Half-Life Video Game Series
Video Games Encyclopedia by Gamepressure.com
Half-Life 3
Action TBA
The third installment in a bestselling series of first-person shooters, its current status still unclear. There's been lots of unofficial leaks surrounding Half-Life 3, rarely commented on (and usually shot down) by Valve.
Half-Life 2: VR
Action 16 September 2022
Comprehensive modification for Half- Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One and Half-Life 2: Episode Two, which enriches these titles with support for virtual reality goggles and dedicated motion controllers. Behind its development is a group of ardent fans of the series. The modification is distributed free of charge - however, it requires the above mentioned productions to work.
Half-Life: Alyx
Action 23 March 2020
Another part of the Half-Life shooter series. This time we are dealing with a title dedicated to the VR sets, in which we control Alyx Vance, heroine known from the Half-Life 2. The production was developed by Valve Software.
Black Mesa
Action 05 March 2020
A fan modification of the classic first-person shooter Half-Life from 1998; the mod's development took roughly 8 years to complete. In terms of plot, the production is a faithful recreation of the original game and tells the story of Gordon Freeman, a physicist, and his struggle for survival in the titular Black Mesa Research Facility invaded by mysterious beings from another dimension. The implemented changes relate primarily to the audio-visual aspects, which were developed entirely from scratch, using the original locations, 3D models, and sound effects as a model. The game is powered by the popular Source engine, which created for the cult Half-Life 2, enabling it – in comparison with the original GoldSrc engine – to fully employ the capabilities of modern graphics cards and multi-core processors. This allows us to enjoy high-quality visuals, improved physics and character animations, and a host of advanced visual effects. An entirely new soundtrack, composed by Joel Nielsen, was also made for the game.
The Orange Box
Action 10 October 2007
A unique set of five games developed by the American studio Valve for PC and seventh generation consoles. All of them are powered by the Source Engine, a technology used for creating many good, highly valued games across the years. The main part of the bundle is the best-selling FPS Half-Life 2 and its two expansions: Episode One and Episode Two. The story of the games revolves around two characters: a physicist Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance, a member of the anti-alien resistance. Together they face creatures from another dimension who took control of fictional City 17 after escaping from the Black Mesa lab. In the bundle the player will also find a humoristic, multiplayer shooter Team Fortress 2 and an FPP puzzle game, Portal, in which one must use an experimental weapon to find exit from set of chambers in a secret research facility.
Half-Life 2
Action 16 November 2004
A sequel to the Valve Software's best-selling game that set new standards for the FPS genre back in 1998. Half-Life 2 is set several years after the events of the first game. Once again, the player assumes the role of Gordon Freeman – a doctor of physics who used to work in Black Mesa Labs, where an unfortunate incident opened a portal for alien life forms to invade the Earth. This time, the story takes us into a fictional City 17 and its immediate vicinity. The protagonist now works for a secret government organization. His mission is to repel the invaders from another dimension, in which he is aided by Alyx Vance – a young women fighting as a part of human resistance. The sequel introduces a technological revolution, employing the Valve’s proprietary game engine called Source. Its main advantage is excellent physics simulation, letting players destroy almost any element of environment and use various objects as covers or even weapons.
Half-Life
Action 19 November 1998
An FPS set in a science-fiction world, created by the debuting American studio Valve Software. The story takes place in secret research facility of Black Mesa and begins the main character of the game – Gordon Freeman - arrives at the facility. As a result of failed experiment that opened an inter-dimensional portal, the laboratory is invaded by aliens from planet Xen, and our protagonist has to fight for survival, facing not only alien creatures, but also soldiers of a special forces unit, sent in to cover up the disaster. The goal of the game is to escape from the destroyed facility with the assistance of its other workers. Half-Life has been acknowledged as a cornerstone of the FPS genre, skillfully combining FPP with horror elements and complex plot.
Half-Life 2: The Black Box
Action canceled
Half-Life 2: The Black Box was supposed to be a special set, prepared by Valve Software exclusively for PeCetach. Plans were for the package to include Half-Life 2: Episode Two, as well as Portal and Team Fortress 2. Ultimately, however, the project was abandoned in favour of a more extensive The Orange Box.