Half- Life ( stylized as HλLF- LIFE) is a first- person shooter video game developed by Valve and published by Sierra Studios for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It was Valve' s debut product and the first in the Half- Life series. Players assume the role of Dr. Gordon Freeman, who must fight his way out of the Black Mesa research facility after an experiment goes wrong, fighting enemies and solving.
Originally released in 1998, the PC version of Half- Life changed first- person shooters forever by proving that a compelling story can be told within the genre. Prior to the game' s release, first- person shooters were mindless action games.
Half- Life, while containing its fair share of action, also contained plenty of exploration, puzzle, and story elements.