Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2507 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sierra
• Released on: 2001-11-30
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1998, the PC's original Half-Life changed first-person shooters forever by proving that a compelling story can be told within the genre; prior to its release, FPSs were mindless action games, but although Half-Life certainly had its fair share of action, it also contained plenty of exploration, puzzle, and story elements. Now, as a PlayStation 2 game, it's 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 adventures on the PS2.

The game follows the escapades 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 said facility, and quite possibly the world, is in the hands of an unlikely hero...

The graphics here trump the originals (understandable since there are more than three years between the two releases)--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. But despite these flawed modes, the single-player story is so superb that it totally justifies the purchase. --Raymond M Padilla

Manufacturer's Description
Half-Life, Valve's benchmark action thriller, has been completely redesigned to take advantage of the sophisticated technological abilities of the PlayStation 2. It features an enhanced version of the original classic complete with advanced graphical upgrades plus new characters, weapons and content, creating a new experience for console gamers.

Half-Life blends action, drama, and adventure with stunning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players need to think smart to survive, and telling friend from foe is no longer a simple matter of humans vs. aliens. Gamers are given opportunities to wreak havoc, in true action-game fashion, but they're also challenged to explore and strategize. Originally created for the PC, Half-Life has won more than 50 Game of the Year awards from publications around the world, was named "Best PC Game Ever" by PC Gamer magazine (November 1999), and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Customer Reviews

At long last
One reviewer described this game as a load of pants. Hmmm, seems a tad harsh for a game frequently quoted as one of the best ever in it's genre and all others for that matter. Ok, it may be a few years old, but to the console purist who's never had so much as a sniff of a PC game, it's as fresh as.....well, its new to us. We'd all heard the hype surrounding Half Life, and our chance has now come to experience it's delights. And delights there are aplenty. The graphics. Graphics, graphics, graphics, is that all that matters with games these days? Half Life's visuals are of a high quality indeed. Are they better than the PC version - I don't know and I don't care. All you need to know is that they are very good.
The game is about a young Science nerd who, through a botched experiment, ends up running around a huge underground base fighting aliens and marines. Simple. The gameplay is sublime, with some great weaponry at your disposal. The enemy AI is better than anything else on the PS2, there are puzzles to solve as well, and taking on your foes requires a bit of thinking, rather than mindless blasting.
All in all, a game not to be missed. Fantastic. Ignore reviews from PC owners that slag this game off. If they compare it to the PC version, so what - aint got a PC don't care. They're most likely upset that PS2 owners have got their hands on one of their 'babies'.
It's been a long wait, but boy was it worth it.

"Good Morning And Welcome To Black Mesa Research Facility"
Absoloutly brilliant is the quickest way to describe 'Half Life' on PS2. The story is huge, and drags you in to the bitter end.
The game features around a rather nasty accident at the
Black Mesa Research Facility, you take the part of new recruit Gordon Freeman, and this has got to be the first 1st-Person Shooter where you actually go to work! Freeman works in the Anonymus Materials Lab, the scene of the incident. After inserting a new power source into the reactor, something goes wrong, and Gordon Freeman awakes to a place of chaos, - corpses everywhere, few survivors, and never-before-seen aliens are invading.
The graphics are very good, so is the voice acting of other characters, and general background sounds and music which constantly drop hints of horrfying suprises. The game then centres around Freeman's escape. During the game, you can enlist the help of security guards and scientist in your effort to escape. The story is superb, later you hear that the marines are being sent in, but quickly learn the truth.
'Half Life' while not being the best F.P.S. is certainly very enjoyable, and in a style which influenced 'Red Faction', the game is not divided by levels, the whole thing plays like a film.
The controls are easy to get used to, and with the help from the lock-on ability, combat isn't as difficult.
The majority of the game takes place in Black Mesa, only later do you get to go to Xen, but I'll let you find out about that on your own.
As a PS2 add-on, this comes complete with the new adventure;
'Half Life: Decay' which, like 'Opposing Forces' and 'Blue Shift', (they are the add-ons for the P.C. version), 'Decay' takes place at the same time as Freeman's escape, but is about to female scientists in their escape attempt, this allows you to have two-player co-operative missions; do good enough, and you'll unlock the secret mission where you get to play on Xen's side.
However, the 'Head-To-Head' Deathmatches are only O.K.,and only include one-on-one games. On top of that, 'Decay' is best played in the one player mode.
A good attempt, better that the P.C. version, if only they'd included 'Opposing Forces' and 'Blue Shift' this would have being the game everyone wants.

great game,not as great as it was
your a sciencetist,when an experiment goes wrong aliens are trying to kill you,just another day at the office then.

ok so the graphics are a bit dated,and you cant shoot out every light.yes this game is dated,but still one of the best fps' ever.hailed by most as the best game ever,and most would agree,its in my top 5.with a great story,black comedy,and great set pieces. the ps2 version also has a co-op mode which stretchs out the games lifespan,which is already massive 'cos the single player is hard on easy.

graphics-6
sound-7
gameplay-9
longitivety-10

overall-9