As I paged through the magazine which finally set me at ease about my new video card, I stumbled across a quasi-review of Half Life. According to the article, this was going to be one of the most talked-about shooters in gaming. Well, maybe it was worth a look... I went home and put the demo into my CD-ROM, and I haven't stopped playing since, except to install the full version.

Unlike Doom or even Quake, Half Life has a much more detailed and evolved plot line. OK, so maybe it just seems that way from the intro, but it gives off a cool vibe nonetheless. The game begins as you, Gordon Freeman, step onto the tram which carries you through the ultra-secret Black Mesa testing grounds to your ultimate destination, an underground lab exploring alternative energy sources. The ride itself is merely an opportunity for the designers to roll the credits in a rather film-like way, but you can get a feel for what the game will look like on the ride; full rendering means you can move around the cabin and look out any of the windows any direction. You can also jump out, but if the fall doesn't kill you, you'll die of boredom. You can't get where you need to be unless you ride the tram to the end.

After your arrival, you get to experience some interactivity with your co-workers, climb into your HEV suit, and head down to the test chambers. Talk to the NPC's; sometimes they give stock answers, but some actually hint at things ahead. After the "accident", make sure you talk to each character you come across. Some will give you hints in the game, some will heal you, and the security guards will follow you. It was too cool clearing out a section of the office with two guards; they think on their own, so whenever a monster popped up, they whipped out the guns and nailed it. Also, they lessen the chance that you will be the target of an attack, because monsters will go after them, too.

Although the game was originally based on the Quake 2 engine, over 70% of the code was modified or replaced by Valve and Sierra. The monsters are based on a skeletal animation system, which means the basic structure of the creatures' bodies moves, and the computer draws in the actual form of the monster around the frame. The result is a very smooth, lifelike form of motion. The textures and landscaping are spectacular. Windows don't break cleanly like they do in other games; the majority of it shatters, but shards are left on the pane unless you specifically break them off, too. The reflection of your flashlight in dark areas is especially cool, as is the diffusion of the light at the edges of the area the beam illuminates -- just like a real flashlight. And the batteries for it die really quickly -- just like a real flashlight. And the only weapons that work under water are the grenades (which go all of a foot when you throw them underwater), your pistol, and the crowbar.

The alien invaders aren't the only way to come across damage. Jumping too far down, unlike most other shooters, will cause damage. Electrocution will zap you from dangling wires, in puddles, etc. Heating vents explode, objects fall on you, doors close on you... The world is dangerous, and if you're a chair jerk (like me, one of the guys who ducks when you're really into a game and someone shoots at you; I'm a firm believer that body English makes the computer perform better), you'll be ducking and jumping more often than you have with any other game. And the miscellaneous items aren't even the worst part...

For all you X-Files fans, the military comes in "to the rescue", only to be discovered as a "cleanup crew" eradicating everyone in the facility. Your biggest challenges in the game will be presented by these crews and their equipment. Laser tripwires that activate 50-cal machine guns with motion sensor tracking systems. Laser tripwire claymore mines. Commando-style machine gun pistols with attached grenade launchers. Hand grenades. Tripod-mounted rocket launchers. Assault helicopters. Remote activated satchel charges. Bunkers containing armor-shielded twin 50-cal guns. And the soldiers themselves; they flank, they take cover and give cover fire, they chase, they sweep rooms... all the intelligence I would have wished for from SWAT 2.
In another switch from shoot-'em-ups, the monsters in Half Life have intelligence and personalities. Some are more aggressive than others, many (like the little fish) are mere nuisances. They will hunt you, some by smell, motion, or sound rather than sight, and run away when injured. They will ambush you from shadows, break out of ceiling tiles, hide behind objects, etc. There is no truly safe area. Another beautiful aspect of this is that you switch levels smoothly and easily. No more "kill the boss monster, see your stats, do the next level"; the whole environment is set up as one underground complex and level changes are smooth to say the least. The only indicator that you have switched levels is a brief pause and the word "loading..." in the center of your screen, then you continue on. And so do the monsters; if a level change doesn't stop you, it won't stop them either. Nor will it prevent you from taking NPC followers to your next levels.

I'm especially happy with the 3D performance of my machine. Among the extras on the Half Life CD is DirectX 6.0, which has a special set of code to maximize the effectiveness of the AMD K6/2 series processors with 3D Now! I couldn't tell you what the game looks like on a Pentium machine, but it's probably as good.

And when you feel yourself getting a little bored or discouraged with the game, make a switch and try multi-player on the internet. Half Life supports up to 32 players per game, and you can set up your machine as a host. You choose from one of eight characters, change the colors in the appearance, and can even set up your own graffitti symbol. If that's not enough for you, the disk comes with Worldcraft 2.0, the actual software used to create the Half Life environment. Create your own levels, populate it with monsters and traps, create shortcuts and hidden passageways, and post it to a server or make your machine available as a host. How better to win multiplayer than on a level you designed?

There are other demos on the disk, but I couldn't tell you what they are. I've been glued to this damned game for a week now, and when I finish, I'm going to start all over again. Bottom line: five of five stars isn't good enough! I give this game a total stiffie. Buy it NOW!!!

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