Blue Shift is yet another stand-alone expansion for Half-Life. Unfortunately, this time with less content than Opposing Force and much, much shorter.

This time you slip into the role of a security officer Barney on Black Mesa and, driven by the same events as Gorden Freeman, fight your way through the research facility and find your way out. No really new enemy types or weapons have been integrated into this add-on, it's more or less the same experience as Half-Life. To be more precise, there are even fewer weapons, as all the alien weapons or experimental weapons are not available to Barney. That's a shame, because I would have liked to have seen some of the typical weapons that you normally see on security guards. This would be an opportunity to swap the crowbar for a baton.

Certain things are still different. Since Barney doesn't have an HEV suit, he can't use charging stations. However, for immersion reasons, these are located throughout the research facility, which is cool and feels that Black Mesa is a lively place. Also, during the course of the game you open up an old locked complex of the facility and then suddenly have older models of the health recharging stations, which adds a nice touch to the atmosphere. Like this facility is really a long forgotten part of the complex where they use old tech and such.

One point in addition to the last statement I have to make, which was already brilliantly done in Opposing Force, was the world building. Here you experience the Resoance Cascade from a different perspective and, as in the main game, you have the opportunity to explore the first passages of the game, talk to every NPC or simply listen to conversations, which is very well done. Later in the game, scenes also offer a certain insight into what the other characters are doing at the time, because the paths cross with the protagonist from time to time or certain events are mentioned by NPCs. It gives you the feeling that the incident is an event that has complex effects and it is exciting to see this from different perspectives.

In addition, an HD model pack was included at the time that provided better models for NPCs and weapons, which could also be used in the main game and Opposing Force. But now this is already integrated into the games anyway, so you wouldn't necessarily have to buy Blue Shift for it. I liked the original models more anyway.

But that doesn't mean it's bad. So basically it's more levels that offer more puzzles and more Half-Life experience, and they're well done for that. Plus, seeing the Black Mesaa incident from another perspective is a must. So if you can't get enough of Half-Life, this short game is also a good choice. And in the sale, the game only costs a few cents.

hl1 but you are barny

Das ist a very short extension pack for the original Half-Life game. I’m not sure how it would go as a separate game. Meanwhile Opposing Force brought new weapons, aliens, and mechanics besides showing events in Black Mesa from another perspective, Blue Shift only shows the perspective of a new character and brings Gordon Freeman as a cameo in some moments. Maybe this game’s length influenced Gearbox Software to make it so. However, it’s worth your time since it’s still a funny first-person shooter; the developers have also brought new puzzles, so you won’t get bored. Additionally, optimization is just great here(even better than in some modern games) - Half-Life: Blue Shift works extremely well on my computer and I don’t have to install dozens of mods or change something in the app’s settings; for whole time I’ve played with it(13 hours) I remember having had this game crashed only once, which is pretty good for a 24-year-old game.
Even though Gearbox hasn’t brought any new mechanics, which is seen well by the absence of a unique Training Room, they still have given us new puzzles. This’ the only difference between the previous 2 games, I guess. Game still makes you think with your own head, like in the chapter of Duty Calls when you’re reluctant to find your way through a big crushing mechanism yourself. Or there’s another good example in the Power Struggle chapter - the wire to dynamite is broken and electricity can’t go through it; therefore you must find something that can conduct electric current(Physics class from school apparently became useful in real life).
Besides adding puzzles they've cut off some content. At first, they brought back the crowbar and the whole set of guns is just a cut copy of one from the original game. Plus, now you can't replenish your suit's health since it's not an electric super technological device anymore and just a simple bulletproof vest which can be replaced by a new one if the old one is broken. It sucks because HEV stations are still on locations which confuses me. I know that it was mentioned in the Training Room and they left it so that it wouldn’t look bizarre, like I'm in a different universe, but it still confuses me.
Like I said, we've got a new protagonist here; it's a Black Mesa’s security guard: Barney Calhoun. He begins his usual day at work, but while he’s on his way Resonance Cascade happens. Then Barney is reluctant to fight his way through aliens and HECU personnel to escape. There is nothing new among enemies Calhoun is dealing with - the same soldiers and monsters from Half-Life. The protagonist meets one scientist who tells him to find Dr. Rosenberg who can save himself and Barney. Having been found, Rosenberg sends Calhoun to a few missions to set up their device which can help them escape Black Mesa. Then they escape and the game is finished. Like I said, the game is very short and 2-3 hours is completely enough for it. But the greatest difference between Blue Shift and what was before in the series is that there is no last boss fight. Maybe the developers were lazy to create a new enemy with its 3D model, textures, and animations; having the absence of anything new in the lists of enemies and weapons, I can guess it was so. Anyway, a new perspective is worth it if you’re a crazy Half-Life fan; otherwise there is a different reason why I can recommend this game.
No, if you’re aroused only by high texture resolution and billions of polygons on an enemy’s teeth which you’ll never see, then get the hell out of here! This’ a game from 2001 and it obviously has an outlook that can tense your eyes. But I like old games for making their own atmospheres; BS isn’t an exception. Its style isn’t far from Half-Life and Half-Life: Opposing Force. It looks pretty formal in Black Mesa and very curious in Xen. Sometimes the aliens’ world looks like a tale, in a good way. But Xen also can cause claustrophobia via its long tunnels; it especially will do so with its tortuous tunnel maze.
All in all, this facet of the game isn’t terrible, and the authors give updates occasionally so that I can play with my native resolution.
There isn’t much to say about the soundtrack. It’s still good and puts energy into the moments when I’m supposed to cosplay Rambo. But sometimes it screws up and plays a bit earlier than it should; for instance, when I’m coming out of a tunnel in Xen to the place where I must do a few actions before I leave, a track begins playing, as though there’s about to be a hard gunfire in a few seconds. But I do what I need to, and only then, after the song stopped, aliens come. Such moments look weird to me.
Anyway, this game’s track list is suitable, which is obviously great!
This’ a great addition to the main storyline. It shows a different point of view during the Cascade Resonance. Besides having brought new lore to the series Half-Life: Blue Shift has gotten a dynamic gameplay. I recommend playing it if you’re a Half-Life fan, or want to learn a bit more about the Half-Life universe, or just like destroying dozens of enemies on your way with a shotgun.