When Half-Life first came out in 1999 I was about 11 years old, and I really wasn't into video games. But come late 2004, Half-Life 2 came out, and when I read the PC Gamer review(98%) and saw some screenshots, I went to GameStop to get it. The guy at the counter asked me if I had played Half-Life. I told him no. He then said, since I was under 17 he had no obligation to sell me the M rated game Half-Life 2, until I had bought, played and beaten Half-Life. So I bought Half-Life, went home, loaded it, and started playing. Imediatly I was suprised at how good the graphics were, especially for a game from 1999. The graphics in Half-Life could easily compete with many of the games in the 2000's. Also, the sound extremely good, hearing the slightest of noises. The story is pretty basic, but good enough to keep you interested in that area. You are Gordon Freeman, researcher at Black Mesa Labs. Your expirement has gone very wrong, releasing a bunch of aliens into the labs. The government has sent soldiers in to "clean things up" and you are faced with fighting for your life against aliens and human soldiers. The gameplay is awesome, and the weapons are very good. Online play is fabulous, especially if you have Counter-Strike. So, despite Call of Duty, Doom 3, the Battlefield series, WarCraft 3, Neverwinter Nights, or any other game that is mind-blowing, Half-Life is the best game I have ever played, and in my opinion, the best game ever.