Is it essential to play the original Half Life before I play Half Life 2?
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... Half Life 1 had a story?
I played it a while ago and could never beat the final boss (Baby alien thing). I never recalled a story. About the only talking i recall was when a scientist tells you to push a crate into a pit.
What was the story...?
I played it a while ago and could never beat the final boss (Baby alien thing). I never recalled a story. About the only talking i recall was when a scientist tells you to push a crate into a pit.
What was the story...?
Nope, but it helps a lot.
Also, you get a LOT more of the inside jokes. (e.g. "Now about that beer I owed ya!")
Also, you get a LOT more of the inside jokes. (e.g. "Now about that beer I owed ya!")
I wouldn't say "essential" but oh man, you'll miss out on a lot of easter eggs and heck, a lot of backstory too. The beggining may confuse you but overall you can still jump right in and not be totally lost.
How funny, I just started playing Half Life today so I can fill myself in on the story. I recomend playing it but you don't need it for the back story. It does help though.
If you haven't played half life, do you really need to ask? Go play it, it's awesome 
Otherwise you don't know what the hell is going on, play blue shift as well if you want to know who Calhoun is.
Otherwise you don't know what the hell is going on, play blue shift as well if you want to know who Calhoun is.
Of course you don't need to but I'd recommend it.
But I have to say HL didn't have the greatest story ever, even though lots of people seem to think it had. Basically you have
mixed with X-Files -kind of stuff.
But I have to say HL didn't have the greatest story ever, even though lots of people seem to think it had. Basically you have
demons err aliens from Hell err Xen invading through gateways err portals
mixed with X-Files -kind of stuff.
As a vast majority have said, it's not essential to have played Half-Life to enjoy Half-Life 2 as a game. However, to understand certain aspects of the story, characters actions, and the "inside" jokes you'd have to play the original. It would give you a sense of continuity as well besides being one of the greatest games ever designed.
Also, gabemorr, I honestly doubt it'll look better than Episode 1. In fact, I doubt Black Mesa: Source will look much better than Half-Life 2. It's been in development for quite a while now and does not use any of the update SDK components as far as the Source Engine goes.
And, to CTU_Agent 24, Half-Life did have a lot of story to it, it just wasn't spoon fed to you mindlessly in cut-scenes as many games do now adays.
Also, gabemorr, I honestly doubt it'll look better than Episode 1. In fact, I doubt Black Mesa: Source will look much better than Half-Life 2. It's been in development for quite a while now and does not use any of the update SDK components as far as the Source Engine goes.
And, to CTU_Agent 24, Half-Life did have a lot of story to it, it just wasn't spoon fed to you mindlessly in cut-scenes as many games do now adays.
I was unfortunate enough to be half-way through the original when I started Half-Life 2, which meant I was massively confused. I wondered what was going to happen at the end to cause such a big switch in plot lines. Answer: one of the most unexplained plot twists in gaming which is why everyone's so desperate for HL 2: Episode 3.
So yeah. Play HL 2 if you haven't started the original or if you've finished it, but it's very weird trying to pick up the pieces if you only have incomplete knowledge compared to no knowledge.
So yeah. Play HL 2 if you haven't started the original or if you've finished it, but it's very weird trying to pick up the pieces if you only have incomplete knowledge compared to no knowledge.
Same here. It is the first FPS I can remember that had friendly NPC's (Barneys) who fought alongside you with some semblance of AI (such as: they shot you if you shot them) with the game not caring whether they died. So no 'mission fail' if old barney got himself shot by marines. Many a time did I shoot a scientist in the face when it was obvious that he couldn't follow me...Codgo said:
Also the Black Ops female assassins were really good to fight. Just recalling hearing the pitter-patter of footsteps for the first time before taking a silenced 9mm in the face from one of those leather-clad goggle wearing bitches is filling me with waves of nostalgia.
I remember when I got REALLY bored I would start the game from the starting train, cheat, and go on a scientist-killing rampage of the labs. Fun times...
(I should point out that, funnily enough, I am now a scientist. One that is dearly hoping god doesn't want to be ironic and send an MP5-wielding maniac into my work to riddle me with hollowpoints).
To show Half-Life's influence: In the same genre (FPS) I think 'Blood 2' was released at the same time.
Can you still see a huge fanbase built around that?
Half-Life is a classic game in every sense of the word, and it really doesn't feel dated at all if you pick it up and play it right now. Storyline wise it isn't essential to play the original since the story really isn't all that deep and you get brought back up to speed in the sequel anyway. I see the original game as a Prologue chapter to Half-Life 2, and you don't need to play H-L to fully appreciate H-L2.
I started with HL2, while playing it it felt like I was missing a large amount of the story. I had no idea who anyone was or why they worshiped me. Had no idea what was going on, what the deal was the the aliens helping me, or why alex wanted me so bad.
Then I played HL1 and was left even more confused. Almost none of the characters in HL2 are in HL1, the scientists (i.e. all the main characters in HL1) are nameless drones. "Barney" is not even part of the original game (was in an expantion) the security guards are as much nameless drones as anyone else. The aliens are your enemy, with no connection to how they became your best friends in hl2 (I guess they like people who singlehandly butchered 100s of their race )
The only connection that ive been able to make between the 2 games is the guy in the suit at the end of hl1 and start/end of hl2. In short the storyline in half-life is a complete mess that leaves it up to you to guess on what is going on. they are both great games to play, but the story isn't cohesive
Then I played HL1 and was left even more confused. Almost none of the characters in HL2 are in HL1, the scientists (i.e. all the main characters in HL1) are nameless drones. "Barney" is not even part of the original game (was in an expantion) the security guards are as much nameless drones as anyone else. The aliens are your enemy, with no connection to how they became your best friends in hl2 (I guess they like people who singlehandly butchered 100s of their race )
The only connection that ive been able to make between the 2 games is the guy in the suit at the end of hl1 and start/end of hl2. In short the storyline in half-life is a complete mess that leaves it up to you to guess on what is going on. they are both great games to play, but the story isn't cohesive