reached the PC mainstream market yet. Even on consoles, Goldeneye had only been released a year earlier, and that game's story was derived from its namesake movie. Then, suddenly, Half-Life; it's sure to say it wasted no time innovating. The first half an hour or so of this game are done without a weapon in hand, and while that may not be anything special today, it was pretty revolutionary for its time, and a testament to HL's commitment to immersion over traditional FPS gameplay. For the time, the worldbuilding is impressively strong, and the entire Black Mesa compound serves as a good backdrop for the story.
There are no distinct breaks in the action (save for one, very late on) here, and by ditching the mission structure that had been so common in the genre, it gave Half-Life a sense of connectivity never seen before. In-game scripted events, player-initiated dialogue, and a story revealed through gameplay rather than cutscenes all helped this game stand out. Of course, the story of Half-Life is not anything special; it's a pretty generic sci-fi outing when read on paper. It was its storytelling method, not its story, that impressed the most.
All of this is immensely important to remember for the modern day player, especially if playing it for the first time. That being said, the very best classic games are the ones who have both been influential in their field, and retained the pristine gameplay qualities they were acclaimed for at the time. In this case, it's hard to argue that Half-Life has done the latter. Uniquely, the game is actually quite impressive graphically; it has a smoothness that a lot of its contemporaries would be jealous of. Unfortunately, they aren't utilized as much as they could be; most of HL take place in the Black Mesa facility, and while that helps with immersion, it also makes generic hallways the most popular location of the game. And this mixed bag is very emblematic of how it feels to play Half-Life in the modern day; it feels like so many of its iconic aspects have their drawbacks.
Most noticeably, your movement in Half-Life is quite sensitive; after a little getting used to, this gives you the ability to weave in and out of firefights, and generally lets you feel more in control during combat. But during the numerous platforming puzzles, it feels way too slippery and imprecise. The quicksave feature is a blessing, but it feels entirely over-relied upon; unfair enemy placement, impossible to predict hazards, and random ambushes make for a tiring experience. Gunplay is generally good, but limited-it doesn't feel like HL takes advantage of its sci-fi setting, and it certainly gets repetitive quicker than you'd expect. Crucially, the gameplay experience starts out great and thrilling-the game is at its best when you feel more like a scientist trying to survive vs. a one man army-but certainly falls off towards the second half, and the last few chapters especially are largely unpopular (for good reason) among even the game's biggest fans.
Half-Life is fondly remembered today as one of the most influential FPS games in gaming history, and no one can take that away from it. So many of its intangibles have made the genre better, and it's fascinating to see where so many modern ideas came from, especially when it's a shooter that's decidedly old school. But its underlying jankiness and monotony make for a sometimes frustrating, sometimes fun experience, and HL can feel more like a history lesson than a game sometimes. Is it worth playing today? Absolutely. It's still a fine game, and it's a classic title which launched a famous series. It just might be worth it to temper your expectations somewhat.