Half-Life
Half-Life is a 1998 science fiction first-person shooter developed by Valve and published by Sierra Studios for Windows.
Half-Life is a 1998 science fiction first-person shooter developed by Valve and published by Sierra Studios for Windows. It is Valve’s debut game and the first entry in the Half-Life series.
What it is
Half-Life is a first-person shooter that blends combat with exploration and puzzle-solving. It uses scripted events and environmental storytelling to advance the plot, following physicist Gordon Freeman as he escapes the Black Mesa Research Facility after a failed experiment triggers an alien invasion.
Key details
Developed by Valve as its first product, Half-Life was released on November 19, 1998, for Windows. It features single-player and multiplayer modes. The game later received a PlayStation 2 version in 2001.
Why it matters
Half-Life is widely regarded as an influential first-person shooter and the foundation of a long-running series that expanded through later titles such as Half-Life 2 and Half-Life: Alyx. It has a broad Canadian audience as a landmark PC game that helped define modern shooters.
In short
- Half-Life was Valve’s debut game, released in 1998 for Windows.
- It follows Gordon Freeman escaping Black Mesa after an alien invasion.
- The game is known for blending combat, puzzles, and scripted storytelling.
- It is considered a foundational title in the first-person shooter genre.
Half-Life has a broad Canadian audience as a landmark PC game that helped define modern first-person shooters and was influential in gaming culture in Canada and internationally.
Quick questions
What is Half-Life?
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When was Half-Life released?
Sources
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Life_(video_game)Supports: Developer, publisher, release year, platform, genre, series status, and plot overview.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Half-Life-electronic-gameSupports: 1998 release, platforms, protagonist, and narrative/storytelling style.
- Combine OverWiki — https://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Half-LifeSupports: Release date, platforms, genre, modes, and GoldSrc engine note.
- Valve Developer Community — https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Half-LifeSupports: Valve’s debut title, release date, and the game’s significance in Valve’s history.