|
ColinLovesTheCombine's Half-Life (PC)
|
| [March 5, 2008 11:48:58 PM]
|
GAMEPLAY 2
The game got exponentially more intense as the levels advanced and Gordon gets closer and closer to the surface. The levels also got more complex and required an expanded sense of puzzle solving and incorporated both stealth and guns blazing approaches to getting through the levels. The weapons even got diverse, as I was able to use alien technology and some top-secret handheld teleportation devices. One level I was required to shoot down a helicopter with a laser guided missile from a recently acquired rocket launcher. I loved how the nature of the weapons themselves play a role in accomplishing the objectives. Well, there actually are no objectives - thats another very compelling aspect of Half-Life. Just as there is no cinamatics or cutscenes, not any voice acting on behalf of Gordon Freeman, there are no set objectives. This made the gameplay more realistic because in a real life scenario, you wouldn't have your work cut out for you so simply and it certainly wouldnt be written down for you. It also gave the game a sense of freedom, and the storyline had such an impact on the gameplay that I really felt like a fugitive scientist just trying to get out alive.
Some levels even take Gordon to the depths of space to annhilate the alien threat - each rendered hauntingly beautiful. Despite the limited graphics capabilities, the alien planet (Xen) has an immense sense of depth to the point of oblivion. The developers were incredibly successful in setting the tone for the game.
DESIGN
Half-Life is considered to be one of the best games of all time, for very apparent reasons after playing it through again. Gordon's identity is so mysterious that it becomes open-ended for the player - the lack of information about him leaves it open for my own imagination to take the role of Gordon Freeman. The storyline is also incredibly immersive - I can't help but think of how feasible the sequence of events is.
Half-Life raised the bar in terms of AI as well. Enemy soldiers work in teams and used what appeared to be real military tactics - flanking, taking cover, throwing grenades almost too accuratley. The aliens come in all shapes, sizes, and have a variety of killing styles. The scientists all have brainy personalities and give essential background information on whats going on. The audio component of the game is very effective in creating the fearsome and uncertain atmosphere of Black Mesa.
If I could change anything, I would want to give some kind of explanation why Gordon is so proficient in shooting, killing, and surviving. As dynamic and immersive as the game was, I never understood why a nerdy MIT grad could take out squads of Black Ops or mince giant alien spiders with a crowbar. For all the implications and little mentions in Half-Life to explain the enviornment and circumstances, this was the one aspect that had me stumped. But hands down, this is one of the best games I've ever played and would reccomend it to any gamer.
read comments (1)  -
add a comment 
|
| [March 5, 2008 08:12:58 PM]
|
SUMMARY
The story of Half-Life begins on a dark tramride through the secret research facility of Black Mesa, located in a remote region of New Mexico. You play as Gordon Freeman, an MIT graduate with a Phd. in Physics, and are sent to the Anamalous Materials lab in sector C to participate in a seemingly simple experiment. However, by pushing a metaphysical force crystal into an electromagnetic pulse wave, teleportation portals are opened between our world and beyond. Aliens start teleporting out of nowhere and attacking Black Mesa personnel - and its up to you to survive. Fighting waves of a wide variety of both alien monsters and government Marines and Black Ops sent to clean up the mess, Half-Life is a revolutionary first-person shooter with an gripping storyline to set the pace for the action.
GAMEPLAY 1
The facility of Black Mesa was very fun to explore, especially since the developers but quite a bit of time in giving you a real feel for what a secret science facility is like. There are plenty of scientists to interact with and even vending machines that dispense soda. Obviously the controls and movement were fluid and the game takes about one level until the actions starts. After the disaster, Gordon is able to collect a crowbar to fight off the measely Head-Crab aliens, then picks up a pistol from a fallen security guard, and finds a shotgun in the security room armory. I liked how the weapon advancement system, or the games sense of facility, was realistic to the story. The narrative progresses through what I would like to call in-game cinematics - that is, the game doesn't pause and go into third person perspective and preform a cuscene, you actually see events and plot twists happen right in front of you. A scientist will make futile attempts at banging on a glass window after an alien gets teleported in his office, and fallen security guards will flag you down and give a tip. The best effect of this is that you are never removed from the initial gameplay experience - there is a constant flow of interactions and events happening outside of your influence.
A real turning point in the game is when help does arrive - the scientists were able to get a signal to send to the US government, however, they do not want word of this alien outbreak to get out, so squads of battle-hungry grunts are sent to eliminate the alien threat and silence the research teams. Gordon is now up against both alien and man alike, which adds an entirely new dynamic to the gameplay and storyline. The Marines and Black Ops work in teams and implement squad tactics against you.
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
ColinLovesTheCombine's Half-Life (PC)
|
|
Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Wednesday 5 March, 2008
|
|
