History Awesome / HalfLife

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''the''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with complex WorldBuilding well-woven into the game to merge immersive storytelling with puzzles and gameplay. Filled with everything from epic fights, [[StormingTheCastle breaking into enemy bases]], [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], [[StockVideoGamePuzzle intense and tricky puzzles]], [[WreakingHavok physics that act in spectacular ways]], [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] with [[ArtificialBrilliance advanced AI]] that makes them feel alive, to highly-detailed and well laid-out levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], Cool Guns, and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. Because the first title in the series was the debut BreakthroughHit that sent [[Creator/ValveCorporation one particular game company]] into legendary status, and became it's flagship franchise, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human, as you run, think, shoot, and live through an unforgettable experience you will never forget.

* The entirety of Surface Tension. Gordon Freeman finally makes it out of Black Mesa... only to discover that the marines and aliens are still fighting, and the marines are constantly bombing the area. So he goes through, fighting marines, aliens, helicopters, turret placements, and ''main battle tanks'', all while the aliens and soldiers fight one another (and in a small CMOA for the Marines, they usually win). Particular highlights include the battle against the squad of soldiers, turret placements, and helicopter at the Dam, Freeman crossing a sheer cliff face crawling with Marines before fighting up and out of a large storm drain covered by an entrenched squad and ''two tanks,'' the area where the marines' Osprey continually drops soldiers to kill a group of alien grunts, and Freeman calling in an airstrike on a Gargantua. It's also worth noting that the HECU is monitoring Freeman's every move via the tracking devices in his suit, and set up ambushes for him literally every 10 or 20 square feet; ''[[OneManArmy he kills all of them anyway.]]''

* In the chapter Surface Tension, you can find a tank shooting at you. If you're in the right angle where it can't shoot you, you can wail on it with a crowbar until it explodes. The funny part is that it doesn't take much hits which means Gordon swings that crowbar hard. The awesome part is that HE CAN DESTROY A TANK WITH A SIMPLE TOOL AND HIS OWN BRUTE STRENGTH!

* Barney gets a big one in Blue Shift: He actually gets out of the Black Mesa facility alive without the interference of the G-Man. That's something that Gordon and Adrian DIDN'T do. Not to mention that he does it without an HEV suit or any experimental weaponry, but with just a helmet and a Kevlar vest.

* Okay, so, top of the frelling list here, folks: Father Grigori. Nothing you say can stand up to the fact that he's an [[Main/BadassPreacher Orthodox priest with a rifle]] and has a problem with [[ZombieApocalypse his flock.]] Even better, at the very end of the Ravenholm Mines, there is a minecart trap that includes a spinning blade, which you use to kill the remaining zombies before escape. If we think about this, Father Grigori managed to swim through the Ravenholm mines, climb over fences that Gordon can't climb over, and fight the infinite horde of headcrabs, all twice just to help any rebels that come by and to tend to his flock. He could have left, seeing how close he was, but he didn't. Also counts as Heartwarming.
* The entirety of both "Our Benefactors" and "Dark Energy." Combined with the absolutely fucking AWESOME gravity gun as well as the story reaching it's climax. It really is just completely badass.

* For further illustration of Gordon's awesomeness, the first definite objective Gordon is given aside from "escape" is to infiltrate a Combine prison and rescue a high priority prisoner, and no-one considers [[Main/OneManArmy one man]] doing this to be unusual (granted he later receives a Main/RedShirtArmy of Antlions, but they don't know that). After he succeeds, the resistance takes this as their cue to begin a ''worldwide revolution'' and as soon as Gordon appears they follow behind him unquestionably, because things in ''front'' of him have a tendency to ''die''.
* Storming Nova Prospekt. You are entering an enemy base, while having an army of antlions at your hands. Plus, Apprehension and Evasion plays at the right time.

* The HEV Suit itself. Endurance measured in days (the reactive armor system seems to run off a separate power source in-universe), providing (probably) enhanced physical strength at the least, as well as greatly boosted stamina and speed, and ability to function in the face of severe injuries due to built in medical system capable of diagnosis AND treatment. It's capable of easily going toe-to-toe in a combat environment with milspec equipment using the same armor technology. As powered armor goes it's almost form-fitting given how sleek and compact it is and it is STILL just as effective as it was during the initial Cascade 20 years later, against an opponent with far more advanced technology in general than its creators.
** Given, the "diagnosis and treatment" is massive doses of painkillers and the structure of the suit taking pressure off of broken bones, but...

* It doesn't last long after Gordon gets his HEV Suit and weapons back, but what little is seen of the Combine control over the City 17 civilians is both terrifying and impressive. Once someone steps off a train, a Scanner gets nearby and takes a photo to verify their identity. If they can't be verified, they are either taken to Nova Prospekt or beaten to death, and if that doesn't happen they are immediately labeled as wanted. In the first game, the Marines take at least three chapters to start deeming Freeman a threat rather than just someone else to silence. The Combine? Not even a minute since Gordon gets placed in the train, they already want him disposed of.

* Gordon and Alyx cross a [[AbandonedHospital definitely strange hospital]] to reach City 17's train station, the resistance's exfil point. A gunship follows you from outside until halfway, where, in an abandoned wood barn, you can rocket it out of the sky for good. You have to take the gunship out while the gunship fires at you and blows entire portions of the ceiling, slowly revealing itself while you try to find a good spot to fire; it's a hard and amazing battle. Alyx seems very impressed with the feat Gordon pulls at the end.

** Then you're rewarded with a special gift: shotguns for you and Alyx, and a sweet walk through the hospital while blasting Combine soldiers and zombies. All accompanied with a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VHUhxfgJqQ badass track]]. Happy fighting!

* At one point, you can hear total chaos erupting in a nearby room including the sound of Alyx's new shotgun. When you meet up with her again, she says "Sorry I'm late, Gordon. I got a bit swamped." When you enter the room she just came from, you find a bunch of dead combine soldiers & zombies in a hall with no nearby objects to use for cover. One of the zombies was cut in half, one of the combine soldiers was crushed by a vending machine, & everyone somehow died in the same tiny spot. She apparently did all of that with a shotgun.

** When the refugee train does leave with Barney on it, Gordon and Alyx prepare to leave. Alyx is the first to reach the other side of the door, but when Gordon is about to finish rolling up the door between him and the getaway train, a familiar stomping can be heard, ''rapidly'' getting louder. Moments later, Gordon is attacked by a Strider, and this one is notable for it's '''sheer''' unfiltered fury, [[YouShallNotPass thinking of nothing but of the goal to prevent Freeman from escaping City 17]]. It shoots much faster than all other Striders previously encountered, and uses its warp cannon to destroy the environment around where Freeman is hiding. In one segment, it'll even rapidly blast a cargo container Freeman is behind in an attempt to ''crush'' him. Gordon eventually reaches a rocket box, and uses it to fight off the Strider, [[DoNotGoGentle while it goes down fighting]], blasting him with [[MoreDakka as much as its pulse gun can handle]] in order to [[TakingYouWithMe take him down to the grave with itself]]. If Striders had their own equivalent of a WarriorHeaven, then this one ''deserves'' to be welcomed there.

* Dog fights a Strider. He not only wins, but tears that building-sized heavily-armed monstrosity into ''pieces''. By which we mean DOG tears the Strider's BRAIN out.

** Not only was of Freeman but of the Vortigaunts as well. G-Man's ''Episode Two'' speech is whole cutscene of awesome. The Vorts knocked the SmugSnake down a peg at the end of ''Episode One''. What does G-Man do? The second he is able to pass the Vorts unnoticed, he gives his badass speech, reveals how he was the one to save Alyx from Black Mesa, and wants Freeman to pay up for his survival by bringing Alyx to White Forest, and gets her to relay a message of doom to Eli as a form of TakeThat ''from the man's own daughter''. The closest G-Man comes to losing his cool is the occasional tone of anger expressed when enunciating.

* Gordon and a vortiguant are infiltrating an Antlion hive. The vortiguant feels the need to specifically tell Gordon not to kill the Antlion Guard, an insect monster the size of a truck that can throw cars around, laugh off grenades, and the glowing green stuff on it? That's a neurotoxin. About ten minutes after they get what they need from the hive, Gordon gets the go ahead and kills two of them, with little more than a shotgun and the trash that was laying around the valley.

* The game's existence. Compared to their other franchises, Valve has always thought of the ''Half-Life'' as a game series that would "set the bar" of what's possible in their game engines with every major release. ''Alyx'' does just that not only for the Source 2 engine, but for VR gaming in general.
* At the end of the reveal trailer for ''Half-Life: Alyx'', there's several seconds of silence, and then you hear footsteps coming closer... two bright eyes emerge from the shadows, and for the first time in 13 years, the G-Man is staring holes into your soul once again. He [[PsychoticSmirk smirks]] as the screen cuts to black with the release date; stealing the show all without saying a word. Admit it, you got goosebumps thinking about it again just now.

* The final chapter in the Vault includes a sequence echoing the supercharged Gravity Gun sequence from ''Half-Life 2'': Alyx uses her gravity gloves to grab and hurl bolts of green energy to ''[[OneHitKill mow down]]'' the Combine forces that stand between her and the cell. Even better, that energy was stolen and harnessed from captive Vortigaunts, and each release is like a lightning blast--you're literally channeling the power of the Vorts and ripping the Combine a new one! In ''VR!'' ''With your own hands!''

** It may only be a shadowy glimpse of an illusion created by the G-Man, but players finally get to see a modeled Gordon Freeman with their own eyes.

** Add onto that, this takes place around five years before ''Half-Life 2'', so we know he's been walking about after the events of ''Alyx''. It's entirely possible he allowed the Combine to imprison him so he can take advantage of his "investment", knowing that she'd play a valuable role in the future. He may had been "imprisoned", but he's certainly playing both sides to his advantage.
*** Given the ending however, it is implied that he experiences time non-linearly, as he alludes to Gordon no longer cooperating with him following the events of Episode 2 (a TakeThatUs at Gordon having had nothing to do since that game), and his imprisonment did not originally happen in the original timeline, but he inserted himself five years prior to the events of Half Life 2 in order to recruit Alyx, giving her an assignment to "prove" that she is worthy of hire, and tricking her into accepting the contract in place of Gordon.
* The most impressive thing is probably Alyx herself. Nineteen years old, carrying at most a weighty backpack filled with three somewhat-weak weapons and their ammo, two extra pockets for smaller gear, a headset, her own GadgeteerGenius multi-tool device, and Russel's homemade gravity gloves, she can't even harm a zombie or a Combine soldier with a piece of plywood or a fist. Despite this, the game establishes her badass credentials five years before ''Half-Life 2'' by making you survive and improvise through numerous threats and puzzles all around as a genuine ActionSurvivor that doesn't even have the equipment and training of Barney Calhoun or Adrian Shephard, and earn the respect of the G-Man enough to ''replace Gordon Freeman'' as a valuable asset.
* The Combine is absolutely paranoid of anyone finding about the Vault, to the point of eliminating anyone who went into the Quarantine Zone and everyone they've been in contact with afterward. Yet, Larry, somehow manged to ''live'' in the QZ (or at least frequently coming and going there) for years.

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''the''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with complex WorldBuilding well-woven into the game to merge immersive storytelling with puzzles and gameplay. Filled with everything from epic fights, [[StormingTheCastle breaking into enemy bases]], [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], [[StockVideoGamePuzzle intense and tricky puzzles]], [[WreakingHavok physics that act in spectacular ways]], [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] with [[ArtificialBrilliance advanced AI]] that makes them feel alive, to highly-detailed and well laid-out levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], [[CoolGun Cool Guns]], and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. Because the first title in the series was the debut BreakthroughHit that sent [[Creator/ValveCorporation one particular game company]] into legendary status, and became it's flagship franchise, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human, as you run, think, shoot, and live through an unforgettable experience you will never forget.

* The final chapter in the Vault includes a sequence echoing the supercharged Gravity Gun sequence from ''Half-Life 2'': Alyx uses her gravity gloves to grab and hurl bolts of green energy to ''[[OneHitKill mow down]]'' the Combine forces that stand between her and the cell. Even better, that energy was stolen and harnessed from captive Vortigaunts, and each release is like a lightning blast--you're literally channeling the power of the Vorts and ripping the Combine a new one!

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''the''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with a complex plot well-woven into the game to merge storytelling with gameplay. Filled with everything from epic fights, [[StormingTheCastle breaking into enemy bases]], [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], intense and tricky puzzles, [[WreakingHavok physics that act in spectacular ways]], [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] with [ArtificalBrilliance advanced AI]] that makes them feel alive, to highly-detailed and well laid-out levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], [[CoolGun Cool Guns]], and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. Because the first title in the series was the debut BreakthroughHit that sent [[Creator/ValveCorporation one particular game company]] into legendary status, and became it's flagship franchise, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human, as you run, think, shoot, and live through the games.

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''the''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with a complex plot well-woven into the game to merge storytelling with gameplay. Filled with everything from epic fights, [[StormingTheCastle breaking into enemy bases]], [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], intense and tricky puzzles, [[WreakingHavok physics that act in spectacular ways]], [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] with [ArtificalBrilliance advanced AI]] that makes them feel alive, to highly-detailed and well laid-out levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], [[CoolGun Cool Guns]], and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. As it was the [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 first game]] in the whole series ''alone'' that thrusted [[Creator/ValveCorporation one particular game company]] into legendary status, and thus became it's flagship franchise, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human, as you run, think, shoot, and live through the games.

** When the refugee train does leave with Barney on it, Gordon and Alyx prepare to leave. Alyx is the first to reach the other side of the door, but when Gordon is about to finish rolling up the door between him and the getaway train, a familiar stomping can be heard, ''rapidly'' getting louder. Moments later, Gordon is attacked by a Strider, and this one is notable for it's '''sheer''' unfiltered fury, [[YouShallNotPass thinking of nothing but of the goal to prevent Freeman from escaping City 17]]. It shoots much faster than all other Striders previously encountered, and uses its warp cannon to destroy the environment around where Freeman is hiding. In one segment, it'll even rapidly blast a cargo container Freeman is behind in an attempt to ''crush'' him. Gordon eventually reaches a rocket box, and uses it to fight off the Stider, [[DoNotGoGentle while it goes down fighting]], blasting him with [[MoreDakka as much as its pulse gun can handle]] in order to [[TakingYouWithMe take him down to the grave with itself]]. If Striders had their own equivalent of a WarriorHeaven, then this one ''deserves'' to be welcomed there.

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''''the''''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with a complex plot well-woven into the game to merge story with gameplay. From epic fights, [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], puzzles, game physics that act like the real thing, [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] that feel alive, to highly-detailed levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], [[CoolGun Cool Guns]], and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. As it was the [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 first game]] in the whole series alone that thrusted [[Creator/ValveCorporation one particular game company]] into legendary status, and thus became it's flagship franchise, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human, as you run, think, shoot, and live through the games.

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of '''''the''''' best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry, and at least two games winning "Game of the Year" awards. '''Every''' game in the series is filled with a complex plot well-woven into the game to merge story with gameplay. From epic fights, [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], puzzles, game physics that act like the real thing, [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] that feel alive, to highly-detailed levels, [[AwesomeMusic/HalfLife a great soundtrack]], [[PlotTwist Plot Twists]], [[CoolGun Cool Guns]], and [[NonPlayerCompanion allies]] with Main/UndyingLoyalty that you'd want to have at your side at all times, ''all completely experienced through an'' UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective. As it was the [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 first game]] in the whole series alone that thrusted [[Creator/ValveCorporation]]one particular game company]] into legendary status, you can expect there to be [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments many cool scenes]] in the series, and what it means to be human as you Run, Think, Shoot, and Live through the games.

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of the best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry. Each game in the series is filled with a complex plot well-woven into the game to merge story with gameplay. From epic fights, [[VisualEffectsOfAwesome spectacular VFX]], game physics that act like the real thing, [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] that act and behave differently towards every action by the player, to highly-detailed levels, [[Main/AwesomeMusic a great soundtrack]], subplots of betrayal,

The VideoGame/HalfLife series is considered one of the best video game franchises in gaming ''history'', with [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 each]] [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 major]] [[VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx game]] in the series having their own major innovations to the gaming industry. From games filled with complex plots that merge gameplay with story, to epic fights, puzzles, and AwesomeMusic of course

** When the refugee train does leave with Barney on it, Gordon and Alyx prepare to leave. Alyx is the first to reach the other side of the door, but when Gordon is about to finish rolling up the door between him and the getaway train, a familiar stomping can be heard, ''rapidly'' getting louder. Moments later, Gordon is attacked by a Strider, and this one is notable for it's '''sheer''' unfiltered fury, [[YouShallNotPass thinking of nothing but of the goal to prevent Freeman from escaping City 17]]. It shoots much faster than all other Striders previously encountered, and uses its warp cannon to destroy the environment around where Freeman is hiding. In one segment, it'll even rapidly blast a cargo container Freeman is behind in an attempt to ''crush'' him. Gordon eventually reaches a rocket box, and uses it to fight off the Stider, [[DoNotGoGentle while it goes down fighting]], blasting him with [[MoreDakka as much as its pulse gun can handle]] in order to [[TakingYouWithMe take him down to the grave with itself]]. If Striders had their own equivalent of a Valhalla, then this one ''deserves'' to be welcomed there.