Summary
When the originalHalf-Lifehit the scene in 1998, it revolutionized the way modern FPS games worked at the time. The set pieces, scripted story beats, and the attention to detail with the scientists and voice work fleshed out the world more than many other FPS games did at the time.
This would spawn many games in a similar vein, and which would attempt to elevate what a first-person shooter could offer players beyond just its basic mechanics. The games on this list will try to honor this legacy, being both fun games but also being games with great world building and interesting environments.
Cry of Fearis a horror game made within the GoldSrc engine,Half-Life’s original engine. It’s asurvival horrorgame, with a bit of a faster pace than something likeResident Evil, but not as fast as the originalHalf-Life. It’s a genuinely creepy game, with really effective environmental and enemy design.
The game is visually similar to theCondemnedseries, with a heavy emphasis on dense urban environments as opposed to rural ones. It’s claustrophobic, creepy, and best of all, completely free. This is an easy recommend for fans of bothHalf-Lifeand horror, as it is one of the best free gaming offerings out there.
6Cruelty Squad
007 in Capitalist Hell
This game is animmersive simwhere players must assassinate their target, and extract to progress. A big part of the game is movement, which is heavily reliant on physics with large margins for error. There are a lot of weapons and gadgets with specific use cases that make planning as important as gameplay.
While the moment-to-moment gameplay is most similar to the firstHalf-Lifein terms of the shooting, the gadgetry is reminiscent of games likeJames Bond007: Nightfire, which is surprising. It is definitely an indie gem and worth checking out for those who are fascinated by the premise.
The second and final entry on this list to use the Source Engine isTitanfall 2, which combines physics-based movement and large robots with its first-person shooting. The game plays around with a lot of science fiction concepts during the campaign, keeping the gameplay fresh beyond the typical running and gunning.
The biggest difference between this andHalf-Lifeis the giantpilotable mechs, and the movement. Campaign got a lot of accolades at the time for its innovative gameplay, and nothing like it has really been made since.
Industriais similar toHalf-Life 2in terms of its world building, world design, and puzzles. While many entries on this list are similar in their fast-paced combat,Industriais most similar in terms of the world.
The pacing is perfect and the story it tells is also surprisingly well delivered. It’s an incredibly short game, beatable in a sitting, but at no time does it feel like a demo or a proof of concept; the whole thing works. Fans of walking sims might also be interested in this game as a result of this, as it isn’t mechanically taxing as it is a thinker.
3VLADiK BRUTAL
Indie FPS That Wears Its Inspiration
Thisindie gametries to capture the original feel ofHalf-Life1’s Black Mesa incident, but with a Russian spin on it. The game isn’t shy about its inspirations, even referencingHalf-Lifemoments before its own sci-fi conundrum kicks off, but that isn’t to say it’s a complete knockoff.
The game’s biggest strength is its weapon and enemy variety, which is extremely deep and wastes no time showing players this. The game has a bit of a horror spin, reminiscent of the Ravenholm chapter and opening introduction to the headcrabs. It’s a good creepy vibe on top of a good indie shooter, just don’t expect the translation to be great.
Half-Life’scousin and closest most prominent competitor after release isHalo: Combat Evolved. The game was released two years after the originalHalf-Life, and is the perfect companion piece to both it andHalf-Life 2. Where Valve’s games focused on fast-paced shooting and physics puzzles,Halo: Combat Evolvedslows things down and adds a myriad of vehicles into the mix.
It’s interesting how simple both games seem in the current era, and yet how much each can accomplish thanks totheir robust sandboxes. It’s not surprising that Forge is now a staple of theHaloFranchise, as likeGary’s Mod, the potential of the core sandbox is endless.
Bioshock Infiniteis probably the most controversialBioshockgame, but it is the most similar to the Half-Life series. While the previousBioshockgames are closer to immersive sims likeDeus Ex, theBioshockInfinite speeds up the formula and focuses more on the shooting. WhereHalf-Lifehas many interesting sci-fi guns to flavor its combat,Bioshock Infinitehas Vigors: abilities indistinguishable from magic that allow players to interact with enemies and environments.
The standout characteristic of this game is its world building, which like the previousBioshockgames, is in a class of its own. The story is also quite grounded and dark as well, much more mature than anything else on this list, with some extremely interesting commentary onAmerican valuesspecifically.
