The best expansion for Half-Life. (Half-Life - Opposing Force (PC))

Member Name: Mutalisk

Product:	Half-Life - Opposing Force (PC)
Date:	05/09/09 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great new gameplay mechanics, looks great, new dimension to gameplay, innovative, a labour of love.

Disadvantages: a litte old I suppose.

Released in 2000, Opposing force is the first and arguably best expansion pack to massively important first-person shooter, Half-Life. For those unfamiliar with the game, you might want to check out a review of it by yours truly:

http://members.dooyoo.co.uk/pc-game/half-life/120 8092/

The player assumes the role of Corporal Shephard, a member of the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit, sent into the Black Mesa Facility in a desperate government bid to silence the Black Mesa Incident by killing everyone associated with the project, and dispatching the new alien threat.

Opposing Force adds a whole new dimension to the game in the way of showing the incident from an entirely different perspective. This may seem gimmicky on the surface but it really works well to create a believable and well-layered Universe. The expansion boasts loads of new guns, conventional, alien and experimental which are all very innovative, clever and cool. It also brings in a whole new breed of "Race-X" aliens for the player to kill, alongside further exploring the combat mechanics of the elusive "Black-ops," a team of superfast stealth assassins who can't wait to silently take "Grunts" like you down. Lots of fun to be had here.

The brilliant new guns and enemies work incredibly well, but are bested primarily by the fantastic new squad of allies you can enlist to help you. Around the facility the player will inevitably find teams of HECU soldiers to enlist in combat. These include medics, engineers and support troops, all with unique weaponry and abilities. This can make ploughing through the aliens a hell of a lot of fun.

Having never actually received orders to kill the Facility staff, Corporal Adrian Sherphard frequently aids scientists and security in escaping the doomed Black Mesa facility. This device takes the same form as in the first game; Conventional puzzles and simple machinery operation which once again helps to break up the combat.

The game is very long and adds a fair bit to the plot and atmosphere of the original, having occasional run-ins with Half-Life's protagonist, Gordon Freeman is a a reall nice touch, and works as a nice little nod to the original. The new guns, skins and areas look really cool. Gearbox have clearly brought in a lot of talent for this one, and the graphics work perfectly well in conjunction with the High Definition Pack, available with Half Life: Blue Shift, or for free on the internet. Its still perfectly playable to this day, and the length of the games brings it quite a lot of re-playability value and longevity. Wholeheartedly recommended to fans of the franchise. It feels like a full expansion with all the bells and whistles, rather than some half assed mod. A game in its own right - Worth paying good money for.


System Requirements
Working Copy of Half-Life,
500 Mhz processor,
96 MB RAM,
16 MB video card

Summary: A superb game. If you liked Half-Life, you'll love this.