Half-Life

November 19, 1998 (North America)
November 27, 1998 (Europe)
November 11, 2001 (North America) (PlayStation 2)
November 30, 2001 (Europe) (PlayStation 2)
February 14, 2013 (Worldwide)

Half-Life is a first-person shooter game developed by Valve, and published by Sierra Studios for Windows in 1998. It was Valve's debut product, and the first game in the Half-Life series. Players assume the role of Gordon Freeman, a scientist who must escape the Black Mesa Research Facility after it is invaded by aliens. The core gameplay consists of fighting alien and human enemies with a variety of weapons and solving puzzles.

Unlike many other games at the time, the player has almost uninterrupted control of the player character, and the story is told mostly through scripted sequences seen through his eyes. Valve co-founder Gabe Newell said the team aimed to create an immersive world rather than a "shooting gallery". Half-Life was built using GoldSrc, a heavily modified version of the Quake engine, licensed from id Software.

Half-Life received acclaim for its graphics, realistic gameplay, and seamless narrative. It won over 50 PC "Game of the Year" awards and is considered one of the most influential FPS games as well as one of the best video games ever made. By 2008, it had sold over 9 million copies. It was followed by the expansion packs Opposing Force (1999) and Blue Shift (2001), developed by Gearbox Software. It was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2001, along with another expansion Half-Life: Decay, and to macOS and Linux in 2013. Valve ported Half-Life to its Source engine in 2004, while a third-party remake, Black Mesa, was released in 2020.

Half-Life inspired numerous fan-made mods, some of which became standalone games, such as Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat and Sven Co-op. Half-Life 2 was released in 2004, followed by Half-Life 2: Episode One (2006), Episode Two (2007), and Half-Life: Alyx (2020).

Also See

• Half-Life: Opposing Force
• Half-Life: Blue Shift
• Half-Life: Decay
• Half-Life 2
• Garry's Mod
• Half-Life: Alyx

Sound Effects Used

• Best Service, Door, Open, Garden
• Best Service, Fight Scene 3
• Best Service, Siren, Air Raid (slowed down)/HALF-LIFE KLAXON ALARM SOUND (debut)
• Best Service, Thunderstorm Extreme
• Best Service, Train Passes By
• Best Service, Tropical Wood, Birds
• Best Service, Water Splash
• Dick De Benedictis Music
• Elektra Records, Camel/Pro Sound Effects, Camel Vocalizing (slowed down, used for Tentacle monster)
• Hollywoodedge, M60 Automatic Multip PE233701 (Used as the firing sound of the SMG.)
• Paramount Walkie Talkie Static
• SoundDogs, Air, Compressed, Force, Loud
• SoundDogs, Body Fall, Dirt, Deep, Short, Moves
• SoundDogs, Body Fall, Dirt, Heavy, Slow, Moves
• SoundDogs, Bone Break, Heavy, Hit, Short/Sound Ideas, BONE, BREAK - HEAVY, WET BONE BREAK
• SoundDogs, Bone Break, Heavy, Sharp, Snap/Sound Ideas, BONE, BREAK - HEAVY BONE SNAP 03 (Used for the gore/gib. The same goes for the others as well.)
• SoundDogs, Bone Break, Heavy, Short, Low
• SoundDogs, Bone Break, Light, Flesh, Gushy
• SoundDogs, Bullet, Shell, Drop, Tile, Bounce
• SoundDogs, Chain, Gear, Heavy, Marching, Foley
• SoundDogs, Dog, Pants, Close, Slow, Very Deep
• SoundDogs, Dog, Whimper, Pathetic
• SoundDogs, Door, Air, Release, Hiss, Even, Mid
• SoundDogs, Door, Iron, Lever, Grind, Groan, Big
• SoundDogs, Door, Metal, Heavy, Slide, Hit, Low
• SoundDogs, Door, Metal, Latch, Fast, Springy (Used when reloading the crossbow.)
• SoundDogs, Elevator, Door, Slide, Open, Thud
• SoundDogs, Equipment, Rattles, Walk, Metals
• SoundDogs, Explosion, Bursts, Short, Echoes
• SoundDogs, Explosion, Sand, Debris, Fall
• SoundDogs, Factory, Active, Hydraulic, Load
• SoundDogs, Factory, Close, Thumps, Ominous
• SoundDogs, Factory, Dist, Pounding, Ominous
• SoundDogs, Factory, Harbour, Grind, Horn
• SoundDogs, Factory, Steel, Buzz, Thump, Low
• SoundDogs, Fan, Window, Slow, Buzz, Pump
• SoundDogs, Feet, 3, Step, Squeak, Plant (2nd footstep, used when walking on "tile" surfaces.)
• SoundDogs, Feet, 4, Fast, Scuffle, Hurry
• SoundDogs, Feet, Boot, Dirt, Gritty, Med/Sound Ideas, FOOTSTEPS, BOOT - SHORT WALK IN BOOTS ON DIRT
• SoundDogs, Feet, Boots, Grit, Dirt, Damp, Walk/Sound Ideas, FOOTSTEPS, BOOT - WALK IN BOOTS ON DAMP DIRT (Used when walking on dirt surfaces.)
• SoundDogs, Feet, Boots, Metal, Stairs, Jog (11th footstep, used when taking fall damage.)
• SoundDogs, Feet, Dog, Cement, Run, Fast, Up
• SoundDogs, Feet, Shoe, Hard, Walk, Slide, Floor (Used when walking on "tile" surfaces.)
• SoundDogs, Feet, Walk, Boots, Cement, Scuff/Sound Ideas, FOOTSTEPS, BOOT - SHORT WALK AND SHUFFLE IN BOOTS ON CONCRETE (Used when walking on concrete surfaces.)
• SoundDogs, Fire, Ammonia, Crackle, Snap
• SoundDogs, Flame Thrower, Reversed
• SoundDogs, Glass, Pane, Break, Abrupt, Dead
• SoundDogs, Glass, Pane, Break, Large, Shatter
• SoundDogs, Glass, Pane, Large, Break, Slow
• SoundDogs, Gun, Hits, Rocks, Crack, Crunches
• SoundDogs, Gun, Machine, Fire, Long, Shells
• SoundDogs, Gun, Machine, M60E, Burst, Many
• SoundDogs, Gun, Machine, M60E, Burst, Med
• SoundDogs, Gun, Machine, Tinny, Shells
• SoundDogs, Gun, Moves, Busy, Clicks, Rattles
• SoundDogs, Gun, Moves, Rattles, Busy, Long
• SoundDogs, Gun, Trigger, Cock, Loud, Cracks (Used when cocking the shotgun.)
• SoundDogs, Horse, Baby, Squeal, Med, Whine
• SoundDogs, Horse, Baby, Whinny, Shriek
• SoundDogs, Horse, Breaths, Hard, Pulse, Throat
• SoundDogs, Hospital, ECG, Beep, Single
• SoundDogs, Hospital, Pump, Blood, Pressure
• SoundDogs, Impact, Low, Boof, Bass, Debris
• SoundDogs, Industry, Fan, Slow Squeaks, PEI
• SoundDogs, Insect, Crickets, Two, Med, Fast
• SoundDogs, Insect, Fly, Buzzing, Wide, Close
• SoundDogs, Latch, Metal, Arm, Lift, Clack, Open
• SoundDogs, Lock, Metal, Dial, Spin, Move, Light
• SoundDogs, Lock, Open, Clack, Keys, Jingle
• SoundDogs, Machine, Buzz, Hiss, Turn, Med
• SoundDogs, Machine, Crunch, Feed, Turn
• SoundDogs, Machine, Punch, Hard, Drop, Steel/Sound Ideas, INDUSTRY, MACHINE - INDUSTRIAL MACHINE: HUGE METAL PUNCH PRESS
• SoundDogs, Machine, Stamp, Bolt Drop, Feed
• SoundDogs, Maggots, Squirm, Wet
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hand Crank, Squeaky, Light
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hit, Bink, Hard, Reverb (Pitched down by 43.8%, used for the crowbar.)
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hit, Dong, Harsh, Rev
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hit, High-Low, Ca-Boom
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hit, Strike, Pierce, Harsh
• SoundDogs, Metal, Hit, Thunderous Reverb
• SoundDogs, Metal, Pipe, Hit, Debris, Messy/Sound Ideas, METAL, DROP - METAL BAR FALLING INTO OTHER METAL OBJECTS
• SoundDogs, Metal, Swing, Back, Forth, Creaks
• SoundDogs, Metal, Truck Body, Slam, Crunch
• SoundDogs, Mud, Suction, Air Pull, Fast
• SoundDogs, Pig, Single, Grunts, Big
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Big, Deep, Solid
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Big, Soil, Crunch, Thud
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Big, Sub, Crack, High/Sound Ideas, PUNCH, BODY - BIG BODY PUNCH AND BONE CRACK 02
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Big, Thump, Meaty
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Light, Deep, Juicy
• SoundDogs, Punch, Body, Light, Leather, Grab
• SoundDogs, Rat, Vocals, Squeaks
• SoundDogs, Rats, Squeak, Active, Chirp, Scared
• SoundDogs, Ricochet, Heavy, Quick, Med
• SoundDogs, Ricochet, Soft, Tear, Med
• SoundDogs, Ricochet, Thick, Debris, Short
• SoundDogs, Ricochet, Tiny, Sharp, Slice
• SoundDogs, Ricochets, Many, Sharp, Spin
• SoundDogs, Rifle, Shot, 223, Loud, Punch
• SoundDogs, Rifle, Shots, Ext, Big, Two (2nd shot used for the shotgun.)
• SoundDogs, Rifle, Shots, Five, Strong, Big (First two shots used for .357 Magnum Python revolver, third shot used for 9mm Glock 17 pistol, fourth shot used for ambient rifle gunfire.)
• SoundDogs, Sparks, Arcing, Solid, Constant
• SoundDogs, Sparks, Electric, Loud, Harsh
• SoundDogs, Sparks, Electric, Spin, Full, Crash
• SoundDogs, Sparks, Explosive, Zaps, Violent
• SoundDogs, Stab, Big, Thump, Flesh Moves
• SoundDogs, Stab, Flesh, Claw Rips Thru, Slow
• SoundDogs, Stab, Hit, Flesh Moves, Bone Break
• SoundDogs, TV, Monitor, On, Crackle, Tube, Hum
• SoundDogs, TV, On, White Noise, Off, Room
• SoundDogs, Water, Fall 6', Splashy, Sewer
• SoundDogs, Water, Sewer, Manhole POV
• SoundDogs, Water, Slurps, Glub, Rubber Boot
• SoundDogs, Wind, Cave, Echo, Moan, Agnostic
• SoundDogs, Wind, Heavy, Moan, Loud, Spooky
• SoundDogs, Wind, Int, Whistling, Horror
• SoundDogs, Wind, Med, Moany, Hollow, Castle
• SoundDogs, Wood, Crash, Shuffle, Springs, Thud
• SoundDogs, Wood, Large, Heavy, Snap, Violent
• SoundDogs, Wood, Metal, Crash, Loud, Bounce
• SoundDogs, Wood, Metal, Crash, Rusty, Rattle
• SoundDogs, Wood, Shutters, Rattles, Moves
• SoundDogs, Wood, Trunk, Table, 2 Slides, Heavy
• SoundDogs, Wood, Trunk, Table, Slide, Heavy
• Sound Ideas, BONE, BREAK - WET BONE BREAK 01
• Sound Ideas, BONE, BREAK - WET BONE BREAK 02
• Sound Ideas, BONE, BREAK - WET BONE BREAK 03 (Needs clarification.)
• Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SQUEAK - RESIN SQUEAK, STRETCH 01
• Sound Ideas, COMPUTER, MONITOR - COMPUTER MONITOR SCREEN, SWITCH ON, OFFICE (Used when pressing some buttons.)
• Sound Ideas, ELECTRICITY, SPARK - HIGH VOLTAGE ARCING
• Sound Ideas, EXPLOSION - MEDIUM EXPLOSION 01 (Heard in a processed variant.)
• Sound Ideas, FOOTSTEPS, BOOT - WALK ON DIRT IN BOOTS, UP STEPS ONTO WOOD SIDEWALK
• Sound Ideas, GUN, FOLEY - LIGHT HANDLING CLICKS AND MOVEMENT OF GUN 03
• Sound Ideas, MUD, SUCTION - C.U. BIG BREATHY WET SUCTION (Used as the sound of the Bullsquid spitting.)
• Sound Ideas, SCI FI - FORCE FIELD AMBIENCE
• Sound Ideas, TIGER (PANTHERA TIGRIS) - Tiger. Siberian tiger (P.t.altaica) Cu growling and eating meat. Marwell Zoo, Hampshire, UK
• Unknown Cougar Sound
• Unknown Sound Effects Library, Shotgun Shells Falling
• Unknown Sound Effects Library, Small Fire Whoosh (Used as part of the Gargantua's fire attack.)
• Valve Crowd Cheering Sound