Of course, no scientific mess would be complete without the government trying to cover it up. Soon after the whole disaster plays off at Black Mesa, you hear from a fellow scientist that soldiers are on the way to rescue the survivors. Great, now you don't need to get out and get help anymore, right? Wrong. On your way to the surface you encounter some marines who kills some other scientists in cold blood and you realize that these guys aren't here to help you.
The addition of the military makes a huge difference to the overall gameplay, since you now have two different camps to contend with, while trying to save innocent scientists and security guards alike along the way. Some you won't be able to save and these always leave you with a feeling of regret while you know you have to push on. The military AI for Half Life was the best out at the time, with the soldiers ducking for cover when you shoot and trying to outflank you when possible.
As with the different aliens, you have different enemies where the military is concerned as well. Starting with the standard MP5-sporting grunts, you move up through the ranks until you reach the abominable heavy armored vehicles and helicopters. All make for a more exciting and dangerous experience. Here's a quick rundown of the military enemies you'll find in the game:
All soldiers carry grenades, so it's best if you don't attract their attention and then go cower behind some crates; they'll kill you... However, if you kill them, you also stand a chance of gaining some grenades as loot.
As mentioned, the standard grunt with the MP5 machine gun (that's the same one you use, so they drop bullets for you; sometimes even grenades for the MP5's launcher) is the one you'll encounter the most often. These guys are relatively tough, but a few shotgun blasts will make short work of them.
Next are the shotgun-toting grunts, their health stats are the same as the MP5 soldiers, but they pack a mean punch in firepower, since they carry the same SPAS 12 style shotgun that you do. Once again, the shotgun is effective, but if you can get a shot off with the .357magnum from a distance, it'd be much easier.
Marine officers are tough. They have more health than your standard grunts and they carry a .357magnum, same as yours. This makes it a challenge to kill them, but with guaranteed satisfaction if you do; you get to load up on some rare-to-come-by ammo for the Magnum.
Sometimes you'll encounter grunts manning all kinds of turrets, like machine guns and rocket launchers. These guys are usually very hard to take out, unless you can toss a grenade into their bunker or nest. Sometimes, however, you can get a sneak shot off with the Magnum or crossbow. If you can, take it; it makes life much easier.
Tomorrow in Half Life - Part 5: Military Hardware
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Friday, 30 November 2012
Half Life - Part 3
Continuing with the theme of enemies, the next one on the list and probably the most terrifying of them all, is the Ichthyosaur. This underwater monster has massive teeth, claws instead of fins even though it resembles a fish and what makes it terrifying is that you don't know it's there before it hits you. Unless of course you know where to expect it. It can tear Gordon to shreds in quite a short time, so it's best avoided or if you can, killed quickly.
Preferred Weapon: Crossbow. The only other weapon that works underwater is your 9mm sidearm and it really isn't very effective in this case. If you can get a shot from above water though, you can use any powerful weapon at your disposal.
The Alien Grunt is the next new enemy you'll encounter. This bruiser looks like some kind of mutated gorilla and is best confronted from a distance, with a powerful weapon. It shoots small wasp-like creatures from its alien "sidearm" and it packs a mean punch in close quarters.
Preferred Weapon: Close range; shotgun. Long range; .357magnum.
Enemies you won't encounter often in the game are the so-called Snarks. These odd creatures resemble a headcrab, but are ten times faster and can leap an incredible height. They're usually found in nests which should preferably be left alone. They aren't very tough; like with a headcrab one or two shots even from the smallest weapon you have will take them down, but they do quite a bit of damage in attacks and since they usually attack in groups, this could prove fatal if you're not careful. The player has access to them as weapons late in the game, although after being released they attack anything in the vicinity, you included if there aren't other enemies nearby. If shot, they explode into a gooey puff that also does some damage. This also happens after a period of time even if they aren't attacked. Not the best way to go, really.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that shoots. You don't want to use the crowbar on these things...
An enemy you'll almost solely encounter on the border world of Xen is the Xen Master. These flying creatures have a large head and small torso with relatively small arms and legs. They shoot what looks like fireballs when they notice an enemy. They're relatively easy to kill, but persistent, especially in the last level of the game.
Preferred Weapon: Anything long-range.
Gonarch. Ugh. This spider-like monstrosity seems to be the source of all the headcrabs you fight on Earth. It's one tough cookie and you'd do best not to engage in close combat. It shoots strange, poisonous projectiles at you, as well as releasing hatchling headcrabs. These don't do much damage, so they should be dealt with when you get the chance, rather than focusing on them. You will be chasing Gonarch across several levels, which makes her one of the strongest enemies in the game. She can be hurt by aiming at the sac that looks like her abdomen.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that shoots. You're going to need a LOT of bullets etc. for this one...
The last enemy you'll face in the game is called the Nihilanth. It looks like a floating baby with claws and shoots what seems to be energy projectiles at you. This creature is responsible for all the chaos on earth. It's immensely powerful and some of its energy projectiles (the green ones) can teleport you to other levels. It also teleports other enemies into the chamber that makes it more difficult to kill the Nihilanth itself.
Next, in Half Life - Part 4: The Military Assault on Black Mesa
Preferred Weapon: Crossbow. The only other weapon that works underwater is your 9mm sidearm and it really isn't very effective in this case. If you can get a shot from above water though, you can use any powerful weapon at your disposal.
The Alien Grunt is the next new enemy you'll encounter. This bruiser looks like some kind of mutated gorilla and is best confronted from a distance, with a powerful weapon. It shoots small wasp-like creatures from its alien "sidearm" and it packs a mean punch in close quarters.
Preferred Weapon: Close range; shotgun. Long range; .357magnum.
Enemies you won't encounter often in the game are the so-called Snarks. These odd creatures resemble a headcrab, but are ten times faster and can leap an incredible height. They're usually found in nests which should preferably be left alone. They aren't very tough; like with a headcrab one or two shots even from the smallest weapon you have will take them down, but they do quite a bit of damage in attacks and since they usually attack in groups, this could prove fatal if you're not careful. The player has access to them as weapons late in the game, although after being released they attack anything in the vicinity, you included if there aren't other enemies nearby. If shot, they explode into a gooey puff that also does some damage. This also happens after a period of time even if they aren't attacked. Not the best way to go, really.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that shoots. You don't want to use the crowbar on these things...
An enemy you'll almost solely encounter on the border world of Xen is the Xen Master. These flying creatures have a large head and small torso with relatively small arms and legs. They shoot what looks like fireballs when they notice an enemy. They're relatively easy to kill, but persistent, especially in the last level of the game.
Preferred Weapon: Anything long-range.
Gonarch. Ugh. This spider-like monstrosity seems to be the source of all the headcrabs you fight on Earth. It's one tough cookie and you'd do best not to engage in close combat. It shoots strange, poisonous projectiles at you, as well as releasing hatchling headcrabs. These don't do much damage, so they should be dealt with when you get the chance, rather than focusing on them. You will be chasing Gonarch across several levels, which makes her one of the strongest enemies in the game. She can be hurt by aiming at the sac that looks like her abdomen.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that shoots. You're going to need a LOT of bullets etc. for this one...
The last enemy you'll face in the game is called the Nihilanth. It looks like a floating baby with claws and shoots what seems to be energy projectiles at you. This creature is responsible for all the chaos on earth. It's immensely powerful and some of its energy projectiles (the green ones) can teleport you to other levels. It also teleports other enemies into the chamber that makes it more difficult to kill the Nihilanth itself.
Next, in Half Life - Part 4: The Military Assault on Black Mesa
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Half Life - Part 2
Welcome back, it's time for the next piece of my Half Life puzzle; hope you've enjoyed it so far.
One of the most common enemies you'll encounter in the game are known as "Barnacles". These creatures attach themselves to an overhead feature, be it a ceiling or the bottom of some staircase and then, like some giant flytrap, they drop their tongues close to the floor, waiting for anyone unfortunate enough to blunder into their trap. Once they get hold of you, you'd better be a quick shot, or you're toast. A crunch and all they spit out are the bones.
Preferred Weapon: Close range - shotgun or .357magnum. Long range - anything that fires bullets.
A less common enemy, but a very odd one, are the so-called "houndeyes". These incredibly odd creatures look like a beheaded bulldog and they attack you with sonic waves which do quite a bit of damage. You will quickly learn to distinguish the sound they make from any other creature you encounter, because they sound so unique, almost like a hyena. They are very unpredictable; sometimes they'll attack without warning, other times they'll run away from you if confronted.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that fires bullets, but preferably something more powerful than the 9mm.
After these enemies, you will encounter the most daunting enemy in the entire game, namely the "tentacle". This massive creature (nobody knows how big it really is, all you ever see are the tentacles) hunts on sound and is capable of crushing anything it hits to a pulp. No conventional weaponry can hurt it and firing a gun at it is... Unwise. Unfortunately the encounter is unavoidable, so you'll have to stealth it out.
Preferred Weapon: None. This enemy is eliminated (I refrain from saying "killed", since I don't know if you truly "kill" it when you blow its tentacles off) by firing a test rocket in your first encounter and the second one is simply avoided. No hand weapon known to man will harm this beast.
A small, weak enemy which hardly warrants killing is the Hagworm. These tiny, leech-like creatures live underwater and will attack you ferociously with the bite of a guppy. Well, a little more than that, but you get the idea. A crowbar makes short work of them and quite frankly, they're almost not worth wasting time on, let alone bullets.
Preferred Weapon: Crowbar.
Another terrifying creature you'll encounter is the massive Gargantua. And not only once. This creature soaks up ammo like a super-absorbent sponge. It looks like a cybernetic take on the Hulk and if you get into its firing range, you're done for. Where possible, avoid this monster, where not (there are two instances where this happens), you should use whatever means you have at your disposal to kill it, including high-voltage electricity or prototype weaponry.
Preferred Weapon: The most effective weapons against this creature are the Tau Cannon and Gluon Gun. Bullets don't harm this thing.
Tomorrow in Half Life - Part 3: More alien enemies discussed...
One of the most common enemies you'll encounter in the game are known as "Barnacles". These creatures attach themselves to an overhead feature, be it a ceiling or the bottom of some staircase and then, like some giant flytrap, they drop their tongues close to the floor, waiting for anyone unfortunate enough to blunder into their trap. Once they get hold of you, you'd better be a quick shot, or you're toast. A crunch and all they spit out are the bones.
Preferred Weapon: Close range - shotgun or .357magnum. Long range - anything that fires bullets.
A less common enemy, but a very odd one, are the so-called "houndeyes". These incredibly odd creatures look like a beheaded bulldog and they attack you with sonic waves which do quite a bit of damage. You will quickly learn to distinguish the sound they make from any other creature you encounter, because they sound so unique, almost like a hyena. They are very unpredictable; sometimes they'll attack without warning, other times they'll run away from you if confronted.
Preferred Weapon: Anything that fires bullets, but preferably something more powerful than the 9mm.
After these enemies, you will encounter the most daunting enemy in the entire game, namely the "tentacle". This massive creature (nobody knows how big it really is, all you ever see are the tentacles) hunts on sound and is capable of crushing anything it hits to a pulp. No conventional weaponry can hurt it and firing a gun at it is... Unwise. Unfortunately the encounter is unavoidable, so you'll have to stealth it out.
Preferred Weapon: None. This enemy is eliminated (I refrain from saying "killed", since I don't know if you truly "kill" it when you blow its tentacles off) by firing a test rocket in your first encounter and the second one is simply avoided. No hand weapon known to man will harm this beast.
A small, weak enemy which hardly warrants killing is the Hagworm. These tiny, leech-like creatures live underwater and will attack you ferociously with the bite of a guppy. Well, a little more than that, but you get the idea. A crowbar makes short work of them and quite frankly, they're almost not worth wasting time on, let alone bullets.
Preferred Weapon: Crowbar.
Another terrifying creature you'll encounter is the massive Gargantua. And not only once. This creature soaks up ammo like a super-absorbent sponge. It looks like a cybernetic take on the Hulk and if you get into its firing range, you're done for. Where possible, avoid this monster, where not (there are two instances where this happens), you should use whatever means you have at your disposal to kill it, including high-voltage electricity or prototype weaponry.
Preferred Weapon: The most effective weapons against this creature are the Tau Cannon and Gluon Gun. Bullets don't harm this thing.
Tomorrow in Half Life - Part 3: More alien enemies discussed...
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Half Life - Part 1
Hi all, here's my first entry into the world of journalism. If you can call it that. I'm going to discuss a game loved by most gamers, if they're old enough to have played it (I've realized that I'm actually older than I thought). The game in question being Half Life. Not the 2004 sequel or the subsequent spinoffs, but the original foray into the life of theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman; the place where it all started. I'll be discussing it in parts, as I get time to post.
The introduction has you riding a train into the Black Mesa compound, a scientific research facility where a variety of secret research is being conducted, from quantum physics to military hardware. You are Gordon Freeman, a guy with a Ph.D MIT, Theoretical Physics and apparently one badass scientist.
Shortly after your arrival, an obscure experiment runs adrift and you are left with a resonance cascade, whatever that's supposed to mean. Of course, for you it means that the world is falling apart faster than a third world economy and yes, you are the only guy capable of fixing what went wrong.
After escaping the "Test Chamber" where the whole mess started, your first encounter is a funny crab-like creature, commonly known as a "headcrab" because of the problematic way they attach themselves to one's head. In case you're wondering, this is A Very Bad Thing. A while after disposing of the first headcrab, you realise why. A scientist attacks you. But this scientist is sporting a headcrab crash helmet. And he's not impressed with the idea. Or with your attempts to kill him. Ignoring his disrespect for a fellow egghead, you will probably decide to knock him senseless with the crowbar you (hopefully) collected along the way. The headcrabs and headcrab zombies (which aren't limited to scientists, by the way) are the most common, but weakest enemies you'll face.
Preferred Weapon: anything you can lay a hand on, including the trusty crowbar.
Next up is a very annoying creature that looks like ET on a very bad day, known as a vortigaunt (sounds awfully similar to Commander Keen's vorticons). And he shoots (I assume) force lightning of some sort from his claws, which hurt. A lot. They're easily disposed of, luckily, because they're also a relatively common occurrence.
Preferred Weapon: anything that shoots bullets, but don't waste rare ammo on it.
The next enemy you'll be facing is the aptly named "bullsquid". They look like squid-faced dinosaurs and spit green acid your way. Don't get too close, either, they are quite nasty in close quarters.
Preferred Weapon: shotgun, MP5 or .357magnum.
Tomorrow in Half Life - Part 2: Continuing with the alien enemies you'll encounter.
The introduction has you riding a train into the Black Mesa compound, a scientific research facility where a variety of secret research is being conducted, from quantum physics to military hardware. You are Gordon Freeman, a guy with a Ph.D MIT, Theoretical Physics and apparently one badass scientist.
Shortly after your arrival, an obscure experiment runs adrift and you are left with a resonance cascade, whatever that's supposed to mean. Of course, for you it means that the world is falling apart faster than a third world economy and yes, you are the only guy capable of fixing what went wrong.
After escaping the "Test Chamber" where the whole mess started, your first encounter is a funny crab-like creature, commonly known as a "headcrab" because of the problematic way they attach themselves to one's head. In case you're wondering, this is A Very Bad Thing. A while after disposing of the first headcrab, you realise why. A scientist attacks you. But this scientist is sporting a headcrab crash helmet. And he's not impressed with the idea. Or with your attempts to kill him. Ignoring his disrespect for a fellow egghead, you will probably decide to knock him senseless with the crowbar you (hopefully) collected along the way. The headcrabs and headcrab zombies (which aren't limited to scientists, by the way) are the most common, but weakest enemies you'll face.
Preferred Weapon: anything you can lay a hand on, including the trusty crowbar.
Next up is a very annoying creature that looks like ET on a very bad day, known as a vortigaunt (sounds awfully similar to Commander Keen's vorticons). And he shoots (I assume) force lightning of some sort from his claws, which hurt. A lot. They're easily disposed of, luckily, because they're also a relatively common occurrence.
Preferred Weapon: anything that shoots bullets, but don't waste rare ammo on it.
The next enemy you'll be facing is the aptly named "bullsquid". They look like squid-faced dinosaurs and spit green acid your way. Don't get too close, either, they are quite nasty in close quarters.
Preferred Weapon: shotgun, MP5 or .357magnum.
Tomorrow in Half Life - Part 2: Continuing with the alien enemies you'll encounter.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Introduction
Hi there, I'm Dovahkiin, I love gaming (although I don't have nearly as much time for it as I'd like) and I've decided to post some stuff about the games I enjoy, new and old. I hope there are folks out there who feel like I do, I sometimes have quite a unique view on things :P I have a great love for the classics which were released when I was but a wee lad and sometimes the new games feel too commercial to me. I'll be talking about new games as well, of course, but I'll spend some time on the older classics, such as Quake, Half Life, Age of Empires, even abandonware titles such as the Commander Keen series, or Crystal Caves. Most of my gaming was done on the various PC's I had access to, so I'll be talking about PC games for the most part, but I also have a few console classics to discuss. I hope you enjoy reading and who knows, maybe I can even expand your horizons a bit!
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