Summary
Hell hath no fury than a mute scientist in power armor sporting a crowbar. It’s safe to say that Gordon Freeman is an instantly recognizable figure in the world of gaming, doubly so with his trademark melee weapon in hand. Naturally, other weapons at his disposal make him an even bigger force to be reckoned with.
No weapon inHalf-Lifeis perfect, though there are a handful that come close. These weapons will prove to be a perfect choice for mopping up the clean-up squads scattered across the Black Mesa research facility and will make splattering the nasty invaders from Xen much easier as well.
6Sub-Machine Gun
A Rapid-Fire MP5 Armed With An Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher Is Great At Close-To-Medium Range
For close-range encounters, firing wildly at an enemy can indeed prove effective, and this is what the SMG excels at. Since it shares the same ammo type as the pistol, keeping it topped up with bullets is easy enough. Headcrabs and Zombies can be dispatched easily with a quick peppering, while it can still get the job done quite nicely at medium-range against one or twoHECU Marines and Vortigauntsat a time.
Being a hit-scan weapon, there’s no delay as to when the bullets are discharged and hit the target, so enemies will have a hard time dodging incoming fire. Nevertheless, meatier enemies may soak up a clip too many. Thankfully, there is a plan B: a grenade launcher that doesn’t require reloading! Popping pineapple at high speed and velocity can be a lifesaver in riskier scenarios, making the SMG a stellar workhorse weapon.
5Crossbow
Silent And Deadly, The Crossbow Is Powerful At All Ranges And Even Underwater
Impaling enemies with the Crossbow is always gratifying. It may be a bit challenging to find ammo for this weapon, and its lengthy reload does it no favors. On the other hand, it has plenty of nifty tricks up its sleeves. Being a long-range weapon, it excels at sniping, and killing the HECU troops without alerting nearby foes is a godsend of an ability.
Theunderwater Ichthyosaursfear this weapon, as it’s the only gun that can be fired when submerged. The game’s multiplayer even comes with explosive bolts when firing while unscoped. Above all else, it can take down most enemies with a single shot at any range, and that makes the Crossbow one of the best tools to acquire.
4.357 Magnum
The Colt Python May Be Slow, But Its Accuracy And Damage Are Nothing To Scoff At
The .357 Magnum makes the pistol look like a child’s toy. This portable cannon was given a bit of a bump-up in damage, from 40 to 50 points, thanks to the recent 25th anniversary update. Now it’s just as powerful as its multiplayer counterpart. While slow to fire and reload, when not firing wildly, it has pinpoint accuracy and delivers a seriously damaging punch.
Most enemies fall after one or two shots from this beast, though it proves invaluable against enemies like Alien Grunts, who are big targets and sport plenty of health. In multiplayer, a zoom feature is also included, which is always nice to have. Like priceless gems, its ammo is rare and should be rationed for worst-case scenarios, butwith a Colt Python in the inventory, victory is guaranteed enough.
3Snark
These Extraterrestrial, Bug-Like Creatures Will Crawl Towards The Nearest Target Before Detonating
Snarks are an interesting weapon. While they explode like grenades, they certainly don’t function in the same way. No pins need pulling here; they just need to be thrown onto the ground as they make their way towards a target before blowing up. Up to 15 of them can be carried and used at once, perfect for flanking foes from up high, around corners, and for causing plenty of explosive mischief.
Be wary, however, as they’ll home onto Freeman if no target is available! Thankfully, they can be shot, preferably with an SMG or shotgun, so it’s handy that there’s a fail-safe solution that can prevent an explosion. Nevertheless, their destructive capabilities prove to behighly efficient against Xen’s denizens. After all, there’s nothing they can do once homed in on!
2Tau Cannon
Accurate, Strong, And With A High Rate Of Fire, The Tau Cannon Is Nothing Short Of Amazing
The Tau Cannon arguably deserves a joint-first spot, though it’s beaten by a weapon that’s just a bit more powerful in comparison. Regardless, despite its rare ammo type (a recurring problem with super-powerful weapons inHalf-Life, understandably for the sake of balance), a single shot gobbles up two units of ammo, while delivering a powerful, singular beam. Against practically any enemy, death is guaranteed.
Its alt-fire delivers a charged shot that pierces baddies and surfaces like a thunderbolt from the heavens, leaving fiery explosions behind. Armored vehicles, especially tanks, can be turned into scrap metal with minimal fuss as a result. Overcharging the alt-fire can result in 50 points of damage to the user, although it’ll only overcharge when held down for 10 seconds. This Gauss Gun is, to wit, a beast in a gunfight, andnothing short of genius.
1Gluon Gun
An Experimental Weapon, The Tau Cannon Will Obliterate Enemies Of All Kinds At Any Range Seamlessly
It would be smug to say collecting the Gluon Gun essentially means a player has won the game already, yet it’s hard to downplay the brilliance of this super-weapon. Yes, it only carries 100 units of ammo, and it can drain quickly if overused, and depleted Uranium-235 doesn’t come free in cereal boxes and Happy Meals, so keeping it topped up can be tricky. Regardless, it’s anything but outclassed in most combat scenarios.
Its beam can reach a target at great distances, delivering 14 points of damage per tick. Foes like the Gargantua and Alien Grunt are no match, as the Gluon Guncan chew through their hefty pool of health far more effectivelythan most (if not all) of the other weapons available. While it’s fun to turn HECU troops inside out with it, it’s not only overkill but a waste of ammo because of how deadly it is! Still, it remains the best weapon in the game, and perhaps one of the greatest in FPS history.
