Half-Life

Half-Life is a first-person shooter released in 1998 by Valve that revolutionized the genre and became one of the most influential games in history. Instead of traditional levels with cutscenes, the game offered a seamless, continuous world and cinematic storytelling integrated directly into the gameplay.

The player takes on the role of scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself at the center of a catastrophe in the Black Mesa research facility after a failed experiment. The game blends shooting, puzzles, exploration, and a sci-fi thriller atmosphere. Enemy AI, realistic level architecture, and minimalist narrative delivery made Half-Life a revolution.

Today, Half-Life remains a cornerstone of the modding scene. Thanks to open access to tools and the GoldSrc engine, the game spawned countless mods, including the legendary Counter-Strike, Team Fortress Classic, Sven Co-op, and They Hunger. Enthusiasts continue to create story campaigns, visual updates, and remakes - both on the original engine and on Source or Unity.

Half-Life not only launched an entire universe but became a platform where a whole generation of developers and modders grew.