SummaryWe're back in the Black Mesa compound yet again for the second "official" expansion for 1998's groundbreaking first-person shooter "Half-Life." Take the role of security guard Barney Calhoun who, like Gordon Freeman, is given the task of wiping out every nasty extraterrestrial or misled soldier who crosses his path. (Also includes the first HL ex... Read More
Rated Mfor Mature
Developer:Gearbox Software
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Released On:
Jun 12, 2001
Metascore
Mixed or Average
71
User score
Generally Favorable
7.5
My Score
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All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
71
32% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
68% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
90
Bottom Line is, although it is flawed this game still kicks major ass with steel tipped boot.
80
Just know that you're in for a short ride that will leave you yearning for a full-fledged sequel.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.5
53% Positive
324 Ratings
324 Ratings
43% Mixed
266 Ratings
266 Ratings
4% Negative
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
Apr 19, 2025
10
It isnt a grate game,but,for me its ok,i wanted at least 1 or 2 new weapons,a new enemy maeby,but still,i likes It.
Why i am giving It 10/10,idk,its a halfLife game
Jun 24, 2023
10
(spoilers to Half-life 1) Honestly, the game isn't worth the 5$ it sells for on steam. The game is only 4 hours and I finished it in a weekend afternoon. Some puzzles were somewhat confusing but overall the game was pretty easy. However I think that it works out in the end. Half-life specifically had Gordon Freeman as the main character because he was much more relatable then someone like the doom guy, but the further we go through the main story the less relatable he becomes, after all he's the main character. On another hand Calhoun is a blue collar worker with an undecided major that doesn't get to fight the thing holding up portals between realms. Calhoun is your average joe that doesn't get to do much stuff, the game doesn't even have all of the weapons from the original game available to the player. In the end he's just a security guard. Now I know that the game was probably made like this due to it just being a cash grab after the success of the opposing force but I did enjoy playing Blue-shift however if there is any way to get it for a lower price I would strongly advice to do that instead of paying the 5$.
74
The thing that ultimately forces me to give it a low rating is how damnably short it is – the game ending just as you are starting to get involved in the plot.
70
If you don't own "Opposing Force," get it. If you do, then don't expect a repeat performance.
70
Short but sweet.
62
If you've never played "Half-Life" or "Opposing Force," you'll be blissfully unaware that Blue Shift has the same weapons, the same monsters, and the same basic cast of characters. But it's still a blast to play.
50
Essentially a graphics enhancement pack bundled with a short single-player campaign and a title many have already played, all for around 20 dollars after rebate.
Jul 4, 2026
7
This is the weakest game in the whole Half-Life series, where you play as Calhoun trying to escape black mesa, this is the crummiest and not by valve, so it's not canon, like opposing force was amazing, this is very very short, which that's good, I mean this was originally meant to be a dreamcast expansion but they put it on pc and crapped it out. -JB
Jan 31, 2026
7
While it has a stronger narrative then the other 2. Blue Shift feels like its missing a chapter or 2. It's still Half-Life, so it's still good. I just wish it was longer, and introduced a new weapon or 2. It does come with the HD pack, tho that is long included with the steam versions. Maybe we should be removing all the score because of that. It completly changes the artstyle of the game, the blue shift HD models are also lower quality then the other 2 expansion's versions. Anyways, regardless, Blue Shift also nicely reanimates a few of the SD viewmodels, which are lost if you use the new models. The mapping is also higher quality then the base game, and OP4. Oh this also came with op4's CTF gamemode, and OP4. Also removes the safedisc requirement for op4. which i didn;t understand as a kid. THat was the reason i couldnt ever play op4. You'd need a cd rom from 1998, or something. And this was Windows XP, before you think I'm talking about 10 lol. Oh well it came in a pack with this. so.
Jun 28, 2021
4
More of a themed level pack than proper expansion Half Life: Blue Shift is an unremarkable story a security guard escaping Black Mesa. I recommend this only if you are desperate for more Half Life.
Oct 17, 2024
3
A cheap cash-grab off the HL1 license. Poor level design filled with dead ends and needle in a haystack progression triggers, paired with obnoxious unintuitive puzzles and buggy escort missions. Also rather short at 6.5 hours to complete, although that's not necessarily unwelcome in this case.
