Is Half Life 1 worth playing?

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SirGrotius

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I'm being somewhat facetious, but in all seriousness, I'm a newbie, just started playing HL2 last week--absolutely love it (though get an occasional bout of nausea from it) and am wondering if I should bother to play the first one, once I've completed the 2nd.

I don't consider myself a graphics snob, but I'm worried that it'll look prehistoric (judging by a screenshot I saw from the first game in a recent post comparing it to Doom3).

I'm also worried that the guns will all be boring.

Finally, I'm worried that the physics system will be rudimentary at best.

Thanks
 
HELL YEAH, HL1 rocks. I've played it a few times, fun every time.
 
Half-Life is a great classic that you shouldn't miss out on if you want to get in on the entire Half-Life experience.
 
well the source port of hl1 at least addresses the physics

here are some things about hl1
hl1 was the first game AFAIK to use models that bent and deformed around their skeletons

It was the first FPS to not immediately drop you into combat and instead give you a decent plot relevant intro. Just about every FPS after hl1 follows this example

It was the first FPS game AFAIK to feature smart AI that would retreat, flank, flush you out with nades, etc etc. And not just immediately run into you.

It is the game that introduced the world to the term "bunnyhopping"
and its most popular mod, CS, introduced people to the term "AWPwhore"

What hl1 did not invent, it helped to refine. Its basically the standard by which most singleplayer FPS games are judged.

The game does have its draw backs. For example some people do not like the Xen levels nor do they like jumping puzzles, which hl1 has lots of. Also if you are a gun purist, you may not like how the weapons behave. Also the game does feature a stereotypical giant endboss.

Overall though it was an excellent game and for the sake of better understanding hl2, i recommend you play it.

oh and P.S. You'll also notice pretty fast how much more ammo you get than in hl2, don't make the same mistake a lot of us did and hoard it, use it liberally, there's ammo everywhere.
 
I think you will be hard-pressed to find anyone on this forum that dislikes HL1. Some may not be too fussed about it, but is, as Flyingdebris said, the benchmark for all subsequent FPS games. Play it! It is great fun, and you won't be annoyed by the dated graphics, or even notice them after a while- and I am someone who likes good graphics. For a game that is almost 10 years old, it sure stands the test of time for me.
 
why not buy it??? its so cheap now and you get all of the mods to go with it
 
Flyingdebris said:
well the source port of hl1 at least addresses the physics

here are some things about hl1
hl1 was the first game AFAIK to use models that bent and deformed around their skeletons

It was the first FPS to not immediately drop you into combat and instead give you a decent plot relevant intro. Just about every FPS after hl1 follows this example

It was the first FPS game AFAIK to feature smart AI that would retreat, flank, flush you out with nades, etc etc. And not just immediately run into you.

It is the game that introduced the world to the term "bunnyhopping"
and its most popular mod, CS, introduced people to the term "AWPwhore"

What hl1 did not invent, it helped to refine. Its basically the standard by which most singleplayer FPS games are judged.

The game does have its draw backs. For example some people do not like the Xen levels nor do they like jumping puzzles, which hl1 has lots of. Also if you are a gun purist, you may not like how the weapons behave. Also the game does feature a stereotypical giant endboss.

Overall though it was an excellent game and for the sake of better understanding hl2, i recommend you play it.

oh and P.S. You'll also notice pretty fast how much more ammo you get than in hl2, don't make the same mistake a lot of us did and hoard it, use it liberally, there's ammo everywhere.
Click to expand...

Quake? xD

But yeah, Half-Life: 1 is definately worth playing. Most of the reasons have already stated in this and other threads though so I wont bother witih any really relevant input.

Just listen to everyone and go play it :E.
 
the original question depends on how interested you are in the HL series.
you won't get very many people saying HL1 was a bad game or not worth the time for very obvious reasons.

so the real question is: are you a huge fan of the HL series? if so...its a good idea to play through the first game before moving onto the sequel.
 
I've got a similar question on the subject.

I have Half Life 1 Source, but I want to play Blue Shift and Opposing force. Is it worth it to get it again, in a sense? I want a human opinion, not a fanboy one :p
 
WTF?! Of course it's worth playing, we're talking about Half-Life here, for chrissakes. :|
 
I don't understand how people can play HL2 without playing HL1.

HL2 leaves you confused as far as answers go when it ends, still things unanswered, but if you just play HL2 without HL1 you have no idea why anything is the way it is in the LEAST. Nothing about the Black Mesa research that went on, the "Questionable Ethics" Military Coverup, etc etc etc.
 
I consider it better than HL1 so I'd say definitely play it.

There are more guns in HL1 and they're more fun to use.

Physics are there if you play HL1:Source but physics hardly matter anyways (to me).
 
HL2 is pretty much just HL1 with better graphics...Except HL1 seemed alot more adventurous.
So you should like it.
 
SirGrotius said:
I'm being somewhat facetious, but in all seriousness, I'm a newbie, just started playing HL2 last week--absolutely love it (though get an occasional bout of nausea from it) and am wondering if I should bother to play the first one, once I've completed the 2nd.

I don't consider myself a graphics snob, but I'm worried that it'll look prehistoric (judging by a screenshot I saw from the first game in a recent post comparing it to Doom3).

I'm also worried that the guns will all be boring.

Finally, I'm worried that the physics system will be rudimentary at best.

Thanks
Click to expand...

You're kidding, right :|? No man would ever reject HL... at least that's what I believe anyway. It is so awesome a copy of HL dropping on Chuck Norris's head would kill him.

HL is timeless, too. I play it every now and then.
 
For the sake of humanity, get HL1 and Deus Ex!
 
Dr. Nelly Lemon said:
I've got a similar question on the subject.

I have Half Life 1 Source, but I want to play Blue Shift and Opposing force. Is it worth it to get it again, in a sense? I want a human opinion, not a fanboy one :p
Click to expand...

did you read my previous post in this thread?
if not, read it and that should tell you if Blue Shift and Opposing Force are worth playing.
 
Don't be put off by the 'rudimentary' physics system. I'm sure God intended grenades to roll uphill.
 
Hypnosos said:
yeah it's fun.. but the last boss is hard as hell if you ask me
Click to expand...

Just annoying as hell, if you ask me. Once you get in the rythm, there isn't much anything he can do to you, but you have to spend ages shooting at him, anyway.
 
SirGrotius said:
I'm being somewhat facetious, but in all seriousness, I'm a newbie, just started playing HL2 last week--absolutely love it (though get an occasional bout of nausea from it) and am wondering if I should bother to play the first one, once I've completed the 2nd.

I don't consider myself a graphics snob, but I'm worried that it'll look prehistoric (judging by a screenshot I saw from the first game in a recent post comparing it to Doom3).

I'm also worried that the guns will all be boring.

Finally, I'm worried that the physics system will be rudimentary at best.

Thanks
Click to expand...
It's better than HL2.
 
No, it sucks. That's why everyone was so excited when Half-Life 2 was announced.
 
I played HL1 like 6 games (not all the way through everytime but at least very far.)
And YES it was great fun every time gameplay is everything period.

If your too hung up on the graphics you can choose to wait for the hl2 thats coming where they are remaking hl1 it to look like hl2 but with hl1 levels.
 
Every single second you spend playing HL1 is worth it.......this game is by far the best game I´ve ever played im my whole life (for PC that is), and in many ways I consider it better than HL2, except for graphics and physics engine.
 
Well...

Upsides:
Fun
Good story
Understand HL2 better

Downsides:
Bad graphics (compared to HL2 graphics, at least)
everyone looks weird (Take Gman for example. He looks like he's made of wood)

I'd say the downaised have a rather large impact, balancing it out, just about. But it depends on whatever you wish. I say you should buy it.
 
Definitely worth playing. And Opposing Force, too - it was quite difficult and really freaky at some points. Of course the graphics can look quite outdated, but more importantly, i love the plot, and it doesn't feel as short as hl2. It feels like an endless journey, always something new. I didn't like the end, though, where there was too much Xen, which got boring, and the boss was annoying. But otherwise, play it. *mindtricks you*
 
SirGrotius said:
I'm being somewhat facetious, but in all seriousness, I'm a newbie, just started playing HL2 last week--absolutely love it (though get an occasional bout of nausea from it) and am wondering if I should bother to play the first one, once I've completed the 2nd.
Click to expand...

You should bother with the first one. It is, in my opinion, way better than the 2nd one.

I don't consider myself a graphics snob, but I'm worried that it'll look prehistoric (judging by a screenshot I saw from the first game in a recent post comparing it to Doom3).
Click to expand...
If I am correct, there is a Source version of Half Life. And before Source, there was a high definition expansion pack which you could download for free.

I'm also worried that the guns will all be boring.
Click to expand...
The guns are basically the same. There is also alien weapons and a bunch of other cool weapons not available in HL2.

Finally, I'm worried that the physics system will be rudimentary at best.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Forget about physics. That has little to do with gameplay.
 
I thought he was Kal from Black Mesa at first :p
 
SirGrotius said:
I'm being somewhat facetious, but in all seriousness, I'm a newbie, just started playing HL2 last week--absolutely love it (though get an occasional bout of nausea from it) and am wondering if I should bother to play the first one, once I've completed the 2nd.

I don't consider myself a graphics snob, but I'm worried that it'll look prehistoric (judging by a screenshot I saw from the first game in a recent post comparing it to Doom3).

I'm also worried that the guns will all be boring.

Finally, I'm worried that the physics system will be rudimentary at best.

Thanks
Click to expand...

To even suggest that it might be possible to not be worth playing, is BLASPHEMY!!! I SHALL SMITE YOU WITH MY CROWBAR!!!
 
Actually, I'm not as much of a Half Life news junkie as I was before Half Life 2 was released. I know they've said the odd scene might be a bit different, or the odd map/room will be changed, but from what you guys say it sounds like it will be vastly changed????
 
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