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Half-Life pc Game Reviews
Half-Life
Critic Score
Metascore: 96 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.0 out of 10
based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 749 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Half-Life combines great storytelling in the tradition of Stephen King with intense action and advanced technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players need to think smart to survive. Half-Life has won more than 50 Game of the Year awards from publications around the world, and was named 'Best PC Game Ever' in PC Gamer's November 1999 issue. [Sierra]

PUBLISHER: Sierra Studios
DEVELOPER: Valve Software
GENRE(S): First-Person Shooter, Action
PLAYERS: 32
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: July 25, 1998

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
All Game Guide
It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that.
Read Full Review
100
Adrenaline Vault
If you want an incredible 3D experience that will cause you to lose sleep, meals, PTA meetings, and romantic rendezvous, this is the game.
Read Full Review
100
Hot Games
The way scientists and guards talk to you and each other, the huge stages that you can make a little bit more progress in each time you play, the absolutely amazing animation...it all adds up to a totally immersive gaming experience that makes everything else look quite shoddy in comparison.
Read Full Review
100
Gamers Depot
I have yet to play a more immersive game period. From the word "go", I found myself completely engulfed into the pseudo world that is unfolded before your eyes. [6 "drips"]
Read Full Review
100
Just Adventure
It features a fully interactive environment that's a blast to play through. It's really like an interactive movie because it's so immersive. It's easily the most revolutionary shooter since "System Shock."
Read Full Review
100
2404.org
Single player has a great story line with lots of twists and turns that keeps you interested.
Read Full Review
100
GamePro
A masterpiece of epic proportions, the "Saving Private Ryan" of first-person shooters.
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100
Yahoo! Games
Everything about Half-Life smacks of quality: the storyline, the gameplay, the graphics, the sound effects and last, but not least, the obvious level of committment Sierra and Valve have invested in it. Half-Life is, without doubt, the best PC game I have ever played. Ever.
Read Full Review
100
Game Revolution
A fantastic single player experience, with reliable and customizable multiplayer support...what more could a FPS fan ask for.
Read Full Review
98
Gamezilla!
It is, without a doubt, the best single-player first-person shooter ever. Period. It is so good for so many reasons. But most importantly, it is fun. I mean really fun.
Read Full Review
97
PC Gamer
This is The Big One, and it's even better than we could've hoped. [Jan 1999, p.166]
97
TotalGames.net
Half-Life is brilliant in every respect with huge monsters appearing later on, Half-Life gets so spooky it hurts, so frightening people simply watching jump!
Read Full Review
96
PC Gameworld
The best FPS ever created. Makes everything else pale in comparison. It's everything you always wanted in a FPS.
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96
GamingExcellence
Everything in this game is perfect, including the excellent characters and graphics, and the realistic sound effects. Half-Life is not a game, it is an adventure.
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96
Armchair Empire
It combines a balance of tense action, puzzle solving, story, and fun that has yet to be equaled on in the FPS arena.
Read Full Review
95
IGN
It constantly presents you with variety, surprises, and new challenges to keep you hooked. It is a tour de force in game design, the definitive single player game in a first person shooter.
Read Full Review
94
Game Over Online
It's atmosphere and unique style have changed the face of PC gaming.
Read Full Review
94
My Gamer
The storyline runs in perfect harmony with the action and acts as a conduit not a stopgap, or a padding device. Each gaming element compliments the next and the entire presentation is nothing short of, well…dare we say it…revolutionary.
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94
GameSpot
The closest thing to a revolutionary step the genre has ever taken. Through a series of subtle and artistic design decisions, Half-Life creates a reality that is self-contained, believable, and thoroughly engaging.
Read Full Review
92
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
Call in sick at work, unplug the phone, cancel all your plans, and prepare yourself for one of the most intense, exciting, and downright brilliant gaming experiences of your life.
Read Full Review
90
Happy Puppy
Realism aside, Half-Life provides some of the best unrealistic opponents seen to date as well. The creature design here is outstanding.
Read Full Review
90
GamerArchive
Once you have dominated the death match realm, you can truly call yourself either an expert gamer, or an obsessive stinking nerd.
Read Full Review
85
Electric Playground
I have never had a more immersive and engaging entertainment experience than I had with the first half of Half-Life...[but] the game peaks too soon.
Read Full Review
80
Cincinnati Enquirer
Unfortunately, Half-Life’s puzzle-oriented play leads to some problems. On several occasions, you’ll be forced to make almost impossible jumps. The difficulty of such maneuvers finds you making 10, sometimes 15 attempts. The frustration distances you from a story that should have you absorbed.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 749 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Rusty C. gave it a9:
Very very fun! Fair storytelling ability, and great graphics even now! I like it better than HL-2 because it can lock the gore and has less swearing.

Amish P. gave it a10:
Half-Life is probably the best game to ever have been produced. Sure graphics nowadays are much better but the impact the game had on all the gamers at that time, in 1998 changed their world. Let's put it this way, Half-life was so ahead of it's time in terms of graphics and storyline that it definitely leaves an imprint in you - an imprint of amazement and surrealism. Today games come out with really good graphics - Half Life 2, Halo 3...but you're sort of expecting that, since we've done leaps in graphics technology. But picture this - let's say that by magic you manage to get your hands onto a game that actually belongs to the future - 5 years from now and you're playing it! Well that's exactly how it felt and that's why half-life deserves a 10!

Adrien V. gave it a10:
Best FPS for its time, don't be shunned away when you see the graphics, it was freakin 1998/9! I used to look at a games graphics first in till i got half-life. I bought the Anthology and was dissapointed with the graphics. But 1/4 way through I suddenly realised I did not give a crap anymore. I was too busy having fun.

Weyland gave it a10:
I loved this game. And I have comments for those who rated horribly. Erick: I have something to say specifically to you. You said "same type of monsters all the way to the last level," What last level? It's one frigging level all the way through. Of course there's going to be all the same monsters! Mister shgiot ktiv: You said "Bad grafiks, bad criters, bad saund, bad stori, bad controll, all the gaim is bad." What the hell are you even saying? Apparently you're such an idiot you don't know how to spell "game," so why should we care what you say? Rami W.: You said "is that how much you guys love this game all you do is kill people for money to complete objectives." How the hell is that a review for this game? Did you think you were playing Assasin's Creed? Because last time I checked, no money system in Half Life one or two.

TK gave it a10:
There are two games in the world whose status and influence have endured over the years without fading one bit...I actually think they've just gotten bigger over time! These two games are of course Doom and Half-Life, and nothing can ever make such an immense impact on the gaming world as they did back in the day. An undisputed masterpiece.

Jan gave it a10:
I get it just 3 days ago. I think it's the best game ever I played. But now i I got stuck in a level and I find no way out. I think I'm a noob this game is really great! [sorry for my bad english I'm from Germany].

Thad M. gave it a10:
I was bored and on my steam and i wanted to read some of the reviews of my games i was so amazed to see that some people actually gave half life less than a 10 half life changed gaming it was more than just like ever other stupid game that made you shoot and then shoot and then shoot some more.The Ai was amazing for the time and the storyline was by far the best in any fps at the time if you can somehow rate this game badly you are not a gamer and do not respect the field you need to just go play with your myspace and never game agian.

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