Half-Life: Opposing Force

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Half-Life: Opposing Force
OS X, Linux
Release
November 19, 1999
  • Windows
    • NA: November 19, 1999
    • EU: December 3, 1999[1]
  • OS X, Linux
    • WW: July 31, 2013
multiplayer

Half-Life: Opposing Force is an

Windows on November 19, 1999. Opposing Force was the first expansion for Half-Life and was announced in April 1999. Lead designer Randy Pitchford noted that he believed Gearbox was selected to develop Opposing Force because Valve
, the creators of Half-Life, wanted to concentrate on their future projects. Over the course of development, Gearbox brought in a variety of talent from other areas of the video games industry to help bolster various aspects of design.

Opposing Force portrays the events of Half-Life from the perspective of a

black operations
units.

Opposing Force was received well by critics, with many describing it as the new benchmark title for expansion packs, in a similar fashion to how Half-Life revolutionized the first-person shooter genre. Other reviewers, however, thought that, despite its accomplishments, it still suffered from the negative aspects of other expansion packs.

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of Half-Life
Opposing Force introduces new weapons and allows the player to command small squads of soldiers.

As an expansion pack for Half-Life, Opposing Force is a

powerups, was created by Gearbox.[5]

For the most part the player battles through the single-player game alone, but is occasionally assisted by friendly non-player characters. Security guards and scientists will occasionally help the player in reaching new areas and convey relevant plot information. However, Opposing Force also features fellow U.S. Marines who will assist the player in combat to a far greater degree than security guards. Three types of Marines are featured in the game: the soldier will simply provide fire support for the player with a

Vortigaunts
.

A variety of new alien non-player characters, labelled "Race X", appear as well, often engaging in combat with the aliens from

black operations units who have been sent to destroy the base in the wake of the failure of the U.S. Marines to eliminate the alien threat.[7] A limited selection of Half-Life's weaponry is allocated to the player to defend themselves with, although several new weapons such as a sniper rifle, combat knife and a variety of alien weaponry are also present.[8]

Synopsis

Setting

Opposing Force is set in the same location and timeframe as that of Half-Life, taking place at a remote New Mexico laboratory called the

Adrian Shephard, a U.S. Marine Corps Corporal assigned to the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit, a specialized unit sent in to Black Mesa by the government to quell the alien threat and silence all witnesses. However, after Shephard becomes isolated from his fellow Marines, he must ally with the Black Mesa personnel and attempt to escape the base.[7]

Plot

Opposing Force opens with Shephard riding on a

G-Man
, forcing the evacuation craft to leave without him.

Other Marines who have also been left behind team up with Shephard and attempt to reach another extraction point near Black Mesa's Lambda Complex, but en route they come under attack from black operations units seeking to thoroughly contain the situation and eliminate all survivors.[11] Shephard makes it to the Lambda Complex alive, and briefly sees Gordon Freeman as the latter teleports to Xen in the final stages of Half-Life. To escape the teleportation chamber, Shephard is forced to enter a separate portal, briefly taking him to Xen before depositing him in an entirely different area of the facility. The facility is now heavily damaged, and it soon becomes clear that a new alien race, Race X, has exploited the situation to mount a localized invasion, attacking both human and Xen forces in Black Mesa indiscriminately.[12] Fighting between the black operations units and Race X quickly intensifies.

Shephard encounters more stranded Marine units in the wreckage of Black Mesa, and attempts to reach an unknown exit route, encountering heavy resistance from Race X and black operations units.[13] A surviving Black Mesa security guard reveals to Shephard that the black operators intend to detonate a tactical nuclear weapon in the base, thereby totally sealing it off and killing everything in it.[14] After neutralizing the black ops unit guarding the device, Shephard disarms it and proceeds to a nearby storage facility to attempt another escape. As Shephard departs, the G-Man rearms the nuclear device. The storage facility has become a battleground between Race X and the black operation units. Although Shephard manages to evade them, he is informed by another security guard that something very large is coming through an alien portal blocking the exit path.[15]

At the portal, Shephard discovers a gene worm, a massive creature facilitating the Race X invasion. Shephard is able to wound the creature enough to force it back through the wormhole, but immediately afterwards he is teleported onto an Osprey by the G-Man. As the G-Man congratulates Shephard on his accomplishments, the nuclear device detonates in the background, destroying Black Mesa. The game closes with the G-Man detaining Shephard someplace where he can tell no one of what he has seen and cannot be harmed, pending further evaluation.[16]

Development

Half-Life: Opposing Force was announced by developer

Electronic Entertainment Expo convention.[19] The official website for Opposing Force, hosted by publisher Sierra Studios, was put online in July 1999.[20] Opposing Force was developed in 8 months by a team of more than 15 people.[21]

Over the course of development, Gearbox acquired various outside talent to assist in designing some aspects. In June 1999, Gearbox announced that level designer Richard Gray would be assisting in developing the multiplayer aspects.[22] Several other designers subsequently joined the project in September 1999, with collective experience from the development of Daikatana, Quake II, Doom and Shadow Warrior.[23] In the subsequent two months, media releases displaying a variety of screenshots were unveiled.[24] The game was released on November 19, 1999.[25] Gearbox later released a multiplayer update in May 2000, adding a capture the flag mode, along with various items to accompany the new mode.[5] Opposing Force was later released on Valve's Steam content delivery system.[26] Opposing Force was published as part of Sierra's Half-Life: Generation compilation in 2002,[27] and as part of Valve and Electronic Arts' Half Life 1: Anthology on September 26, 2005.[28]

Reception

Opposing Force received mainly positive reviews, holding a score of 85.45% on the review aggregator site GameRankings.[32] In the United States, the game sold 108,008 copies by the end of 1999.[34] Although figures for sales on Steam have not been released, Opposing Force eventually sold over 1.1 million copies at retail.[35]

artificial intelligence and describing some of the new models as "merely window dressing", the review concluded that Opposing Force was an "impassioned application of creative design".[7]

GamePro stated that "Gearbox has done one hell of a job in creating not just an add-on for Half-Life, but a continuation of a masterpiece", praising both level design and story elements, but noted that it was a little too short.[30] However, some critics dissented on the idea that Opposing Force was as influential as other reviewers made out.

PC Zone stated that "the taste left in the mouth is a bitter one", noting that "Opposing Force is a few excellent ideas strung together by pedestrian Half-Life padding", but concluded that "it was still a good weekend's worth of entertainment".[31] Eurogamer stated that Opposing Force still had similar problems to other expansion packs, commenting that "X amount of new content has been created and it is going to be cut into the old content in a linear way to make it look like an all new game", but noted that "fortunately though the new stuff in Opposing Force... is pretty damn good". Although praising the level design as the game's strongest point, the reviewer felt that "towards the end of the game... they were running out of development time".[6] Reviewing for IGN, Vincent Lopez stated that the game "does a fantastic job of making you remember exactly why you enjoyed the original so much", but criticized this as the biggest drawback, commenting that "you may find yourself wishing for a more original experience", but concluded that "for good, and bad: it's good to be back".[2]

The game won several publication awards,

PC Gamer US presented Opposing Force with their 1999 "Best Expansion Pack" award, and nominated it as 1999's overall best game of the year, although it lost the latter prize to Homeworld. They wrote that Opposing Force "makes history by becoming the first expansion pack to be considered for Game of the Year. Yes, it really is that good."[36]

References

  1. ^ "Gone Gold : EuroGold". February 10, 2001. Archived from the original on February 10, 2001. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Lopez, Vincent (November 24, 1999). "Half-Life: Opposing Force Review". IGN. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  3. ISBN 0-7615-1360-4
    .
  4. ^ a b c Randell, Kim (August 15, 2001). "PC Review: Half-Life: Opposing Force". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on March 26, 2007. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  5. ^ a b "OpFor CTF Announced". IGN. May 4, 2000. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c Samuel, Jason (December 2, 1999). "Half-Life: Opposing Force Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 19, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c d Wolpaw, Erik (November 24, 1999). "Half-Life: Opposing Force for PC Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  8. ^ "Half-Life: Opposing Force Weapons". Planet Half-Life. GameSpy. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  9. ^ "Half-Life: The Story so Far". Valve. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2008.
  10. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: Welcome to Black Mesa. HECU captain: Shephard, you're alive! Listen, we've been cut off pretty bad and orders are coming out to pull out. Repeat: pull out! Apparently they've got other plans for Black Mesa now, if you can make your way through the transit system you can probably reach the surface where we are pulling out! Good luck. Over.
  11. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: Friendly Fire. Black operator #1: Why do we always have to clean up a mess the grunts can't handle? / Black operator #2: Tell me about it. I just want to deliver the package and get out of here. / Black operator #1: Yeah, sooner or later the grunts are going to figure it out.
  12. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: Foxtrot Uniform. HECU engineer: It's good to see you sir. It's a real mess out there. I mean, these... things are just coming out of the damn walls. Ain't no way around them either, they just keep coming! We may just have enough firepower to push through now. At the very least we can give it our best shot. / HECU soldier: I heard about some kind of big stand off at the dam up ahead. I say we make our break for it now. It ain't going to get any better, that's for sure, and I bet they could use our help.
  13. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: The Package. HECU soldier: Shephard! I don't know what those black ops are up to, but it doesn't involve getting us out of here alive. We've got no choice but to fight our way out! Let's go!
  14. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: The Package. Security guard: N-now don't hurt me and I'll tell you a secret! I've been hiding up here listening; these black ops have some kind of bomb! I think they're planning on blowing up the base! N-now why do you think they would do such a thing?
  15. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: Worlds Collide. Security guard: I guess you're a good guy corporal. Listen, you've got to get down below, there's something coming through and it's the nastiest looking thing yet. Some of your buddies went down there a while ago, and I haven't seen them since. I've got some weapons I've piled up in here, you'd better take as much as you can carry, 'cause I think this is it. Good luck, corporal.
  16. ^ Gearbox Software (1999). Half-Life: Opposing Force (PC). Level/area: Worlds Collide. G-Man: I admit I have a fascination with those who adapt and survive against all odds—they rather remind me of myself. If for no other reason, I have argued to preserve you for a time. While I believe a civil servant like yourself understands the importance of... discretion, my employers are not quite so trusting and rather than continually subject you to the irresistible human temptation of telling all, we have decided to... convey you somewhere where you can do no possible harm, and where no harm can come to you. I'm sure you can imagine that there are worse alternatives...
  17. ^ a b c "Half-Life Expands". IGN. April 15, 1999. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
  18. ^ a b "Half-Life: Opposing Force interview". Computer and Video Games. August 15, 2001. Archived from the original on January 22, 2007. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  19. ^ Blevins, Tal (March 15, 1999). "Half-Life: Opposing Force Preview". IGN. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  20. ^ Lopez, Vincent (July 6, 1999). "They're Alive! Or Just Live". IGN. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  21. ^ "Interview with Gearbox Software's p1mp master, Randy Pitchford". November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on January 25, 2000. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Use the Force, Gray". IGN. June 15, 1999. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  23. ^ "Oppose This". IGN. September 10, 1999. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  24. ^ "Just Try To Oppose This". IGN. November 1, 1999. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  25. Sierra Studios. November 17, 1999. Archived from the original
    on February 7, 2001. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  26. ^ Bramwell, Tom (August 25, 2005). "Free Half-Life 1 Expansion". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  27. ^ "Half-Life: Generation". MobyGames. Retrieved April 1, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  28. ^ "Half-Life 1: Anthology". IGN. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  29. ^ Howarth, Robert. "Half-Life: Opposing Force Review". GameFan. Archived from the original on June 23, 2000. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  30. ^ a b c "Review: Half-Life: Opposing Force". GamePro. November 24, 2000. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  31. ^ a b "PC Review: Half-Life: Opposing Force". PC Zone. Computer and Video Games. August 13, 2001. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  32. ^ a b "Half-Life: Opposing Force Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  33. ^ a b "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Personal Computer". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  34. PC Gamer US
    . 7 (4): 33.
  35. Gamasutra. Archived from the original
    on December 21, 2008.
  36. PC Gamer US
    . 7 (3): 46, 47, 49, 50, 54–56, 60, 62.

External links
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