Half-Life Expansions

[Sharalon]

Ok, I just bought all half-life expansions on steam, but I haven't played any of them yet. I'm talking about Blue Shift and Opposing Force and I just want to know what you guys think about them considering that they were developed by gearbox and not valve.

Do you notice any big difference? Are they good?

 

[SovietSecrets]

Blue Shift was all right, nothing really that worth going through. Though most likely you will enjoy it gameplay wise.

 

[DirgeNovak]

Opposing Force is great, but unfortunately, there's a game-breaking bug about halfway through in the Steam version. Maybe it's been fixed since the last time I played, but I wouldn't count on it, since it's such an old game.

Blue Shift is good, but a bit bland.

A captcha in Hebrew? You are fucking with me, Escapist.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Do you notice any big difference? Are they good?

More Half Life, 'nuff said.

OpFpor has some fantastic boss fights, plus it's a decent length too (eight-ten-ish hours). Also, you finally get a mother effing sniper rifle. I really, really enjoyed OpFor.

Blue Shift is essentially more Half Life, but from Barney's perspective rather than Gordon. Of the two it's shorter and weaker, but it's still pretty good.

#EDIT: Opposing Force also contains the original Portal Gun, it doesn't work how you think.

 

[Netrigan]

One thing I miss in modern FPS is the episode structure. Something about a short, to-the-point campaign that is just more satisfying that trudging through an over-long story. It's rare for a shooter to maintain my interest for more than about ten hours.

But string together numerous episodes and I could play on and on and on and on.

So, one of my biggest mis-givings of Half-Life (it's length and samey corridors) disappears with the two add-ons. Two, nicely contained stories that don't out-stay their welcome. As is the case with virtually every add-on ever made, they're short on any sort of innovation, but if you enjoy the core game-play and premise, it's a nice way to get a bit more fun out of the set-up.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Blue Shift is just more of Half-Life 1. If you disliked Half-Life 1 (like I did), you won't like Blue Shift and vice versa.

Opposing Force is completely different. New weapons, enemies, features, allies, etc. And, it has a sniper rifle, not the stupid crossbows. Opposing Force is easily my favorite Half-Life game.

 

[Rad Party God]

Blue Shift is kind of meh, it takes place at the same time when Gordon Freeman releases the shitstorm over Black Mesa. It doesn't add anything new or even interesting, what's more, it only lasts a few hours.

But on the other hand, Opposing Force is, hands down, the best expansion for Half-Life. It takes place during and after the events of the original Half-Life, but this time around, you play as a soldier named Adrian Shepherd (not to be confused with ME Commander Shepard). The game is much longer than Blue Shift, but not longer than the original HL, but it's difficulty and vareity of new weapons and enemies more than makes up for it.

 

[Wintermoot]

I really enjoyed BS&OPFOR (also you can install a HD pack it is a world of difference! just google it!)
haven,t played that much of OPFOR but what I played is allot of fun.

 

[gigastar]

Opposing Force is great.

Blue Shift, not so much. Its also a bit short.