I've been thinking about getting The Orange Box for my 360 but I haven't played the original Half life. How much would I be missing out on by not playing the first and would it matter that much?

Thanks for any help.

Not at all, but it does help you understand the beginning a bit better.

Storyline-wise? probably not missing entirely too much. A lot of the characters from the first game make small appearances, most of them are pretty inconsequential for all but a few moments. You'll catch on to the storyline very quickly if you start on 2.

The engine between the first game and the second game is very different. HL2 is a vastly superior game. Even the jump from HL2 to HL2E1 is pretty noticeable.

I would say go ahead and start with 2 but play that one before the 2 expansion episodes.

The graphics are a bit too dated for my tastes. Just read the story summary on wiki or something. Maybe look for the end on Youtube.

Alright, cool. Thanks. :)

I didn't, and I got along fine. If you have a bit of common sense about you, you can figure out what's going on pretty quickly. It might help to brush up on Wikipedia, though.

You would be missing out on one of the greatest games of all time, although admittedly it is a little dated now.

In relation to HL2: it does help the storyline along at first as you understand and know who Gordon Freeman is and what he has been through, and explains a little as to the reason the rift to other worlds was opened, however I do not think it is strictly necessary to play HL1 before HL2. If you would like to know the backstory without playing HL1 then there are plenty of fan sites around the web that will tell you all you want to know.

You should definitely play HL2 before HL2:Ep1 and Ep2 though.

EDIT: Wow, that got answered by several different people QUICK...

Although you don't really have to, after playing the first, meeting characters like Barney and holding a crowbar can really send you into a fanboy fit.

HL2?no. the episodes?yes.

I didn't, but I still knew the story so I guess that helps but the story of half life 2 more or less explained in HL2

I wouldn't call it necessary, but HL2 and the episodes are so packed with references to HL1 that you'd be cheating yourself not to find out how it all started. And while HL1's graphics are fairly... well, simplistic compared to modern games, you can pick up Opposing Force and Blue Shift; BS comes with the high-definition models that make the visuals, if not pretty, at least more bearable. Plus Op4 was a fun expansion in itself- trudging down pitch-black sewer passages, SAW in hand, with only my night-vision goggles to show me the Voltigores lurking in the darkness... that was a memorable bit of gameplay. Blue Shift... well, it was nice, but way too short.

Aren't you guys forgetting certain crucial plot lines and certain *crucial* characters that are introduced (*ahem, cough cough*)? Yeah, I know you get most of the details filled in with the later games, but I feel that there's a lot to be missing out on by skipping the first.

I would definitely play Half Life 1 first.

... actually come to think of it, that's exactly what I did when I got the orange box. I put off playing it until I had beaten HL1 again--mainly because I had forgotten how it ended. What me and my roommates got were days of rip-tearingly good fun, and a greater appreciation of Half Life 2's storyline when it began, not to mention graphics (note that I began HL2 immediately after playing HL1).

Bottom line, don't think of playing HL1 as a chore... It's good fun! It didn't gain the reputation that started the series if it wasn't.

Nah, but you should still play it one day. I'm sure you can find it in a bin for about $5.

All this talk of Half Life has just made me instal it again.

I'd never really had an interest in Half Life until the Orange Box, so no, you don't really need to know the story of HL1 to play HL2. Though, like some other have said, it won't hurt if you do brush up on them.

I was lucky enough to play Half-Life when it originally came out, people today have no respect for it because they don't understand the impact it had back then. If your going to get the orange box you can play it without playing the first Half life but you would miss out on the story and a damn good game.

Hell no. I still haven't played the origina, and have no real plans to. meanwhile, Half Life 2 remains one of the better playing experiences I've had.

I've never played the original, and I probably never will.

J'aen:
I've never played the original, and I probably never will.

Shame. Good game. Not going to give it a shot when Black Mesa: Source comes out?

I don't really play computer games. If there's an Xbox 360 port I'll give it a go.

If you can stand the dated look its okay.

I got the original off my mate to play it. Trust me, you not missing much.

The original followed a different story greatly. There is only a few elements you need to know that you can easily find either by searching on you tube or Wikipedia.

Nope-I played HL2 before I'd completed (had played a bit of) HL1, and was quite confused about how all this had happened. Turns out completing HL1 explains NONE of it, nor do you become familiar with who Barney/Dr. Kleiner/Dr. Breen are.

... Half Life 1 had a story?
I played it a while ago and could never beat the final boss (Baby alien thing). I never recalled a story. About the only talking i recall was when a scientist tells you to push a crate into a pit.

What was the story...?

Nope, but it helps a lot.

Also, you get a LOT more of the inside jokes. (e.g. "Now about that beer I owed ya!")

Halflife: Source makes it better, but when Black Mesa Source comes out for it I bet it'll look as good or better than Ep 1 (:

I wouldn't say "essential" but oh man, you'll miss out on a lot of easter eggs and heck, a lot of backstory too. The beggining may confuse you but overall you can still jump right in and not be totally lost.

How funny, I just started playing Half Life today so I can fill myself in on the story. I recomend playing it but you don't need it for the back story. It does help though.

If you haven't played half life, do you really need to ask? Go play it, it's awesome :)Otherwise you don't know what the hell is going on, play blue shift as well if you want to know who Calhoun is.

Of course you don't need to but I'd recommend it.

But I have to say HL didn't have the greatest story ever, even though lots of people seem to think it had. Basically you have

mixed with X-Files -kind of stuff.

As a vast majority have said, it's not essential to have played Half-Life to enjoy Half-Life 2 as a game. However, to understand certain aspects of the story, characters actions, and the "inside" jokes you'd have to play the original. It would give you a sense of continuity as well besides being one of the greatest games ever designed.

Also, gabemorr, I honestly doubt it'll look better than Episode 1. In fact, I doubt Black Mesa: Source will look much better than Half-Life 2. It's been in development for quite a while now and does not use any of the update SDK components as far as the Source Engine goes.

And, to CTU_Agent 24, Half-Life did have a lot of story to it, it just wasn't spoon fed to you mindlessly in cut-scenes as many games do now adays.

I was unfortunate enough to be half-way through the original when I started Half-Life 2, which meant I was massively confused. I wondered what was going to happen at the end to cause such a big switch in plot lines. Answer: one of the most unexplained plot twists in gaming which is why everyone's so desperate for HL 2: Episode 3.

So yeah. Play HL 2 if you haven't started the original or if you've finished it, but it's very weird trying to pick up the pieces if you only have incomplete knowledge compared to no knowledge.

shatnershaman:
If you can stand the dated look its okay.

It was made in 1998, what do you expect?

Codgo:
I was lucky enough to play Half-Life when it originally came out

Same here. It is the first FPS I can remember that had friendly NPC's (Barneys) who fought alongside you with some semblance of AI (such as: they shot you if you shot them) with the game not caring whether they died. So no 'mission fail' if old barney got himself shot by marines. Many a time did I shoot a scientist in the face when it was obvious that he couldn't follow me...

Also the Black Ops female assassins were really good to fight. Just recalling hearing the pitter-patter of footsteps for the first time before taking a silenced 9mm in the face from one of those leather-clad goggle wearing bitches is filling me with waves of nostalgia.

I remember when I got REALLY bored I would start the game from the starting train, cheat, and go on a scientist-killing rampage of the labs. Fun times...

(I should point out that, funnily enough, I am now a scientist. One that is dearly hoping god doesn't want to be ironic and send an MP5-wielding maniac into my work to riddle me with hollowpoints).

To show Half-Life's influence: In the same genre (FPS) I think 'Blood 2' was released at the same time.
Can you still see a huge fanbase built around that?