It's a Wonderful (Half) Life (Half Life (PS))

Member Name: Andrew1911

Product:	Half Life (PS)
Date:	22/08/01 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Plot, Intense action, Enemy AI

Disadvantages: Not a simple shooter

As I’ve been challenged by my good friend and colleague andycharger to beat his Half-Life review, honour and reputation are both at stake, so settle down for the review of the year.

I’ve actually been meaning to write a Half-Life review for sometime now; in fact I’ve been talking it up in the office for a while now and have got a few of the lads playing it in addition to andycharger. I’d like to say upfront that I’m not a massive games player – I tend to latch on to one or two and play them into the ground. I’m also a fickle beast – a game that displeases me will soon find itself in the dusty oblivion that is the Bottom Shelf. It takes something special to make me want to finish a game (and even replay it on a more difficult setting) – and Half_Life has got it in spades.

Right from the start it’s something different. Even though it takes the form of a First Person Shooter (FPS) – much abused style of game – it breaks the mold by being a Game With A Plot. And a GOOD plot at that. So – here we go.

The Plot.

I’m going to keep this short and deliberately vague, so’s not to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t played this. Suffice it to say that it involves aliens, an experiment that goes about a wrong as it’s possible to get and a cold-blooded military conspiracy that you’d wish we got in the X-Files.

You play Gordon Freeman, a junior member of a scientific research team operating from the rather sinister-sounding location of the Black Mesa Labs, located somewhere in the desert of the good ol’ US of A. The story begins with Mr. Freeman riding the monorail on his way to work……….

Personal Note : Some of the misguided people in the office have taken offense to what they see as the over-long intro sequence as Gordon rides the train through the Black Mesa complex to work. It seems that their main
interest is to grab a gun and start laying waste to men, women, animals of all description and possibly furniture, too. I’d like to say now that if you’re interested only in creating a body count the size of the national debt, bugger off and play Doom instead. For those with patience, Half-Life offers some of the most rewarding gun-battles ever burned onto a CD. But you’ve got to earn it.

Got a bit off the track there, but you don’t work with these people. You know who you are, Nick.

Right, once Gordon eventually reaches his station (having travelled through some beautifully designed locations, including an underground missile complex complete with robot power-lifters and toxic waste lakes, hangers carved out of mountain sides and Apache gunships arriving) he’s not only informed that he’s late (again) but that he’s needed in the labs pronto – and the story begins proper. This leads me onto my first plus point.

Gameplay.

Whilst Half-Life isn’t just one long contiuous blood-bath, it also isn’t split up into anything like missions or tasks. You aren’t given a specific objective – you have to interact with the other characters that inhabit the game and pick up what information you can. These are primarily the scientific staff (of whom there are initially lots, but they get rare FAST) and security guards. For example, at the start of the game you come across a reception desk. Walk up to the guard and he’ll mention the problems that have been occuring that morning and also that you should get to a specific location. Sprint off in search of something to lay waste too and you’ll be lost almost immediately (weren’t you Nick ?)

Keep your eyes and eyes open and you’ll get a whole lot more out of this game, as well as less frustration. Hint : Keep your eyes peeled for the mysterious Man In Black; the Administrator. Dan dan daaaaaa….


Controlling your character can be a little bit daunting, but spending some time amending your configuration settings and then practising on the Hazard Course before you start will improve your enjoyment of the game. I suggest you do the following :
Use the ‘Mouse Look’ option (this allows you 360 degree movement of the character by moving the mouse, rather than the more traditional arrow keys.)
Definitely select the crosshair.
Use the right mouse button to run and the left mouse button to fire your weapons.
If you’re right-handed, use the mouse in the right hand and the left on the keyboard to use the < & > keys for sideways ‘strafing’ motions, Space for jump, the ‘?’ key for reverse movement, ‘M’ for alternate fire (more on that later) and Shift for duck. But mess around for whatever you find convienient.

Whilst roaming round the complex, take the time to investigate rooms, objects, cupboards. You’ll often be rewarded with hidden items, especially within crates that must be broken into.

Now onto the good stuff.

Guns, guns guns.

Though you started off as some science type, at the end of the game you’ll be a one man arsenal and hardened killing machine. In your struggle to escape Black Mesa you’ll be called upon to defend yourself using the weapons you manage to find along the way.

Initally this includes a lowly crowbar (useful for the crates…..) and a Glock pistol that you scavenge from a security guard (who definitely wont need it anymore). Although the tempatation may be strong to run around, firing at scientists for fun, SAVE THE AMMO. Its not that frequent and you’ll need it for more dangrous opponents.

Eventually your weapons will include the everday shotgun, machine-gun - I’m told it’s an MP-5 (by the worrying knowledgeable Kev who I sit in front of at work) – and grenades. A
s you progress further, however, you’ll get your hands on weaponry that would make even Darth Vader go “Oooo – what’s THAT do ? How about a Muon Gun (I don’t know either.) that goes through walls? (‘Surprise your neighbours!’). Laser-guided rocket launchers to make even a cult leader cry happy tears. Claymore mines and backpacks full of C-4 plastic explosive all make guest apperances.

If that’s not enough for the destruction-inclined, most of these weapons have an alternate fire mode, activated by a given key press. The MP-5’s is to fire one of those very handy under-the-barrel grenade launchers (like the guns in Aliens – remember those?), whereas the shotgun’s is to fire both barrels at once.

On a personal note, my favourite is a fancy crossbow that you get later on in the game. Best used over long distances with the alternate zoom mode, it’s marvellous for picking off anyone unfortunate to come into range. Heh heh heh…….miles away there, sorry.

Bad guys.

I’m not going to ruin the surprise. Suffice it to say, there are annoying ones, humourous ones (ish) and bloody huge scary ones. Well, with the lights off they are. Oh yes, and Special Forces and Marines a-plenty. The Artificial Intelligence engine used in Half-Life is very impressive. Lob a grenade into a group of Marines and they’ll leg it, only to regroup and attack, using covering fire to pin you down whilst others lob grenades back. Fantastic stuff. You’ll be swearing at your monitor for hours.

Music and Sound.

Music is infrequent but when it happens its top notch. Usually used to signify moving into a new area, its deliberately haunting and unsettling, suiting the mood of the game excellently. Sound is also top notch, as pointed out by Mr. Andycharger. Riding the train into the canyons will result in the sound echoing round the walls, gunfire is realis
tic I’m told (Kev again) and Marine’s and aliens alike have their own particular personalities (“Fire in the hole !” “Medic!” etc)

Graphics.

You’ll need a decent 3D Card but doesn’t everything ? You’ll get lens flares, realistic explosions (guess who?) and some excellently drawn buildings and vehicles. Look out for the Marine’s Osprey plane / helicopter thing and especially the Apache’s.

That’s your lot.

I’ve missed out tonnes. Heaps of stuff. But that would be spoiling it and I really want you to like this game. There are plot twists, set pieces to set Hollywood to shame and an ending that begs for a sequel.
If you get stuck (likely) a quick visit to planethalflife.com will sort you out, and is also a great source for patches, drivers and modifications for multiplayer games.

Enjoy it. And if in doubt………go in shooting.

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