Half-Life Walkthrough
By: S_T_A_L_K_E_R

	I	General Strategies
	A	The Armory
1 Weapons
2 Miscellaneous Items
B	The Bestiary
1 Early-Game Enemies
2 Mid-Game Enemies
3 Late-Game Enemies
C	General Strategy
1 Adjusting Initial Settings
2 Movement Fundamentals
3 Key Tactics
4 Matching Weapons to Situations 
5 General Techniques
II	The Half-Life Walkthrough
	A	Walkthrough Part 1
1 Black Mesa Inbound
2 Anomalous Materials
3 Unforeseen Consequences
4 Office Complex
B	Walkthrough Part 2
1 We've Got Hostiles
2 Blast Pit
C	Walkthrough Part 3
1 Power Up
2 On a Rail
D	Walkthrough Part 4
1 Apprehension
2 Residue Processing
3 Questionable Ethics
E	Walkthrough Part 5
1 Surface Tension
F	Walkthrough Part 6
1 "Forget about Freeman!"
2 Lambda Core
3 Xen
4 Gonarch's Lair
G	Walkthrough Part 7
1 Interloper
2 The End
III	Multiplayer
	A	Multiplayer Half-Life
1 Preliminaries
2 Joining Up
3 Advanced Tips
IV	Codes
V	Credits
	A	Who Wrote the Walkthrough
	B	Contact Me
General Strategies

The Armory

Weapons

	Rather than sort the weapons by category, I've listed them in 
order of appearance in the single-player game. This corresponds roughly 
to weapon power; in other words, you tend to receive the least powerful 
weapons near the start of the single-player game, and the most powerful 
near the end. This isn't strictly the case; however, as you'll see if 
you read a bit further.
	Weapons with the long name typically are referred to with an 
abbreviated name throughout this walkthrough. In the descriptions that 
follow, the abbreviated name appears in parentheses after the proper 
name - for example, "9 mm Semi-Automatic Pistol (Pistol)." Later, when 
you read "Pistol" you'll know I mean the 9 mm.
	
Crowbar

Damage: 10 pts per whack
Ammo: N/A
Max Ammo: N/A
	The Crowbar is the first weapon you collect, and it's the only 
weapon that doesn't require ammunition. It's fairly potent hand-to-
hand, but obviously you can't use it against medium to long-long range 
targets.
	You use the Crowbar in the following situations:
? To damage or destroy objects. Never waste valuable ammo destroying 
crates, barrels, or other breakable objects if you don't have to. 
The Crowbar is the weapon of choice against inanimate objects. Of 
course, some objects are close enough to bash, and others are too 
dangerous to sand close to (explosive barrels come to mind). Destroy 
these objects with other weapons.
? To kill weak enemies. Some enemies, such as lone Mawmen, are easy to 
dispatch with a series of swift Crowbar blows. To waste ammunition 
on such enemies is foolish.
? In extremely tight quarters. The Crowbar often is the best weapon 
for crawling through ventilation ducts and other close environments; 
any enemy you encounter is likely to be at close range, and thus a 
prime candidate for a Crowbar blow to the head.
? To kill small, swarming enemies. Fore example, when swimming 
underwater, occasionally swarms of tiny, irritating Hagworms will 
block your way. The Crowbar is the best way to kill these, and any 
other tiny foes so close, or so agile, that shooting them is nearly 
impossible.
? Whenever ammo is limited. If you can't afford to waste ammunition, 
you must make do with the Crowbar.

9 mm Semi-Automatic (Pistol)

	As you might expect, you don't want to use the Crowbar against 
enemies that present a real threat. Engage truly dangerous foes at 
medium to long range with the potent weapons; getting close enough to 
use the Crowbar on these usually is a bad idea.
	In multiplayer game, ammo typically is plentiful and heavy-
hitting weapons reign. The Crowbar is virtually useless in multiplayer, 
unless you want to humiliate a truly inferior opponent.

Damage: 8 pts per shot
Ammo: 17-bullet clips
Max. Ammo: 18 bullets in gun, 250 bullets in reserve
	Soon after collecting the Crowbar, you'll locate a Pistol. The 
Pistol isn't a potent weapon, but it's ideal for picking off small 
enemies from a distance, where they have a hard time counter-attacking.
The best creatures to fight with your Pistol include Mawmen, Headcrabs, 
and Houndeyes. These creatures either possess no long-range attack, or 
have long-range attacks that you can dodge. With these sorts of foes, 
simply hang back and dodge, occasionally firing a few pistil rounds 
until you're victorious.
	The Pistol is one of the more accurate long-range weapons in your 
possession. Thus, it's useful in extremely long-range duels where power 
isn't a great concern.
	On the downside, the Pistol lacks close-range power, even in 
secondary fire mode, and isn't great fore destroying inanimate objects. 
For a more effective close-range attack, try the Shotgun.

Semi-Automatic Assault Shotgun (Shotgun)

Damage (primary): 5 pts per pellet, 6 pellets per shot (maximum 30 pts 
per shot)
Damage (secondary): 5 pts per pellet, 12 pellets per shot (maximum 60 
damage per shot)
Ammo: Hand-loaded shells, up to 8 at once
Max Ammo: 8 shells in the gun, 125 in reserve
	The Shotgun fires a tight cluster of lead pellets that gradually 
scatter at long range. The weapon is most effective at medium range to 
close range, where all the pellets are likely to hit their mark.
	The Shotgun's secondary fire mode is arguably more useful that 
it's primary one. In secondary fire mode, it fires two shells 
simultaneously for twice the power; the drawbacks are its wider pellet 
spread (fore decreased accuracy at long range), and slightly longer 
reload time.
	Because the Shotgun Fires in discrete, powerful bursts, it lends 
itself to hit-and-run tactics where you leap out from behind obstacle, 
fire a shell, and then duck for cover.
	Use the Shotgun when you're likely to face close-range foes. Put 
it away when you're likely to engage in long-range duel; even in 
primary fire mode, it's less than ideal.
	Reloading the Shotgun is always a matter of concern. Because each 
shell loads separately, the reloading process is quite time-consuming 
compared to that of other weapons. It's in your best interest to press 
the "Reload" key during quite moments, so you'll have a full complement 
of ammunition when the lead starts flying.
	In multiplayer games, maximize the Shotgun's strengths and 
minimize its weaknesses by lurking in small confined areas. Avoid open 
areas, where players wielding other weapons usually can get the best of 
you.

Fragmentation Grenades (Grenades)

Damage: 100 (less if the hit is indirect)
Ammo: You can only hold one at a time
Max Ammo: 10
	Fragmentation Grenades are extremely potent, yet they're very 
easy to misuse. Miscalculate slightly and you'll end up bouncing them 
back into your own lap instead of depositing them at the enemy's feet.
	Grenades blow up after a short delay, during which they tend to 
roll around. Practice throwing Grenades at different angles and watch 
how they roll; getting them to land where you want them to is something 
of a fine art.
	The Grenade's biggest weakness-slow and somewhat indirect 
delivery-is also its biggest asset. You can lob Grenades over a low 
wall or bounce them around a corner to damage an unseen threat; this is 
an excellent way to clear out laser mines.
	Grunts often use Grenades to flush you out from behind cover. You 
can use them that way too, although enemies often will move away as 
soon as they notice the Grenade.
	Don't try to use Grenades in normal combat situations. A tough 
enemy with a direct, straight-shooting attack can usually capitalize on 
your delayed Grenades. Instead, use them for sneak attacks on enemies 
that haven't discovered your presence, throw them into high-traffic 
areas for cheap multiplayer kills, or lob them over obstacles to clear 
out threats you don't want to fire at directly.

Combat Rifle with Grenade Launcher (Combat Rifle)

Damage (primary): 5 pts per bullet (maximum 250 damage per clip)
Damage (secondary): 100 (less if hit is indirect)
Ammo: 50 bullet clips, Combat Rifle Grenades
Max Ammo: 50 bullets in gun 200 bullets in reserve, 10 Combat Rifle 
Grenades
	The Combat Rifle is a great all-around weapon. Its rapid rate of 
fire makes it a heavy hitter, and its precision makes it effective at 
any range. The grenades it launches in secondary fire mode are 
extremely potent, especially against multiple enemies or particularly 
though foes.
	The Combat Rifle shines when you're in unknown territory and 
don't know what sorts of enemies to expect. Other weapons can be 
awkward in this situation, because they aren't appropriate against 
certain foes; just try entering a room full of Grunts with a Pistol 
drawn.
	You'll never have this problem with the Combat Rifle. It may not 
me ideal against every target, but it's very good against most things. 
Want to kill a Headcrab? Just fire sparingly, shooting one or two 
bullets at a time to save ammo. How about a Grunt? Hold the trigger 
down for fully automatic gunfire. What about a huge monster, or 
multiple enemies in a tight formation? Use the Combat Rifle's secondary 
fire mode to launch a Grenade.
Because the Combat Rifle deals damage in a steady stream rather than in 
discrete bursts, it demands different tactics from, say, a Shotgun. 
Although the Shotgun is ideal for hit-and-run, the best way to use the 
Combat Rifle is to circle-strafe (see General Strategy for more info)
	Use the Combat Rifle frequently, in both single-player and 
multiplayer.

.357 Magnum Revolver (.357 Magnum)

Damage: 40 pts per shot
Ammo: 6 bullets, hand-loaded
Max Ammo: 6 bullets in gun, 36 in reserve
	The .357 Magnum is a true heave hitter. Like the Shotgun, it 
deals dame in discrete, powerful packages, making it a good hit-and-run 
weapon. It holds two fewer rounds in it's chamber than the Shotgun, but 
because the Shotgun must fire two shells at once for full impact, the 
.357 Magnum compares in terms of ammo capacity.
	The .357 Magnum. Like the Shotgun, is great for point-blank 
attacks on enemies rounding a corner. The magnum is slightly less 
potent than a double-barrel Shotgun attack at close range assuming the 
Shotgun hits with all 12 pellets (it doesn't always). Also, the Shotgun 
takes much longer to reload, which makes the .357 Magnum better against 
multiple targets.
	Adding to the .357 Magnum's versatility is its range: it's as 
effective against distant targets as close ones. It's a highly accurate 
weapon, great for picking Xen Masters out of the sky or shooting 
distant snipers.
	Once you get hold of a .357 Magnum, you'll want to use it all the 
time in the single-player game. It's especially valuable when you must 
dispatch multiple targets quickly. The limiting factor is ammunition, 
which you'll go through fast.
	The .357 Magnum isn't quite as potent in multiplayer games, where 
incendiary weapons suck as the Combat Rifle Grenades and RPGs are so 
plentiful, there's often no need to conserve them. But the Magnum still 
has advantages over those weapons: its shots are instantaneous, have 
unlimited range, and can't backfire. You'll use this weapon a lot.

Laser-Triggered Claymore (Laser Mine)

Damage: 150 (less if target isn't at point-black range)
Ammo: You can only hold one at a time
Max Ammo: 5
	The Laser Mind is a sneaky weapon that's immensely powerful but 
hard to use properly. Its value is much greater in multiplayer games 
than in single-player, but it has its uses in both modes.
	You can toss Laser Mines onto any nearby surface, including 
walls, floors, and ceilings (if you're close enough to get them up 
there). They stick to the surface you throw them at, and after a second 
emit a laser beam. The  Laser Mine detonates when someone or something 
interrupts the beam or when the mine itself is shot.
	In single-player games, you can use Laser Mines to kill pursuers 
or lay them where you suspect your enemies will walk. Because the 
mines' laser beams are highly visible, try to place them where your 
enemy is unlikely to spot them until it's too late-around corners, 
under drop-offs and at the tops or bottoms of ladders.

Satchel Charge

Damage: 150 (less if target isn't at point-blank range)
Ammo: You can only hold one at a time
Max Ammo: 5
	Satchel Charges are small packs of explosives. When you pull the 
trigger in primary fire mode, a Satchel Charge will slide onto the 
floor if front of you. Pull the trigger a second time to detonate the 
explosives.
	In secondary fire mode, you can drop multiple Satchel Charges. 
Then, press the primary fire button to detonate them all at once.
	Like the Laser-Triggered Claymore, the Satchel Charge is 
extremely potent but hard to use properly. Generally, it's easier to 
use; however.
	Use Satchel Charges against enemies that approach from around a 
corner or down a long hallway: throw down the Satchel Charge, retreat, 
and detonate it when the enemy gets close. Satchel Charges are also 
good against massive, slow-moving enemies, such as Tanks, and durable 
boss monsters.
	In multiplayer game, you can get a lot of mileage out of setting 
traps with Satchel Charges, watching from a hiding spot, and detonating 
them with an enemy gets close. And Satchel Charges are better than both 
Grenades and Laser Mines for killing pursuers because you can control 
exactly when to detonate them.

Crossbow

Damage: 50 pts per shot
Ammo: 5-bolt clips
Max Ammo: 5 bolts in Crossbow, 50 in reserve
	The Crossbow is far more potent than you might expect. Its bolts 
deal massive damage-more than the .357 Magnum, itself a heavy-hitting 
weapon. This power comes at a price; however, and thanks to certain 
disadvantages, the Crossbow isn't ideal for all situations.
	Crossbow bolts travel quickly, but they aren't instantaneous, 
like bullets. This makes the Crossbow a bad choice against extremely 
fast enemies, such as the Assassin, and against any moving enemy at 
long range. Stationary, slow-moving, or reasonably close enemies; 
however, are all fair game.
	The Crossbow can hold only a small number of bolts at once, and 
its reload time is agonizingly slow, much like the Shotgun. Thus, the 
Crossbow is a bad choice in situations where you need firepower on 
demand, and a single clip of bolts can't finish off all your enemies.
	On the other hand, in addition to its great power, the Crossbow 
has certain unique abilities. Its scope makes it good against 
stationary, unwary foes, and you can fire it underwater, unlike every 
other weapon except Grenades and the Crowbar. Thus, it's crucial for 
killing Ichthyosaurs and underwater denizens.
	Also, the Crossbow is quiet, and its secondary fire mode toggles 
a zoom lens that magnifies enemies. This makes it perfect for sniping 
immobile enemies from long range, often with a lethal shot.

Snark

Damage: 10 pts per attack (see description)
Ammo: You can only hold one at a time
Max Ammo: 15 Snarks
	Snarks are small alien creatures you can collect and throw at 
enemies. When released, Snarks scuttle around and leap at the nearest 
enemy, dealing respectable damage over a period of several seconds.
	Snarks die on taking any damage whatsoever, and the explode after 
about 15 seconds. However, their tiny size and excellent speed make 
them difficult to hit with non explosive weapons, so they-re seldom 
killed.
	Although Snarks are quite fast, they often lose track of their 
prey if it runs around multiple corners and make a concerted effort to 
flee. This is important to know, because if you throw down a Snark and 
you're the closest target, it's likely to come after you. You'll 
encounter a few enemy Snarks over the course of both single-player and 
multiplayer games, and it's good to know that "fight" is your best 
option.
	Snarks are a good distraction weapon in multiplayer games, 
damaging enemies and breaking their concentration. Snarks are slightly 
less useful in single-player games, although you can use them to combat 
other small enemies, such as Headcrabs, or any foes you want to damage 
without exposing yourself to risk.
	Note: If you throw a Snark without any enemy around, it will come 
after you.

Tau Cannon

Damage (primary): 20 pts per shot
Damage (secondary): Variable (highly damaging)
Ammo: Primary fire mode uses 2 units of uranium per shot; secondary 
fire mode uses up to 12 units of uranium per shot
Max Ammo: 100 units of uranium
	The Tau Cannon is an extremely potent weapon with two very 
different fire modes. In it's primary mode, it shoots laser-like energy 
beams. These beams may not seem to deal that much damage on paper, but 
you can shoot them in rapid succession-much faster than a .357 Magnum 
or a crossbow. And because there's no need to reload, the weapon is 
always at the ready, unless you're out of ammunition.
	The Tau Cannon's secondary fire mode requires you to hold down 
the button and charge up. When you let the button go, all the energy is 
releases in a single, damaging shot. This mode is good against heavy 
targets, such as Apache helicopters.
	Bother fire modes are extremely accurate, and although the weapon 
generates a beam rather than a bullet, the beam reaches its target in 
no time.
	The Tau Cannon has a few drawbacks; however. Fore one, you can 
hold the button down for only a limited time in secondary fire mode, 
and them the weapon overheats and it damages you. So be careful, and 
once you see the weapon has used all the ammo it can use, fire it 
within a couple of seconds. Also, the Tau Cannon packs quite a kick, 
and moves you backward as you fire. Unless you're propped against a 
wall, then, prepare to slide around.
	Finally, ammunition is the constant concern. Although you can 
hold 100 units of uranium at once, the Tau Cannon chews through ammo 
quickly in either fire mode. To make matters worse, the Gluon Gun, 
another high-powered weapon, also uses uranium. This is more of a 
problem in single-player mode than in multiplayer, where ammo tends to 
be plentiful.

Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher with Laser Designator (RPG)

Damage: 100 pts (less for indirect hits)
Ammo: Rockets; only one can be loaded at a time
Max Ammo: 1 rocket in weapon, 5 rockets in reserve
	The RPG is a potent weapon. As the name suggests, its projectiles 
are essentially Grenades attached to a high-speed delivery system.
	In its primary fire mode, the RPG emits a read laser dot that 
paints the target. You can "steer" the rocket in midair simply by 
aiming the laser dot after you've fired; the rocket homes in on the 
dot. The benefits are obvious: you can easily hit a moving enemy just 
by keeping the red dot squarely on target.
	Pressing the secondary fire button toggles the laser on and off. 
When the laser is off, rockets are dumb-fired; that is you can't steer 
them in midair. This actually can be useful. For example, if your enemy 
is lighting your up with heavy gunfire, you can't afford to stand 
around pointing a laser. Instead, disable the laser, take a quick shot, 
and then get back behind cover without worrying about aiming the 
rocket.
	The RPG is no more powerful than a standard Grenade, so its main 
asset is its ability to deliver a Grenade-like payload quickly, 
accurately, and at long range. In the single-player game, save the RPG 
for battles with Apaches, Tanks, emplaced Gun Turrets, and other big 
threats. In multiplayer games, on the other hand, you can use the RPG 
indiscriminately.
	If you're a fan of other 3-D action games, be warned: although 
the RPG is indeed potent, it's not the all-powerful weapon it is in 
other games. It can chamber only one rocket at a time, you can hold 
only a few rockets in reserve, and it has a lengthy reload time, so 
it's risky for multiplayer use. Weigh the weapon's power against the 
delay before you can get off a second shot.

Hivehand

Damage: 8 pts per hornet
Ammo: Hornets, generated within the hivehand itself
Max Ammo: Infinite
	The Hivehand is a curious alien weapon that shoots the alien 
equivalent of hornets. It's the weapon Alien Grunts are equipped with; 
late in the single-player game, you'll get one too.
	In its primary fire mode, the weapon discharges hornets that fly 
slowly, but hone in on their targets. The Hivehand's rate of fire is 
decent but not awe-inspiring. Secondary fire mode fires those same 
hornets far more rapidly, and at higher velocity, but they don't home 
in; instead they fly in a straight line.
	The Hivehand always has maximum of eight hornets ready to fire. 
It generates new hornets at a reasonable pace, so you can fire more or 
less continual stream of Hornets at your foes-but the stream becomes 
quite slow unless you allow the weapon to recharge. Experiment to get a 
fell for what it's capable of.
	Unlike other weapons you'll pick up this late in the game, the 
Hivehand isn't terribly powerful. It deals moderate damage and is good 
against small to medium-sized targets; but once it runs out of its 
initial hornet supply, its rate of fire becomes too slow for genuinely 
intense combat situations. In these cases, a faster-firing weapon might 
serve you better.
	Despite these drawbacks, in the single-player game you should 
always use the Hivehand if you fell you can get away with it. To put it 
another way, every enemy you kill with the Hivehand is an enemy you 
didn't have to waste a bullet on-and that saved ammo comes in handy 
later in the game.
During the game's later stages, then, try to use the Hivehand whenever 
you don't fell genuinely threatened. Use it to pick off lone Vorigaunts 
or packs of Headcrabs. Also, use it when you can hide behind cover and 
prevent the enemy from getting a straight shot at you. Then you can 
often use the Hivehand's primary fire mode to shoot homing hornets that 
slowly kill your enemy while you sit in safety.

Gluon Gun

Damage (Primary): 14 pts per unit of uranium spent
Ammo: Uranium; how much is used depends on how long the trigger is held
Max Ammo: 100 units of uranium
	The Gluon Gun is the last weapon you'll receive in the single-
player game. It has only a single fire mode, but it's incredible 
potent: pull the trigger and hold it down, and a vortex of deadly 
energy flies out in a straight line. The Gluon gun is highly accurate 
and deals awe-inspiring damage.
	The only downside is the Gluon Gun's ability to chew through 
ammunition. The rate of ammo drainage is astounding, so that after only 
a few seconds of continuous fire you can go from 100 units of uranium 
down to zero.
	In single-player games, you must hold onto the Gluon Gun and use 
it only in times of dire need. It's ideal both for situations where 
you're facing a single huge fore, and when you must cleat out multiple 
smaller foes quickly.
	Again, you needn't be quite so conservative in multiplayer games. 
Use the Gluon Gun whenever you have the ammo and watch your enemies 
dissolve.

Miscellaneous
Items

	Here's a look at some of the miscellaneous items, both portable 
and permanent, you'll encounter throughout the game.

The HEV suit

You collect the HEV Suit early in the game, and it never leaves you. It 
provides you with certain baseline functions even when it doesn't have 
any power, and it generates protective armor when it does have a power 
supply. (Power comes in two forms, the HEV Station and Batteries, both 
discussed later)
	The HEV Suit give you a numerical readout of both your current 
health status (from zero to 100) and the suit's power status (also zero 
to 100). Power is equivalent to armor; the suit loses power as it 
absorbs damage that otherwise would have injured you.
	It's flashlight works regardless of whether the Suite has any 
power left; it has its own power supply that slowly drains while it is 
turned on, and charges back up while it's off. If you leave the 
flashlight on too long, it runs out of power and turns itself off 
automatically.
	Whenever you're damaged, the HEV Suit flashes red damage 
indicators that tell you where the damage is coming from. An indicator 
on the lift side of your screen means that you were attacked from the 
left; and indicator on the right means the damage came from the right. 
A high indicator mans you were damaged from the front, and a low one 
means you were damaged from the rear.
	Finally, the HEV Suit icons explain what's damaging you. A 
snowflake indicates cold damage; a radiation symbol means you're in a 
radioactive area; a Biohazard symbol means your standing on something 
toxic, and so on. There's no icon for creature attacks or weapon fire, 
so if you see no icon you're probably being damaged by a creature, not 
an environmental hazard.

Ammo

You'll find ammunition of many kinds as you progress through 
Half-Life. Most of it is self-explanatory. Pistol ammo comes in clips, 
Shotgun shells come in shell boxes, Crossbow ammo comes in arrow clips, 
Tau Cannon ammo comes in a box marked with a radiation symbol.
	The only confusing ammunition item is a "mixed ammo" 
canister. Very late in the game you'll encounter several of these. They 
contain various types of ammo, and you won't know what in them until 
you pick them up.

First Aid Kits and First Aid Stations

	You health is restored primarily via First Aid Kits, which you 
must walk over to collect, and First Aid Stations, which are attached 
to walls. Their healing value depends on the level of game difficulty.
	At Easy and Medium difficulty, First Aid Kits provide 15 health. 
They provide only 10 health at Hard difficulty. First Aid Stations can 
bestow 50 health at easy difficulty, but only 40 at Medium, and a 
meager 25 at Hard.
	Late in the game, in alien territory, you won't find any first 
aid stations. You will; however, find small blue pools and blue 
structures that look a bit like phone booths. These restore health, 
just like First Aid Stations.

Batteries and HEV Stations

	Batteries and HEV Stations power up your HEV Suit, just as first 
Aid Kits and First Aid Stations restore your health. As with healing 
items, their benefits vary depending on game difficulty: Batteries 
bestow 15 energy at Easy and Medium difficulties, and 10 at Hard. HEV 
Stations bestow 75 energy at Easy, 50 at Medium, and 35 at Hard.
The Bestiary

	You'll encounter a wide variety of enemies in Half-Life. These 
rage from alien creatures to government troops, and all are capable of 
making your life miserable and short. This section examines these 
enemies, with information on their strengths, weaknesses, and 
behaviors, and provides relevant tips on how best to beat them.
	Read on, and learn about these creature the easy way-infinitely 
preferable the hard way.

Early-Game Enemies

	The enemies in following roster appear in the earliest stages of 
the single-player game. They aren't too formidable compared to later 
foes, but they're more then capable of taking you out, especially if 
you approached them without first considering your strategy.

Headcrab

Health: 10/10/20
Damage: Bite, 5/10/10
	Headcrabs are the first enemies you'll encounter in Half-Life. 
These tine, scuttling creature look inconsequential, but don't ignore 
then; if they latch onto your head and penetrate your brain, you'll 
become a mindless Mawman. As you wonder the ruins of the Anomalous 
Materials Lab, you'll encounter many examples of their handiwork.
	Headcrabs aren't a major threat to an armed and vigilant player, 
but because they're small, you may fail to notice them. Take care not 
to let Headcrabs wear you down for your encounters with other enemies.
	Headcrabs possess no long-range attack, but can leap at your face 
from short to medium range. Shoot them from long range, then, so they 
don't have a chance to strike back.
	The Pistol is the ideal way to kill Headcrabs. It's accurate, 
requires only a few shots, and can destroy them from ranges where they 
can't retaliate. Using anything more than a Pistol to kill Headcrabs is 
overkill, and a potential waste of ammunition.
	In enclosed spaces, suck as ventilation ducts, the Crowbar also 
is effective.

Barnacle

Health: 10/10/10
Damage: Falling Damage, instant death if it drags you all the way up
	The Barnacle is a silent, deadly creature that attaches itself to 
the ceiling and waists. When a roughly human-sized victim passes 
beneath it, the Barnacle snatches it with its long tongue and pulls it 
up to its waiting claws.
	Barnacles typically hang in cluster or colonies; if you see one, 
you can bet there are more nearby. They can be easy to miss, especially 
where they're far above eye level.
	Your best defense against Barnacles is to scan new areas 
thoroughly as you enter them, paying close attention to the ceiling. 
The Barnacles, stand back and dispatch them with multiple Pistol or 
Hivehand shots (or any weapon you have the most ammo for). As long as 
you don't stand directly beneath them, they can't counterattack. 
Methodically clear all Barnacles from the area, even the seemingly out-
of-the-way places. You don't want to forget about them and run under 
them later!
	If you do wander beneath a barnacle you'll immediately be 
snatched up and dragged skyward. When this happens, look straight up 
immediately and fire your weapon rapidly. Kill the Barnacle before you 
dragged all the way up, and you'll drop to the floor unharmed. If 
you're slow; however, you will be damaged not only by the Barnacle's 
sharp claws, but from a long dangerous fall.

Mawmen (Zombie)

Health: 50/50/100
Damage: Single strike, 10/20/20; Double strike, 25/40/40
	The Mawman, created when a Headcrab latches onto a living human's 
head, is a fearsome sight-a shambling monster out of a nightmare. After 
fighting them a few times; however, the nightmarish quality subsides. 
True, Mawmen can inflict serious damage with their long, razor-sharp 
claws, but they possess no long-range attacks-and their slow foot speed 
means they can't catch up to you if you make it a point to backtrack as 
you fight.
	Any weapon can make a short work of a Mawman, even the lowly 
Crowbar. If you choose the latter, you'll succeed if you charge in, 
swing the Crowbar a few times, and then dash back and wait for the 
Mawman to swipe both arms at you. Then charge in again for another 
swift attack. If you're good, you won't take any return damage.
	You have noting to fear from a Mawman if you fight it in open 
areas. It's in enclosed spaces that Mawmen require more attention. If 
you get caught in a tight spot with a Mawman, consider fleeing to 
familiar territory and confront it in a bigger area. There's no reason 
no to pick and choose your fights.

Houndeye

Health: 20/20/30
Damage: Sonic blast, 10/15/15 (singly; increases with numbers)
	Houndeyes are thee-legged alien animals with huge, sonic "eyes" 
that they use for navigation and attack. Houndeyes aren't terribly 
fast, but they possess a number of attributes that make them tough-
especially in packs.	
	The Houndeye's attack is a sonic blast. You can tell when it's 
coming, because it "charges up" for a second to two before letting 
loose. When you can, confront Houndeyes near a corner or large 
obstacle, or fight in a large, open area where you can hide to avoid 
the sonic blast or retreat to a distance where it does less damage.
	Houndeyes prefer to hunt in packs, and it's in packs that they're 
most dangerous. They tend to attack simultaneously, flanking their 
targets to prevent escape.
	Their sonic attacks increase in intensity with each additional 
Houndeye. Thus, they actually gain strength in numbers, because their 
attacks gain additional resonance and power. This makes packs of 
Houndeyes tougher than they appear, especially if you're used to 
encountering them singly.
	A good policy is to retreat as you fight them, firing all the 
while. Force them to approach you from a great distances, where you can 
shred them with a Pistol or Combat Rifle, or from around a corner, 
where you can dispatch them with a Shotgun blast.

Vortigaunt

Health: 30/30/60
Damage: Minor rake, 8/10/10; Major rake, 25/25/25; Electrical bolt, 
10/10/15
	Vortigaunts are low-caste aliens with powerful electrical 
attacks. They usually aren't a major threat; however, because they 
aren't terribly fast or durable. If you let them stick around, they can 
deal significant damage. But by spotting them immediately and shooting 
them with a reasonably powerful weapon, you can neutralize them before 
they can get in a single attack.
	Vortigaunts "charge up" briefly before their electrical attacks. 
This gives you time to duck behind a convenient obstacle. You're in 
trouble if there are no obstacles at hand; though, because Vortigaunts 
seldom miss a target that's out in the open.
	Vortigaunt attack speed is up by 50% at Hard difficulty level.
	The Shotgun is a good weapon for killing Vortigaunts, as the 
Combat Rifle. The Pistol also works well, if you have sufficient cover, 
and can afford to kill the Vortigaunt as a leisurely pace.
	Using powerful weapons, such as the .357 Magnum or Crossbow, is 
usually overkill, unless  the situation is unusual-if there are 
multiple enemies, for example, or there's no cover, and you must 
eliminate the Vortigaunt quickly.

Midgame Enemies

	These enemies appear near the game's middle stages. Generally 
speaking, they're a much tougher crew than the foes you'll have 
encountered up to then.

Bullsquid

Health: 40/40/120
Damage: Bite, 15/25/25; Whip, 25/35/35; Spit, 10/15/15
	Bullsquids are squat, powerful alien creatures that can spit acid 
or physically attack you at close range. The key to fighting them 
successfully is to keep your distance: the Bullsquid's acid spit isn't 
as bad as its close-range attacks. Also, the spit travels slower than 
most projectiles, and you can dodge it relatively easily.
	Bullsquids can be high-priority or low-priority enemies, 
depending on their position. If you're far away from them and all they 
can do is spit at you, the Pistol is sufficient for bringing them down. 
You won't even need any cover, because their spit is slow enough to 
dodge.
	On the other hand, a Bullsquid that pops up a close range is a 
genuine threat. Lay it low with a double-barreled Shotgun blast, or 
perhaps a .357 Magnum shot. At hard difficulty level, it will take 
multiple shots. Backpedal and maintain distance as you fire: 
Bullsquids' close-range attacks are not only damaging, but they can 
disorient you, making the fight that much harder.

Stationary Weapons

Health: Varies
Damage: Varies
	You'll encounter a variety of stationary weapons throughout the 
game. These include unmanned weapons, such as Tripod-Mounted Chainguns 
(frequently deployed by Grunts) and Automatic Turrets (usually attached 
to the ceiling; can be disabled with a switch).
	This category encompasses unmanned weapons stations, such as 
Tripod-Mounted Heavy Machine Guns and Rocket Launchers, Cannon 
Emplacements, and Artillery Emplacements. You can use a few of these 
weapon-notable, the Heavy Machine Guns-if you get close enough. Only 
Grunts can use the others.
	Strategies for dealing with these weapons vary. Tripod-Mounted 
Chainguns are activated by red laser beams and proximity, so your chief 
options are to destroy them with a potent weapon (preferably before 
tripping the laser beam or getting too close, so you don't take return 
fire), or to avoid the beams that trigger them. Ceiling-Mounted 
Turrets, on the other hand, can be destroyed, avoid, or shut off with a 
power switch (usually mounted on the wall somewhere nearby).
	To deal with manned weapons, simply kill the Grunt in charge. The 
best procedure for dealing with them differs for each weapon, and I'll 
cover specific tactics in the actual walkthrough.
	Stationary Weapons can be deadly if you approach them 
thoughtlessly. However, a patient and methodical player will have no 
problem.

Grunts / Squad Leaders

Health: 50/50/80
Damage: Kick, 5/10/10; Shotgun Pellets, 3/5/6; Combat Rifle, 3/4/5
	Grunts and Squad Leaders (just tougher Grunts) are government 
troops sent to contain and cover up any traces of the Black Mesa 
incident. Grunts are tough enemies, especially in groups. They possess 
a wide range of weapons, from Combat Rifles to Grenades to Shotguns, 
and in some cases can operate heavy weapons, such as Emplaced Cannons.
	Grunts fire Grenades faster at Hard difficulty level. They wait 
at least sex second between shots on Easy & Medium, but only wait two 
to five seconds on Hard difficulty.
	Grunts aren't terribly durable, but they're crafty. They like to 
run from place to place, using available cover, and attack from each 
new spot. They also tend to approach aggressively, flanking you and 
getting behind your cover to shoot at point blank. This makes it a bad 
idea to remain stationary for long when you fight them.
	Also, Grunts like to use Grenades to flush out their target. It's 
a bad idea to remain behind cover that a Grenade can be thrown over-and 
you can bet a Grenade is forthcoming.
	Grunts usually attack you with Combat Rifles, but occasionally 
use Grenades, Shotguns, or Combat Rifle Grenades.
	Flush out Grunts using the reveal-and-retreat tactics discussed 
in "General Strategy." Retreating as soon as they see you, and then 
forcing them to approach you along a path you're familiar with allows 
you to fight on your terms, no theirs. You're far less vulnerable to 
Grenades and flanking tactics this way.
	If possible, try to make Grunts approach you from around a 
corner, and then let `em have it with the Shotgun's secondary fire 
mode, or a .357 Magnum bullet (preferably to the head), or a Crossbow 
bolt. All these weapons can kill a Grunt outright at Easy to Medium 
difficulty.
	If you're forced to face Grunts in an area where retreat is 
implausible and cover is negligible, circle-strafing is effective for 
minimizing the damage (again, see "General Strategy").
	Note: Some Grunts have helmets, aim for the body on those that 
do.

Tentacle

Health: Immune to conventional weapons
Damage: 300/300/300
	You'll encounter a Tentacle in the game's middle stages, and 
they'll pop up several times later on. Tentacles are massive and 
deadly, capable of smashing you flat with one fast swat. Despite this 
immense power, Tentacles are very limited: they have no long-range 
attack,, and can't move from where they're rooted.
	You can't kill Tentacles using conventional means. In other 
words, you weapons are no use against them. The easiest way to avoid 
damage from the Tentacle, then, is simply avoid it. This is usually 
easy, as the Tentacle can't give chase. But avoidance isn't always 
possible. Occasionally you must get within a Tentacle's striking range 
to travel somewhere important.
	If you must approach the Tentacle, remember two things: First, 
Tentacles can't see you; they only hear you. If you crouch and crawl 
along the ground instead of walking normally, the Tentacle is likely to 
lose track of you. If you make noise by running or firing a weapon, 
then you'll give your position away.
	The second way to deal with a Tentacle is to damage it. Deal 
enough damage, and it will withdraw into its hole. It only cowers for a 
moment; however, so this isn't a permanent fix. If several Tentacles 
emerge from the same hole, you must damage them all simultaneously to 
reap any benefit from this technique.

Hagworm

Health: 2/2/2
Damage: Bite, 2/2/2
	Hagworms, or "Leeches", are tiny, wriggling foes underwater. 
Their bite doesn't miniscule damage, but if enough of them swarm you, 
the damage can add up. Also, these creatures then to get in you way and 
clock you as you swim.
	It's usually a bad idea to attack Hagworms individually; there 
are simply too many of the, and they're just not worth  the effort. 
Instead, carry the Crowbar while you swim, and swing it in front of you 
continually. This will smash any Hagworms in you way, clearing a path 
and reducing the damage they inflict.

Gargantua

Health: 800/800/1000
Damage: Slash, 10/30/30; Fire, varies (usually 25 on first contact; 
more if you stand in the flames); Ground Fire, 50/100/100
	A Gargantua is a massive creature that's surprisingly agile for 
its size. It isn't the most observant foe, but once it catches sight of 
you, it's relentless.
	Gargantua can attack several ways. At close range, they blast you 
with a stream of potent flames: if you stick around for more than a 
second, they'll reduce you to a crisp. At long range, they can stomp 
the ground and send a fire along its surface toward you. And at  
extremely close range (where you never want to be), Gargantua can slap 
you sill with their massive arms.
	These creatures are fast-about as fast as you are, in fact. 
They're too big to enter some areas you can get into easily; however, 
and they have more trouble getting around obstacles on the ground that 
you do. Still, never underestimate their power and speed.
	You're never to expected to kill Gargantua using conventional 
weapons. On two occasions, you must kill a Gargantua using large, 
prominent features built into the level itself. On two other occasions 
you expected to sneak past, evading the Gargantua but no killing it.
	While it's possible to kill a Gargantua with conventional 
weapons, it would be a massive waste of ammo. Instead, always look for 
ways to run past it, avoid it, kill it with inherent features of the 
level itself, or hide long enough that it loses interest and wanders 
elsewhere.

Ichthyosaur

Health: 200/200/400
Damage: Shake, 20/35/50
	The Ichthyosaur, a powerful and fast underwater dweller, is a 
true nightmare. It wouldn't be so bad if you could use just any weapon 
on it, but because most weapons don't work well underwater, you're 
often forced to use the Crossbow. (The Crossbow usually is fine, but 
it's better to use an explosive weapon and kill the Ichthyosaur 
quicker).
	Ichthyosaurs tend not to notice you immediately, especially if 
they're in a large body of water; however, if you get to close, or if 
they glimpse you from the corner of their eye, they'll come after you 
in a split second. Attacking them also attracts their attention right 
away.
	Ichthyosaurs are very fast swimmers, so you're in trouble if one 
comes after you. The two best responses to an Ichthyosaur attack art to 
swim backward furiously, firing the Crossbow into the Ichthyosaur's 
open maw to discourage to kill it, or to stay close to the surface and 
jump out of the water before you get bitten.
	Once an Ichthyosaur bites and shakes you, things go downhill 
fast. Not only does the bite do massive damage, but the shake spins you 
around and disorients you, leaving you uncertain what you're looking 
at. You can always reorient yourself, but in the time that takes, the 
Ichthyosaur is likely to have grabbed hold again.
	Try to have a Crossbow with at least 10 bolts at the ready before 
dive, even if this means conserving the Crossbow's ammo at other times. 
Then, when you dive into a new body of water, always keep a sharp 
lookout for this massive underwater predator.
	If an Ichthyosaur does appear, follow one of the foregoing two 
courses of action-attack from the surface, where you can hop out 
quickly, or swim backward while firing the Crossbow.

Assassin

Health: 30/50/50
Damage: 8/10/10
	Assassin are unique and deadly foes. They're unusual because 
they're the only enemies in the game that are much faster and more 
agile than you. Sure, a few enemies can keep pace with you, or even 
move a bit faster than you, under ideal circumstances, but the Assassin 
consistently can outpace you.
	To make matters worse, on Hard difficulty, the Assassin uses a 
cloaking field that makes her invisible when she's not moving.
	This speed, combined with the Assassin's uncanny ability to sneak 
up from behind or attack from where you aren't looking, might give you 
the feeling you're being attacked by shadows. Trying to chase an 
Assassin can be a frustrating ordeal. Besides leaving you in the dust, 
Assassin can jump vertically when cornered, often lading right behind 
you.
	If your circle-strafing and overall movement skills are 
excellent, you can chase Assassin around and beat them at their own 
game. Use a potent weapon with fast projectiles; the .357 Magnum is 
ideal.
	If you're having trouble; however, retreat to an enclosed area 
where you can't be attacked from behind. In other words, a dead end, or 
with your back to territory you've already explored. It's imperative 
Assassins attack only form the front.
	Then, equip a potent weapon, such as the Combat Rifle or .357 
Magnum, and wait for the Assassin to approach. If you're standing near 
corner, a Shotgun also will work. (the Crossbow's bolts travel too 
slowly to be accurate against Assassins). Or throw a Satchel Charge 
past the corner and blow up the Assassin when she appears.
	Above all, be patient. Running after Assassins can result in 
disorientation and surprise attacks. Force Assassins to come to you, 
instead.

Late-Game Enemies

	This last set of enemies is truly formidable crew. They appear in 
the game's middle to late stages, after your combat skills have been 
honed in earlier fights. You'd better hope you learned something from 
those early enemies; this last bunch will lay you low!

Alien Grunt

Health: 60/90/120
Damage: Punch, 10/20/20; Hornets (from Hivehand), 4/5/8
	The Alien Grunt is an extremely tough customer. It's hulking, 
armored alien equipped with a Hivehand-a weapon you'll find late in the 
game.
	Alien Grunts don't have the variety of weapons human Grunts game, 
but the Hivehand's homing projectiles are very hard to avoid. Also, 
Alien Grunts are considerably more durable and possess better armor 
than human Grunts, so they can't be killed as easily with a quick 
Crossbow bolt to the gut. Thus, you're more likely to take damage from 
Alien Grunts than from human Grunts.
	It's hard to escape damage from the Hivehand completely, even if 
you hide behind corners or run away at full speed; however, this 
doesn't mean you should fight Alien Grunts out in the open. It just 
means you should fight them quickly. Try to kill them within a few 
seconds, or they'll linger and continue to hit you with occasional 
Hivehand-fired hornet.
	Alien Grunts aren't terribly fast, but then again, they don't 
have to be.
	The Crossbow, Combat Rifle, and .357 Magnum are good weapons to 
use against alien Grunts. Heavier weapons and explosives also work, 
although usually you can't afford to waste these on lone Alien Grunts. 
Lesser weapons, such as the Pistol and Hivehand, are definitely not 
recommended.
	The back and shoulders of the Alien Grunt, and the back of its 
head, are heavily armored, so sniping possibilities are limited. Learn 
to shoot for exposed flesh (usually the stomach), not armor. 
	The bottom line on the Alien Grunt is that there's no "clean," 
easy way to kill it without taking damage-except lobbing heavy weapons 
such as Combat Rifle Grenades the instant you see an Alien Grunt, and 
that's wasteful. All you can really do is attack Alien Grunts fast and 
hard, dispatching them as quickly as you can.

Helicopters (Apache and Osprey Heliplane)

Health: Apache, 150/250/400; Osprey, 400/400/400
Damage: Apache Rocket, 150/150/150; Apache 12mm gun, 8/10/10 (10 rounds 
per second)
	The Apache is a high-powered attack helicopter capable of firing 
both rockets and a Heavy Chaingun at land targets. Fortunately, you 
face few of these menaces, and in at least one case, fighting is 
optional.
	The Osprey Heliplane is a combination helicopter-plane that also 
launches rockets and fires a Chaingun, although it does so less 
frequently than the Apache. Its main task isn't to attack you directly, 
but to drop paratrooper Grunts.
	The apache will fire its rockets at you only if you stand still 
for quite awhile, and that's good, because a rocket hit will almost 
always kill you outright. Instead, you'll usually find yourself dealing 
with the Chaingun, a weapon that can tear you to shreds quickly.
	The best policy against the Apache is to hide at almost all 
times. Cling to a wall or hide under cover. Reveal yourself only when 
you're just about to fire.
	When you finally come out of hiding, try to pop up when the 
Apache is flying away from you. This isn't too hard if you listen 
carefully; the Apache fights by making multiple passes, and you can 
tell by listening whether it's coming toward you or flying away.
	If you come out of hiding as the Apache is flying away, you wont 
get shot at. All you'll see is the back end of the Apache: now rock it 
with a shot from a serious weapon. The RPG and the Tau Cannon's 
secondary fire mode are really the only appropriate weapons; everything 
else is too slow, too weak, or inappropriate for long-range combat.
	After pasting the apache with either weapon, go back into hiding 
and repeat the process when you have another good opportunity. 
	
Tank

Health: Varies
Damage: Varies
	You'll face several Tanks as you play Half-Life. They attack in 
various ways, and have various characters. Some fire rockets, and 
others artillery-style projectiles. Some have turrets that can spin all 
the way around, and others can aim only in a narrow arc.
	These Tanks all have several things in common, despite their 
differences: they're all immobile, they all can take good deal of 
punishment, and they're best fought two ways. First, hide behind an 
obstacle at long range, and pip in and out of cover firing potent 
weapons. Such as the RPG. Second run up close to them, where their 
slow-moving turrets have a hard time training on you. Then keep moving 
around so the Turret can't get a lock and pick apart the Tank at you 
leisure.
	Tanks are formidable only in the sense that they dispense heavy 
damage if they hit you. If you're agile, and if you fight smart, they 
won't get a chance to do that.

Snark

Health: 2
Damage: Bite, 10; Explosion, 5
	Snarks are small, scuttling creatures. They deliver a nasty bite, 
but almost anything can kill them. As you learned in the "Weapons" 
section, they last only for about 15 seconds before they explode, but 
their great speed, small size, and aggressive tendencies make them a 
real nuisance for that 15 seconds.
	The best policy with Snarks is simply to flee until they die of 
their own accord

Xen Master

Health: 60/30/100
Damage: Zap, 15/25/35
	Xen Masters are dangerous flying creatures that shoot strings of 
potent fireballs. They're highly maneuverable and tend to attack from 
medium to long range, so slow-firing weapons, such as the Crossbow, and 
short-range weapons, such as the Shotgun, don't work well against them.
	Xen Masters are surprisingly durable: even at Easy difficulty, a 
single Crossbow bolt or .357 Magnum bullet won't kill them.
	Xen Masters aren't too accurate with their fireballs, especially 
if you keep moving or use cover effectively. Thus, you can afford to 
spend some time fighting them if there are only one or two in the area. 
This allows you to use the Hivehand; this weapon takes a while to kill 
a Xen Master, but its accurate homing projectiles are still quite 
effective.
	If you're in a tense situation and must kill Xen Masters quickly 
(if there are multiple enemies in the immediate area, for example), 
.357 Magnum is a good choice for dropping them. Two bullets is enough 
to kill a Xen Master at Easy or Medium difficulty.

Gonarch

Health: 2100/3150/4200
Damage: Slash, 50/60/70; Blast, 100/120/160; Radius Blast, 250/250/275
	The Gonarch is a massive alien consisting mainly of four powerful 
legs and a huge egg sac. It attacks by kicking, spitting acid, and by 
spawning tine creatures akin to miniature Headcrabs.
	Don't allow the Gonarch to get close enough to kick you. Its 
kicks are extremely damaging. It's a fast creature when it gets up to 
speed, but if you fun backward, strafe, and use terrain obstacles, you 
should be able to maintain good separation.
	The Gonarch's acid spit is easier to avoid than its kicks, 
because it travels in a clearly visible arc. Seer well clear of it, or 
you'll be splashed for serious damage.
	The final Gonarch attack, and the hardest to deal with, is the 
stream of tiny Headcrab-like creatures it spawns continually. These 
creatures aren't durable, but they're fast, and small, and thus 
extremely hard to hit. Your best policy against them is simply to keep 
moving and leave them behind or make them mist you. Spending more than 
a moment trying to kill them is a waste of time.
	The Gonarch is a unique enemy, and you'll encounter it in a 
unique environment. You'll find more information on beating the Gonarch 
in when you encounter it in the walkthrough and in tactics.

Nihilanth

Health: 800/800/1000
Damage: Zap, 30/30/50; Teleport, actual attack, no damage
	The Nihilanth is the final enemy you'll encounter. Beat it, and 
you win the game. When you actually fight it in the walkthrough I will 
give you more details, but I will cover some basics here.
	The Nihilanth is a massive, floating being. Spheres of energy 
orbit its head like a halo. It attacks two ways, the first attack is a 
stream of deadly energy projectiles. A single projectile won't kill 
you, but one hit virtually guarantees more, so the likely result is 
death.
	The Nihilanth's second attack is a huge, green sphere that 
teleports you somewhere else. In some cases you might actually want to 
be teleported, but usually it's just a nuisance.
	Avoid the Nihilanth's attack with high-speed strafing, or by 
hiding behind a large obstacle. Avoid the teleportation sphere by 
hiding as well, but strafing won't work: the teleportation sphere home 
in on you aggressively.
	Note: You can destroy the teleportation sphere by shooting at it. 
The most effective is the Hivehand because you won't waste ammo that 
way.
	Glowing beacons orbiting the Nihilanth's head provide it with 
energy, both for attack and defense. When this energy supply runs low 
(and it will, if you shoot the Nihilanth enough), the Nihilanth 
restores itself by draining energy from one of three yellow "power 
spikes" on the walls of ifs cavern.
	Because these yellow spikes provide limitless amount of energy, 
your primary task is to destroy all three spikes. Once they're gone, 
attacking the Nihilanth actually means something, because it can no 
longer heal itself at will.
	After destroying the yellow energy spikes that feed the 
Nihilanth, attack it in earnest. After dealing a substantial amount of 
damage, the glowing spheres around its head disappear, and its attacks 
become more and more feeble. Keep attacking! Soon thereafter, the 
Nihilanth's head spontaneously peels open like a ripe banana.
	At this point, you must jump high enough (using an alien 
"trampoline") to get a go shot at the Nihilanth's brain, which looks 
like a ball of pure energy. Deal enough damage to this brain sphere-
ideally with the potent Gluon Gun-and the Nihilanth will crumple.

General Strategy

	Half-Life is a game of exploration and problem solving, as well 
as a game of combat. The walkthrough section will help you explore and 
solve problems. What they can't help you with; however, is combat. 
That's where this section comes in.
	The following pages cover combat basics, and a few non-combat 
issues that directly affect your ability to stay alive. Most of the 
advice in this chapter applies to both single-player and multiplayer 
experience. Refer to the Multiplayer section for more specific tips on 
succeeding in multiplayer games.

Adjusting Initial Settings

	Regardless of your skill, you'll be at a disadvantage if you 
don't adjust the initial settings like game difficulty and screen 
brightness to optimal levels. Adjust the following settings before 
starting to play.

Game Difficulty

	Game difficulty doesn't affect your surroundings. Regardless of 
whether you play at Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty, you'll encounter 
all the same walls, elevators, wall buttons, First Aid Stations, and 
other key features you would on any other difficulty level.
	Neither does game difficulty effect the total number of useful 
items or monsters you encounter. If a monster is located in a given 
spot on Hard difficulty, you can be sure it's also there on Easy.
	So what does change? Your enemies tend to be ore durable at 
higher difficulty levels, and easier to kill at lower ones. And enemy 
attacks inflict more damage at higher difficulty levels than lower 
ones. Enemies also become smarter and more aggressive at higher levels.
	Difficulty levels make a vast difference on how the game plays. 
Which should you pick?
	If you're a relative novice at computer games in general, or 3-D 
actions games in particular, consider Easy. This is especially true if 
you don't like to replay sections of the game several times to get them 
right. And Easy is good if you're more interested in Half-life's 
narrative elements-the mood, the spooky environments, the story-than in 
shooting monsters and humans.
	If you have any experience with 3-D action games, of have played 
lots of non-3-D action games, go with Medium difficulty level. Medium 
starts out easy, in terms of combat, but the difficulty ramps up 
significantly as you proceed. Medium difficulty provides a good 
challenge for all but the most devoted action gamer.
	Finally, if you're a real veteran of 3-D action games, of if 
you're the sort of person who loves a challenge and doesn't mind 
playing sections of the game again and again just to make it past them, 
fell free to go with Hard. This difficulty level prepares you well for 
multiplayer games, but beware: Some parts of the game are truly brutal 
on Hard. Even if you have excellent reflexes and know exactly what to 
expect, you still might get frustrated.

Brightness (Gamma Correction)

	Game brightness, "Gamma" in the Video Options submenu, is 
extremely important. Half-Life is much harder when you can't see 
anything.
	Finding the right brightness setting can take some experimenting. 
On one hand, you want to see things clearly. On the other hand, some 
areas of the tame are supposed to be dark-after all, you HEV Suit had a 
built-if flashlight, and it isn't there just for appearance. Expect 
certain areas to be brighter than others.
	If you crank up the brightness too high, you'll make the make 
look washed-out and pale. Half-Life is supposed to be dark, moody, and 
even scary at times. Try to strike a fine balance; therefore, between 
visibility and mood.

Controller Setup

	Mastery of the controls is key to succeeding in Half-Life. The 
mouse-keyboard combination is recommended because it's extremely 
versatile. The mouse provides great control, allowing you to turn 
quickly, slowly, or any speed between. The keyboard supplements the 
mouse, adding enough keys to trigger all vital combat commands.
	Set up a keyboard and mouse configuration that works best for 
you. It can be anything you like, but bear the following points in 
mind:
? All vital combat commands should be at your fingertips. Non-combat 
commands (such as the key that toggles your flashlight on and off) 
needn't be quite as handy.
? Use both mouse and keyboard. Theoretically you can be a good player 
with the keyboard alone, but id doesn't allow you the fine control 
over movement the mouse affords. Give the mouse a try; you'll learn 
to love it.
? With any configuration you choose, stick with it. You'll be a far 
better player when the commands are second nature.

Here's a sample configuration that uses three-button mouse and 
keyboard. Try it out, but ditch it if it doesn't suit you. Some example 
also could be the first letter in the word for a button (for example, 
"D" for duck).
	This setup assumes you have a Mouse Look from the Advanced 
Controls menu turned on. With this setting enabled, the mouse controls 
where you look instead of where you move.
	Your right hand controls the mouse. Mouse buttons are set up this 
way:
? Mouse movement controls your orientation
? Right mouse button make you move forward
? Left mouse button fires your primary weapon
? Center mouse button (assuming you have one) fires you secondary 
weapon
		Your left hand rests on the keyboard, with your index finger on 
the "." key and your pinkie on the "N" keys are set up this way:

"/"		Switches to the next weapon

"."		Strafes to the right

","		Strafes to the left

"M"		Moves you backward

"N" 		Crouches

"Spacebar"	Jumps

	This simple arrangement lets you handle just about anything you 
might want to do in combat. The primary keys are all either under your 
fingers or close at hand.
	You might also want to assign your favorite weapons to nearby 
keys (like the Num Lock keys) so you can switch to a favorite quickly 
without having to cycle through weapon with "/".

Movement Fundamentals

	Movement is the key to survival in Half-Life. You're faster than 
most of your enemies, but you aren't terribly durable. You must learn 
how to move to best avoid most enemy attacks.
	Here are the basics.

Keep Moving

	Beginners ten to stand still when they fight. That's the worst 
thing you can do. Standing still make s you and easy target, and 
ensures that 99% of the projectiles fired at you will hit. You won't 
live very long if you take that sort of pounding!
	The next few pages cover some common movement tactics, but first, 
remember this: In combat, movement of any kind is almost always 
preferable to standing still.

Strafe, Don't Turn

	"Strafing," in action game terms, means press a key that moves 
your character sideways. This differs from turning. Turning actually 
turns you viewpoint around, whereas strafing slides your whole virtual 
body sideways as you face the same direction.
	Strafing is useful in combat because it allows you to dodge shots 
without turning away from your enemy. Press the left strafe key and 
you'll slide neatly out of the path of an incoming projectile; press 
the right strafe key to slide right back to where you where before.
	Strafing usually is preferable to turning in a fight because it 
allows you to move sideways and dodge incoming shots while keeping your 
eyes glued on your target. When you turn, on the other hand, you must 
abandon the view of the target.
	If you find yourself in a long-range firefight, you'll find it a 
little bit of strafing goes a long way toward keeping you alive. Strafe 
just a bit to either side to avoid incoming projectiles, and then 
strafe back to center position and fire a few more rounds at the enemy. 
Now strafe a few steps in the other direction, and return to cent to 
fire again. This technique ensures that your enemy doesn't hit you with 
everything it throws (or shoots) at you.

Strafe Around Corners

	After you've figured out how to strafe, you must mater all-
important techniques of strafing around corners.
	An average person in an everyday setting doesn't put much though 
into turning into a corner.  He or she generally takes a corner by 
walking slightly past it, and then gradually turning toward the new 
hallway while walking forward. If you're a 3-D action game novice, 
you'll probably walk as you continue to walk forward, and stop turning 
when you're completely pointed in the direction of the new hallway.
	This is a bad way to turn corners in Half-Life. Unlike in 
everyday life, in Half-Life you're likely to get shot when you turn 
that corner.
	The problem with this cornering method lies in that first moment-
the moment after you walk past the corner, but before you start to turn 
in the new direction. For that split second, you don't see what lies 
around the corner. But anyone waiting there can see, and can shoot at 
you.
	Get in the habit of turning toward the new hallway before 
reaching the corner, and then strafe past the corner.

Learn to Run Backward

	Though less critical than strafing around corners, running 
backward can be a valuable trick. It's easiest to perform if you're 
using a mouse to control your movement, and if you have a Mouse Look 
enabled.
	As you run forward (that I, hold down your Move Forward key), 
simultaneously take your finger off the "Move Forward" key and whip you 
mouse sideways, so you turn 180 degrees. Then, a split-second later, 
press and hold down the "Move Back" key. You're now running backward.
	When is this trick useful? Let's say you run into a group of 
tough enemies. Standing out in the open would allow all these bad guys 
to shoot at you all at once, and that's unacceptable, so you spin 
around and start running backwards. As you do, you lob a Grenade back 
at them, and it blows them up as they try to give chase.
	Generally, running backward is most useful when you face smart, 
aggressive enemies such as humans. Human opponents won't give up the 
chase, and they can't run just a quickly as you can, so simply fleeing 
doesn't often work. If you run backward; though, you can return fire as 
you escape. This gives you the chance to kill your pursuers, or at 
least slow them down: them must respect the threat of your Grenade, 
Satchel Charges, or other potent weapons.

Key Tactics

	You've learned the importance of staying on the move, and 
acquired some basic, but highly effective, movement tricks. The combat 
tactics that follow are among the most effective in Half-Life, and all 
depend on movement.

Slide and Attack

	Slide and Attack is the most basic combat style (other than 
standing still - which, again, is a bad idea). It was mentioned in the 
"Strafe, Don't Turn" section: it involves attacking your target from a 
fair distance while continually strafing a few feet left, then a few 
feet right, then a few feet left again.
	When you use this technique, you aren't really going anyplace; 
you're just sliding back and forth while keeping your target in view. 
Your slight side-to-side motion is usually enough to keep some of your 
opponent's shots from hitting you.
	This technique works best against creatures with slow 
projectiles, such as Bullsquids. These creatures fire projectiles that 
you can actually see, and thus dodge with relative ease. Faster-
shooting enemies, such as Human Grunts, will have a moderately 
difficult time hitting you if you use this technique, but ideally you 
should use one of the more advanced techniques against them.

Jack-in-the-Box

	A technique we'll call "Jack-in-the-Box" involves bursting from 
over just long enough to squeeze off a few rounds and then returning to 
cover. Here are some examples.
	You round a corner into a new hallway. Several Grunts stand a 
long way down the hall. You fire several rounds at them, and then 
strafe sideways behind the corner. Repeat. Essentially, you're using 
the Slide and Attack technique, but you're doing it with benefit of 
cover (the corner). This makes you a lot harder to hit.
	Or say you shoot a few rounds at the enemy and then duck behind a 
small crate. Moments later you pop up, shoot some more, and then crouch 
behind the crate again.
	You get the idea. Anytime you can move quickly from an attacking 
position to a position of full cover, you can use this highly effective 
technique.
	This technique doesn't work when your enemies are so close they 
can run behind your cover and attack you from point-blank range, 
however. In that case, use Reveal and Retreat tactics.

Reveal and Retreat

	The terrain in every Half-life level is either terrain you've 
already explored or new territory. Terrain you've already explored 
usually is safe. Sure, there may be a few environmental hazards, but 
you've already killed all the bad guys you encountered there, and you 
know what it looks like. Unexplored terrain, on the other hand, is 
dangerous. There could be anything out there! Reveal and Retreat is a 
powerful technique that helps minimize the risk of entering new areas.
	You walk into a large room. It looks fine at first, but then a 
squad of Grunts start shooting at you. Standing your ground will just 
get you killed. Running around in the new room is risky, because you 
haven't had time to really look at it yet and figure out where the best 
cover is. In this case, your best option is to retreat back into the 
hall you arrived through. Now you're back in familiar territory.
	Now what? You have three options - Corner Ambush, Gradual 
Retreat, or Reentry.

Corner Ambush

	Ok, so you ran back into that familiar hallway. What now? Those 
Grunts are likely to chase you. Any minute now they'll pop up around 
the corner.
	That's great! As we mentioned in "Strafe, Don't Turn," rounding a 
corner toward a waiting enemy is very dangerous. The waiting enemy 
usually has the advantage, especially if the guy turning the corner 
isn't strafing. Because computer-controlled enemies in Half-Life don't 
do a perfect job of strafing around corners (although they do turn 
pretty fast); you'll have a split-second head start on attacking them. 
Thus, it's usually advantageous to lure computer-controlled enemies 
around corners.
	To maximize the value of your corner ambush, equip a heavy-
hitting weapon that deals massive damage at close range (the .357 
Magnum and the Shotgun's secondary fire mode come to mind). That way 
you can shoot `em dead the instant they round the corner. Drop a 
Satchel Charge or Grenade near the corner, or plant a quick Laser Mine. 
Your enemies usually will be in such a rush, they won't notice the 
explosives until it's too late (he he) - and if there are multiple 
enemies, this technique will take out many at once.

Gradual Retreat

	If there isn't a convenient corner to hide behind, or you enemies 
are so potent you don't think you can kill them all with a close-range 
ambush, engage in a Gradual Retreat.
	The Gradual Retreat is just what it sounds like - a gradual 
retreat through territory you've already explored. As you retreat, you 
can damage your enemy using the aforementioned tactics. For example, 
you can run backward as you fire, and then use the Jack-in-the-Box 
strafing techniques when you reach a corner or other suitable cover. 
You can even set up a Corner Ambush with explosives, and then continue 
retreating if your enemies still aren't dead.

Reentry

	The preceding two tactics cover most situations. But sometimes 
your enemies refuse to chase you; instead, they stay put and force you 
to come to them. Perhaps they're in a great defensive position and 
don't want to leave it. Mabey they're up on a ledge and can't chase 
you, or maybe they're operating a big machine gun they can't move. 
Whatever the case, sometimes you have no choice but to go in there and 
get `em.
	But don't run in just yet. Here's the best procedure:
1. First, lure the enemies out using Reveal and Retreat tactics. 
Sometimes none will budge, but often a few will give chase. Kill 
those that do. Each enemy you kill in familiar territory is an enemy 
you won't have to face in unexplored territory.
2. Approach the edge of the new area and see if there are any enemies 
that you can kill using Jack-in-the-Box tactics. For example, you 
may be able to kill enemies in a large room by popping in and out of 
the doorway.
3. Locate the enemies you can't shoot directly, and then lob Grenades, 
if you can. This works well against enemies positioned behind boxes 
or sandbags.
4. Finally, after exhausting steps 1-3, enter the room and slug it out 
with the enemies that remain, use any appropriate tactics to kill 
the stragglers.

Circle Strafing

	Circle Strafing is the most difficult tactic to master, but also 
the most generally useful for both single-player and multiplayer games. 
You'll find Circle Strafing and its variants effective in almost any 
combat situation.

Basic Circle Strafing

	Circle Strafing takes basic strafing one step further, but from a 
conceptual standpoint it's pretty simple:
	To circle-strafe an immobile target, hold down either left or 
right Strafe key (either is fine) as you face the target. You'll slide 
off in one direction. As you slide, your target will slip out of your 
field of view. That's bad! You want to keep looking at the target as 
you move, so keep holding down the strafe key, and simultaneously slide 
the mouse sideways to turn your view back toward the target. If you're 
strafing left, slide the mouse right to keep the target in view. If 
you're strafing right, move the mouse to the left to maintain your 
view.
	As you continue strafing sideways, you must continue using the 
mouse to turn yourself to keep the target in view; it's an ongoing 
process. So make sure you have plenty of room to move your mouse to one 
side. If you do run out of room than either move the mouse or change 
strafing directions.
	Keep this up for awhile and you'll realize you're moving in a 
circle. Your constant efforts to keep the target in view have caused  
you to fun circles around it. Congratulations, you're circle-strafing!
	Of course, for this tactic to be useful, you must fire at the 
target as you circle it. Aiming as you run takes practice.

Add Direction Changes

	Basic circle strafing skill will take you a long way, but no all 
the way to excellence. Your human enemies usually will circle strafe, 
and computer-controlled enemies are often clever enough to lead you 
properly. You must mix up the formula to stay one step ahead of them.
	 The most basic way to mix up your circle-strafing pattern is to 
switch directions frequently. Circle-strafe left for a while, and then 
circle-strafe right. Do this often to keep your enemy off balance.

Add Jumping and Ducking to the Mix

	As you improve your circle-strafing skills, you can develop your 
won variants. One way to do this is to add jumping and/or ducking to 
the circle-strafing mix. If you're skillful or lucky enough, you'll 
actually manage to jump over or duck under a few projectiles.

Matching Weapons to Situations
	There's no one perfect weapon for all occasions. You'll become 
far more skilled at Half-Life if you learn to choose the right weapon 
for each situation.
	Note: However, that there's never a single "right" way to 
approach any problem. Don't feel obligated to follow a rigid code of 
weapon use. Just be aware that certain weapons are easier to use in 
some situations than others are.

Weapon vs. Enemy

	In many cases, the enemy you face dictates the weapon you use. 
Refer to the weapons section on which weapons to use on which enemies.
	Generally, you want to use powerful weapon against dangerous 
enemies and weak weapons against minor enemies. For example, a Headcrab 
is a minor threat, and can be killed with a minor amount of damage. 
That makes the accurate, fast-firing Pistol a good choice. The Pistol 
lacks power, but against the Headcrab doesn't matter.
	On the other hand, a Grunt can be a formidable enemy. You don't 
want to confront a Grunt with a Crowbar; it takes too long to kill a 
Grunt that way, and you'd have to get so close you'd surely take a 
beating. Instead, use a potent weapon such as the .357 Magnum, which 
(at Easy and Medium difficulty levels) often can kill a Grunt with one 
good shot.

Weapon vs. Terrain

	Another major consideration affecting weapon choice is terrain. 
For example, the Shotgun usually is a good choice for killing 
Vortigaunts, but its pellets dispense at long range, making it 
inaccurate and not very powerful against distant foes. Thus, when 
fighting Vortigaunts at long range, you might want to put away the 
Shotgun and use the more accurate Pistol instead.

Ammo Conservation

	You might deal with ammo shortages from time to time. Mabey you'd 
love to use the .357 Magnum against a Grunt, but you don't have enough 
bullets; this forces you to use the Combat Rifle, instead. Be prepared 
to make weapon substitutions based on ammo availability.

General Techniques

	It's easy to get caught up in the combat that figures so 
prominently in Half-Life, but problem solving and exploration can be 
equally difficult tasks. This section provides a few tips for meeting 
those non-combat challenges.


Master the Moves

	It's strongly recommended that you practice the Hazard Course 
before starting the actual single-player game. If you complete the 
Hazard Course twice or even three times before playing, you'll better 
remember the crucial moves.
	Moves that might throw even a veteran 3-D action gamers for a 
spin are the jumps. The "jump and crouch," where you jump vertically 
and press and hold the crouch button in midair, is rarely seen in other 
action games. It prevails in Half-Life, though, where you'll use it for 
everything from leaping over tall windowsill to jumping out of 
radioactive pond onto a bobbing crate. It's easy to forget this move, 
but if you do you'll have a difficult time in Half-Life.
	The long jump, which you can perform only after you've collected 
a special power-up item, also may be forgotten.
	Finally ladders can be a little tricky at first. When in doubt, 
use caution with ladders. Walking (default "Shift") or crouching and 
slowly creeping onto a ladder may seem like overkill, but a few long 
falls will convince you that you can't take your hold on a ladder for 
granted.

Explore Thoroughly

	If may seem obvious, but it bears repeating: many times you'll 
think you're stuck, but the real problem is lack of exploration. If a 
dangerous electrified wire blocks your path, you probably need to seek 
the power source so you can turn it off. If a security door blocks your 
path, chances are you must locate a switch that activates it. Exploring 
thoroughly give you a full sense of your options.

Clear the Area

	Be methodical. If there are multiple enemies in an area, kill 
them all before moving on. In most cases this is required, as the bad 
guys will kill you if you can't kill them first. But sometimes you'll 
face immobile enemies, such as barnacles, you can avoid easily, or 
enemies on distant ledges that can't reach you. Kill those enemies 
immediately! If you leave a Barnacle, if might grab you as you walk 
beneath it later on. If you leave a creature on a distant ledge alive, 
you might find yourself confronting it at close range after taking an 
elevator or corridor that leads you closer.
	Be methodical in your quest for supplies. Leave no crates 
unbroken and no lockers unopened. Ammunition and supplies are rare, and 
you don't want to miss out just because you weren't thorough.

Check your Bearings

Half-Life levels can be complex. Move slowly through the levels, taking 
time to check for exits, entrances, and distinguishing features. Even 
though the walkthrough provides detailed instructions on beating each 
level, you can still get lost if you failed to look around and get your 
bearings.

Save Often

	Half-Life saves the game for you automatically at certain 
junctures, but you should save the game periodically, just in case. 
This can be handy if, for example, you realize that you could have won 
that last combat without wasting as much ammunition - and now you need 
the ammo you wasted. If you save frequently, it's easy to go back and 
do it over, this time conserving ammo.
	Half-Life maintains two quicksaves. Therefore, even if you 
quicksave at a bad spot, you can always return to a previous quicksave. 
For added insurance; however, you should periodically do a full save by 
pressing "esc" ONCE and selecting "Save" from the main menu.

Experiment

	Finally, don't be afraid to experiment. What's over on that far 
ledge? What's behind the shadowy door? Is there something under the 
stairs?
	If you're about to do something dangerous, by all means save the 
game before trying it - but do try it. That's half the fun of the game, 
and you'll miss some great opportunities if you play if too safe.

The Half-Life Walkthrough

Walkthrough Part 1

	This and the next few chapters provide a complete walkthrough of 
Half-Life, a guide to each level of single-player game. Rather than 
read it word for word, following it to the letter, try to refer to the 
walkthrough only when you get stuck to gain the satisfaction of 
discovering new areas on your own. By exploring difficult areas before 
you read about them, you'll become familiar with your surroundings. 
You'll find these directions easiest to follow if you're familiar with 
a level already.
	Read chapters 1-3 before tackling the single-player campaign and, 
at the very minimum, complete the Hazard Course before starting the 
walkthrough. It's a great learning tool, and will prepare you for most 
of the challenges ahead.

Black Mesa Inbound

	As the game starts, your on a train bound for the heart of the 
Black Mesa Federal Research Facility. The train makes no stops, and you 
don't need to do anything in particular during the ride. Just make a 
point of observing your surroundings as you cruise toward your 
destination.
	Eventually the train comes to a stop. A security guard approaches 
and lets you out. Follow him to a large, sealed entry door. Wait as he 
opens the door, and then go inside. The door closes behind you, and a 
new door opens. Walk through it.
	You're inside the Anomalous Materials Lab of the Black Mesa 
Federal Research Facility.

Reaching the Test Chamber

1. Locate the Suit Room by follow the stripes on the wall.
2. Press the button on the computer console to lower the glass that 
guards your Hazardous Environment Suit. Walk onto you suit to put it 
on.
3. In the locker room just outside of the Suit Room, approach the 
locker labeled "Freeman". Tack the Battery from inside the locker.
4. Leave the locker room and proceed to a checkpoint. Wait as the 
Security Guard opens the door. Then go through.
5. Beyond the Checkpoint you'll come to a large elevator. Take it down 
to a lower level.
6. Follow the corridor on the lower level. You'll pass through another 
guarded checkpoint and into a room with three Scientists. Stop and 
listen to what they have to say.
7. When the three Scientists are done talking, one will unlock a door. 
Go through the door and follow another corridor. Then take the 
corkscrew-style elevator at the end of the corridor.
8. Downstairs, go through the door labeled "Test Lab." You'll find 
yourself in an antechamber with two more Scientists.
9. After speaking to you, the Scientists open the door to the Test Lab.
10. Enter the Test Lab.

Performing the Experiment

1. The Scientists tell you to start the rotors. That's your cue to 
climb the ladder and press the button on the computer console on the 
balcony.
2. Climb back down and watch the machinery spin. After a while, a metal 
cage on one side of the room slides away to reveal a cart, something 
like a futuristic shopping cart.
3. Push the cart into the machine in the center of the room. A huge 
explosion ensues. Don't worry, back up and watch the machinery break 
down from a distance
4. You'll teleport briefly to a couple of alien worlds before returning 
to the Test Lab, but you won't be harmed.

Unforeseen Consequences

	After the disastrous experiment, you reappear in the Test Lab. 
Wreckage lies everywhere, and, as you'll soon discover, rifts have 
opened between our world and an alien one. The result? Aliens are 
prowling the Anomalous Materials Lab, and they aren't just looking for 
"human" autographs.
	Your first task is to return to the top level of the Anomalous 
Materials Lab

Getting Back to Where You Started

	You're standing inside the ruins of the Test Lab. Electricity 
discharges into the air, and the entire Anomalous Materials Lab is in 
utter chaos. It's time to get back to the main entrance.
1. Go through the half-open door into the Test Lab's antechamber. 
There, press the box on the wall near the small door. The door 
eventually will slide open far enough for you to exit.
2. Walk down the corridor (move slowly, or a bank of computer equipment 
will fall and crush you). Return to the corkscrew elevator and ride 
up.
3. Upstairs, a standing Scientist tends to an injured one. Approach 
them and listen until they're done talking. Then use the standing 
Scientist to have him follow you. The "Use" function is important 
throughout the walkthrough. You can't get through the tame without 
it. 
4. Lead the Scientist to the door at the end of the hall. He'll look 
into the Retinal Scanner on the wall and unlock the door.
5. Walk a step or two through the newly opened door on the far side of 
the room. After the laser beam shoots out, cross the room and run 
through the destroyed door.
6. Run through a hallway where a single Headcrab roams. You have no 
weapons at this point so ignore it.
7. In the next hallway, you encounter a pair of laser beams. Avoid them 
as you run to the end, where you'll find a Crowbar.
8. Use the Crowbar to smash the glass in the jammed door. Crawl through 
the opening.
9. Walk through a hallway to the main elevator shaft. Smash the glass 
door that leads to the shaft. A doomed elevator car plummets down 
the shaft.
10. Enter the shaft. Descend the red ladder to the bottom of the 
shaft where you'll find a batter in rubble.
11. Crawl back up the ladder, and then up a second ladder. Exit the 
shaft.
12. Outside the shaft, and infected Scientist (Mawman) attacks a 
security Guard. Either kill the Mawman with your Crowbar, or watch 
as it kill the Guard - and then kill the Mawman. Take the security 
guard's Pistol if he doesn't survive.
13. Kill a second Mawman nearby, and then make your way back to the 
locker room (near where you first put on your Hazardous Environment 
Suit (HEV)). You must kill two more Mawmen along the way.
14. A new locker has opened in the locker room. Take the Pistol Clips 
you find in it.
15. Proceed to the Anomalous Materials Lab entrance. A new path leads 
out now - a broken ventilation grate at the floor level.

New Territory

	It's time to explore the rest of the Anomalous Materials Lab - 
the parts you haven't seen before.
1. Crawl through the hole at the base of the wall. Move slowly, so you 
can kill a Headcrab that lunges at you and avoid a falling bank of 
computer equipment.
2. In the room beyond, kill a second Headcrab; then leap onto a series 
of fallen computer towers and go through a hole in the wall.
3. Proceed through the hallway beyond the hole, noting the rooms to 
either side, where Scientists try in vain to avoid Headcrabs.
4. The hall ends in a checkpoint where a dead Security Guard and a 
Mawman lie on the floor. Take the Security Guard's Pistol and crawl 
through the broken doors of the checkpoint.
5. Kill a pair of Houndeyes that teleport into the vicinity, and then 
explore the area beyond the checkpoint. You'll get a another brief 
glimpse of the dark-suited man looking down on you from a balcony. 
He disappears before you can do anything about him, though.
6. Kill two more Houndeyes and look for a door with a yellow triangle 
beside it. Go through the door and kill the Headcrab beyond.
7. Equip your Pistol, if you haven't already. Then climb the ladder 
behind the yellow triangle door. As soon as you climb the ladder, 
you'll see another Headcrab and Mawman. Shoot the explosive tanks 
behind the Mawman and drop back down the ladder to avoid the 
explosion. The blast will kill your enemies.
8. Climb back up the ladder. Walk along a balcony and locate a Mawman 
feasting on a dead Scientist. You can kill the Mawman by shooting a 
nearby explosive tank - but be careful to stand back!
9. Backtrack along the balcony and explore in the other direction to 
find a Scientist. Lead him to the area where the Mawman was eating 
the scientist, and he'll unlock the door. Go through the door to 
gain access to a first aid station and Pistol Clips, plus a few 
Grenades.
10. Go back downstairs. Investigate until you find a door that's 
slowly bulging outward. The door busts open, revealing a Vortigaunt. 
Kill it and collect Pistol ammo from the room it appeared in.
11. Nearby, a scientist hides in a Dumpster. A Headcrab lurks in the 
area, as well. Kill the Headcrab and leave the Scientist. There is a 
First Aid Station behind the dumpster if you need it.
12. A nearby barred gate stands behind a hole in the floor. If you 
wait near it for a moment, a Mawman appears on the other side of the 
gate. You must wait for it and kill it before continuing. After 
killing the Mawman, save the game, then drop through the hole in the 
floor. Watch out for the Headcrab at the bottom.
13. Now you're in a small network of tunnels ankle-deep sewage water. 
Explore the tunnels. You'll find two open, unbarred holes in the 
ceiling - the hole you fell through, and another. Note the location 
of the second hole.
14. Locate a valve wheel. Turn the wheel to flood these corridors 
with more sewage water, and then swim to the hole in the ceiling you 
noted earlier (not the one you dropped into).
15. Now you're beyond the metal barred gate from step 12. Explore the 
hallway. You'll find a large mechanical lift. Throw the lever you 
find above the life; then board the lift as it slowly lowers into 
new territory. Climb out.
16. As you descend, Headcrabs slide down to harass you. By no means 
should you allow yourself to fall! Avoid the Headcrabs you can 
avoid, and shoot the ones that get dangerously close.
17. You can wait until the bottom of the lift to get off, or, if 
you're fast, you can get off on a raised area that has an extra 
first aid station.

On to the Canal

	Now you're at the bottom of the big mechanical lift; ahead lies a 
deadly collapsing bridge and an alien-infested canal. I hope you're 
ready!

1. Kill the Houndeye that materializes nearby; then go around a bend. A 
metal bridge lies ahead. Approach the bridge slowly. A Bullsquid 
suddenly materializes above it, drops, and breaks off a span
2. The remaining span is fragile. Tun across and leap from it to the 
silvery pipes to the right.
3. Walk around the perimeter of the room on the pipes, jumping when 
necessary. The pipes lead to a grate near floor level. Break it and 
crawl into the exposed ventilation tunnel.
4. Crawl until you reach another breakable grate, this one beneath you. 
Break it and fall through.
5. You're in a short hallway. Pick up a nearby Battery from the floor, 
and break several crates to reveal more Batteries. Collect them all.
6. From here you can look out over a large, partially water-filled 
canal with a Bullsquid and several Headcrabs on the ground and 
Barnacles on the ceiling. Don't jump down, but do shoot the 
Bullsquid and any Barnacles you can see from here.
7. Go through a labeled "Lower Canal." Go down the ladder beyond and 
enter the canal area.
8. Shoot all of the remaining Barnacles in the canal area. Heal 
yourself with a First Aid Station in a dark corner, and then dive 
into the canal.
9. On one end of the canal you'll find a ladder leading to the other 
side. Climb up the ladder, go through a door, and then locate and go 
through a second door.
10. Travel through the tunnels beyond the second door, to a large 
room filled with suspended boxes. Climb up two ladders and then 
slowly, carefully, jump across the boxes to the other side of the 
room. (You may want to save the game prior to jumping). Also when 
you jump it may help to aim for the wires so you won't over jump or 
not be able to stop.
11. From the other side of the box-filled room, go through a short 
tunnel, up a ladder, and through a couple of doors. You'll find 
yourself in an area where you can look over the canal again.
12. Follow the hallway to an elevator and get inside. Press the 
button to ascend.

Office Complex

	You've made it through the ruined lab, but now you've to face an 
alien-infested office complex. The going gets tougher the farther you 
proceed, but you're up to the task - aren't you?

Early Exploration

	For a moment you get off the elevator, you've got you hands full. 
Here's what you do:
1. Exit the elevator and shoot the nearby Headcrab. Note the locked red 
doors nearby and the hod, sparking wires blocking the hall.
2. Break a grate near the floor, next to the electrical wires. Crawl 
into the newly exposed ventilation duct and take a right.
3. Shoot out another grate and drop into a room filled with vending 
machine, Barnacles, and frightened Scientists. Kill the barnacles, 
and then go through a door labeled "High Voltage." Flip the lever 
beyond the door.
4. Exit this area through the beg red doors that had been locked, 
you're back in the corridor, near the elevator where you started 
this section of the game.
5. Walk down the hall, past the new-dead electrical wires. the door at 
the end of the hallway is locked, but you can break the large window 
beside it and jump through by crouching as you jump. (This technique 
was demonstrated in the hazard course. "Jump and while in midair 
press and hold the "duck" button all the while pressing forward." It 
sounds confusing when I say it but it is the part in the Hazard 
Course where you have to go through all of those three pipes.
6. Beyond the window is a flooded lab, a big pair of locked red doors, 
a wooden door leading to a small storage closet, and more corridors. 
Approaching the wooden door; a Headcrab-infested Scientist (Mawman) 
will break down part of the door; stand nearby and beat on the door 
with the Crowbar until the Mawman breaks down the remainder. Then 
kill it and take the Pistol Clips from inside the closet.
7. Locate a large storage area. You must break down a wall of boxes to 
get there. Inside, you'll find a chest with a Shotgun on it. At the 
opposite end of the room is a locked metal fence, with a Security 
Guard behind it. A Mawman attacks him as you approach. Shoot the 
Mawman as soon as he appears with your newly acquired Shotgun, and 
the Security Guard will survive. Then he'll open the gate and let 
you in.
8. Behind the gate is an armory packed with useful ammo and a First Aid 
Kit. Take everything you can and return to the storage room. A 
ladder leads downstairs. Take it, and in boxes downstairs you'll 
find another First Aid Kit and a Battery.
9. Return to the flooded lab. Jump in through the window, using a 
crouch-jump, and then hop across tables and countertops without 
touching the electrified water on the floor. When you reach the 
light switch on the wall, activate it. This turns the lights off, 
but it also makes it safe to touch the water.
10. Turn on your flashlight and look around. You'll find a Battery in 
a half-opened metal filling cabinet. There' also a ventilation grate 
on the wall. Break it and get into the ventilation duct.
11. Save the game and move forward slowly with your flashlight on. 
Hold down the Crouch key, even though it may seem unnecessary. Kill 
three Headcrabs as you proceed. 
12. Eventually the ceiling gets higher, but there's a deadly spinning 
fan overhead. If you don't hold down the crouch key until you're 
past the fan belt, you'll stand up and get decapitated!
13. When you reach a grate, destroy it and crawl past. The floor will 
fall away beneath you, and you'll find yourself in a new section of 
the main hallway.
14. Walk down this new section of the hallway; another section of the 
ceiling falls just ahead. Shoot a pair of Headcrabs that come down 
with it, and then arrange boxes on the floor so you can jump up to 
the ladder in the ceiling.
15. Climb the ladder and break the floor grate you find upstairs. 
Drop down, kill a Headcrab, and you'll se another grate. Break it, 
but take care no to venture to close to it - an Automatic Turret 
lies in the room beyond. Save the game.
16. Watch as a Scientist runs into the room beyond the grate and the 
Turret guns him down. A Headcrab is the next to get shot. When the 
Headcrab is dead, leap into the room below, run toward the Turret 
(breaking wooden crates with the Crowbar to clear a path), and crawl 
beneath the metal platform the Turret is mounted on. Flip a switch 
below the platform to deactivate the Turret.
17. Explore a small storage room nearby. There you'll find Pistol 
Clips, Shotgun Shells, and a Battery
18. Kill the Headcrabs guarding a stairwell, and climb stairs.

Administration, Level 1

	The upstairs offices are as infested with aliens as the lower 
ones; however, you have an advantage up here you didn't have downstairs 
- Security Guards, on whom you can call for help by pressing the Use 
button.
1. A Security Guard stands at the top of the stairs. Have him follow 
you and provide fire support.
2. Destroy nearby crates for ammo, and then enter a long hallway. 
Explore an office left of the hallway; you'll see a pair of helpless 
Scientists begin dragged into a ventilation duct by an unseen 
creature. Ignore them for now, and take the Battery and First Aid 
Kit in this room.
3. Move farther down the hallway - but cautiously. When the hallway 
broadens, several Vortigaunts attack. Fall back and gun them down.
4. Explore the area. More Alien Grunts lurk around here, and you'll 
find both Pistol ammo and First Aid Stations in various offices. 
Watch out for Headcrabs that burst from the ceiling
5. Locate a lounge with a couple of plaid sofas and bookshelf. Shoot 
the ceiling above the sign that says, "Maintenance Access," to 
reveal a ladder.
6. Climb the ladder and slide to the right. Nearby, an Automatic Turret 
starts powering up. Quickly locate the metal fuse box mounted on the 
wall nearby and flip the lever to disable the Turret. Also, collect 
a Shotgun on the floor near the Turret. Climb down when you're done.
7. At the edge of the cluster of offices is a broad staircase. Kill the 
Barnacle at the foot of the stairs and then go up, prepared to shoot 
the trio of Headcrabs at the top.

Administration, Level 2

	You're on the second floor of the administration offices. More 
nasty surprises await!
1. Take the corridor at the top of the stairs. Destroy the lone Mawman 
you find here, but avoid the nearby boxes: one will explode if you 
damage it.
2. Proceed along the corridor, killing two Alien Grunts, and go through 
the red door at the other end. Have the Security Guard on the other 
side of the door follow you down a nearby ramp.
3. Downstairs you'll find a Bullsquid, Shotgun ammo and some Grenades. 
Kill the Bullsquid and take the loot.
4. As you try to leave the area, two Alien Grunts teleport in. gun them 
down as soon as they appear, preferably with the Shotgun.
5. Go back up the ramp.
6. Proceed to an area with a sunken floor. Down on the floor there are 
several broken tables and Mawman. Shoot the Mawman and any Headcrabs 
that drop down from the ceiling. Do this from upstairs, avoiding the 
sunken area.
7. Go down to the sunken area and break apart the wooden planks nailed 
over the doorway. Go through the doorway and down a dark hall.
8. You'll reach an alcove where two Mawmen feast on dead Scientists. 
Kill the Mawmen and press a lever next to the door nearby. The door 
opens, revealing a huge freezer. Go inside
9. Explore the freezer thoroughly, killing the scattered Headcrabs and 
pair of Bullsquid inside. (If you shoot a hanging slab of meat, it 
will shatter. And any nearby Bullsquids will eat the meat and 
temporarily ignore you). Locate a glowing red switch on the wall and 
throw it. This starts a big red cart moving back and forth overhead.
10. Return to where you entered the freezer. Climb the stepladder and 
break open a ventilation grate up there. Crawl into the ventilation 
tunnel.
11. Follow the tunnel to where you can both see and crawl onto the 
big move cart as it slowly moves past. Get on the cart.
12. Break the crates on the cart and collect the Batteries. Then 
crawl off the far end of the cart into a wall duct (opposite where 
you got on the cart). As you enter the duct watch out for Headcrabs.
13. Crawl through the duct, collecting a Battery near a dead Security 
Guard. Break another grate to exit the duct; you'll find yourself in 
a large, blue ventilation junction.
14. Methodically kill all the barnacles there, and then jump up a 
series of stair-like ducts into another ventilation shaft.
15. Inside the new ventilation shaft, take a left and proceed until 
you hid another grate. Shoot if and drop out; you'll find yourself 
at the foot of yet another broad staircase. Nearby, a Security Guard 
crouches over a dead comrade.
16. Shoot the approaching Mawman, and then have the Security Guard 
follow you up the stairs. At the top is a locked door with a small 
window. Watch the window: the dark-suited man appears again, but you 
can't get at him through the locked door.
17. Proceed down the nearby corridor and watch as a Scientists leaps 
through a window to escape a Mawman. Hot both nearby Mawmen and jump 
through the window to collect some ammo.
18. Walk to the edge of the empty elevator shaft at the end of the 
hallway and look up to see a helpless Scientist clinging to a ledge.
19. Save the game, and then run and jump to catch the ladder mounted 
on the far wall of the elevator shaft. Climb to a ledge, and then 
climb a second ladder to another ledge, and a third ladder. (The 
scientist falls to his death; it's unavoidable).
20. From the top ledge, jump to a ladder hanging from the elevator 
car in the center of the shaft. Climb that ladder and you'll find 
yourself atop the elevator.
21. Break the ventilation grate atop the elevator car and drop in. 
flip on your flashlight and move toward the elevator door. Prepare 
for the next level.

Walkthrough Part 2

	You've made it through those confusing early stages, but now 
you're in for a rough ride. You enemies up to this point have been 
scattered. They weren't to tough, once you leaned their tendencies. But 
the stakes are higher now.
	In the next few levels, you'll encounter human Grunts there to 
cover up what happened in the Anomalous Materials Lab. That means 
killing anything that lives - including you. The government want to 
keep its top-secret experiment top-secret, and you've already seen far 
too much
	Prepare for a firefight

We've got Hostiles

	The new level starts when you get out of the elevator. Right 
away, you confront the Laser Mines and emplaced defenses government 
troops left behind.
	A key to beating this area is to move slowly. If you don't watch 
where you're headed, you'll end up in a trap.

Storage Areas

	Your first task is to make your way through a series of Cold War-
era storage rooms. You'll get your fist taste of the government troops' 
automated defense there.
1. Exit the elevator and take a few steps forward. Watch the panicking 
Scientist bang on the window of a guardroom, and then run headlong 
onto a laser mine.
2. Charge up your health and HEV Suit at a nearby First Aid Station and 
an HEV Station.
3. Walk down the corridor. Around a corner a pair of red laser beams 
block your path. Beyond them lies a stockroom filled with crates. 
Save the game before crossing the beams.
4. Dash through the beams and hide behind the crate at the far right 
corner of the room. While ducking behind the crate, lob a Grenade in 
the direction of the Chaingun, concentrate on the Headcrabs.
5. A Combat Rifle lies on the stockroom floor; you may have unknowingly 
walked over it and picked it up as you fought the Chaingun. Take the 
Combat Rifle, if you haven't already, and then destroyed the crates 
in the room for a few supplies (such as a Battery). Avoid the 
explosive crates. A few extra Headcrabs teleport is as you explore, 
but they'll pose no problem.
6. When the stockroom is clear, find a hall out the other side. Move 
slowly! A blue-green laser beam blocks your path. This beam is 
attached to a Laser Mine, which will explode if you disturb the 
beam. Throw a Grenade so it lands squarely under the laser beam. The 
Grenade will explode, taking out the Mine in the process. (Stand 
back to avoid the blast).
7. When the Grenade explodes, a heavy fire door descends automatically. 
Dash forward under the fire door before it closes all the way. 
You're now in unexplored territory.
8. Around a corner is a second Laser Mine. You can destroy this one by 
lobbing a Grenade at it or shooting the mine itself from as far away 
as possible (use your Pistol).
9. Proceed along the hallway. A Vortigaunt teleports in up ahead. Kill 
it, and any other Vortigaunts that warp into the same place. Use the 
First Aid Station on the wall nearby, if necessary.
10. Proceed along the corridor and down a ramp. At the base of the 
ramp is a red laser beam at the floor level, with two Tripod-Mounted 
Chainguns in the room beyond. Throw a Grenade at the Chaingun before 
crossing the laser beam.
11. Beyond the beam lies a crate-filled room. A Vortigaunt teleports 
in behind you as you enter; kill it, and then jump on the top of the 
pile of crates.
12. From the top of the crates, you could jump down to the other side 
immediately. But before you do, shoot the two Tripod-Mounted 
Chainguns on the floor.

Further Exploration

	The traps and Mines get thicker as you proceed through more 
storage areas. Keep you cool!! If you move cautiously and take out 
threats early, as I explain in the following pages, you'll be fine.
	And remember, SAVE OFTEN.
1. When both Chainguns are gone, equip you Pistol and drop down to the 
new area. Several Headcrabs teleport into the vicinity; shoot them 
with your Pistol.
2. Walk through the nearby web of red laser beams (they triggered the 
two Tripod-Mounted Chainguns you already destroyed). Use the First 
Aid Station, if necessary.
3. Jump up on a pile of crates, and then down the other side. Ahead 
lies a pool of water on the floor and an open elevator shaft. Save 
the game before proceeding because it's slippery and you might 
accidentally slide into a Laser Mine.
4. The water will cause you to slide, and falling down the shaft is 
deadly, so walk onto the water very slowly. As you move forward 
you'll see a pair of red laser beams and two Tripod-Mounted 
Chainguns. Lob a Grenade so it lands just behind the first tripod, 
and then backtrack. The Grenade should take out both Chainguns so 
you can cross the red beams.
5. Go through the laser beams. Ahead you'll see another storage area 
with some red laser beams, two Laser Mines on the walls, and a red 
wall-mounted ladder. Overhead, the dark-suited man appears on the 
catwalk. You can't shoot him. All you can do is throw a Grenade 
towards those two Laser Mines, and stand back while they detonate.
6. When the Mines are gone, explore the storage room and destroy all 
remaining boxes to collect ammo. When the room is clear, climb the 
red ladder to a platform, and from there climb a second ladder to 
the catwalk the dark-suited man stood on.
7. Cross the catwalk to another platform. A Scientist runs down a 
flight of stairs, saying, "Thank God you're here!" but moments 
later, the sound of gunfire tells you the Scientist was badly 
mistaken: the human Grunt at the bottom of the stairs was there to 
kill him, not rescue him.
8. Save the game and approach the top of the stairs, Combat Rifle at 
the ready. Kill the Grunt you see down there.
9. Go downstairs and destroy the crates. Avoid the explosive barrels, 
or detonate them from a distance. When you're all done, press the 
button near the elevator and get inside.

Things Get Rough

	You've already killed one Grunt, but there are more where he came 
from. The following states familiarize you with your human enemies.
1. At the top, you'll find yourself in a large storage area. A metal 
platform looms overhead. Several Grunts wait here, and you'll do 
best if you hang back and duck in and out of cover, firing a quick 
Combat Rifle busts whenever they're in your sights.
2. When the Grunts are dead, destroy the crates in this room for extra 
supplies, and use the First Aid Station and the HEV Station built 
into the wall.
3. Climb the stairs to the metal platform.
4. Follow the platform to a room with barnacles hanging overhead. Kill 
the barnacles with Pistol fire and proceed.
5. Past the Barnacles area is a T-junction. To the left are a pair of 
Laser Mines, and beyond them lie a red laser beams and three Tripod-
Mounted Chainguns. To the right is an open corridor. Detonate the 
nearby Mines with Pistol fire from a safe distance, and then take a 
right.
6. You'll come to a room with boxes on the floor, Barnacles overhead, 
and a conveyor belt on the floor. Kill the Barnacles and get on the 
conveyor belt. Follow it into the wall.
7. You'll come out in a room with a First Aid Station, HEV Station, and 
a pile of boxes. Jump up on the boxes (don't destroy them). From the 
top you can locate another conveyor belt, this one high off the 
ground. Jump onto the new belt and follow it into the wall.
8. Follow the new belt to a small room with a Grunt. Kill the Grunt and 
use a nearby First Aid Station, if necessary.
9. From this little room, you can look down on a corridor filled with 
Laser Mines, Chainguns, and laser beams. Save the game. Throw a 
Grenade down there and clear out the nearest Mines, and, with luck, 
destroy a couple of Chainguns. Then jump down and go through the 
fire door that descends automatically.

To the Surface

	Once you get through the fire door, you'll find yourself in a 
corridor to big storage room, where Grunts are busy gunning down 
helpless Scientists. You're almost at the surface!
1. Get away from the closing fire door and look down the hallway toward 
the big area. Grunts appear at long range, intent on killing 
Scientists. Shoot the Grunts whenever they appear. (Remember, 
Scientists can heal you if you have taken serious damage, so save 
them with every possible change you get).
2. When you see no more Grunts ahead, advance. Climb a flight of stairs 
to a platform, and then climb a second flight of stairs. Follow a 
catwalk to a third flight, and climb them.
3. At the top, you can go two ways: to the right catwalk leads to a 
First Aid Station; to the left a ramp leads down. Use the First Aid 
Station, if necessary, wary of the Barnacle above it, and then 
descend the ramp.
4. The ramp leads across a bridge with dead Barnacles over head (you 
should have shot them earlier) and onto a catwalk overlooking new 
areas. Look over the edge of the catwalk and shoot a pair of Grunts 
down there.
5. Break the boxes on the catwalk nearby to collect a Battery, and then 
descend the ramp to the main floor.
6. Downstairs, break more boxes and collect another Battery. Then 
locate the Surface Access elevator and press the button to open it. 
Get inside and press the button to ascend.

Helicopter Madness

	Take the elevator to the surface, where a circling osprey 
helicopter drops government troops into the area. Long-range mortar 
fire periodically rock the area.
	You task is to kill few nearby Grunts and beat a hasty retreat to 
a fortified concrete bunker, where the Helicopter can't get you at all. 
(Alternatively, you can try to kill the Osprey before you enter the 
bunker.
1. Leave the elevator. You're in a small concrete structure that's 
missing one wall.
2. Look out through the open wall and kill several Grunts running 
toward you. Strafe as you fire, but don't leave the shelter of you 
building.
3. When the Grunts are dead, heal up at a nearby First Aid Station.
4. Run out into the open
5. Locate the sunken concrete bunker and run inside. Turn on your 
flashlight. It illuminates a ladder leading down. Crawl down 
immediately.
6. Downstairs, the ground still shakes from the mortar attacks but 
you're safe from the Osprey, temporarily. Charge up your health and 
the HEV Suit at nearby stations.
7. Approach a door labeled "Vent Access." Open it but don't go through 
it immediately; instead, stand back as an explosion drops tons of 
debris down the vent.
8. Go through the door. You're in a vertical vent shaft that's open at 
the top. If you look up you'll see the osprey hovering overhead and 
occasionally dropping paratroopers (Grunts) down the vent to attack 
you.
9. Look down. You'll see several ledges or platforms. Jump to a lower 
ledge, and then jump to a still lower ledge. At the bottom ledge, 
you can crawl into a wide ventilation duct.
10. Crawl into the wide ventilation duct and follow it around the 
corner.

Backtracking

	You've just crawled into a set of ventilation ducts that winds 
through places you've already been, described in the foregoing "Storage 
Areas" and "Further Exploration." You're free to explore these ducts 
fully. If you do, you'll find some extra ammo and a First Aid Station 
in a previously inaccessible room.
	When you're done exploring, follow this path to the next level.
1. Proceed down the dark ventilation duct to a small vertical shaft 
with a fan near the middle. This shaft has four exits, including the 
one you approached through. You want to reach the bottom exit.
2. Drop to the bottom of the shaft without getting hacked to bits by 
the fan. Do this by crouching, and then inching forward and right 
until you fall onto a very narrow ledge. Then creep farther to the 
right (still crouching) until you fall to the bottom.
3. Crawl into the ventilation duct at the bottom of the shaft. Follow 
it.
4. This shaft opens into yet another vertical shaft. This shaft, 
mercifully, doesn't have any dangerous fan in it. What it does 
contain is a pair of platforms you can reach only by climbing 
ladders.
5. Climb the first ladder, but not the second one. You're about halfway 
up the shaft. Enter the ventilation duct you find there.
6. The duct is a short and opens into a room with a Scientist. The 
Scientist tells you about an old rail system you might be able to 
use.
7. In the same room with the Scientist is a console with a big red 
button labeled "Silo Access." Press the big red button, and a huge 
door opens nearby.
8. Go through the newly opened door, down a short corridor, and around 
a corner. A new level will load.

Blast Pit
	You're now in a new and dangerous area. You're the ultimate goal 
is to destroy a huge Tentacle that's taken over a nuclear silo. But 
getting to the silo is a test in itself! Prepare again, remember to 
same the game often.

Approaching the Silo

	The government's clean-up squads haven't located this area, yet, 
so you won't have any human enemies to fight for a while. You will; 
however, find yourself battling increasingly fierce aliens and some 
truly dangerous environments. You'll need complete mastery of skills to 
surmount the obstacles ahead.
1. As the level starts, you face a barricade passage. Use your Crowbar 
to break down the barricades and boxes.
2. Beyond the barricades are a few Headcrabs. Kill them and look out 
over the large loading area. There's a Bullsquid out here you can 
kill easily with your Pistol.
3. To the right lies a ramp. Go up the ramp to find yourself at a 
control panel with a lever. Throw the lever to summon a freight 
elevator. As you do, a Mawman bursts from a door to your right; kill 
it.
4. Enter the room the Mawman came from. This room is packed to bursting 
with explosives, so don't fire your weapons. Just take the ammo and 
First Aid Kit you find there and get out.
5. Descend a ladder to the loading area's lowest level. Get on the big 
freight elevator you just summoned with the lever, and press a 
button to descend into darkness. 
6. Downstairs, you'll find yourself in an abandoned rail tunnel. 
Several Houndeyes scamper below you. Shoot any that gets too close, 
and jump onto the rail cart.
7. Press the "Use" key to activate the rail cart's control panel, and 
then press the Forward key several times to make the rail cart blast 
forward at full speed. Press the "Use" key one final time when 
you're at full speed.
8. Stand still as the rail cart hurtles along the tracks. Don't bother 
shooting the Houndeyes and Bullsquids you pass; they'll attack but 
you're moving too fast to hit.
9. Eventually the cart will approach a green, radioactive lake. Before 
you reach that lake, leap up onto the elevator ledge to the right. 
You can reach it if you crouch after you jump.
10. Follow the ledge. You'll find yourself approaching the green 
lake.
11. Jump across the water onto another ledge. This one leads to the 
other side of the lake.
12. On the other side of the lake, climb a ladder to the top of a 
giant pipe. From there, walk onto a somewhat smaller pipe with a 
hole in the top. Fall into the hole and crawl forward in the dark.
13. When you reach another hole in the pipe, you'll be tempted to get 
out immediately. Instead, hop up and down in the hole to spot a 
Bullsquid just outside. Shoot the Bullsquid every second or two, 
while avoiding the return fire.
14. When the Bullsquid is dead, jump out of the pipe using the jump-
and-crouch technique. This area features several pipes and a pool of 
radioactive water.
15. Get back atop the pipe you entered though (if you fell off), and 
jump from it to the topmost of the other two pipes in this room. 
Line yourself up carefully for the jump, or you'll find it very 
difficult.
16. Walk along the new pipe. Shoot a Bullsquid in a nearby toxic pool 
as you balance on the pipe, and then leap down to the balcony.
17. Beyond the balcony is a large room with Batteries and First Aid 
Kits. Collect as many as you can, and then continue.

Entering the Silo

	You're on the threshold of a missile silo that's been taken over 
by a giant Tentacle. Entering the silo is the easy part; defeating the 
Tentacle is another matter.
1. Go through the doorway from the room with the First Aid Kits and 
Batteries to a ledge overlooking a lake of toxic slime. A missile 
silo lies beyond the lake. Kill a Bullsquid in the water below.
2. Hop on a pipe that leads out across the water towards the silo. 
Before it reaches the silo; however, this pipe nearly intersects 
another pipe that leads to a lift. Hop down onto the new pipe and 
make your way onto the lift. Watch out for another Bullsquid hiding 
in a corner of the toxic lake.
3. Press the button on the lift and ride up.
4. Upstairs, walk slowly down a corridor. As it broadens, you'll find a 
Bullsquid to you right, near a pair of explosive barrels, but stay 
well away from the barrels. If you shoot them they will explode.
5. Follow a catwalk, killing Houndeyes as you progress, to a bridge. 
Collect a pair of First Aid Kits near the bridge before crossing.
6. A single Houndeye is trapped between barrels of explosives on the 
bridge. You can either shoot the Houndeye and just run past the 
explosives once the Houndeye is dead or you can shoot the 
explosives, kill the Houndeye and jump over the gap; either works.
7. Kill a pair of Headcrabs on the other side of the bridge. Then enter 
a small room with a security door and throw a wall switch. The door 
you entered through closes, and a new door opens. You've reached the 
missile silo's inner chambers.
8. Kill a Mawman on the other side of the door and walk along the hall. 
Listen to the dying Scientist on the floor. Then kill a Barnacle on 
the ceiling and keep going.
9. Go through another security door to see a Scientist standing in the 
missile silo's control room. After a moment, a massive Tentacle 
bursts through the window overlooking the missile chamber and grabs 
the Scientist.
10. After the Tentacle has dragged the scientist away, cross the 
room, go through a doorway, kill a Barnacle overhead, and climb a 
ladder. A Security Guard upstairs tells you to be quiet.
11. Pass the Security Guard into a small room with explosive crates 
and Grenades. Another Security Guard stands here; as soon as you 
enter, he runs toward the Tentacle and tries to shoot it. Ignore 
him; the Tentacle will eventually kill him.
12. Collect the Grenades and crawl out into the silo's inner chamber, 
where the Tentacle waits. Crawl down a ladder to a lower platform.
13. Destroy a ring of boxes around a ladder leading down, and then 
descends quickly.
14. At the bottom, look for a boarded-up door. Destroy the boards and 
go through the doorway.
15. Walk down a corridor to a security door. Throw the wall switch to 
close the door you entered by and open a new one.

Activating the Air and Fuel

	Your master plan to kill the Tentacle requires to restore the 
power, fuel, and ventilation to the missile silo. You'll do the second 
two first.
1. Beyond the security door is a bridge with a Mawman on it. The Mawman 
is trapped between two explosive barrels. You can either run up past 
the Mawman or shoot the barrels. Shoot the barrels to destroy a 
section of the bridge; cross by walking on a thick blue pipe to its 
left. Using the Pistol, you can kill the Mawman without disturbing 
the barrels. Make sure you have the crosshairs turned on and destroy 
the non-explosive crates on the other side of the bridge for two 
First Aid Kits.
2. Follow the corridor to an area with a locked door labeled "Fuel 
Room" and a ladder leading down. Don't descent down the ladder. 
Instead, turn on your Flashlight, jump down without using the 
ladder, and then turnaround quickly to destroy the Mawmen lurking 
beneath.
3. Down here, you'll find a circular grate in the floor, destroy it and 
climb down the extremely long ladder below.
4. At the bottom you'll find yourself standing on a rusty pipe 
suspended above shallow water. Walk along the pipe, talking care not 
to fall off. (There's nothing of value underwater, and Bullsquids 
can attack you down there).
5. Take a left at a T-junction.
6. Follow the pipe to a ladder leading up. Climb the ladder, shoot out 
the grate at the top, and kill the Mawman you find standing up 
there.
7. Upstairs, collect Grenades from a small alcove, and then follow the 
only available corridor to a door. Press a button near the door to 
open it, and shoot two Mawmen on the other side.
8. Beyond them is a huge vertical shaft with a massive, motionless fan 
in it. Climb down two red ladders to reach the fan's level.
9. Walk up the base of the fan and press a switch to activate it. Then 
turn and climb back up both ladders as quickly as you can.
10. When you reach the top of the second ladder, jump onto he shaft. 
That's right - leap right into the void. The fan is blowing so hard, 
the force of the air propels your body straight up, and you'll come 
to rest against some wooden planks. Destroy the planks with you 
Crowbar to float to the top of the shaft.
11. There, destroy a metal grate in the wall
12. Go through the destroyed metal grate. You might need to crouch to 
do this. You also must be high enough. If you aren't, steer yourself 
to the middle of the shaft, where the fan blows you higher, and then 
make a beeline for the blasted-out metal grate.
13. Kill a Headcrab in the ventilation duct. Proceed forward, 
knocking out grates and killing Headcrabs, to a ladder down. Take 
it.
14. Proceed to a room with three Mawmen in it. Kill all three Mawmen 
and approach a console with buttons labeled "Oxy On" and "Fuel On". 
Press both buttons, you'll know they're on when a light turns on 
near the button.
15. Climb the ladder to the right of the console. Press a wall button 
upstairs to trigger a door.
16. Beyond the door, you're back in a familiar territory. Make you 
way along the corridor toward the central part of the silo - the 
part with the Tentacle.

Restoring Power

	You've restored fuel and airflow to the missile silo, but you 
still must turn the power back on. Here's how:
1. Return to the large room with the Tentacle. Locate a ladder leading 
down (remember to crawl), and take it. You should be at the bottom 
of the silo, next to the hole the Tentacle emerges from.
2. There's a boarded-up door down there. Smash the timbers blocking it 
and go through.
3. Walk down the corridor to a hole in the floor. Save the game, then 
leap across.
4. Continue down the corridor until you find a Mawman feasting on two 
dead Scientists. As you do, a section of the corridor collapses 
behind you. Ignore it. Just kill the Mawman and go through the 
security door.
5. Cross a bridge with explosive barrels on it (as usual, you can cross 
via a handy pipe if you manage to blow up the bridge). Kill a 
Bullsquid on the other side, and a trio of Houndeyes in the corridor 
beyond.
6. Proceed to a large, dark room with Barnacles on the ceiling and 
Bullsquid eating a dead Scientist in the corner. Kill the Bullsquid, 
and then the Barnacles.
7. Walk out on a platform and press a button to summit an elevator. 
Board the elevator when it arrives. As the elevator descends, turn 
on your Flashlight and scan the wall around you for a ladder.
8. About halfway down, the elevator stops abruptly. At this point, one 
possibility is to jump to the rim of the elevator, and then leap 
over to the ladder. If you jump correctly, you can catch the ladder 
and sustain no falling damage. If this is too difficult for you, let 
the elevator fall and leap onto the lower level just before it hits 
the water.
9. Downstairs is a platform with a Scientist. Listen to him, and then 
follow the only corridor leading away from the platform.
10. Proceed the corridor, jumping up on a large pipe to avoid a spill 
of toxic sludge about halfway along.
11. At the end of the corridor, kill a Mawman, and then walk forward. 
You're in the silo's power core. The only alien in here is a 
Bullsquid at the bottom of the core. Throw a Grenade down to kill 
it.
12. Walk out onto a mesh basket overlooking the core. Press a button, 
and the basket will whisk you to the other side. From there, climb a 
ladder to a catwalk around the core's perimeter.
13. The haywire basket up here is like the one you just rode in, but 
it moves by itself and will squash you if it touches you. Walk 
around the catwalk to a ladder up, careful not to let the basket hit 
you. Climb the ladder.
14. At the top, a beam leads to the center of the power core. Walk 
along the beam and press a button on the core itself. A red light 
comes on.
15. Jump on the core and walk across it. Press an identical button on 
the other side. A second red light will come on. Make sure you're 
not on the core or you'll be fired.
16. Make your way back down to the room's entrance by descending a 
ladder and riding the basket again. From there, return to the large 
shaft with the elevator you jumped out of.
17. Climb the same ladder you climbed down originally.
18. Proceed back to the room with the Tentacle. Along the way you 
will find an electrified puddle. Arrange metal crates (found in the 
previous room) into a crude bridge to cross the puddle.

Killing the Tentacle and Escaping the Silo

	You've restored the air, fuel, and power. Now you're ready to fry 
the Tentacle and get out of this place. Here's how:
1. Climb all the way back to the top of the Tentacle room. Remember to 
crawl to cut down on noise, or you'll get smacked!!! Also, use 
Grenades to distract the Tentacle.
2. From the top, return to the silo's control room. Note that the 
console's Oxygen, Fuel, and Power lights all are now on.
3. Press the "Test Fire" button at the center of the console, and stand 
somewhat back from the window. Watch as the Tentacle is burned to a 
crisp by a booster-rocket ignition.
4. Enter the room where the Tentacle used to be. Climb down to the 
bottom, and descend a ladder into the hole where the Tentacle 
sprouted.
5. Proceed along a series of nearly vertical tunnels. Eventually you'll 
find yourself falling into a pool of water. Make sure you hit the 
water when you land.
6. Swim to the surface and investigate: you're in a small room with a 
Scientist and a Security Guard, both dead. A .357 Magnum lies near 
the guard, and bullets for it are scattered on both sides of the 
room. Take this stuff, and then dive back into the water.
7. Swim straight down toward two circular openings. One is partially 
covered by Tentacle remnants. Line things up with the Tentacle-
covered opening on your left and the other on your right. Then swim 
straight down through the clear opening, and then go forward. Swim 
up again to the surface near a platform overlooking a radioactive 
lake.
8. Descend the nearby ladder to a lower platform with First Aid and HEV 
stations. Return when you've powered up.
9. From the upper platform, walk along a big pipe that leads out across 
the radioactive lake. Drop from this pipe to a lower one, and follow 
it to a concrete wall. Then turn right and drop onto a third pipe.
10. Following along into an even larger pipe. This one has a valve 
wheel on it. Turn the valve wheel (hold it down for a while), and a 
section o