1998. HALF-LIFE sends a shock through the game industry with its combination of pounding action and continuous, immersive storytelling. Valve's debut title wins more than 50 game-of-the-year awards on its way to being named "Best PC Game Ever" by PC Gamer, and launches a franchise with more than eight million retail units sold worldwide.
The game puts players directly in the shoes of the protagonist, Gordon Freeman, through a first-person perspective. This strong sense of player agency and involvement is further enhanced by the game's intuitive and customizable control scheme, allowing for fluid navigation and precise aiming.
One of the standout features is the extensive use of physics-based interactions, powered by Valve's proprietary Source engine. Players can manipulate and utilize a vast array of objects in the environment, exemplified by the Gravity Gun. This unique weapon enables players to pick up and launch items, from explosive barrels to furniture and debris. The depth of interaction with the environment encourages experimentation and creativity, as players can approach combat and puzzle-solving in various ways, such as disarming or incapacitating enemies using the Gravity Gun instead of direct confrontation.
In addition to the core first-person shooter mechanics, the game seamlessly transitions between on-foot exploration, vehicle-based sections, and puzzle-solving segments. The vehicle sections, including driving the buggy or piloting the airboat, introduce a new layer of challenge and strategy as players navigate treacherous environments while fending off enemies. These sequences add a sense of scale and momentum to the gameplay, further immersing the player. The puzzle-solving elements, ranging from environmental puzzles to more complex physics-based challenges, require critical thinking and experimentation with the game's mechanics, serving as natural obstacles that enhance the sense of exploration and discovery.
While the single-player campaign is the primary focus, the game also features a cooperative multiplayer mode known as Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. This mode allows players to engage in competitive, objective-based matches, leveraging the game's core mechanics and physics-driven interactions. The cooperative gameplay experience introduces an additional layer of strategy and teamwork, as players must work together to achieve victory.