A well recieved single player modification for Half-Life, Half-Life: Chronicles - Episode One was the creation of the now-defunct RadioActive Software team. Created over the course of several months beginning in late 1999, Chronicles was released on November 19th, 1999 to warm reviews. Half-Life: Chronicles - Episode One was featured in the May 2000 edition of PC Gamer as one of the Top 10 Single Player Half-Life modifications at that time, and was included on the attached CD for that issue. The concepts and overall idea for the mod were by Sam Shahrani, with the actual design of the levels in Episode One being done by Evan Hort. Evan's own level designs, and the implementations of Sam's designs, resulted in a mod that kept the tone and spirit of the original Half-Life while providing fast-paced gameplay and a new weapon. Chronicles Episode One also added an M4 assault rifle; at the time the mod was begun, Gearbox Software had not announced that there would ever be a High Definition...

RSS Reviews  (0 - 10 of 35)

Ah yes, the episodes that never where. It was pretty dam good level design if not to short.
I suppose it really could have been something, it featured some voice acting but its nothing oscar worthy, you can tell it was going to have some sort of story but no can do. It posed a what if scenario but didn't do much with it. What we are left with is some good level design and 1 new weapon. Not much to sing about.
Its difficulty curve is pretty normal and I didn't have much trouble, it had no puzzles and almost no vent crawling so its all about level design to keep this thing interesting.

8

rea987 says

Agree Disagree

A nice addition but too damn short. I couldn't believe the length.

I remember when I got the Disk that had this mod with PC Gamer Magazine, This mod was Breathtaking with attention to detail I hadn't seen in a while since Azure Sheep.

The new weapons are well done and are better to use than the usual MP5 and Crossbow but the mod is quite short, None the less it is a mod that will stand the test of time for many years to come.

7

HPB says

May contain spoilers Agree Disagree

This mod has made nicely with the "what if" storyline.
A new weapon is added, but it's burst-fire seems too fast though.
The crane area has a monorail tunnel which intended inaccessible, but player can crouch-jump to get there.
Only appear once, laser beam which used for a sentry gun looks different.
To the ending, player ride on a tram while fights two HECU which on an another tram.
The mod is too short, but it's a good mod anyways.

Pretty cool and challenging (on Hard).

Good Old Classic.

It's a good mod, yet it is very short. It's really a shame there won't (probably ever) be a continuation.
One thing I would like to say is that I disliked that custom burst-fire rifle due to the delay between hitting the trigger and the gun actually firing. For a weapon meant to be powerful, it should fire immediately. I kept dying because of the delay, that's why I used the original SMG to resolve the problem. It worked.

It was short, but for the time of it's release, HLC's was ambitious in it's attempt to bring forth an episodic release much like They Hunger.

Unfortunately, the team split not soon after the first episode came out.

However, the level design is exquisite and the new materials and models are used well, such as the M4 and new humorous dialogue.

Give this a gander if you want some gold ol' fashioned half-life fun :D

6

Major_Shade says

6

the_vm says