RETRO: Opposing force

Half-Life: Opposing Force

In my opinion, the greatest Half-Life of them all. As the named suggests this is a standalone expansion to Half-Life that allows you to experience the game from the other side of things. Instead of being Gordon Freeman, you are hunting him down. You are Adrian Shepard, another mute superhuman capable to taking down an entire armies alone. Although this time it is more plausible as you are a soldier actually trained in firing arms opposed to a quantum scientist. You get to play through boot camp, which serves not as just an introduction, but actually adds some character allowing you to see what training he went through to get himself here.

Half-Life is a revolutionary game. When you first experience Half-Life you see the grunts as mindless brutes with no sense of moral or original thinking. But now you discover that...well they're the same. But Adrian Shepard isn't. You battle the same Xen monsters with a similar success to freeman himself and once again Gman influences your every turn.  (Pictured is Gman leaving you in black mesa to do his bidding) A tangent from the fighting occurs when you see  an osprey taking the rest of your squad home, but you are left with these monsters to die. You are filled with dread and fear once you realize you isolated here on this death trap. But you are not alone, other grunts were left behind and have yet to succumb to the sweet bosom of insanity. They act as meat shields and ammo cabinets, always willing to serve Adrian Shepard. Eventually you sight Gordon Freeman leaping into a Xen portal, and you have no choice but to follow him deep into the depths of the unknown.

Now although all that story and background is good and fine, the part that stands above all other Half-Life games, is the range of weaponry, and the originality of such. There are three aliens you can wield as weapons. One of them serves as a grappling hook. Do I need to say more? It enhances the whole experience as there are so many ways to dispatch your unlucky foes. Each area bring originality and beauty. The world of Half-Life (The labs, Xen area and outskirts of the labs) is amazing to explore and opposing force only brings more to this. It has many-a scripted event which still are stands up to the current gaming market and remains encaturing. Something I don't think is seen enough in many modern games. It was also one of the first games to have multiple endings, (Albeit one is just a death sentence.)

Opposing forces is a game that I just can't forget, it gives an immersive atmosphere and although it can be frustrating and sometimes glitchy, and the graphics don't keep up to date to well, it's still a great and beautiful game to play. Opposing force, if you haven't played it, go play it now. Unless you haven't played Half-Life, in which case go download and play it ASAP.