Half-Life game cover

Shooter

Celebrated classic

Shooter

Half-Life

A landmark 1998 first-person shooter that tells its story in real time through the eyes of scientist Gordon Freeman.

Featured classicPC & consolesAcclaimedVia reference page

About Half-Life

Half-Life changed the first-person shooter forever when it launched in 1998, and it remains a landmark of game storytelling and design. You play as Gordon Freeman, a scientist at the Black Mesa research facility, thrust into chaos when an experiment goes wrong and alien creatures flood in. Instead of standing outside the action, you experience the entire story through Gordon's eyes — there are no cutscenes that take you out of the world, and every event unfolds through the people, spaces, and sounds around you. The shooting combines precision, environmental puzzles, and a varied arsenal across a mix of sci-fi labs, sewers, and alien worlds. With a gripping atmosphere, memorable enemies, and a forward-thinking narrative, Half-Life is regarded as one of the most important games ever made and a must-play for any action fan.

Game details

CTRLControls
Use the host page controls for movement, aiming, and actions; check the first round for keyboard or touch hints.
DEVSupported devices
Desktop, mobile, and tablet browsers where the destination page supports play.
CATCategory
Shooter
SRCSource
Wikipedia.
LINKAccess
Playable browser link.
UPDUpdated
Link verified in 2026.

How to play

Click Open Official Site, let the external game host load in a new tab, then follow the controls shown there. If the host is slow, return to ShouyouRadar and try another game from the same category.

Half-Life FAQ

Is Half-Life a good starting point for the series?

Yes — it is the first game in the series and launches the story, so it is the perfect place to begin before Half-Life 2.

What kind of game is Half-Life?

It is a first-person shooter with strong story and puzzle elements — expect combat, environmental puzzles, and immersive world-building in equal measure.

Do I need to play Half-Life to understand Half-Life 2?

It helps a lot, as Half-Life 2 directly continues the story of Gordon Freeman, but the opening of Half-Life 2 also catches you up enough to enjoy it on its own.

Why is Half-Life considered a classic?

Because it pioneered a seamless, story-driven FPS experience with no cutscenes and physics-based gameplay that influenced almost every shooter that followed.