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Ummm . . . OK, sure whatever.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 10 / 15
Date: June 21, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This review is for Half-Life: Blue Shift (H-L:BS) and the High Definition pack (HD), If you want information about H-L:2 or Half-Life Opposing Force, you'll need to go elsewhere.

To wit, this game caught me by surprise. One week, my usual foolish salesperson was ranting and raving about the soon to be released H-L:BS and next week, I see it in stores. I admit that I bought every single Half-Life (H-L) I could get my hands on from the original H-L and the Promo CD that came with ATI Rage cards, to the poorly done Gunman Chronicles (GC). I've downloaded and installed nearly every "hot" MOD that was flung out onto the web. So naturally, I snatched this up when I saw it in the stores.

The HD pack offers very little other than enhanced characters and weapons. What I mean by enhanced is that the weapons are supposed to look more realistic, that is all! The levels look exactly the same. The A.I. did not improve any. It's really not worth the extra stress that the graphics would place on the hardware. Let's face it, the HD pack is not worth the price that any one wants for it. It should have been available for free much like the Team Fortress Classic. (I suppose it may be, I haven't checked to tell the truth.)

So how is the game? Some of the most disappointing work I've seen. True, the level of detail and the devious level design are truly ingenious. I spent as much as thirty minutes on some levels trying to find my way about only to be thwarted by a well hidden tunnel or a well placed jumping pad. But despite the great levels, there aren't enough of them! The game is so short that I would have been better off playing GC which, up till now, was the shortest H-L based game. The game ends so abruptly that it's like a car hitting a brick wall. I sincerely thought that I was going to see some awesome programming prowess with a car I could actually drive! When it ends, it's , BAM! Just like that. I mean, where were all the extra stuff that I saw when I was riding the train? Oh . . . I walked right by it, I suppose. Where's the "old" Black Mesa base? Oh, wait. I'm walking around it now. That's a train yard? I'm not a train buff, but those train cars are impossible (Look at where the doors are placed on the cars). Aren't I supposed to be in the same base as Gordon Freeman? Oh wait, I guess I am. Oh well.

"OK," I thought, "the game's over, I'll try it online." Guess what? There isn't any online gaming via H-L:BS. I checked with my original version of H-L. There is no online gaming if you just install H-L:BS. I'm guessing that the player can play online if they install H-L:O4 but that's just junk. The box clearly states that there is Multi-Player and it implies it in two different sections. One part for H-L:O4 and another for H-L:BS. What's the deal? So I read the manual, the box says it has Multi-Player support, the manual clearly states that there is a third pack in "game" called OpFor: On Line. What? It also clearly states that Multi-Player is only available in H-L:O4 (Page 8). What a joke. More hard drive space gobbled up unnecessarily.

If you like H-L and you don't have the O4 pack then by all means buy this game. Otherwise, avoid it until you see it in the bargain bin. None of the "extras" are worth the incredibly short game and they really add nothing new by way of "new". I had to give it two stars since I gave GC three and I consider this game a step down from GC. Sorry folks, it's just not worth it unless I see it in the bargain bin.

Totally worth it

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 13
Date: June 21, 2001
Author: Amazon User

NOTE: BLUE SHIFT IS A STAND-ALONE GAME - YOU DON'T NEED A COPY OF HALF-LIFE IN ORDER TO PLAY.

More Half-Life. That's what sold me on Blue Shift. The Half-Life setting is so interesting, so developed, that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn more about the Black Mesa Research Facility.

The expansion can be finished in one long evening. I started at 9 at night and completed the expansion by 3:00AM. The other expansion pack included in this box, Opposing Force, is just about as long--maybe a little bit longer.

In Blue Shift, you play a Good Guy: one of the loyal security guards of Black Mesa. Remember that poor guard you saw banging on the door during the opening tram ride sequence of Half-Life? That's you.

The scripted action sequences and dialogue in Blue Shift are top-notch, and the levels are brilliant. It's really fun exploring Black Mesa. And there are lots of jump-out-of-seat scary moments. Unfortunately, there aren't any big boss monsters and there are a few too many jumping obstacles. Also, there are no new weapons and I went through the whole game pretty much using just the pistols, shotgun, and submachinegun--there's no opportunity or need to use the satchel charges, grenades, snarks, or (with one big exception) rocket launcher.

Still, the game is really fun and you do get to learn a lot more about Black Mesa and the nature of the facility's experiments. This game is totally worth it, especially when you consider that you get the Opposing Force expansion for free (if you already own Op4, you can mail away for a [price]rebate).

My question is: where is Half-Life 2?!

Blue Shift, Beware or Be Square

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: August 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I got Blue Shift primarily because I did not have Opposing Force. I was originally planning to get OpFor (Opposing Force) since I knew it was just like the caliber of Half-Life. If you dont have OpFor, get it with Blue Shift. Blue Shift was still quite awesome though.

The game's only problem is that it is short. It took me a week to beat the game at hard difficulty. Also, it could be longer if you were not talking to the scientists and running after them so much, but that is a factor that builds the plot.

The graphics really make it outstanding. Facial textures of the characters, new weapon models, improved sounds, added physical effects (you actually see Barney's hands and your arms shake when you fire the assault rifle), and other numerous, small features. Also, the perspective improves the game storyline. Finally, Half-Life is greatly improved ( I am talking about the original episode of the saga where you are Gordon Freeman) by showing added parts of the facility, model improvements, etc.

I would get Blue Shift if you are dedicated to the Half-Life saga. If the Blue Shift game does not attract you to purchase it, the High Definition game upgrade will......

ZeRo HouR's Blue Shift Review

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: June 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I went to the store to buy the game Blue Shift. I found out it was around ... and i bought it. I took it home and installed it. I then noticed that it wasn't a mod, it was standalone like Counter-Strike and it included Opposing Force as well. I also installed the HD Pack, which upgrades the graphics for Blue Shift, Half-Life, and Opposing force. I started playing and i went to the main menu. I then noticed that there was no multiplayer for Blue Shift and there was no mod selection. I began playing the game. You are a security officer named Barney Calhoon. I played about half of the game that night and finished it the next morning. The game was about half as long as the original Half-Life game which was very discouraging. Also there is no boss at the end of the game like in the first two games. The game adds no new weapons or monsters. And you only see the great G-Man once. The sad thing is, its at the begining of the game. I'm not going to spoil the end of the game if you plan on buying it. So below is everything i have covered. Pros ----- -Blue Shift is standalone, which means you do not need the original Half-Life to play it. -Blue Shift also comes with Opposing Force, the expansion pack where you play as Adrian Shepard, a marine sent in to kill Gordan Freeman. -The HD pack is a great tool and it upgrades all the skins of the monsters and people and it also upgrades the weapons. -The AI is upgraded. Cons ----- -No multiplayer or Mod Selection -Dated Graphics, even with the High Definition (HD) Pack -Extreamly Short -No End Game Boss -No New Weapons or Monsters

I didn't enjoy this game as much as Opposing Force or the original but if you see it for around ... you should buy it cuz it is a pretty good game.

Overall i am going to give this game a 3½ out of 5. A message for Valve, next time you make an addon pack for Half-Life, put some more effort into it.

Let down by Blue Shift

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: July 11, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I confess I don't follow the world of computer games very closely, so I don't know if this expansion pack was particularly anticipated. I loved the original Half-Life and enjoyed Opposing Force, the first expansion set. I was excited to see a new Half-Life adventure was available.

I was pretty disappointed though, mainly because of the scope of the game. It is quite short. I would guess it is about a third the length of each of the other two. I finished it in just over two days. The scope is also limited in that you get far fewer weapons than in the previous two. There are no energy or alien weapons in particular. Like the previous two games, this one gradually became more difficult as you progressed, but it ended rather abruptly after reaching only perhaps medium difficulty.

Opposing Force had introduced a number of new features: ropes; the ability to make use of other characters, in particular soldiers, since your character was a soldier; new types of alien monsters. I had been a little ambivalent about these features, and their absence in Blue Shift was refreshing. I had enjoyed the original Half-Life more, and I had the feeling that Blue Shift was somehow getting back to the basics. This was a welcome change.

Blue Shift did introduce some innovations of its own, particularly the non-renewable flak jacket and helmet. The presence of certain artifacts from earlier games that were otherwise not connected with Blue Shift (the HEV chargers, e.g.) was an interesting touch that provided continuity. Some of the sound effects were improved (though I could have done with a little less mood music). But these small improvements could not make up for the overall limitations of the game.

Other conspicuous absences: In each of the previous two games, one of the most gratifying segments involved shooting down a helicopter with a rocket launcher. We were deprived of this David and Goliath moment in Blue Shift. There were very few chances to use a big, stationary gun either. And perhaps most disappointing was the absence of a big, climactic final battle against a mammoth enemy that takes time, ammo and smarts to defeat.

There are many worse games out there, I'm sure. If you enjoy FPS games, you'll enjoy Blue Shift. But don't get your hopes up. You'll just be let down.

Half-Life: Blue Shift

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: July 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Half Life : Blue Shift is a first person shooter, It is the second expansion pack to half life, created by gearbox the same company that did opposing force, Built on the quake2 half life engine. BS supports three video modes Software Rendering, Direct 3D, Open GL (Default and 3dFx mini). BS is a stand alone game meaning that you dont need the orginal half life for installation, Play half life before you play this game or else you would not understand the story and it might spoil you half life gameplay when you play later. Here you play a security gaurd Barney Calhon in the black mesa research center, When you are taking the tram ride to work in the first level of the orginal game half life you could see a security gaurd pounding on the door, That is the charecter you play here. The graphics, sound and charecter details are much better here, There are even reflective surfaces, You could see one when you are in the tram ride, But still the graphics are nowhere by today's standard's. Blue Shift has the same weapons from the orginal game, No really orginal weapons and not all half life weapons either. The Crowbar is here, That's good, It is the best weapon that needs no ammo, But the crossbow is not available, You could get all HL weapons only if you cheat. BLue shift does not have many monstors, No new monstors or tough ones. Another surprise is that BS does not have the big boss climax either, Though it has a good ending, I liked the half life ending, But not many gamers did, All gamers would love the BS ending if only it did not come very soon. Though blue shift is very short with very few weapons, Few monstors and dated graphics, It is a must if you are a Half Life fan.

Blue Shift- A downward spiral in the Half-Life series

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: August 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

It seems to me that each Half Life add on is getting worse and worse. I didn't particuarly like Opposing Force but at least it was playable. Blue Shift, on the other hand, is a complete nosedive for the Half Life series. First of all, the game is way too short. I bought this game two days ago and already I'm through with it. To make matters worse, Blue Shift brings NOTHING new to the Half Life series. This is not an overstatement. There are absolutley no new weapons or enemies. You actually get less weapons and fight less enemies than in any other Half Life. There's not even an end boss to fight. Most of the game is devoted to solving puzzles, not blasting away at enemies. At least with Opposing Force they added on some new enemies, new weapons, and a new end boss. It just seemed like the makers of this game just didn't care about making a quality product. It was like someone said "We need money and we need it fast. How about making another Half Life add-on?". Already I'm making plans to sell this game on e-bay. At least then I can recoup some of the money I lost.

BLUES SHIFT

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 20, 2001
Author: Amazon User

LOOK HALFLIFE IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE VID GAME, OPPOSING FORCE IS WORTHY OF THE HALFLIFE NAME. BLUE SHIFT IS A ...,I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW SHORT THE GAME WAS.
AT FIRST I WONDERED WHY THEY PUT OPPOSING FORCE ON THE CD, NOW I KNOW IT'S TO LESSON THE SHOCK OF BEING FLEECED.

Money Trap by Gearbox

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: December 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game Blue-Shift is just as fun as Half-Life and Opposing Force. It only takes a total of 2 hours to beat the ENTIRE game though. I was playing along and all of a sudden it ended and then the credits came up and it said Status: etc etc etc and all that stuff they usually do at the end like in Half-Life. It was so short that it made me gag when it ended. I was lucky though and I borrowed it from a friend so I didn't have to waste my money on 2 hours of gameplay. It has no multiplayer either so once you beat it, the game is essentially worthless. You get a really small amount of weapons too, the glock, crowbar, shotgun, MP-5, grenades, rocket launcher, and remote mines. THAT'S IT! That's all you get. Nothing new. No new aliens. No bosses to beat. Nothing. I was very disappointed. They knew they could scam people since so many people have played Half-Life and Opposing Force so they just threw a game together real quick to grab everyones money. Don't let them get your money. Borrow it from someone else if you want to play it. It's really not that great. Being a security gaurd is boring, especially for only 2 hours. I probably only killed about a total of 18 soldeirs the entire game. Not worth your money. It's too bad, too bad. I hope this has helped you. If you haven't played Half-Life or Opposing Force, you need to because they are probably 2 of the best games this decade. Good gaming.

...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: October 09, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The shortest and most boring of the series, but still worth playing.

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