Games Like Half-Life

Relive Half-Life.

Why similar: Classic 22.8% ★, FPS 19.2%, Aliens 13.2%, Sci-fi 8.8%, Shooter 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: It is a faithful modern reimagining of Half-Life that preserves the original’s research-facility disaster, level flow, and combat feel while polishing nearly every part of it.

Return to the Black Mesa Research Facility as one of the military specialists assigned to eliminate Gordon Freeman. Experience an entirely new episode of single player action. Meet fierce alien opponents, and experiment with new weaponry. Named 'Game of the Year' by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

Why similar: FPS 30.5%, Classic 18.5% ★, Silent Protagonist 11.2% ★, Aliens 8.5%, 1990's 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: This direct expansion retells the Black Mesa incident from a new perspective with the same engine, pacing, and survival-through-chaos design.

Made by Gearbox Software and originally released in 2001 as an add-on to Half-Life, Blue Shift is a return to the Black Mesa Research Facility in which you play as Barney Calhoun, the security guard sidekick who helped Gordon out of so many sticky situations.

Why similar: FPS 25.3%, Classic 16.7% ★, Silent Protagonist 12.9% ★, Aliens 11.1%, Sci-fi 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers another grounded trip through the same catastrophe, emphasizing Half-Life’s environmental storytelling and tightly paced solo FPS action.

Reawakened from stasis in the occupied metropolis of City 17, Gordon Freeman is joined by Alyx Vance as he leads a desperate human resistance. Experience the landmark first-person shooter packed with immersive world-building, boundary-pushing physics, and exhilarating combat.

Why similar: Classic 21.7% ★, FPS 19.5%, Silent Protagonist 18.5% ★, Sci-fi 7.1%, Aliens 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: Valve’s sequel keeps the narrative-in-motion design of the original while expanding it with stronger physics, world-building, and set-piece-driven combat.

Half-Life: Alyx is Valve’s VR return to the Half-Life series. It’s the story of an impossible fight against a vicious alien race known as the Combine, set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Playing as Alyx Vance, you are humanity’s only chance for survival.

Why similar: Aliens 22%, FPS 21%, Shooter 11.4%, Sci-fi 11.1%, First-Person 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Even in VR, it captures Half-Life’s signature mix of environmental immersion, tense combat, alien menace, and story woven directly into play.

Sven Co-op is a co-operative game originally based around Valve Software's Half-Life. In this game players must work together against computer controlled enemies and solve puzzles as a team.

Why similar: Moddable 20.5% ★, FPS 20.3%, 1990's 19.3%, Shooter 11.2%, Retro 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: Although cooperative, it is built directly on the classic Half-Life formula and lets you experience that exact style of shooting and map progression in new ways.

A demonic invasion has overwhelmed the Union Aerospace Corporation's Mars research facility. As one of only a few survivors, you must fight your way to hell and back against a horde of demons in this award-winning horror/action FPS and reimagining of the original DOOM.

Why similar: Classic 28.3% ★, FPS 27.2%, Gore 9.8%, Shooter 8.9%, Sci-fi 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its isolated sci-fi facility, monster outbreak premise, and claustrophobic first-person campaign make it one of the closest tonal cousins to Half-Life.

You are humanity’s last hope to stop the Strogg, a hostile alien race waging war against Earth. Play this military sci-fi FPS, now upgraded for modern platforms with improved visuals, new campaign content, online multiplayer/co-op, and more.

Why similar: Classic 30.1% ★, FPS 20.1%, 1990's 9.8%, Moddable 7.6% ★, Gore 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: Its military sci-fi campaign, alien enemies, and late-90s run-and-gun structure make it a natural next stop for anyone who loves classic Half-Life-era FPS design.

Portal™ is a new single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games on the horizon and will offer gamers hours of unique gameplay.

Why similar: Classic 30.2% ★, Sci-fi 19.8%, First-Person 18.2%, FPS 11.6%, Story Rich 6%

Why You'll Like It: It swaps gunfights for puzzles, yet its first-person immersion, environmental storytelling, and iconic Valve pacing make it feel spiritually adjacent to Half-Life.

FIGHT THE PAST TO SAVE THE FUTURE. STOP THE SINGULARITY. Learn the truth behind a massive cover-up of the catastrophic SINGULARITY, an event that fractured time and threatens the world as we know it. Armed with powerful, advanced weaponry and the experimental Time Manipulation Device, fight enemies from the past, the present, and...

Why similar: FPS 36.7%, Sci-fi 14.1%, Shooter 9%, Gore 6.2%, First-Person 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: This story-driven sci-fi shooter channels the same experiment-gone-wrong energy, linear momentum, and environmental narrative focus that make Half-Life memorable.

Aliens Versus Predator Classic 2000 features the Colonial Marine, Alien and Predator Campaigns and the frenetic single-player Skirmish mode from the original title: Alien Versus Predator Gold Edition, which was released to massive acclaim in 2000.

Why similar: Classic 31.4% ★, FPS 18.4%, Aliens 15.8%, Sci-fi 7.2%, Multiplayer 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: This is another classic sci-fi FPS built around hostile alien encounters, oppressive atmosphere, and tense first-person survival.

Developed by the award-winning id Software, Quake® is the ground-breaking, original dark fantasy first-person shooter that inspires today’s retro-style FPS games. With Quake (Enhanced), experience the authentic, updated, and visually enhanced version of the original.

Why similar: Classic 32.5% ★, FPS 19.3%, 1990's 8.7%, Moddable 8.3% ★, Gore 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: It is less narrative-heavy, but its classic first-person combat, secret-hunting, and 90s shooter DNA overlap strongly with what makes the original Half-Life satisfying.

Developed by id Software, and originally released in 1993 and 1994, the definitive, newly enhanced versions of DOOM + DOOM II are available as a combined product.

Why similar: Classic 30.8% ★, FPS 16.8%, Moddable 11.2% ★, 1990's 10.5%, Gore 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: These are more arcade-driven than Half-Life, but the keycard progression, monster-filled corridors, and foundational FPS design still make them essential adjacent classics.

SiN: Gold has returned! Free update for original owners!

Why similar: Action 21.7%, FPS 20.4%, Classic 18.8% ★, 1990's 9.7%, Shooter 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is one of the few late-90s shooters that chased Half-Life’s more story-conscious, action-adventure approach instead of pure arena-style shooting.

Cry of Fear is a psychological single-player and co-op horror game set in a deserted town filled with horrific creatures and nightmarish delusions. You play as a young man desperately searching for answers in the cold Scandinavian night, finding his way through the city as he slowly descends into madness.

Why similar: Multiplayer 28.8%, FPS 22.9%, First-Person 12.3%, Shooter 11.6%, Atmospheric 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: Built on GoldSrc, it shares some of Half-Life’s tactile old-school movement and map flow while pushing much harder into horror.

BioShock is a shooter unlike any other, loaded with unique weapons and tactics. Complete with an arsenal of revolvers, shotguns, and grenade launchers, players will be forced to genetically modify their DNA to become an even deadlier weapon.

Why similar: FPS 29.7%, Classic 18.5% ★, Story Rich 10.1%, Shooter 9.1%, Atmospheric 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: It is more systemic and stylized, but its lonely first-person journey through a fallen experimental world scratches a similar narrative-FPS itch.

In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted.

Why similar: FPS 23.5%, Aliens 21.5%, Sci-fi 19.7%, First-Person 9.4%, Atmospheric 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: Set in a research-heavy sci-fi space disaster full of alien threats, it captures the same immersive first-person problem-solving spirit from a more modern angle.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION! Lured to Mars by the Ultor Corporation's promise of a better life, thousands have come to seek their fortune and work for the massive mining company. But all is not as it seems. A deadly plague is sweeping through the barracks, and miners suffer daily abuse at the hands of the Ultor guards.

Why similar: Classic 35.8% ★, FPS 27.5%, Sci-fi 10.9%, Shooter 7%, Multiplayer 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: Its industrial sci-fi setting, campaign-driven structure, and grounded firefights echo the same era and feel as Half-Life, even with a more rebellious tone.

In 2013 the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event, annihilating almost all mankind and turning the Earth's surface into a poisonous wasteland. A handful of survivors took refuge in the depths of the Moscow underground, and human civilization entered a new Dark Age. The year is 2033.

Why similar: FPS 29.1%, Classic 11% ★, Shooter 10.2%, Story Rich 10%, Atmospheric 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is more survival-focused, but its linear story-driven shooting, oppressive atmosphere, and constant sense of forward escape make it feel Half-Life-like in structure.

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter is a visually upgraded and fully Steam supported remake version of the original high-adrenaline single-play and 16-player co-operative arcade-action FPS which was Gamespot's Game of the Year 2001 and which scored overall of 87% on Metacritic!

Why similar: FPS 29.5%, Classic 19.1% ★, Gore 11.2%, Aliens 8.3%, Shooter 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: It is far more horde-focused and arcadey, but it still delivers the kind of fast classic FPS shooting that many Half-Life fans also enjoy.

Having defeated the Campaigner, Turok throws the Chronocepter into a waiting volcano to destroy it. Unfortunately the blast awakens an even deadlier force - The Primagen. Once again a Turok is tasked with restoring peace to the land and stopping the Primagen from merging Earth with the nether world.

Why similar: Classic 32.3% ★, FPS 21.6%, Gore 12.5%, 1990's 6.8%, Aliens 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: Its larger exploratory levels, alien-inflected weaponry, and late-90s single-player FPS sensibilities make it a solid match for classic Half-Life fans.

Mars, 2044. The UN establishes MARSCORP (Martian Security and Economics Committee) under the leadership of Samuel Longwood. In the years that follow, the UN gradually loses control of MARSCORP, mainly due to the non-transparent licence policy of its director.

Why similar: FPS 32%, Classic 27.8% ★, Sci-fi 10.3%, Shooter 7.4%, First-Person 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: This early-2000s sci-fi corridor shooter delivers the same kind of straightforward campaign progression, lab-and-base environments, and conspiracy-driven action.

Play the world's number 1 online action game. Engage in an incredibly realistic brand of terrorist warfare in this wildly popular team-based game. Ally with teammates to complete strategic missions. Take out enemy sites. Rescue hostages. Your role affects your team's success. Your team's success affects your role.

Why similar: Classic 30.8% ★, FPS 27.8%, Shooter 10.8%, Multiplayer 10.3%, 1990's 7%

Half-Life Deathmatch: Source is a recreation of the first multiplayer game set in the Half-Life universe. Features all the classic weapons and most-played maps, now running on the Source engine.

Why similar: FPS 29%, Classic 24.7% ★, Multiplayer 12.2%, Shooter 9.9%, Sci-fi 9%

One of the most popular online action games of all time, Team Fortress Classic features over nine character classes -- from Medic to Spy to Demolition Man -- enlisted in a unique style of online team warfare. Each character class possesses unique weapons, items, and abilities, as teams compete online in a variety of game play modes.

Why similar: Classic 32.3% ★, FPS 22%, 1990's 10.7%, Multiplayer 9.7%, Action 9.3%

Fast multiplayer action set in the Half-Life 2 universe! HL2's physics adds a new dimension to deathmatch play. Play straight deathmatch or try Combine vs. Resistance teamplay. Toss a toilet at your friend today!

Why similar: FPS 35.1%, Multiplayer 15.8%, Action 11.5%, Shooter 10.8%, Sci-fi 7.9%

Counter-Strike: Source blends Counter-Strike's award-winning teamplay action with the advanced technology of Source™ technology.

Why similar: FPS 29.9%, Shooter 27.8%, Multiplayer 12.5%, Moddable 7.9% ★, PvP 6.2%

Enjoy fast-paced multiplayer gaming with Deathmatch Classic (a.k.a. DMC). Valve's tribute to the work of id software, DMC invites players to grab their rocket launchers and put their reflexes to the test in a collection of futuristic settings.

Why similar: Classic 30.5% ★, FPS 20.8%, Action 15.9%, Shooter 7.8%, Multiplayer 7.7%

With its extensive Tour of Duty campaign, a near-limitless number of skirmish modes, updates and new content for Counter-Strike's award-winning multiplayer game play, plus over 12 bonus single player missions, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is a tremendous offering of single and multiplayer content.

Why similar: FPS 33.3%, Classic 24.8% ★, Shooter 13.9%, Multiplayer 10.7%, Action 8.2%

Serious Sam is a high-adrenaline single-play and 16-player co-operative arcade-action FPS and Gamespot's Game of the Year 2001!

Why similar: Classic 37.6% ★, FPS 23.9%, Gore 9.9%, Shooter 6.6%, Multiplayer 4.9%

The greatest warriors of all time and space have been summoned to battle for the amusement of an ancient alien race. Wield a variety of guns and power-ups as you fight for glory against ruthless combatants in this fast-paced single-player and multiplayer FPS.

Why similar: Classic 29.9% ★, FPS 21.8%, 1990's 8.7%, Multiplayer 7.8%, Moddable 6.4% ★

A futuristic action game that challenges your agility as well as your aim, Ricochet features one-on-one and team matches played in a variety of futuristic battle arenas.

Why similar: Classic 29.9% ★, FPS 22.2%, Action 17.2%, Multiplayer 10.3%, First-Person 6%

From Valve (the creators of Counter-Strike, Half-Life and more) comes Left 4 Dead, a co-op action horror game for the PC and Xbox 360 that casts up to four players in an epic struggle for survival against swarming zombie hordes and terrifying mutant monsters.

Why similar: FPS 33.8%, Multiplayer 18.6%, Moddable 15.3% ★, Shooter 13.2%, First-Person 7.4%

Enlist in an intense brand of Axis vs. Allied teamplay set in the WWII European Theatre of Operations. Players assume the role of light/assault/heavy infantry, sniper or machine-gunner class, each with a unique arsenal of historical weaponry at their disposal. Missions are based on key historical operations.

Why similar: FPS 57.5%, Classic 18.2% ★, Multiplayer 8.2%, Shooter 7.9%, First-Person 3.3%

Experience the original F.E.A.R. along with F.E.A.R. Extraction Point and F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate.

Why similar: FPS 32.7%, Classic 29.7% ★, Gore 9.1%, Shooter 7.6%, Atmospheric 4.3%

The "Perpetual Testing Initiative" has been expanded to allow you to design co-op puzzles for you and your friends!

Why similar: FPS 30%, First-Person 13.7%, Action-Adventure 13.5%, Sci-fi 13.1%, Story Rich 12.4%

Valve's WWII Multiplayer Classic - Now available for Mac.

Why similar: FPS 44.1%, Classic 18.4% ★, Multiplayer 12.9%, Shooter 11.7%, First-Person 5.6%

Experience the most exciting and fast-paced FPS gameplay while competing with players from around the world in over 100 arenas, a dozen game modes, and with persistent career stats tracking, in this online features-focused successor to Quake III Arena.

Why similar: Classic 40% ★, FPS 26.5%, Multiplayer 11.5%, Shooter 8.6%, Difficult 5.3%

The Master Chief’s iconic journey includes six games, built for PC and collected in a single integrated experience. Whether you’re a long-time fan or meeting Spartan 117 for the first time, The Master Chief Collection is the definitive Halo gaming experience.

Why similar: Classic 29.3% ★, FPS 16.4%, Aliens 13%, Sci-fi 8.1%, Multiplayer 7.9%

The classic first person shooter from Crytek is back with the action-packed gameplay, sandbox world, and thrilling epic battles you loved the first time around – now with remastered graphics optimized for a new generation of hardware.

Why similar: FPS 26.6%, Aliens 22.8%, Shooter 14.2%, Sci-fi 12.4%, Atmospheric 6.2%

The year is 2052 and the world is a dangerous and chaotic place. Terrorists operate openly - killing thousands; drugs, disease and pollution kill even more. The world's economies are close to collapse and the gap between the insanely wealthy and the desperately poor grows ever wider.

Why similar: Classic 40.8% ★, FPS 19.1%, Moddable 11.9% ★, Sci-fi 10.3%, Story Rich 4.5%

Serious Sam is a high-adrenaline arcade-action shooter heavily focused on frantic action. In a world where cyberpunk meets fantasy-fiction and advanced technology is mixed with black magic and psycho-powers, Sam travels through four beautiful worlds, confronting countless foes on his way to Mental's base.

Why similar: Classic 36.4% ★, FPS 26.2%, Shooter 9.2%, Gore 6.3%, Action 5.6%

Experience the critically acclaimed and award-winning Portal™ reimagined with full ray tracing and DLSS 4 in this free DLC for Portal owners. Start thinking with portals, with RTX on.

Why similar: Sci-fi 28.5%, First-Person 24%, Story Rich 15.9%, Action 14.6%, Atmospheric 11%

Play the enhanced version of the original game released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997. Years have passed since you stopped Hell’s invasion of Earth. Quarantined for humanity’s safety, the UAC research facilities on Mars were abandoned and forgotten...until now.

Why similar: Classic 30% ★, FPS 17.4%, 1990's 13.8%, Gore 10.2%, Retro 7.5%

Now includes all three premium DLC packs (Unto the Evil, Hell Followed, and Bloodfall), maps, modes, and weapons, as well as all feature updates including Arcade Mode, Photo Mode, and the latest Update 6.66, which brings further multiplayer improvements as well as revamps multiplayer progression.

Why similar: FPS 24.6%, Gore 18.2%, Classic 15.7% ★, Shooter 9.6%, Multiplayer 6.8%

Step into the Arena. Compete against players from around the world in this fast-paced shooter that combines the dark mythos of the original Quake with the skill-based competition of Quake III Arena. Become a Champion.

Why similar: FPS 31.6%, Gore 15.6%, Multiplayer 13.8%, Classic 13.7% ★, Shooter 8.2%

Prospekt begins in the Nova Prospekt prison in the Half-Life universe. Gordon Freeman is slowly being overrun by soldiers in the prison, however unknown to him, his Vortigaunt allies manage to find some help from a forgotten hero.

Why similar: FPS 38.9%, Sci-fi 16.5%, Shooter 14.4%, First-Person 10.8%, Action 10.4%

Call of Duty® delivers the gritty realism and cinematic intensity of World War II's epic battlefield moments like never before.

Why similar: Classic 37.4% ★, FPS 26.9%, Shooter 9.3%, Multiplayer 8.8%, First-Person 5%

Wolfenstein®: Enemy Territory is a free-to-play, objective-based multiplayer World War 2 first-person shooter. Featuring up to 32 players, choose either the Axis or Allies, as you fight across six maps based on real-world battle locations.

Why similar: FPS 27.3%, Classic 23% ★, Multiplayer 12.4%, Shooter 10%, Gore 8.5%

A tropical paradise seethes with hidden evil in Far Cry®, a cunningly detailed action shooter that pushes the boundaries of combat to shocking new levels. Freelance mariner Jack Carver is cursing the day he ever came to this island.

Why similar: Classic 33.7% ★, FPS 27%, Difficult 8.4%, Shooter 7.7%, First-Person 5.1%

BioShock is a shooter unlike any you've ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You'll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you'll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you.

Why similar: FPS 31.6%, Classic 20.9% ★, Story Rich 9.1%, Atmospheric 8.4%, Shooter 8%

Serious Sam Classic: The Second Encounter is a high-adrenaline single-play and 16-player co-operative arcade-action FPS and Gamespot's Game of the Month February 2002!

Why similar: Classic 35.7% ★, FPS 24.3%, Gore 13.1%, Shooter 7%, Action 5.2%

World War II rages. The Nazis are planning to build an unstoppable, mutant army. On a mission to steal the secret plans, you were captured and imprisoned. Now, a lucky break gives you the chance to escape, but a maze of passages and trigger-happy Nazis stand in your way.

Why similar: Classic 20% ★, Moddable 16.6% ★, FPS 13.1%, 1990's 11.3%, Gore 8.8%

TE120 is a short single player experience set in the Half-Life Universe featuring a gravity defying weapon that allows you to jump buildings and sustain large falls. The story takes place at a mysterious date & location. Where are you? Why have you been sent?

Why similar: FPS 27.2%, Shooter 20%, Multiplayer 14.4%, First-Person 12%, Sci-fi 7.8%

From the team that brought you Aleph One, the classic sci-fi FPS Marathon from Bungie on Mac revived for modern hardware by the fan community.

Why similar: FPS 25.7%, Aliens 14.8%, PvP 14.2%, Shooter 12.9%, First-Person 9.4%