Basic Strategy

Half-Life® 2 is the sequel to perhaps the most well-loved and critically acclaimed first-person shooter of all time, and its lengthy development cycle is indicative of just how much thought and care went into its creation. Your basic tactics for any first-person shooter largely apply here as well, but we've put together a few tips specific to Half-Life 2 to help further ease you into the experience.

Something is lurking.

Move with a Purpose
Sounds like a basic tip, but remember, Half-Life 2 is the genius cousin to most dull-witted first-person shooters. Make sure you're constantly surveying your surroundings, strafing around corners, and looking upwards to spot possible threats. The environments themselves are intricate and filled with possibilities (especially considering the physics system, so make sure you're not caught off guard, flanked, or otherwise compromised because you stayed still or didn't track enemy movements.

Dynamic Environment
Use the environment and game physics to your advantage. Half-Life 2 was designed with exploration and verticality in mind, so while you may be able to wade through enemies on street level, you'd be better served by stacking up a few crates, climbing up them to reach a better vantage point, and picking off headcrabs and the like from relative safety. "Think outside the box" has never been more appropriate to game strategy than with Half-Life 2. Be creative. Find ways to use the environment to your advantage.

They don't look friendly.

Listen and Listen Well
The original Half-Life was famed for its unique in-engine storytelling. Half-Life 2 uses the same system for advancing the plot, so don't depend on cut-scenes to point you in the right direction. Pay attention at all times to conversations and events or you might miss out on a key bit of information. Phone ringing in the middle of the game? Pause it!

Ultimate Tactic: The Gravity Gun
The best new toy available is no doubt the Gravity Gun. Its physics implications alone allow for thousands of possibilities, but, as a rule, it also has a few standby options that have gained popularity for their consistent usefulness:

• Grab items and stack them up to create makeshift barriers, either blocking enemies or forcing them in a direction you can predict. Likewise, you can create makeshift platforms to reach higher areas quicker.
• Grab red barrels and hurl them towards enemies. Normally you must shoot a barrel to make it explode, but if you hurl it with the Gravity Gun, it explodes on impact.
• Pick up any piece of environment handy to take out the slower, easier enemies. This helps you conserve on ammo, and also find some of the better items to toss at enemies through trial and error.
• Grab grenades launched at you, and fling them back at your enemies.

Ignore the body—hit the heads!

Pick Your Weapon
You'll no doubt find yourself in situations where you can't control which weapon to use, but, when you can, think carefully about the best option for the circumstances. A few basic tips:

• Use more common, weaker weapons against weaker enemies.
• Use the crowbar against individual headcrabs, or the shotgun when dealing with clusters.
• Break out the 357 Magnum when facing tough opponents where you have time to aim. It does devastating damage, but isn't a quick weapon, so make sure every shot hits home.
• Remember the secondary fire for each weapon. The game is designed with these in mind, so don't overlook them.

Success in Half-Life 2 is due largely to the degree of respect you give to the game's design. This isn't your average run-and-gun first-person shooter. It's craftily created, and the technology governing the A.I. and physics are top-notch enough to make even the simplest scenario more interesting, and often more challenging than originally thought.

Article by Alex McLain