This is the first Half-Life spin-off I've played and it was a pleasant experience. It's much shorter and some of the game mechanics are stripped from the original game. But, it's still as immersive as the original. Xen is less annoying than the original game, that's for sure. It has a nice mix of action, puzzle-solving, and platforming. There aren't as many Easter eggs, so going off the beaten path isn't as rewarding. However, if you are like me and just want more games to fill that craving you got upon completing Half-Life, this game is definitely worth checking out.
Best Parts:
• "Focal Point" chapter
• Gordon Freeman cameos
• Dark corridors with Headcrabs
Replay the Game? - Probably
Best Parts:
• "Focal Point" chapter
• Gordon Freeman cameos
• Dark corridors with Headcrabs
Replay the Game? - Probably
Blue Shift is very lackluster in content and it offers very little to separate itself from the main experience of playing Half-Life. However, for the purposes of offering players more of the same, it does the job pretty well and has some unique concepts to tackle. Now that the game is sold for peanuts on Steam, you might as well try it if you're a fan.
Blue Shit - https://www.quora.com/Why-is-my-poop-blue-green
Blue Shit is an expansion I wanted to be good. If it is good, I hardly remember any of it.
That last set piece was really nice.
It is worth playing if you've just finished Half Life and have like 4 more hours to spare.
Blue Shit is an expansion I wanted to be good. If it is good, I hardly remember any of it.
That last set piece was really nice.
It is worth playing if you've just finished Half Life and have like 4 more hours to spare.
As an avid Half-Life fan, my opinion may be a little biased, but I thought it was a pretty fun expansion. The gameplay is the same as HL1 which is fine, since it's fun to play, but it falls short really hard when it comes to how it tells the story. Valve has never been an "exposition" team when it comes to developing a story, only really having it in small doses to serve where the gameplay is going and for some iconic monologues. Unfortunately, Gearbox fumbled in that category and has Jon St. John dump info on you multiple times, and it's really jarring. Are they necessary to understanding the story of the expansion? Somewhat, but they could have been trimmed down and more spaced out. The level design was passable; nothing as good as Blast Pit or Questionable Ethics, but it never particularly bored me. A serviceable and fun expansion pack that misunderstands Valve's development process but still remains enjoyable.