20 Years of Half-Life 2: Five Best Moments From the Sequel

Half-Life 2 is one of the best PC games ever made, and 20 years since its release in 2004, it still holds that distinction. Developed by Valve, it’s the follow-up to the equally groundbreaking Half-Life, released in 1998 for the PC. Taking place in the Black Mesa research facility amid an alien takeover, this first entry has you taking control of Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist.

The sequel was long-awaited, and after a couple of bumpy roads, it was finally released in November 2004 to equal critical acclaim. After being put into stasis by G-Man, a mysterious gentleman who wears the now-iconic blue suit, Half-Life 2 places you in City 17, an Eastern European metropolis. It’s been several years since the first game; you discover that Earth has been taken over by a race called the Combine. They have put Dr. Breen, a human, as the world’s leader. It’s up to you and several characters you meet across the game, such as Alyx Vance and her father Eli, to face Breen to try and end the invasion.

There are several reasons why Half-Life 2’s gameplay is still so memorable — from the physics-altering Gravity Gun that lets you pick up objects to manipulate the world around you to the then-incredible animations and AI that the characters would express. It’s a game that many have taken inspiration from, such as Bioshock, Dead Space, Dishonored, and so many more.

With Half-Life 2 celebrating its 20th anniversary today (November 16), we’re highlighting five great moments that might tempt you to jump back into the game once again.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 1. Kleiner’s Lab
3. 2. Ravenholm
4. 3. Gravity Gun
5. 4. Fighting a Strider
6. 5. The Ending
7. The Bottom Line
8. FAQs

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 1. Kleiner’s Lab
3. 2. Ravenholm
Show Full Guide
4. 3. Gravity Gun
5. 4. Fighting a Strider
6. 5. The Ending
7. The Bottom Line
8. FAQs

1. Kleiner’s Lab

After being rescued by Barney, a fellow Black Mesa survivor, just before you’re shipped off to the Nova Prospekt prison, you’re told to escape through the sewers. You shoot and crowbar your way through Combine soldiers and Xen aliens until you reach Dr Kliener’s lab. Here, you meet Alyx Vance, a key member of a growing resistance dedicated to overthrowing the Combine.

But instead of expecting to stand and be given plot exposition, you’re free to roam around the lab and have some fun with the game’s physics and objects. For example, there is a small teleport machine. By carrying objects like a book and a plant, you can switch this machine on, and it will teleport the objects you’ve selected. It’s a simple yet delightful moment that teases what the world is capable of in Half-Life 2.

2. Ravenholm

The area of Ravenholm is not something you expect from Half-Life, making the section unforgettable. Set at night in a former mining town that evokes a spooky atmosphere with blood smeared on the wooden walls and faint screams in the distance; it’s very reminiscent of the Resident Evil series.

Armed with the Gravity Gun, which you were given just before you were separated from Alyx, you will find yourself grabbing circular saws, taking advantage of pre-laid traps, and more to cut zombies and headcrabs in half. It’s these moments that make Ravenholm a showcase for Half-Life 2’s innovative physics.

3. Gravity Gun

The Gravity Gun, or Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator??, is arguably the defining highlight of Half-Life 2. Enabling you to take advantage of the objects around them to solve puzzles, defeat enemies, or just play basketball with Alyx’s pet robot, DOG. Many players forget that you’re not given the tool until the third chapter, ‘Black Mesa East’, and it’s here where playing basketball with DOG gives Half-Life 2 another memorable moment.

Instead of following rigid instructions that require you to hold, carry, and drop objects, the game simply lets you play a form of basketball to get to grips with Half-Life 2’s Gravity Gun. It’s a small moment but a heartwarming one, as it humanizes the characters and makes you care for them — even for DOG.

4. Fighting a Strider

A Strider is a towering, three-legged creature with a beetle-like head that can fire at its enemies with a mounted machine gun instantly. You see it early playing Half-Life 2, patrolling the streets of City 17, keeping a watchful eye on the city’s inhabitants. It’s not until the ‘Follow Freeman!’ chapter, toward the end of the game, that you finally get to take them on.

Armed with an RPG, you’ll dodge the machine-gun attacks from several Striders while firing multiple rocket shots at them before they fall. After observing them throughout much of the game, it’s a satisfying moment that makes you feel part of the resistance, that this side could win the fight against the Combine. However, it’s worth mentioning that the fight between a Strider and DOG in Half-Life 2: Episode 2 is a spectacular follow-up to this battle.

5. The Ending

When you finally reach the Citadel with Alyx, you’re brought face-to-face with Dr. Breen in his office, seemingly with no hope left. Without giving much away, you manage to break free, armed with a super-charged Gravity Gun that can annihilate Combine soldiers with ease. As you make your way to the top of the skyscraper, a huge explosion is about to engulf you, Alyx, and everyone in the structure. Suddenly, time slows down, and you hear G-Man’s voice: “Is it really that time again, Mr Freeman?”

Your job, it seems, is done. As far as G-Man and his employers are concerned, at least. Like the previous game, you’re given a long-winded speech by the mysterious individual before the screen fades to black, seemingly put to sleep until the next job. The moment isn’t so much of a twist but more of a reminder of how Half-Life 2’s story began in the first place. You didn’t find Freeman at City 17 — rather, you find him ‘waking up’ on a tram in City 17. It’s a moment that reinforces the mystery of Freeman’s journey, which subsequent games would continue to explore.

The Bottom Line

20 years later, Half-Life 2 is still regarded as one of the best games ever made, and for good reason. Valve continues to update it for new hardware like its Steam Deck handheld, while plenty of mods can help keep Half-Life 2 updated with newer graphics, such as ray-tracing support.

The game also has the rare distinction of not feeling like it was released in 2004. It doesn’t age — its story, graphics, and gameplay still hold up today. From arriving at the train station to reaching the Citadel, Half-Life 2 never falters. The game builds up to the storming crescendo at the end, leaving players wondering what’s next for Freeman and the characters they’ve come to love.

Though it’s been two decades since its debut, we still don’t have a definite continuation of Half-Life 2’s story. The acclaimed Half-Life: Alyx altered the timeline slightly, making us wonder what Valve has planned next. If you haven’t played Half-Life 2 in a while, it’s a perfect time to revisit the game and be reminded of why it’s still highly regarded all these years later.

FAQs