Half life blue shift is an aging game that definitely shows
The main problem with Half life blue shift is how old it is. The game is almost 5 years old. If your just getting around to Half life blue shift then don't bother, it's really not worth the purchase. However, if you love Half life, despite how old it is, then read on.
In Half life blue shift, you play as Barney, one of the many security guards stationed around Black Mesa. Just like in Opposing forces, you get to see the game through an entirely new perspective. Just like in Opposing forces, you will see and travel through Black Mesa while also running into Gordon Freeman from time to time, although he can't see you.
In Half life blue shift you try to escape just like Gordon Freeman did in the original. The experience is much shorter this time around and it just revolves around you escaping. You do go to Xen at about the last 30 minutes of the game, but that's about it. The game ends rather abruptly too.
Half life blue shift's graphics aren't to great. They look pretty bland and the character models are as blocky as it gets. The environments are pretty well done, especially planet Xen, but overall the game just isn't that impressive.
The primary thing you do in Half life blue shift is shoot up lots of aliens that have came to Black Mesa and there pretty much the same type of monsters that you experienced in the original Half life. The AI is also quite less remarkable this time around too. Although in the original Half life, the AI was one of the highlights, this time around the AI is one of the low points. You also face a lot more aliens than soldiers too.
The puzzles in the game are actually well thought out, although some are really tough and definitely makes you think. Some puzzles are justh a simple matter of finding a switch, while others you have to shoot a barrel that rolls down a river and then you need to find a way to raise the water level to cross. These kind of puzzles can get frustrating more than anything.
The weaponry in Half life blue shift is pretty much the same as the original too. You have your machine guns, shotguns, and pistols, but that's about it mainly due to the game's length. You can beat this game in roughly 4 hours and this isn't enough time to give you much weaponry, plus there isn't to much replay value. Luckily, the game isn't retailing for more than $10, or might even come packaged with every Half life game except for Half life 2, so it's not all bad.
Half life blue shift's sound is the very definition of mediocre. The footsteps are extremeley loud and the weapon sounds are really weak.
Half life blue shift is an Ok expansion. Although it branches the Half life's story even more and gives a different perspective on how Barney made it out of Black Mesa. It honestly just isn't worth playing almost 5 years after the making.