Expansions don't get better than this.
THE BAD: Cliff-hanger ending.
Half-Life: Opposing force is the first expansion to the legendary Half-Life. You play as Adrian Shepard, one of the soldiers sent in to "clean up" the Black Mesa accident. The game starts out with you on your way to the facility, directly after the portal to another dimension is opened up. As soon as you enter the facility, you learn that things are a bit more complicated than the briefing led you to believe. It's not long before you are seperated from the rest of the soldiers and it's made obvious that someone doesn't want you with them. A routine clean-up turns into a fight for survival against enemies you never knew existed.
Everything that made Half-Life great are still present in this game.
The story, while it may seem repetitive is still very fresh and unpredictable. It gives you a whole new look at the events that took place in Black Mesa, and there are very few parts that feel like a rehash of the orginial Half-Life. And one of the coolest aspects of this expansion is seeing clips of moments you played in the original Half-Life. The one that stands out the most is when you burst into the portal room and see Gordon jump through to another dimension. Seeing glimpses of the game you played from a different perspective is a great touch and really makes you feel even more immersed in the Half-Life universe.
The graphics are at the same level as Half-Life, and still look pretty good today.
The sound is still top notch and sets the mood well.
The combat is just as tense and exciting as in the original Half-Life and there are a slew of new weapons which are a blast to play around with.
The computer AI is just as good as well, although this time you obviously won't be fighting any soldiers. You also have moments where you will fight alongside allied soldiers. While they are not incredibly useful, it does add some variety and makes some of the battles a little easier. The allied AI isn't as good as the enemy AI, but it's not that big a deal. The different soldiers are also unique as to the weapons they carry and the roles they'll play in combat. It's not as fleshed out as it could be, but it still keeps things fresh and interesting.
All in all it's an amazing expansion which lets you further explore the incredible universe that Half-Life takes place in. The gameplay is just as tense and enjoyable as in the original, and will keep you entertained all the way to the final boss battle. If you enjoy any FPS shooter, you need to get your hands on this one. It won't dissapoint you.
GAMEPLAY: 10
STORY: 10
GRAPHICS: 9.5
SOUND: 10
VALUE: 10