Half-Life

In Half-Life, Dr. Gordon Freeman's routine day at the Black Mesa Research Facility takes a catastrophic turn when a scientific experiment triggers a resonance cascade, opening a portal to the alien dimension Xen. As the facility is overrun by aliens and the military, Freeman must navigate through perilous environments, solve puzzles, and fend off hostile forces to escape. Narrative themes include aliens, puzzles, and psychological horror.

• Release date: 11-19-1998
• Developer: Valve & Gearbox Software
• Publisher: Sierra Entertainment & Valve
• Platforms: Linux, MacOS, PlayStation 2, Windows PC

Triggers for this game

Animals & Wildlife

• Aggressive Animals

  • Can't be avoided

• Arachnids

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Some aliens look spider-like. A boss towards the end of the game is a giant spider creature with an enormous testicle like organ swinging off of its lower end. The Player will undoubtedly hit it many times during the battle.

  • Can't be avoided

• Dogs

  Aliens similar to dogs

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  There are alien enemies with dog-like behaviors called Houndeyes that are encountered early in the game and will appear throughout. You need to kill them to progress through the game.

  • Can't be avoided

• Fictional Creatures

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Throughout the game many of the aliens you will fight are just hostile wild animals from another world. The Head-crab looks like a crab and the Houndeye creatures act a lot like dogs.

  • Can't be avoided

• Insects

  Cockroaches, Weapons

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  You will step on cockroaches. One weapon in the game is a bug alien you can throw to distract enemies. Another is a bioweapon that shoots bugs.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Animals & Critters

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Throughout the game many of the aliens you will fight are just hostile wild animals from another world. The Head-crab looks like a crab and the Houndeye creatures act a lot like dogs.

  • Can't be avoided

• Parasites

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A parasite causes humans to turn into zombies with mouths in their chest cavities and elongated fingers

  • Can't be avoided

• Sharks

  A shark-like enemy

  • Can't be avoided

Crime

• Assassination

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The only women NPCs you find are assassins and you have to kill them

  • Can't be avoided

• Being Held Against Will

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player is taken prisoner by enemies, who attempt to kill him.

  • Can't be avoided

• Explosions & Bombs

  • Can't be avoided

• Fights

  • Can't be avoided

• Guns & Shooting

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Many scenes of gun violence, mostly against yellow-blooded aliens but also towards people, especially military.

  • Can't be avoided

• Hangings

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  There are enemies that grab you by the neck and drag you up to eat you.

  • Can't be avoided

• Kidnapping

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player is taken prisoner by enemies, who attempt to kill him.

  • Can't be avoided

• Murder

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Many scenes of gun violence, mostly against yellow-blooded aliens but also towards people, especially military. Many employees are seen being killed by the military.

  • Can't be avoided

• Road-Related Violence

  Main game

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Main game — A group of HECU marines are crushed by a car by a large creature

  • Can't be avoided

• Stalking

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Main game — Gordon is frequently stalked throughout the game by a pale man in a suit named the G-Man. That said, this 'can' be avoidable as it is easy to miss.

  • Is avoidable

Death & Loss

• Drowning

  • Can't be avoided

• Suicide

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  You'll encounter a scientist on top of a generator who refuses to leave until the invasion at Black Mesa is over. Due to actions you must perform in this area, his hiding spot of choice leads to his death. It's hard to determine whether they meant to die that way or not.

  • Can't be avoided

Disturbing Sounds & Sound Design

• Bone Crushing

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  During a scripted event a monster drags a dead soldier through a hole in a wall too small for the corpse to fit, causing his leg to get stuck. The monster pulls harder and the soldier's leg bends at an unusual angle with a loud cracking sound before being dragged through.

  • Can't be avoided

• Distorted Voices

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Eerie Noises

  Wailing sounds, crushing enemies, default death sounds, screaming

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  You'll have to crawl under a fan in a vent and a headcrab will teleport behind you. You'll hear it getting crushed by the fan. Also an elevator full of scientists falls to their death in the beginning of their game. If you listen closely you can hear the default death sound. (This is also unavoidable.) When the trigger point of the plot happens, you'll hear many screaming offscreen and you'll find corpses once you're free to explore again.

  • Can't be avoided

• Screams

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Also an elevator full of scientists falls to their death in the beginning of their game. If you listen closely you can hear the default death sound. (This is also unavoidable.) When the trigger point of the plot happens, you'll hear many screaming offscreen and you'll find corpses once you're free to explore again.

  • Can't be avoided

• Sirens & Alarms

  • Can't be avoided

• Wet Sounds

  • Can't be avoided

Drugs & Alcohol

• Forced Drug Use

  Medication (morphine)

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  If the player sustains heavy damage from a fall, the HEV suit the player is wearing will produce a beeping sound and say "Automatic medical system engaged. Morphine administered". The suit will do this every couple of hours.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Drugs & Alcohol Content

  Minor alcohol reference

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Someone mentions alcohol ("Catch me later, I'll buy you a beer")

  • Can't be avoided

• Tobacco & Smoking

  Human grunts can sometimes be seen smoking cigars

  • Can't be avoided

Gore

• Animal Violence

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Throughout the game many of the aliens you will fight are just hostile wild animals from another world. The Head-crab looks like a crab and the Houndeye creatures act a lot like dogs. Later, you learn that many of the alien animals were experimented on.

  • Can't be avoided

• Blood

  • Can't be avoided

• Body Horror

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A parasite causes humans to turn into zombies with mouths in their chest cavities and elongated fingers

  • Can't be avoided

• Cannibalism

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Headcrab zombies (former humans) can be seen eating human remains

  • Can't be avoided

• Guts

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Gore

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Most environments are strewn with dead bodies in pools of blood. During Combat human and alien characters will break into standard 90's "Gibs" or random bodyparts if killed with explosives. Scripted events show more brutal moments of gore, like a man being cut in half with a laser. The most excessive gore comes from the game's zombie enemies, who have bits of their spines sticking out of their backs, and their torsos have been ripped open.

  • Can't be avoided

Hate & Discrimination

• Appearance Discrimination

  Fatphobia (Opposing Forces DLC)

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In some expansions like Opposing Force, the heavier guards tend to be played off as comic relief because of their size. You can find one vandalizing a vending machine.

  • Can't be avoided

• Dehumanization & Objectification

  Sexualization

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The female assassins breasts jiggle when running. (Note: this was censored in some versions of the game). The alpha content has an enemy named 'Mr. Friendly' and his design is phallic looking.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misogyny

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The only women NPCs you find are assassins and you have to kill them

  • Can't be avoided

• Sexism

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The only women NPCs you find are assassins and you have to kill them

  • Can't be avoided

Horror Themes

• Aliens

  • Can't be avoided

• Chase & Pursuit

  • Can't be avoided

• Jump Scares

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Headcrabs are hidden in vents, which can be startling as they attack by jumping out towards the player. The Ichthyosaur enemy moves incredibly fast, often resulting in it's fanged mouth suddenly filling up most of your screen when it attacks you.

  • Can't be avoided

• Mind Control

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Head crabs are aliens that latch on to their hosts and take over their mind and body.

  • Can't be avoided

• Monsters

  • Can't be avoided

• Zombies & Undead

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Headcrab zombies (former humans) can be seen eating human remains

  • Can't be avoided

Law Enforcement

• Police Brutality

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  You will regularly encounter and interact with security guards throughout the game. They often aid you but will get violent toward you if you attack.

  • Can't be avoided

Mental Health

• Anxiety

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Scientists will begin shaking uncontrollably and start screaming when in danger. Injured Alien Slave enemies will frantically run away from combat and hide from the player

  • Can't be avoided

• Panic Attack

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Scientists will begin shaking uncontrollably and start screaming when in danger. Injured Alien Slave enemies will frantically run away from combat and hide from the player

  • Can't be avoided

Non-Sexual Abuse & Violence

• Altercations

  • Can't be avoided

• Assault

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  There’s an unskippable cutscene where Freeman gets ambushed by marines and knocked unconscious.

  • Can't be avoided

• Mutilation

  • Can't be avoided

• Stalking

  • Can't be avoided

Phobias

• Acrophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  It is possible for the player to fall to their death. A scientist is seen falling down an elevator draft during "Office Complex." A scientist also falls to their death if you try to exit Black Mesa through the way you came from. Sometimes aliens fall to their death too. An elevator full of of scientists will fall to their death in the chapter Unforeseen Consequences no matter what you do.

  • Can't be avoided

• Agliophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Agoraphobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Arachnophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Some aliens look spider-like. A boss towards the end of the game is a giant spider creature with an enormous testicle like organ swinging off of its lower end. The Player will undoubtedly hit it many times during the battle.

  • Can't be avoided

• Claustrophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player must crawl through small, dark air vents many times throughout the game. During the end of "Apprehension", 2 HECU grunts throw the player into a trash compactor in an attempt to kill them.

  • Can't be avoided

• Emetophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The Gonarch and Bullsquid both 'vomit' acid

  • Can't be avoided

• Hemophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Katsaridaphobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  You will step on cockroaches

  • Can't be avoided

• Merinthophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Phobias

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Pyrophobia (Fear of fire — you will encounter a scientist who is on fire)

  • Is avoidable
  • Can't be avoided

• Necrophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Nyctophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player must crawl through small, dark air vents many times throughout the game.

  • Can't be avoided

• Traumatophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Trypanophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  If you're wounded, a scientist can administer you something that can "Ease the pain" with a syringe. This is very brief and you gain some health from it. The contents of the syringe are unknown.

  • Can't be avoided

• Trypophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Xen location, Houndeyes

  • Can't be avoided

Physical Health & Body Issues

• Hospitalization

  Infirmary, medical equipment

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  There are science rooms with medical equipment like MRIs and an infirmary.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Physical Health & Body Issues

  Seizure

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A Headcrab zombie during the near beginning of "Anomalous Materials" is seen having a seizure in front of a flashing laptop monitor.

  • Can't be avoided

• Pain & Physical Suffering

  • Can't be avoided

Sex & Erotica (Consensual)

• Sexual Commentary

  • Can't be avoided

Traumatic Events

• Accidents

  Main game & Opposing Forces DLC

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Main game — railcar crash; A group of HECU marines are crushed by a car by a large creature; Opposing Forces DLC — plane crash

  • Can't be avoided

War & Military

• Bombing

  Opposing Forces DLC

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Black Mesa gets nuked at the end of the Opposing Forces DLC.

  • Can't be avoided

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