Half-Life 1 is AMAZING

[Mummelmann]

Half-Life is a stunning game, and I'm reminded of its perpetual greatness every time I walk into my office; I have the Half-Life GOTY mousepad!
This game had a huge impact on me and was the main thing that railed me unto modern PC gaming and really sparked my interest for shooters, which before HL was a genre filled with scant realism, gimmicky sci-fi mumbo jumbo and sheer idiocy.

A few words about the sequel;
Just as good a game when measured against its peers, nothing comes even close in my opinion.
There are indeed a couple of "tedious" bits, but that's just a form of pacing in my eyes, and its not downright boring at any point.
The production values and overall feel is a lot better in HL 2 and it reeks of proffessional touch and finesse.
AI, visuals and not to mention physics rivals even some brand new shooters and was nothing short of a revolution when it released!
The two episodes are very well made as well, allthough there's a lack of proper action in Ep 1 in many peoples opinion (including mine).
It does gain you insight into the whole HL universe though, and you get yo bond with a few characters more than in the main game in most parts op Ep 1.
Episode 2 is simply the best piece of FPS action there is imo, and I played with a huge grin and wild eyes all the way through!
The Source engine still looks damn good and the gameplay elements are honed to near perfection!
It is one of only 2-3 PC games that has a firm hold on vehicle control among other things, and the plot thickens to a glorious, heartpounding epos rarely seen in the mostly shallow FPS genre.

All I can conclude is; you'll enjoy HL 2 every bit as much as the original, and you'll be overly critical to every FPS game you play afterwards.
Wonder why PC gamers were never much into Halo? Look no further.