Many gamers, even many Half-life fans are not aware that Half-life was supposed to make an appearance on the Sega Dreamcast. Why these two legendary entities never met is between life and the fates, but one can only wonder what could have been. The port was marred with delays and the Dreamcast wasn't doing well in the market, but apparently the whole thing was cancelled despite the fact that it was ready to ship. Yes, Half-life made an appearance on the PS2, but the Dreamcast copy would have been a marrying of the centuries. Half-life is a milestone in gaming history and it needs to be celebrated to its utmost.
The worst part about this is that such a sight would have been something of a novelty, both the true coverart and the fact that it was supposed to be the exclusive release of the expansion pack, Blue Shift. Now, do I care that it was not exclusive to the Dreamcast? No, and I am also not the biggest fan of the Blue Shift expansion anyway. Either way, I am a huge fan of Half-life and I played it for hours and finally beat it after almost a month.
This was mostly because I had a hell of a time figuring out some of it and some of it was really hard for my poor 12 year old brain. However, it was magnificent! It scared the pants off of me with the head crabs and the huge enormous water creatures that charged you when you went under. There are miles and miles of story and gameplay in this and it is really hard to determine where to start.
The graphics, for the time, were phenomenal. They weren't so great when it came to the Blueshift upgrade, but often times I find myself switching the graphics very quickly back to the original. That's what feels natural. That's when you start the whole game on the trolley ride that so many people have either dreaded or found absolutely iconic. Count me in the latter. It was worth seeing all of the new graphics, the upgraded Quake engine that made the 3D environments look so premitive and crude by today's standards but these were graphics that defined an age.
Storywise, this is about as raw and natural as it gets. You are told where to go and what to do, but that's because you're going to work and you're late. The scientists need to get to the experiment and it needs to start on schedule. You have to get your equipment and you need to get to the lab, pronto! Of course, everything goes wrong, and you need to get through obstacles to survive a dying underground facility. Dying in both it's falling apart and its being invaded by monsters and they're killing the scientists. Then the military comes in. Then there are ninja spies. Look, it gets a little crazy, and there's a ton of stuff to go over.
The aliens are horrifying, if that was not made clear earlier. Headcrabs will attack you out of nowhere. The whole "if it were a snake, it'd have bitten me", these things are the prime example of jumping out and attacking you! They latch onto deadbodies and act as their heads as they zombify them, which only adds to their terrorizing characteristics! These things are vile!
All of the encounters with the inhabitants of Xen are not exactly pleasant, mind you. Some of them can get as tall as oak trees and that is no joke. We don't even know how long those green blind worm things truly are. We just know that if we make too much noise and are too slow, they will kill us in about three swipes or less. There are all kinds of obstacles to go around already and you have to contend with aliens that teleport into the room and shoot lightning at you. This occurs on a stiflingly regular basis.
Working your way through Black Mesa and fighting off increasingly more difficult challenges has never felt more satisfying. There is a linear path, but it feels like you're being pulled toward it and you have to keep your guns blazing if you want to stay alive.
The weapons, by the way, are amazing. From the lowliest crowbar that comes when you need it most, to the explosive laser zapper that makes your enemies into giblets, these are awesome. My personal favorites of the arsenal are the Colt Python .357 Magnum sixshooter and the Black Mesa Crossbow. Believe me, in some of those stealth sections, you will fall in love with the crossbow. Do not underestimate it as it is often a one-hit kill to normal enemies.
Some of these sections can be a little hard to figure out as some of the jump and crouch mechanics can be a little cryptic. Jump-crouching is a must for some sections and you'll need to know which ones to continue. Some of the jump sections over high cliffs can come with either a helicopter or several enemies firing at you. This sort of thing can happen. There are also sniper sections, which no one usually likes. That section is best treated with the Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher.
This game remains a legend to this day and it is lauded as one of the greatest of its kind still. Even after Half-life 2 came out, this was very hard to outshine. However, it did come with some very long puzzle sections and there are some platforming sections that should never have made it to an FPS. Xen, as many will attest, is one of the longest, most boring sections and that is no joke. There are times the challenges can become very, very frustrating and it is in those moments when you need to reach deep down and try not to cheat. Or, to make yourself feel better, make an extra save file for cheating. That's fun too.
Blue Shift was far outshined by its only other expansion pack, Opposing Force. That expansion was far longer, better planned out and had a much more solid challenge to it. Blue Shift was a blink-and-you-miss it kind of game. This was because it only lasted maybe two hours and the contents within are quite forgettable. There's really no way around one single fact: You can play both of them and all of Half-life and you will get a good solid 20+ hours of gameplay. One short expansion certainly didn't spoil the experience.
This game is still very available on several platforms, along with its sequel and a VR game that released as well. Sadly, it was never concluded with a true third installment, but here's hoping that changes soon enough. Until then, there's so many hours of great games that came from Half-life, on top of the first game itself. If you haven't tried any of these titles, do not hesitate to do so if you want an awesome FPS experience either with friends or in a single-player. What's stopping you? It's not like games today are getting any better. VIRTUA BURN!!!!
