Half-Life

The game follows the adventures of Gordon Freeman, a young research associate at the Black Mesa Federal Research Facility. A typical day at the office goes completely awry as numerous alien life forms invade the facility. The fate of the facility, and quite possibly the world, is in the hands of an unlikely hero.

The graphics here trump the original's (understandable, as more than three years have passed). The character models have four times as many polygons, as well as smoother textures and animations. The sound is also very good, with some of the funniest voice acting yet heard in a game. Of course, the single-player gameplay is excellent, thanks to some very well-developed enemy artificial intelligence.

Unfortunately, the new modes aren't nearly as brilliant. Decay, the new cooperative mode, seems like an afterthought and pales in comparison to the cooperative modes in Perfect Dark and Halo. Deathmatches only support two players, which is incredibly lame considering many PS2 first-person shooters support four. Despite these flawed modes, the single-player story is so superb that it totally warrants a purchase. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Greatly improved graphics from the original
• Excellent storytelling, especially for the genre
• 
  
  Amazon.com Review
  Originally released in 1998, the PC version of Half-Life changed first-person shooters forever by proving that a compelling story can be told within the genre. Prior to the game's release, first-person shooters were mindless action games. Half-Life, while containing its fair share of action, also contained plenty of exploration, puzzle, and story elements. Now released as a PlayStation2 game, Half-Life has never looked or played better. This version contains the outstanding single-player story mode, as well as a few new ones. While the new additions aren't so great, the story mode is one of the best escapades available on the PS2.

  The game follows the adventures of Gordon Freeman, a young research associate at the Black Mesa Federal Research Facility. A typical day at the office goes completely awry as numerous alien life forms invade the facility. The fate of the facility, and quite possibly the world, is in the hands of an unlikely hero.

  The graphics here trump the original's (understandable, as more than three years have passed). The character models have four times as many polygons, as well as smoother textures and animations. The sound is also very good, with some of the funniest voice acting yet heard in a game. Of course, the single-player gameplay is excellent, thanks to some very well-developed enemy artificial intelligence.

  Unfortunately, the new modes aren't nearly as brilliant. Decay, the new cooperative mode, seems like an afterthought and pales in comparison to the cooperative modes in Perfect Dark and Halo. Deathmatches only support two players, which is incredibly lame considering many PS2 first-person shooters support four. Despite these flawed modes, the single-player story is so superb that it totally warrants a purchase. --Raymond M. Padilla

  Pros:

  • Greatly improved graphics from the original
  • Excellent storytelling, especially for the genre
  • Strong enemy artificial intelligence
  Cons:
  • Cooperative mode is dull
  • Deathmatch only supports 2 players
  
  
  

The graphics are also stunning on this game. They are enhanced very much from the PC version. And, if your concerned about the framerate, no fear, it runs as smooth as silk.

There's also a multi-player mode and a co-op mode on Half-life, so you can compete against your friends in a deathmatch, or try and get place back to normal by fighting side-by-side.

I gave this a 5/5 because... IT'S THE BEST FREAKIN' GAME FOR THE PS2 YET!!! If you liked the original, you'll love this one.With totally revised graphics, and new multi-player mode, this is a must buy for the playstation 2.

(there's also a rumor around valve about online play)


A good game-will ALWAYS BE a good game.   January 10, 2002
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Half-Life is unquestionably the best game on ANY platform ever made and no one can possibly deny it. It has gotten over 50 awards from a bunch of different publishers and companies, and PCgamer rated it "The best PC game EVER!" And I totally agree. When I first got this game for the PC I was inspired. Yes, the game is so inspiring in every way when it comes to graphics and fun factor and everything else that this game makes me wish I could create something this spectacular. I have a new urge to take on a career to make stuff like this, all because of this little CD by VALVE and GEARBOX.

People new to the game need to get a better understanding of Half-life's wonderful factors, so I will tell some. This is one of the first shooters that was written by an author, which means it actually HAS an interesting story. In Half-Life, you do not just play the game, you FEEL it. Every event and "level" has some importance to the deep tale being told. The artificial intelligance is so spectacular that they will speak, help, and interact to you, and they always do at least something new, each time you play the game. I don't want to go too in-depth ABOUT the game because I'm sure some other people have already explained it, but I will tell you why it is very important to buy the Playstation 2 version over the PC version, even though it's a bit more expensive.

Using the powerful Playstation 2 hardware, the characters are actually smarter than on the PC. I'm not lying, either. I have both versions and the difference between interaction is a million times better, plus your foes make better decisions to take you down. One time, I was playing the PC version, and ten military soldiers were gunning me down. I dove through a door and pushed a box in front of it. The soldiers just stood there and threw grenades at the door, doing virtually NO damage to me. Then, I tried the same thing on the Playstation 2, in the same spot. The military were SO smart that they actually ran up, kicked the door down, and ROLLED in with their guns blazing, immediately taking me down. At the same time, they were yelling, "DIE, GORDON! and one of the soldiers waiting outside of the dorr, was actually signaling the rest of his squad to come and help kill me. See the difference in artificial intelligance? You will when you play. I hope that was enough about AI to give you an idea.

In addition to that, the graphics have gotten a major facelift from the original. Characters have completely articulating fingers, event-dependant facial expressions (if a scientist is running from an alien, he will actually look SCARED rather than having the lifeless robotic look like on the PC)and more detailed bodies, such as individually rendered walkie-talkies on soldiers and labcoats that breeze in the wind on scientists. Even med-kits and power stations have full, animatronic features.
Even the cars in the Black Mesa Research Facility have breakable windows, seats, and doors! In one simple phrase; EVERYTHING looks and moves better.

There is even an aditional mode where you can pair up with one of your best friends in a multiplayer co-op game, called decay. Decay places you as two women hazard course trainers who partake in the horrible incident. You will have to work together as real people to stay alive. You can also try it on single player with a highly intelligant "bot" running the second player instead of a friend. This addition features new characters and many new levels, all included in this spectacular package. Speaking of multiplayer goodness, there is also a deathmatch mode, where you can battle another friend in custom-made deathmatch levels. Yes, this game is packed with 2 player goodness. Even the MAIN MENU of the disk is better, with some cool techno music playing in the background to set the mood while you fully configure your controls (by the way, you can hook up USB keyboards and mouses to your computer if you are the ultimate PC Half-Life god; that way you don't have learn new buttons on the PS2 pad)and adjust sound and video. If you have a widescreen TV, don't fret; 16:9 Letterbox video is also available for use.

If you're a cheater, there are some very nice goodies for you. When you buy the game, enter these after going into options, and opening "cheat codes" section.

1.slow motion button enabled
Click "enter cheat" and press;
right, square, up, triangle, right, square, up, triangle.

2. Infinate Ammo
Click "enter cheat" and press;
up, triangle, down, X, up, triangle, down, X.

3.God Mode
Click "enter cheat" and press;
Left, square, up, triangle, right, circle, down, X.

4.Invisible
Click "enter cheat" and press;
Left, Square, right, circle, left, square, right, circle.

5.Play as an alien
Click "enter cheat" and press;
Up, triangle, up, triangle, up triangle, up, triangle.

Of course you can only use these if you buy the game, so you have to grab a copy; some of these codes are exclusive to PS2.
There's so much else to say, but I don't want my review to turn out way too long. In a nutshell, half-life is barrels of fun, and it is even better on the Playstation 2 (WAY better) than it once was. Half-Life is a life changing experience, especially in one-player. If you are a serious first-person shooter fan, and you don't have Half-Life, you aren't a serious first person shooter fan. Get it NOW!


Most thrilling fps on the ps2   May 11, 2003
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This game is awesome. It's the scariest shooter on the PS2-with a brilliant storyline. Here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
Great graphics(graphics really shine when you see the detail drawn to all character people models and weapons models)
Nice audio
Immersive Innovative creepy brilliant game-play system design
Most brilliant storyilne ever written
Tight add-on-decay provides quite a difficult but worth it cooperative experience
Good battle royale mode
Incredible AI
And more

Cons:

Frame-rate isn't that smooth throughout game-play
Doesn't include blue-shift
It came out on the PC first
no multiplayer online compability
And more

So overall half-life is a unreal experience, and is truly worth it on the ps2.

Bring the challenge on.


From a non-1st person shooter fan   April 13, 2002
George N. Appenzeller (Richmond Hill, Ga USA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

Lets start this with "I don't like first person shooters" I have allways found them somewhere between silly and disturbing. I have tried many of them and none made it past an hour or so. With that said: I could not stop playing this game. It had an actual story, albiet a weak one, but a story none the less. The Graphics are good, the controls tight and the load times were not to bad. The training mode is very good and you go into the game with all the skills needed, so you don't spend a half hour dying because you can't control the character.

One thing that it offers that stands it above the rest is the puzzle aspect. Frequently they are obvious, but there are times when you don't really realize you are working them out. That stands out. The game is emersive and flows well, so you don't really "think" about what your doing, you just do it.

If you are a hard core 1st person shooter type player, I don't know what to tell you, but if you are like me and either a casual gamer or have never really liked them, give this one a try.


A game worth buying!   January 29, 2007
Dustin Holmes (Lebanon, MO USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This is one of the best PS2 games ever made. I have beat both the computer version and PS2 version, so I can tell you there is only a very slight difference between the two. The graphics and game play are excellent. You also get a lot of game for your buck, it's one of the longer games out there. This game has been out for a while, but it is still one of the best there is. Diffenetly worth adding to your Ps2 collection!