Copies of Episode One also come with Half-Life 2: Deathmatch for those who have not previously purchased the latter title. It takes advantage of several major upgrades that were made to the Source engine since the release of Half-Life 2, primarily its high dynamic range rendering capabilities and the upgraded facial animation system.Įpisode One was released together with Half-Life Deathmatch: Source, a port of the original Half-Life's multiplayer, which doubles as Episode One's multiplayer component. Episode One is a stand-alone game that does not require Half-Life 2 to be installed or registered to a user's Steam account to play. Once again, the player assumes the role of Gordon Freeman as he deals with the consequences of his actions in Half-Life 2.

The opening cinematic of Episode One takes place immediately after the end of Half-Life 2 however, the bulk of the game takes place a few days later in and around the war-torn setting of City 17.

Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first in what was intended to be a trilogy of episodic games that served as a continuation of the 2004 first-person shooter game Half-Life 2.

Half life 2 episode one walk through