The first-person shooter has evolved since the 1990s, but one of the better single-player campaigns to ever come out for the genre was Half-Life. Valve's iconic franchise debuted in 1998 and its sequel was considered a massive step forward when it came out six years later.
That said, it has been nearly two decades since the release of the last mainline Half-Life game, and while we've gotten some spin-offs and a beloved virtual reality entry, those who loved the original gameplay of the first-person shooter may feel sad that there still is not a Half-Life 3. That said, there are plenty of games worth checking out for those who miss Half-Life.
7 Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Possibly the biggest franchise to call Xbox its primary home, Halo established itself among the best first-person shooters with its initial release on the original console. Those who want to play through the history of great campaigns should check out Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
The entire collection features six titles, including the original trilogy developed by Bungie, as well as other games in the franchise made by both Bungie and 343 Industries. The Halo: The Master Chief Collection includes the original stories told in the universe while also featuring multiplayer and forge modes.
6 Garry's Mod
The Source engine is considered a great platform for game developers to play around in and has been the main engine for many of the best games ever made, including Half-Life 2. Garry's Mod is a sandbox game that allows players to goof around while playing the physics in the engine.
Known for a variety of different multiplayer modes, the base gameplay of Garry's Mod allows players to hang out on different maps, spawn various characters and items, and fuse anything to create ridiculous contraptions. Players who own Half-Life 2 can hang out on maps from the game and spawn different individuals from the story.
5 Portal 2
While two very different games, Half-Life and Portal are based in the same universe. Because of this, it may be worth playing the puzzle game series in its entirety. But to focus on just one, the story depth of Portal 2 may be the most appealing to Half-Life players.
Continuing the story setup from the previous installment, Portal 2 picks up with Chell waking up in the Aperture Science facility attempting to escape with a talking core named Wheatley. However, after GLaDOS is reawakened, Chell is forced to go back to her job of completing puzzle rooms for scientific purposes.
4 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
One of the all-time most notable shooters on PC is Wolfenstein, which helped innovate the first-person shooter genre. Nearly two decades since the first entry of the series made its move to FPS, the franchise is still thriving today with its latest major release being Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus.
As the classic Nazi killer BJ Blazkowicz, players will look to destroy the Nazi regime that failed to fall after the assassination of General Deathshead. A new threat has emerged in Frau Engel and her arsenal. Wolfenstein 2 offers a variety of ways for players to approach the gameplay, with the main goal of killing as many Nazis as possible.
3 Dishonored
Bethesda has plenty of great story-driven first-person shooters, with Arkane Studios being one of the best under the Bethesda umbrella of developing creative experiences that go beyond just shooting enemies with a gun. Dishonored was Arkane's first big title under the Bethesda brand, and it's seen as one of their best works.
As Corvo Attano, a bodyguard accused of murdering the empress he swore to protect, players will look to fight back against the conspiracy and clear his name with the help of the Loyalists. Corvo earns the best powers in Dishonored thanks to a being called the Outsider that allows him to do things such as slowing time, teleporting, and summoning a swarm of rats.
2 Titanfall 2
When it comes to some of the best single-player first-person shooter campaigns in history, Half-Life 2 is firmly in the conversation. Another game that is talked about a lot in that same vein is Titanfall 2, a game that came out nearly 12 years after the release of Valve's big hit.
Developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA, Titanfall 2 tells the story of Jack Cooper and Titan BT-7274 as they work together to prevent the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation from destroying their planet as they know it. Heavily inspired by Half-Life 2, the game's single-player mode was newly added after the predecessor didn't have one.
1 Black Mesa
After being in development for years, Black Mesa hit Steam out of early access in March 2020, over 20 years after the original Half-Life was released. The game is a fan remake of the classic first-person shooter, reimaging the game in a more modern sense while keeping core gameplay and story elements intact.
The most notable change made in Black Mesa is how the game looks, with almost every texture in the game being completely remade. However, the biggest adjustment in the remake is the changes to the Xen levels, which are the final levels of the original Half-Life that were often criticized.