So, after having tried out Portal, I remembered something.
The Half-Life series is my favorite action game series.
I bought Half-Life (the original non-Source version) and its expansion Opposing Force in early 2000. It was pretty much all I played on my PC that year. Well, why wouldn't I? At that time, those were the best shooters ever made, even better than Duke Nukem 3D, which I didn't think possible. What really blew me away, more than anything else, was Black Mesa. Unlike older shooters, Half-Life wasn't broken down into small levels. No, it was one large continuous environment. And, the Black Mesa Research Facility was so fully realized, I feel as though I've actually been to the BMRF. Swear to God. It feels like a real place. "Yeah, a place with aliens, crackshot soldiers, and experimental weaponry." Precisely. Sure, the game had a few bugs, and Xen, although being a cool environment, was not as fun as the BMRF. Still, it was awesome, and you gotta love the cheesy dialogue. ("My God, what are you doing!?")
Then, a few years later, and we are blessed with Half-Life 2. It was like the first game, but with a more professional feel. The graphics were otherwordly, the voices were improved, as was the sound design. There were some new enemies, some old enemies, and driveable vehicles, but none of that matters because of two words: Gravity Gun.
That's what being a physicist is all about; using the world's physics to your advantage, and no weapon in action game history has done that better than the Gravity Gun. You can turn anything into a weapon with the Gravity Gun. Even a can of paint can prove lethal to a headcrab with the Gravity Gun as your weapon. And, unlike in the first game, the last segment was totally awesome. But what is up with that G-Man? What is he?
I haven't played Episode 1 and 2 yet, but I have played a few mods for the first Half-Life. The best singleplayer mod for HL1, by far, is They Hunger. They Hunger recycles enemies and weapons from the first HL and various HL mods to provide a horror experience. Its environment, much like the BMRF, feels like a real place. It even has its own song during the ending credits, provided you get that far. A must play, for certain.
So, if you're wondering why I hate Halo, well, it's because Halo is not Half-Life. Then again, I've heard people say Half-Life sucks because it's not Halo. Well, let me ask you this; what does the Covenant got on the Combine? Answer: Jack Diddly Squat, that's what!
All Hail the Free Man!
By the way, next time I update, it'll be about one of two things; either something that is the awesomest awesome that ever awesomed, or three guys, a girl, and a white rabbity thing. Stick around.
P.S. Wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up, and smell the ashes.
