Cover artwork I generate from the game data. I do not use publisher artwork.
Game profile
Half-Life
As scientist Gordon Freeman, players fight through a research facility where a failed experiment has triggered an alien invasion. The 2004 Source release adds improved physics and visuals over the original 1998 version.
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What kind of game this is
At its core this is Shooter / Puzzle, set in a science fiction world. Visually it is leaning into a retro look, and the overall tone stays dark throughout. The structure is guided rather than open, so you are moved along instead of dropped into a map. Sessions of an hour or two sit at the sweet spot here.
The difficulty is moderate and fair, demanding attention without punishing you for it. The story matters and gives the mechanics a frame, without taking over. It is a single player experience from start to finish. It is available on one platform. It sits in the budget bracket.
What stands out
- genre-defining shooter
- seamless storytelling without cutscenes
- clever physics gameplay
This fits you if
- you want to live through a story, not just play a system
- you are after a proper adrenaline rush
- you play alone and want a complete experience without other people
- you are watching your budget
- you like a deliberate retro look over photorealism
- you prefer a darker, heavier tone
Look elsewhere if
- you want something light and easy going
- you want to play it side by side with someone
- you want either a pure challenge or pure relaxation, not the middle
What it costs you in time
About 13 hours in total. At three evenings a week and two hours each, you will be busy for roughly 2 weeks, or 7 sessions.
How the rating ranks
Critics settled on 96 out of 100, which puts it above 99 percent of the 1206 games here and at rank 9 overall. That is top tier. Only a handful of games here score higher.
For comparison, Shooter averages 81 points across the database, so this one sits 15 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 2885 collected ratings.
Released in 1998, which makes it 28 years old. A genuine classic, and worth checking how the version you buy holds up today.
The facts
- Release year
- 1998
- Genres
- Shooter, Puzzle
- Playtime
- approx. 13 hrs.
- Difficulty
- Moderate, fair
- Story weight
- Present and relevant
- Play with
- Solo
- Setting
- Sci-fi
- Visual style
- Retro
- Price bracket
- Budget
- Platforms
- PC
- Critic rating
- 96 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-Life | 1998 | approx. 13 hrs. | 96 | Budget |
| Half-Life 2 | 2004 | approx. 13 hrs. | 79 | Budget |
| Gears 5 | 2019 | approx. 13 hrs. | 88 | Budget |
| Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus | 2017 | approx. 13 hrs. | 87 | Budget |
If you liked this, try these
- Half-Life 2 Shared: Shooter, Puzzle, Sci-fi
- Gears 5 Shared: Shooter, Sci-fi
- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Shared: Shooter, Sci-fi
- Deathloop Shared: Shooter, Puzzle, Sci-fi
- Wolfenstein: The New Order Shared: Shooter, Sci-fi
- Romeo is a Dead Man Shared: Shooter, Sci-fi