Half-Life: Blue Shift

Imo ta gra jest zbyt overhated. Powinno się w nią zagrać jak inne gry, tylko rosenberg jest zepsuty. Polecam, half life opposing force lepszy i tak

Despite the criticism many fans had for Blue Shift, I actually liked it quite a bit. It's much shorter than Half-Life or Opposing Force, but I consider this game as kind of a bonus campaign that I welcome with open hands. I'll be honest, if the main character wasn't Barney I don't think I would have cared that much, to see him again in Half-Life 2 and its episodes I felt a deeper connection because I played with him in Blue Shift.

This game is probably my least favourite game in the series, it doesnt hit hard as well as the other ones, if your looking for a half life game i'd recommend opposing force and not this

The best thing about this dlc is how short it is. It reuses assets from the original with none of the charm, there is nothing unique about the level design, and no new lore is revealed from playing it. One of the puzzles is so harebrained and frustrating that I had to look it up online, which was not the case for anything in the original. At least the UI is blue tho.

Great game. We basically look on the same story from original Half-Life, but form the eyes of a different character. A mustplay, if you love Half-Life!

short but sweet little expansion.
would play again 9.5/10
however there were some points where it took me way too long to figure out

Similarly to Half-Life 1, Blue Shift offers a classic yet quite dated experience. Unfortunately, Black Mesa: Blue Shift is not fully finished, so without a sprinkle of modernity, I enjoyed this one much less than Black Mesa, the remake of the original HL1.

Is it a good add-on? It was for its time. But that time is now gone, and if we set nostalgia aside, there are hundreds of better games to play. If you're really into retro games or just want to re-experience games from your childhood, I'd recommend it. For all the others, probably not.

If you do decide to give Blue Shift a go, note that it doesn’t have any subtitles available, so you better be fluent in English. And it has a cap of 72 fps. In order to remove it, you need to:
- open "Steam\steamapps\common\Half-Life\bshift"
- create a new file called "userconfig.cfg"
- add in the following lines:
     fps_max ""
     fps_override 1

Gives another point of view on the events of half-life. Kinda short and none of the cool guns or new enemies of opposing force but still worthwhile to play if you get it on a sale.

Unlike the opposing Force, the Blue Shift campaign gives a feeling that is too short, but it's fun and you playing like Barney, Black Mesa security and Gordon Freeman's right -hand man!
What is negative unfortunately ... is nothing new and the online is not even present in the game

But if you are a person who just wants to play and zero ... Enjoy and recommend Blue Shift

This game... is amazing. I restart the game numerous times just to live a security guard. I LOVE IT!

I'm surprised by how this game is actually good!
I was going into it with the mentality of that this game was just more HL, but it wasn't, people put that in my head and now I just feel dumb for not playing it sooner.
The story is quite nice and the pace of the game, alongside with the puzzles makes it a fresh experience. This paired with having played HL: Decay recently made me see again how much the Half-Life universe is rich and engaging, how passion was put into making this, even tho it was made by Gearbox.
But, yeah man, Half-Life Blue Shift, very good game, recommend, looking forward now into playing Opposing Force and other fan made projects, like the recent Delta Particles.

Half-Life: Blue Shift – A Nostalgic Expansion Worth Playing

Half-Life: Blue Shift is a must-play for fans of the original Half-Life, offering a fresh perspective on the Black Mesa disaster through the eyes of Barney Calhoun, the facility’s security guard. While shorter than the base game, this expansion delivers a tightly-paced, action-packed experience that expands the Half-Life universe in meaningful ways.

What Makes It Great?
✅ A New Perspective – Unlike Gordon Freeman’s scientist-driven story, Blue Shift puts you in the boots of a more grounded, everyday character. This shift in perspective adds depth to Black Mesa’s world, making familiar locations feel fresh.

✅ Classic Half-Life Gameplay – The expansion retains the tight gunplay, engaging combat, and environmental storytelling that made Half-Life iconic. Expect intense shootouts, satisfying puzzle-solving, and a sense of urgency throughout.

✅ Compact and Engaging – With a campaign of about 3-4 hours, Blue Shift is a digestible yet rewarding experience. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, making it perfect for a quick but satisfying return to Black Mesa.

Any Downsides?
❌ Lack of New Weapons or Enemies – Unlike Opposing Force, Blue Shift doesn’t introduce new weapons or alien creatures, sticking closely to the original Half-Life formula.

❌ Short Playtime – While its brevity makes it easy to pick up and finish, some players may find it lacking in depth compared to other expansions.

Final Verdict
If you’re a Half-Life fan looking for more Black Mesa adventures, Blue Shift is well worth playing. While it doesn’t innovate as much as Opposing Force, it delivers a solid and immersive side story with classic gameplay and a unique perspective. Recommended for anyone who enjoys Half-Life and wants another excuse to revisit its iconic world.

Rating: 8/10

just completed it short but pretty good game nice expansion

Yeah, I liked this more than the base game. It doesn't drag itself for too long, and has some nice puzzles, but still remains what first half-life mechanically is.

Play as famous side guy Barnty Cowhoon! You are now security. Help Professor Frozenburg leave the spooky scioence building. No new enemies this time though. Fight through the hordes of zombies and bullchickens without of the help of the famous orange HIV suit, all you got now is a vest and a hat. In the exiting conlusion ride away in a van!

Also good game but not better than Opposing Force.

compared to the other expansion, opposing force, this game is much, much easier, but it also doesn't add anything. It was a short and sweet and charming half life game tho, very fun and not deserving of the hate that it gets, i mean it is very short, it literally doesn't even have a final boss 😭😭i barely died in this game, compared to half life 1? I died every 4 seconds and half life opposing force I spent more time dead than alive 😭 but it's still very fun!

A much buggier experience than half-life and with an even more anti-climactic ending without so much as a final boss i can't in good faith recommend this over the original however it is still more half-life with a thrilling core gameplay loop and eerie atmosphere that even made me jump at times 7/10 very obvious it was made for the sega dreamcast

When compared to the base game, It's basically more of the same, with no interesting new or unique elements that make it a must play after finishing Half-Life.

7/10 a very fun way to make a half life spin off, very bite sized, but ultimately nothing too special in its own right.

I just finished playing Half-Life and for being an old game it still is a master piece, but after that I wanted to try the dlc's and how much do I regret that. Don't get me wrong, opposing force is amazing but this game Is just a crappy cash grab. 3/10 (PUZZLES MADE NO SENSE AND GAMPLAY WAS LACKING)

Short but very good, nice story, nice gameplay, better weapons (in my opinion), i don't like the fact that Gman actually keeps an eye on barney, cause you can't compare him to Shepherd, Gordon and Alyx but apparently he desisted

Half-Life: Blue Shift continues through the first game of Half-Life but from new areas of the game and a entirely new perspective of a completely new character. In this sequel or add-on depending on your perspective you play through the game as a security guard of the facility the game is based in. Once again your role in the game is to fight through areas of the facility and escape like the first game.

The game is more short and sweet than the first one and why some may consider it a mere add-on compared to a full sequel. The game comes along with a variety of puzzles and some require a bit of back and forth to complete them depending how long they are and what for in the game.

Because its short and sweet there really isn't much to say about it other than it follows the same style and gameplay as the first Half-Life. The good thing about this game is the character in it comes back in the sequel for Half-Life 2 and his story isn't wasted here at all.

I would still recommend this game to anyone who wants to try it out or likes the first game and wants more content or other characters points of view as well.

personally I recommend for those who have played Half-Life first: use the pistol and smg only as it makes combat really fun! this goes for if in Half Life if you used weapons besides the pistol, i'm not joking the pistol is actually really fun to spam! + comboing it with the smg.

Unlike HL Opposing Force, this game doesn't add much new content, it's just more Half Life. You can finish the game in one sitting, but I would say it's still worth your money, only 3$. If you wait for a sale like me, you can even get it for just 0.74$.

VERY short. Don't pay five bucks for it, get it on sale. Opposing Force is much better.

10/10 Half-Life game Awesome story from the view point of black mesa security guard Barney Calhoun

** Backlog cleanup **
A fun addition to Half Life 1 - definitely shorter however (I finished the story in 2.5hrs)
I enjoyed the extra action in this compared to Half Life 1 and also liked the extra detail we got to see around Black Mesa and daily life (before the incident).

It didn't take that much time to finish it playing on hard difficulty. The game offers a random security officers pov of the original half life with some scenes concerning Gordon's advance. The events take place at the same time and they give some additional info about the original game.
100% recommend for a quick fun session in the universe of half life without replaying the original story.

It could've been better, with new weapons, aliens and stuff, but other than that, this game is a perfect addition to Half-Life. Although Barney's only goal is to escape Black Mesa and not save it, there are a ton of side-quests that you have to do to actually continue with the game. And there's a lot of fun easter eggs in it too. If you want to see Barney's side of the story, buy this game. If you're just a fan of Gordon, just move on to HL2.

Overall a decent game, but I don't think the game is good enough for me to really recommend it. I played Half-Life 2 Episode One and Two recently, and Episode Two was MUCH better than Blue Shift.

Like most old FPS games, it's relatively inconsistent in general - especially when it comes to difficulty. I imagine that if you like Half-Life 1, you will like this game as well. As a warning : don't expect to be impressed. The fact that it's a short 3-4h game helps though.


Some of my thoughts on the game :

- Unnecessarily slow start like in Half-Life 1.

- After 45 min, not much happened except making my way through the building with some enemies to kill and some puzzles to solve. Not too hard, but not that fun etiher. It's okay/mediocre. No big flaws, but nothing that interesting so far basically.

- The next 60 min were similar but as I played, I started appreciating the game a little more. It's still not very good, but it's decent.

- Then there's the part on the weird alien planet. That part had 1 bad half and 1 good half.

- Not sure I would have figured out the puzzle with the dynamite on my own.

Good game, it is a lot shorter than the other half life games though.

Half-Life: Blue Shift Review
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

“Back to Black Mesa, this time with a new perspective.” Half-Life: Blue Shift takes players back to the iconic Black Mesa Research Facility, placing you in the boots of Barney Calhoun, a humble security guard caught in the chaos of the resonance cascade. While it’s a shorter and simpler experience compared to the main game, Blue Shift offers a fresh perspective on the events of Half-Life and remains a solid expansion for fans of the series.

Story and Setting
In Blue Shift, you play as Barney Calhoun, a security guard who’s just trying to get through his shift when disaster strikes. As Black Mesa descends into chaos, your goal is survival and escape.

The story adds new layers to the Half-Life universe, showing what life was like for the "everyman" during the alien invasion. While it doesn’t reach the narrative depth of Half-Life or Opposing Force, it provides a grounded, relatable perspective. Fans of the series will enjoy revisiting Black Mesa and spotting connections to Gordon Freeman’s journey.

Gameplay
The gameplay in Blue Shift sticks closely to the formula of the original Half-Life. You’ll navigate familiar environments, fight alien creatures and military forces, and solve puzzles to progress.

Where Blue Shift differs is in its simplicity. The campaign is shorter, the puzzles are more straightforward, and there are fewer weapons and enemy types compared to other Half-Life titles. While this makes the game more approachable, some players may find it lacking in variety.

One notable addition is the High-Definition Pack, which updates the character and weapon models for Blue Shift and the original Half-Life. It’s a nice bonus that gives the game a fresh coat of paint for players revisiting the series.

Graphics and Performance
As with the original Half-Life, the visuals in Blue Shift have aged, but the iconic art direction and atmospheric level design still hold up. The High-Definition Pack significantly improves the look of the game, making it the definitive way to experience Blue Shift.

Performance is rock-solid on modern systems, and the game’s compact design ensures it runs smoothly even on older hardware.

Length and Replayability
Blue Shift is a much shorter experience than Half-Life, with a campaign that can be completed in about 3-5 hours. While its brevity makes it less substantial than other expansions like Opposing Force, it’s still a satisfying journey for fans looking for more time in Black Mesa. However, the lack of new weapons, mechanics, or enemies may limit its replay value.

Final Thoughts
Half-Life: Blue Shift is a worthwhile expansion that offers a nostalgic return to Black Mesa with a unique perspective. While it doesn’t innovate or expand on the Half-Life formula as much as other entries, it’s still an enjoyable experience for fans of the series.

Pros:

Offers a fresh perspective on the events of Half-Life
Solid gameplay that stays true to the original
High-Definition Pack is a great addition
Short and accessible for newcomers
Cons:

Lacks new mechanics, weapons, or enemies
Short campaign with limited replay value
Simplistic compared to Opposing Force
If you’re a fan of Half-Life and want another reason to explore Black Mesa, Blue Shift is a great addition to your library. It may be shorter and less complex, but it’s a fun trip back to one of gaming’s most iconic settings.

Great game until you get the to Zen level, and it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on (X 1000) until you get to one part where it is impossible to kill the flying heads and grunt monsters. Tried about 30 times. Virtually impossible. Can't get passed this point, so have finally given up. Why do the levels have to be so freakin' long?

Pretty good but harder than half life for some reason? idk, Good game overall.

Half-Life: Blue Shift Review

Summary:

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This game is an expansion onto the original Half-life game. It runs the same as Half-Life and still feels great. This game was incredibly short and even more so then the expansion before it, Opposing Force. I loved the different viewpoint of this game just like the other expansion. It has lots of cool moments that relate back to the main game which make it more exciting. I think they made this different enough than the other two games that made it a definite worth to play and fun experience. The graphics got a little better as well too, so that is a plus! Make sure to play all these before going to Half-Life 2, this was very worth it! A Classic: 7/10

Storyline:

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The story follows Barney Calhoun, who is a security guard that works at Black Mesa. This is taking place during the events of Half-Life, as we see many moments from that game happening in here as we move along as well. Once Gordon's experiment goes wrong, we have to fight to get out of the facility like in the other games. Same with Opposing Force, aliens and creatures are taking over, you have to navigate Black Mesa and escape while trying to fight your way out. Calhoun is on the hunt through the facility for a scientist named Dr. Rosenberg, as he learns that he is trying to escape Black Mesa using his brains and teleportation. Once you find him, you have to get him to the lab where other scientist's are gathered to prep teleportation. Calhoun ends up having to go to the Alien world Xen, to get coordinates to teleport outside of the facility. After you get them and return back to Earth, you have to charge the power cell to use the teleporter to leave. As you are running out of time, you are able to assist Rosenberg and get everyone teleported out. As things are looking grim, You are the last to leave and almost do not make it do to the forces pushing in. Once you teleport out, Rosenberg, yourself, and the other scientists are able to escape and make it out alive..... For the first Happy Ending in the story. I think that it is a good story, not great, but a fun little game. 8/10

Combat & Gameplay:

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The game mechanics have not changed at all since the main game. But, I will say it seems a lot easier to take down soldiers than it did in the other two games. As you progress you fight aliens and humans to get to scripted sequences. This is a First Person Shooter game built off of the main game. 7/10

Characters:

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The difference in this game from the first two, is that there is a NPC that is someone that you follow through most of the game. This character is Dr. Rosenberg. He seems intelligent and would like to help everyone get out. The upgraded graphics really shine for this character, as it looks much better than the other random NPC's in the other games. He does lose lots of points for this category since he leaves you as the last person to leave, which is a major risk, since I do not know how to operate the teleporter if something went wrong. 6/10

Boss Fights:

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There is no boss fight in this game, and the ending is just you helping Rosenberg get the scientists out of Black Mesa. A fun alternative. 5/10

Still Salty about Rosenberg leaving us last to leave the portal LOL ;)

every single time i load in the game barney just starts uncontrollably unloading his magazine and shoots at walls and other shit made me kill 3 scientists by accident

thank god i only bought this when it was a dollar during the anniversary r

I like the story in this one better than Opposing Force. Seeing black mesa from the perspective of the security guards and scientists is nice.

It is the weakest of the expansions tho, no new weapons and levels are boring, not too much action but when it is there its quite fun. The puzzles and escort section really drag this down. I like the atmosphere of the levels, they lean into horror in some parts.

For a 3 hour experience its fine, albeit slightly disappointing.

A good DLC for a great game, adds a lot of life to its universe and shows you more of Xen. I really enjoyed it but wouldn't say its better than HL1 by itself. But yes, i would always recommend it.

Blue Shift is one of the expansions of the original HL and here you play as a security guard who finds himself caught up in the same chaos as Freeman. Same as in Opposing Force, the game retells some of the original HL events, but from the perspective of an ordinary Black Mesa worker. If you enjoyed the first game, I highly recommend playing this expansion, along with Opposing Force, as it expands the main story and won't take much of your time to beat it. The story is worth it.

Nice story Add-On, but a bit too short and an unspectacular final, not even an endboss. Hope the remake will fix that.

Enjoyable, but definitely worse than Half-Life and Opposing Force.

So I am on a mission to play all of the Half-Life games for the first time. This game falls right in line with my review of Half-Life, which is that it's just a game. It's nothing crazy, and while it's fun, it's nothing to write home about. I think the tech is impressive for 1998/2001, but the gameplay and story is pretty basic.

That being said, I know many people suggest skipping Half-Life: Blue Shift, but I would highly recommend playing it as well as Opposing Force, as they show the Half-Life story from the guard and military perspective respectively.

I will say that Opposing Force has a lot more connection with Half-Life than this game does, but this game is only 2 hours long, so it's easy to run through it to ensure you get the full story.

Great 10/10
Story was cool, helped flesh out Zen, the Zen levels in this being so open really made it feel like an other world.
Also, the ending was Epic!

The shorter of the two Half Life expansions but its a good bite size meal if you enjoyed the gameplay of Half Life 1 and just want more of it. It does not feature any of the weapons or enemies of Opposing forces though despite coming out after. You can tell it was made just to give fans something while they waited for Half Life 2. 5 dollars is a fair price but a sale is good too. Game is a little under 3 hours assuming you're decent at the game and can solve the puzzles quickly.

Pretty great and short expansion pack, I liked it, Calhoun Is a good character, but I wish otis returned In later half life games, we wont see him anytime soon though, probably never

In addition to the first Half Life game and Opposing Force, Blue Shift offers the best perspective as to how Officer Barney Calhoun came to be in the story of Half Life. The fact that he knew Freeman since the beginning in Black Mesa is confirmed in this game. Like Opposing Force, Uplink, and Decay, I remember this game fondly as well from back then since release day. Very bada**. Total nostalgia!

Half life without any of the stuff I find interesting about half life. But, the last few levels redeem the expansion for me by introducing a few new mechanics, even if those are short lived.

A short DLC experience that doesn't expand much from the original HL1, but it's short enough and fun enough if you enjoy HL1 to be worth playing

I love how the two expansions to Half-Life give you a different perspective to the events that took place. Barney's perspective was one of aid to others and escape. Doing his best as a guard. What a bad ass. You hear and see references to the protagonists of the other two games, which creates a sense of connection between perspectives. I found this expansion fun, but less exploration into wild concepts like Opposing Force. If you are a fan of Half-life style games. Pick this one up

!!! SPOILERS !!!
I dont know what it is with Half-Life and Portal for me but I'm LOVING the HL series. ALMOST as good as portal.. So far. Haven't played HL2 yet.. plauyed HL1, then Opposing Force, and now this. REALLY ENJOYING IT SO FAR! Even tho I have 37 mins of playtime (on Duty Calls). Will update as I play. Thanks gearbox and valve. Awesome job! And.. as always.... love you valve <33 (1/7/25)

kept the game open afk for like 40 mins so SUBTRACT THAT FROM MY FINAL PLAYTIME LOL -1/8/25