Half-Life

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PS2 version box art

Half-Life was a first person shooter developed by Valve Software utilizing a heavily modified version of the Quake engine; the engine has no official name, but Valve have internally dubbed it the Goldsource engine, which also included small amounts of the Quakeworld and Quake II source code.

Half-Life was released in November 1998 on PC CD-ROM to wide praise and critical acclaim, winning over 50 Game of the Year awards across the globe. Starring a hapless scientist named Gordon Freeman stuck in an Alien Invasion, the game was praised for its cutting-edge graphics (implementing texture decals, skeletal animation and blended lighting), lifelike artificial intelligence, and an immersive storyline. Upon the release of the software development kit (SDK), Half-Life became one of the most heavily-modded games in existence, spawning a multitude of mods and add-ons, including the most popular online action game in the world, Counter-Strike.

In November 2001, a port of Half-Life for the PS2 was released, feature revamped graphics and a new cooperative episode. On November 16, 2004, Valve Software released a partially revamped version of Half-Life built on the Source Engine alongside the sequel, dubbed Half-Life 2. Half-Life has had many expansions, mods and sequels. For more information, see below.

The Story of Half-Life

Half-Life stars the player as Dr. Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist employed by the Black Mesa Research Facility in Black Mesa, New Mexico. The Black Mesa Research Facility was formerly a military base and missile silo, but now serves as a secret underground government laboratory. Gordon Freeman was recommended for the position by his mentor from MIT, Dr. Isaac Kleiner.

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The game starts off with Gordon arriving late, heading to his job at the Anomalous Materials Laboratory via the facilities tram transportation system. At the lab, the science team is being hard-pressed by the Administrator to get results with a rare, unusually pure crystal sample. They decide to push their equipment as hard as they can, but this decision proves to be disastrousm as a Resonance Cascade rocks the facility and alien fauna begins to randomly teleport in and around the Black Mesa Research Facility. Gordon, who was wearing a Mark IV HEV (Hazardous Environment Suit) at the time of the cascade, managed to survive after getting a brief glimpse of an alien world.

Gordon wakes up a short time later to find the Black Mesa Research Facility in ruins, and begins his travel to the surface to call for help; along the way, he catches glimpses of a mysterious man in a blue suit wandering the facility, unaffected by the turmoil. Eventually, Gordon learns that the Military has been called to the facility, making reaching the surface even more imperative. However, upon reaching the surface, Gordon finds that the military is not there to conduct a rescue; they're under orders to silence the facility and cover up the incident. Unable to escape, Gordon is forced deeper into the Black Mesa Research Facility, where he is conscripted by his fellow scientists. They tell him to head to the Lambda Labs on the other side of the research facility, where they are attempting to stop the catastrophe.

On his way, Gordon manages to launch an important rocket before eventually getting captured. Gordon is left for dead in a garbage compactor, but escapes and continues his journey to the Lambda Labs complex, only to discover a lab where the alien creatures are locked up, under close observation; and they look to have been there prior to the Resonance Cascade. Gordon continues travelling across the facility on foot, fighting military soldiers and an increasingly hostile alien force. It becomes obvious that the aliens are no longer just randomly teleporting animals, but are in fact a focused alien invasion force, complete with soldiers.

As he reaches the Lambda Labs complex, Gordon discovers that the military is pulling out plans to bomb the Black Mesa Research Facility, making it imperative that Gordon reach the Lambda team. As he fights into the facility, he makes another alarming discovery: not only was Black Mesa Research Facility studying the alien creatures, they were also experimenting with teleportation. Gordon fights back an army of alien soldiers to reach the tip of the Lambda reactor where he finds the Lambda team holed up in a supply room; the supply room was used to equip people exploring an alien dimension, named Xen. This was proof that the Black Mesa Research Facility had known about the aliens far before the incident.

The Lambda team informs Gordon of an immense being keeping the portal to Earth open, and requests that he kill it. They power up the generator and send Gordon to the strange dimension of Xen. Gordon fights his way through the alien wildlife, past mining camps and even to the heart of an alien factory mass-producing the soldiers Gordon fought on Earth.

Gordon finally reaches this immense being, Nihilanth, who draws power from crystals mounted on the walls, that are similar in appearance to the pure sample that originally started the Resonance Cascade on Earth. Inside the Nihilanth's flower-like head there is also a similar crystal. Gordon destroys the three crystals on the walls, and then manages to damage the crystal in the Nihilanth's head enough to send it into death spasms. Tendrils of energy shoot around the chamber similar to the Resonance Cascade and Gordon is once again teleported into darkness.

He comes to face-to-face with the mysterious man in blue that he saw wandering through the facility. The man congratulates Gordon on his success, that he has done such a fantastic job, that the man's employers have authorized him to offer Gordon a job. If Gordon doesn't accept, then he faces certain death. The man, who apparently can teleport himself and Gordon at will, opens a portal and waits for Gordon to make his choice.

Gordon accepts, much to the mysterious man in blue's delight. The man informs Gordon that he'll see him "up ahead".

Gameplay

Half-life is notable for it's unique blending of typical first-person dynamics and platforming. Progressing through levels is very linear, where the player must continue down a single route, with traps, puzzles, enemies, and platforming perils for the player to overcome. Half-life also features a massive variety of enemies, ranging from alien creatures with unique battle abilities, to military personal offering a classic gun on gun combat situation, as well as many heavily armored vehicles such as tanks and Apache helicopters. The game is also known for it's weapon inventory system, where instead of having a small set of guns, which you can swap in and out with other guns you find, when a gun is found it is placed in your inventory and cannot be removed, and by the end of the game you will be holding up to 20 different and unique weapons simultaneously. This gives you the ability to better strategize how you attack your enemy, as well as making it where you rarely run out of ammo.

Characters

Half-Life features a set of interactable AI characters, which can join you as allies for advancing through impassable areas, or supplying you with first aid or additional firepower.

Black Mesa Personnel

These are Gordon's fellow employees who are also caught up in the chaos caused by the resonance cascade. They're both under attack from the Alien Invasion and the Military Cleanup mission, and will aid Gordon as they can.

• Scientists - Gordon's fellow scientists aren't the bravest of the bunch, but they're willing to aid Gordon in whatever way they can; whether it's through imparting information, opening a door locked by a retinal-scanner or giving Gordon a shot to help take restore some of his health.
• Security Guards - The security guards of Black Mesa are more than willing to lend a hand in killing the various menaces to the research facility. Armed with a 9mm Glock, they are deadly accurate for security guards. Must be all that free time on the firing range...

Military

Under orders to silence the facility by way of killing or capturing any non-Military personnel, the Military is ruthless in its execution. The chain of command keeps even the few Grunts who have second thoughts about the mission to kill civilians from doing anything about it.

• Soldiers - The main bulk of the military forces, comprised of members of the US Marine Corp; they are highly capable soldiers, able to work as a team and employ advanced tactics. The average Grunt is equipped with grenades and their choice of either shotgun or MP5. More advanced soldiers sometimes carry MP5 grenades.
• Assassins - It's not entirely clear who the Black Operatives are working for, but the deadly assassins are equipped with personal cloaking fields, silenced 9mm Glocks and are capable of incredible acrobatic feats.
• Apache - The Apache is a combat helicopter equipped with a machine gun and mini-rockets. Capable of high damage and impossible to take down without explosive arms or high-powered energy weapons.
• Osprey - Having no weaponry of its own, the Osprey instead carries troops into battle. Typically, it will hover over a battlefield as soldiers rappel down to the ground.

A headcrab.

Alien Fauna

The wildlife of Xen: It's unknown whether or not they are just the native fauna of Xen, or if they are utilized by the Alien Invaders as an attack force.

• Headcrabs - Small aliens who launch themselves though the air in an attempt to attach themselves to the heads of humanoid creatures and take control, mutating them into zombie-like Mawmen. Headcrabs seem to prefer dark, tunnel-like areas and are often found in air ducts. They are also known to burrow into the ground while they wait for prey. Headcrabs are produced by a Gonarch (nicknamed Big Momma).
• Mawmen (Zombies) - A Mawman is the gruesome result of a Headcrab's coupling with a human host. The Headcrab mutates the host to grow deadly claws where it's hands used to be, and to develop a giant, vertical maw on its chest, giving the Mawman its moniker. It's rumoured that even larger and more mutated zombies lurk in the darker parts of Black Mesa.
• The Gonarch (Big Momma) - An elephant-sized creature shaped vaguely like a Headcrab and is the final part of the strange lifecycle of the small parasite. The Gonarch is armor plated except for the large egg sac that dangles beneath its body and can rapidly produce tiny infant Headcrabs; it can also use its powerful legs to attack. Additionally, the Gonarch can launch a large glob of biotoxins at its foe, making it a difficult foe to fight.
• Barnacle - Seemingly a long-lost cousin of the sea barnacle, this red lump of a creature hangs from the ceiling and stretches its long sticky white tongue down to the floor, waiting for prey to walk into it. Once caught, it will draw its prey up into its mouth to eat.
• Houndeye - A small, green, three legged dog-sized creature that has one large, multifaceted eye; it travels in packs and can generate a powerful blast of sound that can deafen and disable potential attackers and prey.
• Bullsquid - The natural predator of the Headcrab, and anything else it can find. The Bullsquid is a highly aggressive life form about the size of a large dog. It walks on two legs (though not upright) and has several tentacles around its mouth. Due to its aggression, it will attack its own kind just as readily as a Headcrab or human. It will bite, lash with its tail, or even spit a glob of acidic saliva at its target.
• Leeches - Small, white worms that live in the water. Not capable of doing much damage alone, but in large groups can kill quickly.
• Ichthyosaur - Said to have been hauled from the Challenger Deep, the Ichthyosaur is a large sea predator whose true origins are much, much farther away. Capable of swimming at high speed to chase down its prey, the Ichthyosaur is a deadly predator and caution should be taken when one is suspected to be in the water.
• Snarks - Small living weapons that scramble around until they see a viable target, at which point they will go berserk and pursue that target, attacking viciously until they self-destruct fifteen seconds later.
• Manta Flyer - A large flying creature that bears a resemblance to Manta Rays on Earth. Instead of being harmless tourist attractions, however, the Manta Flyer is capable of generating a deadly beam of energy that can take down an Osprey transport. Additionally, Manta Flyers can be used as teleport destinations, allow them to drop troops into battle.
• Tentacle - The Tentacle is a long, green, plant-like creature. Because it is blind, it hunts by sound, making silence important for sneaking past it unharmed. When it finds its prey, it uses the heavy armour plating at the end of its tentacle to crush it, and then drag the mashed creature to the ground beneath it. Often found in groups of more than one, however a sole Tentacle is not unheard of.
• Gargantua - The Gargantua is an extremely large, blue-armored creature with a small head and four arms, two of which are vestigial and useless. Its armor has the ability to resist most conventional forms of damage, and its physiology makes it capable of performing incredible feats of strength. The primary arms can split open to reveal organic flamethrowers, and by stamping its foot, it can generate a streak of energy that can home in on its target.

Alien invaders

Sapient, three armed aliens who inhabit the Borderworld of Xen. They utilize organic technology and are apparently telepathic. There's also reason to believe that they are enslaved.

• Vortigaunt (Alien Slave) - A humanoid green alien with one large red eye surrounded by several smaller eyes. The Vortigaunt is capable of generating a bolt of green electricity, and is able to use its natural claws to attack its target. The Alien Slave wears collars and shackles as part of their bondage.
• Alien Grunt - Large, powerful humanoid who grows thick, metallic body armor and wields an alien Hivehand as its primary weapon. It is also strong enough to beat its opponent senseless, having been witnessed throwing a human through a concrete wall. They are either mass-produced, or packaged in factories on Xen.
• Xen Masters (Alien Controllers) - Small and weak aliens with impressive psionic powers. Capable of flight and generating balls of energy, some of which home in on their target. Its large, flower-like head contains a strange, pyramid-like structure of unknown purpose.
• The Nihilanth - The immense being capable of holding open the rift to Earth, and who gains his power from the crystalline structures found in Xen, which adorn its chamber, and is even contained in its flower-like head - similar to the Xen Masters. The Nihilanth bears a resemblance to the Xen Masters and a Human Fetus and features cybernetic augmentation and marks of surgical alteration, which seem incongruent to the organic technology of the Xen aliens.

Unknown forces

• The G-man - The mysterious man in blue. Not much is known about this figure, and even his name is a mystery, having only been nicknamed the G-man by Valve and the fan community. We know that the G-man is employed an unknown organization, and that he has the capability to teleport himself and others at will. He also seems to have connections with Black Mesa and the military, but his true allegiance is, as yet, unknown.

Weaponry

• Crowbar - A red and silver stick of metal typically used to pry open manholes. Probably the most iconic weapon of the Half-Life franchise, and with the way Gordon waves that thing, it's no wonder why. Can be used underwater.
• 9mm Glock - Holds a 17-bullet clip and causes minor damage. Primary fire is normal speed, secondary fire is fast and inaccurate. Shares its 9mm ammo with the MP5, which comes in 17 and 50-bullet clips. Gordon can carry a total of 250 rounds. Can be used underwater. (This weapon is a Beretta when using the High Definition Pack)
• Colt Python .357 - A large hand canon of a revolver; six chambers each hold a bullet for up to six bullets at at a time. Does a lot of damage and in multiplayer, the secondary fire allows for a sniper mode. Uses .357 ammo which comes in six bullet boxes. Gordon can carry a total of 36 rounds. Cannot be used underwater.
• Shotgun - Powerful at short range, inaccurate at long range. Primary fire is a single shot, secondary fires twoshots. Carries 8 rounds at a time, which come in 12-round boxes. Gordon can carry a total of 125 rounds. Cannot be used underwater. (This weapon is a SPAS12 when using the High Definition Pack)
• MP5 with attached grenade launcher - A sub-machine gun based on the Heckler & Koch model. However, this weapon can hold up to 50 rounds, instead of 30, and has an attached grenade launcher. Utilizes the same 9mm ammo as the Glock, which come in 17 and 50-bullet clips. Gordon can carry a total of 250 rounds. Cannot be used underwater. (This weapon is an M4 Carbine when using the High Definition Pack)
• Crossbow - A weapon that fires tranquillizer darts and has an attached scope to allow for longer ranged attacks with secondary fire. In multiplayer, secondary fire also switches the darts to explosive. Uses dart 5 dart clips and Gordon can carry up to 40 extra darts. Can be used underwater.
• RPG with Laser Guide - Fires off a rocket-propelled grenade which then can be guided to the target with the attached laser sight. Secondary fire turns off the laser sight. Uses RPGs, which come in singles, and Gordon can carry five extras. Can be used underwater.
• Tau Cannon (Gauss Gun) - Gauss was a term a unit of measurement for magnetic flux density, before being superseded in favour of the SI system. Designed at Black Mesa, this experimental and highly unstable Tau Cannon prototype operates by generating a powerful magnetic field, similar to a railgun, which fires off particles. Primary fire shoots rapid-fire bolts which can ricochet off walls. Secondary fire charges up the Cannon until it fires off a bolt that can pass through walls up to a certain thickness, killing whatever is behind it. The Tau Cannon uses a propriety power source from Black Mesa, which comes 20 units to a brick. Cannot be used underwater.
• Gluon Gun (The Egon) - Gluons are elementary subatomic particles that mediate the strong interactions of quarks. How this is turned into a weapon is anyone's guess. The Gluon Gun (nicknamed the Egon due to its resemblance to the proton packs of Ghostbusters fame) is an experimental weapon designed at Black Mesa that generates a beam of blueish energy that does massive amounts of damage, though it uses energy at a rapid rate. Secondary fire does nothing unless you use primary fire, hold down secondary fire, then let go of primary. The blue energy beam will continue to project to wherever you were aiming before, no matter where you look. Useless, but it looks funny. The Gluon Gun uses the same propriety energy source that the Tau Cannon utilizes; which come in 20 unit bricks. Gordon can only carry 100 units of energy at any time. Cannot be used underwater.
• Hivehand - The Hivehand is the primary weapon of the Alien Grunts. Gordon can stick his hand into it and use it as well. Primary fire shoots heat-seeking thornets that will home in on a target, and even go around corners. Secondary fire shoots off all 8 thornets in rapid succession without the seeking ability. The Hivehand will regenerate its ammo gradually until it has 8 again. Can be used underwater.
• Grenades - Standard issue military grenades. Pull the pin and the grenade will explode in five seconds unless the pin is replaced. Gordon can carry 10 grenades at one time. Can be used underwater.
• Tripmines - Tripmines are placed onto walls and emit a laser beam to the opposite wall. If the beam is broken or the tripmine is moved, it detonates. Gordon can carry 10 tripmines. Can be used underwater.
• Satchel Charges - Primary fire drops a charge, and then blows it up. In order to drop more charges, secondary fire needs to be used. Gordon can carry 5 satchel charges. Can be used underwater.
• Snarks - Snarks come five to a living nest and can be thrown at certain enemies. Gordon must be careful that a suitable target is nearby otherwise the Snarks may come back and attack him. Gordon can carry up to 15 Snarks at one time. Can be used underwater.

Related Games

Expansions

Half-Life had a number of official expansions:

• Half-Life: Counter-Strike: Based off of the original Counter-Strike modification, this was sold at retail by Valve Software and Sierra Entertainment.
• Half-Life: Opposing Force: An Official Expansion, developed by Gearbox Software and released on PC CD-ROM in November 1999
• Half-Life: Blue Shift: A Standalone Expansion developed by Gearbox Software and released on PC CD-ROM in June 2001 (Originally developed for the now-defunct Dreamcast version of Half-Life) Also included a High Definition model pack for Half-Life.
• Half-Life: Decay: A Cooperative Expansion developed by Gearbox Software and released with the PS2 version of Half-Life in November 2001 (No PC release)

Sequels

Half-Life currently has a single released sequel, as well as 2 episodic adventures with a third in production. In addition, Valve has confirmed that they will do a Half-Life 3.

• Half-Life 2
• Half-Life 2: Aftermath
• Half-Life 2: Episode One
• Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Mods

Several official mods were released for Half-Life, including

• Counter-Strike
• Day of Defeat
• Team Fortress Classic
• Deathmatch Classic
• Ricochet

There is also a multitude of fanmade mods: Far too many for a complete list here! A partial list follows:

• Natural Selection
• Sven-Coop
• They Hunger
• Science and Industry
• Action Half-Life

External links

• Valve Software
• Steam Webpage
• Gamers 2.0 Gamers2.com is a new gamers website with reviews, news, discussion communities. Half Life 3 Fallout is a part of this site.
• Loonygames Interview with Marc Laidlaw
• Half-Life's Code Basis on VERC
• Main Page of the Half-Life Wiki