Half Life set a template for many FPS games to come. It's a seamless experience from start to finish, with very few interruptions. The plot and premise are interesting and are unraveled through the gameplay. The visuals, while dated, still convey a very convincing atmosphere. The soundtrack is excellent, though used very sparingly. The shooting feels good, and the humanoid enemies are a decent challenge. There are a lot of good ideas here.

However, I found the experience very frustrating throughout. The first-person controls feel very slippery, like walking on ice. This wouldn't be such a problem if it weren't for the numerous platforming sections throughout the game. I ended up dying more from failed jumps than from enemy encounters. It can also be difficult to tell where to go or what to do next, as the game does a poor job of communicating this to the player.

This would have been a near perfect game with a few tweaks. I still recognize the pivotal role this game played in advancing the genre, but I cannot ignore its shortcomings. Fortunately, its two expansions and sequel improve upon the original in many ways.