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Ankur's Half-Life (PC)
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| [January 15, 2008 02:11:16 AM]
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GAME LOG # 2
Gameplay
As I continued my progress, this game got better and harder. I noticed that the enemies were getting harder and more smarter. I faced some human Marine Forces that have been the hardest opponents I have faced yet. The first, and only, boss I've faced yet required a lot of patience and brains to defeat it. Though, however, the game does not get frustrating or boring. You are always in control and the primary objective does not change. The scariness is still active with new enemies popping up from time to time and challenging you nerves and instincts.
As the story progresses, you encounter some delusions about a different planet or something and strange creatures. These are all taking place within Gordon Freeman's mind and just as you think you have a grasp on the whole story, they throw more twists and turns at you. I really like this notion of storytelling because it keeps the player more curious. Still, however, there aren't any new characters and some of the people you do meet end up helping you until a certain point or die. The extra characters are mostly composed of security guards and scientists.
I have also encountered new weapons that reek havoc upon my enemies but ammo for these weapons is scarce so you have to stick with the good old crowbar. The crowbar has become the signature weapon for this game.
DESIGN
Half-Life has one of the most intuitive game designs I have ever seen in a game. The most intuitive element is the way it utilizes scripted-sequences to tell the story. While most of the first-person at the time shooters relied on cut scenes intermissions to detail the plotlines, Half-Life's story is put forth entirely through scripted-sequences, keeping the player in control of the first person viewpoint. The player rarely loses control of Gordon Freeman, who has not spoken once in this game yet.
The game does not progress in levels but continues through in chapters. The Half-Life environments are very varied and free. You always see new places and are never taken to the same room over over again. The tone of the environment and the game itself is very dark and mysterious. You just don't know whats lurking ahead. The environments are also designed in a way that requires you to think and then proceed because the wrong decisions will most probably lead to death. You also have to be very agile with your movement because you might be walking on some thin pipes and below is radioactive material that will kill you instantly.
From what I've seen yet so far, this game is perfect and needs no changes. All the characters and environments are created beautifully with an emphasis on mystery. I also liked how there is a comedic element to some of the security guards that you run into. If you try to talk to them, they will say some weird things.
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| [January 15, 2008 01:18:27 AM]
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GAME LOG # 1
Summary
Half-Life is a science fiction first-person shooter that I played on my PC. In this game you play as Dr. Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist working for a secret underground research facility called Black Mesa. Everything is normal until all hell breaks loose at Black Mesa and Gordan Freeman must now fight his way out of the research facility and uncover the secrets behind Black Mesa. The gameplay style is primarily action oriented with elements of horror and mystery that require the player to perform combat tasks and puzzle solving to advance through the game.
Gameplay
Though I have had this game for many years, I've never got around to play it. I was too busy playing counter strike. After playing it for an hour or so, I was supremely impressed. The first thing that pulls you in is the story. Though they do not tells us much about Black Mesa in the beginning, the things that they do tell us are enough to keep us on the edge of our seat. As you keep advancing, you find out a little more and start to put the pieces together.
I really liked how little creatures jumped form floors, desks, and ventilation shafts and attacked your face. This aspect of the game really scared me and required me to be more cautious. One of my favorite aspects of the game was the use of the crowbar as a weapon. This weapon was very intuitive because it required the player to get up close with the enemies and fight them from a very close range rather than just shooting them with guns. You are, fortunately, given guns later through the game. Another aspect I liked was the toughness of the enemies. Mostly all of the enemies require more than 2 or 3 bullets to be put down so you have to sometimes conserve ammo and stick with the crowbar.
The controls for this game were very easy and basic to learn. The W,S,A,D player movement control scheme is brilliant and comfortable. Besides Gordon Freeman, there aren't any other major characters that are implemented in the game. There is, however, a mysterious man in a blue suit holding a briefcase that I have seen a couple times. I feel that he will play a integral role in the story.
Half-Life gameplay flows beautifully with it's story and keeps you wanting more. Because of the mysterious storyline, you want to keep playing it for hours.
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Ankur's Half-Life (PC)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Monday 14 January, 2008
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