First-person shooter Half-Life is one of the most revolutionary video games ever created, and has redefined how games of this genre are made. That's why every iteration of Half-Life is always met with anticipation and celebration since it's bound to push the bar higher again. Sadly, we've only seen the Half-Life franchise do that twice, and what could have been the third time was instead given to us in the form of Half-Life: Alyx.
While it's bound to be a phenomenal game, it's also bound to the Oculus VR. That means most of us will likely never experience the updated Half-Life monsters in current-generation graphics. Hence, we're here to commemorate the otherworldly creatures and science mishaps that have haunted our dreams since 1998, when the first Half-Life game was released. Don't worry, we'll also show how to defeat them.
10 HEADCRAB
Likely one of the first few enemies you'll encounter in Half-Life, the headcrab is the most iconic enemy in the franchise. It's an oversized parasite that came from the dimension of Xen, and started turning all humans into their personal vehicles once they poured out into Earth due to a science experiment gone wrong. These creatures are nasty and like to hide in corners to give you an unsolicited hug when you least expect it.
Luckily, headcrabs are also some of the weakest enemies you'll encounter in all Half-Life games. In fact, you don't even need a conventional weapon to defeat them. The good old reliable crowbar should be enough to make them heel — or make them dead. Just don't get too close.
9 BARNACLE
Run around a bit in Black Mesa in the first Half-Life game, and you'll seemingly see some scientists getting pulled by dangling rope-like stuff originating from the ceiling. They'll shortly explode into a pile of guts after reaching the other end of the "rope." Turns out the rope is a Barnacle, another alien creature from Xen which likes to play pranks in a patient and unobtrusive manner.
Whoever was responsible for adding these monsters in the game has likely had their healthy fill of laughter as these creatures are your number one enemy if you panic too much. Like headcrabs, however, you don't need to expend much effort in dealing with them; a quick crowbar strike before they swallow you whole is enough to kill them.
8 ANTLION GUARD
Moving on to Half-Life 2, we have the Antlion Guard. It's essentially an enforcer variant of the Antlions, and they exist to take revenge on you because you bully his little brothers too much. Now it's his turn to bully you. They look tough and most certainly are. Antlion Guards hit like a truck, though; you can easily avoid them by running around.
Fighting one is also akin to a bullfight; it's a duel between two seasoned combatants, and you'll likely exhaust your ammunition pool because they have high health and their weak spots aren't too apparent. It has no ranged attacks but can easily fling cars or other heavy objects at you.
7 BULLSQUID
This bizarre creature looks like something a toddler drew if you give them a vague description of a chicken and a squid in one body. Whatever it is, it's not something you want to encounter in-game — the Bullsquid is a rude creature.
It fires acid spit at anyone that looks remotely normal, and even likes to pick fights with its fellow Xen aliens. Getting close to it is also ill-advised as it has a nasty case of halitosis and a bad bite. All those bullets and shotgun shells you've been saving? This is the creature that deserves them, so don't be shy.
6 FAST ZOMBIE
Zombies are the poor victims of headcrabs, and they're not much of a threat to a scientist armed with a dozen types of weaponry. The regular zombies you can even toy with using just a crowbar. Their fast variants in Ravenholm, however, will send you running for safety.
Fast Zombies are likely the athletic human beings that Fast Headcrabs had the luck of possessing; as such they're more agile and nimble than their standard counterparts. Shotguns can make quick work of them, so dedicate your shells to these running horrors.
5 POISON ZOMBIE
If you thought the Fast Zombie is the universe's punishment for your toying with regular zombies, wait until you see the Poison Zombie variant. They are unlucky human beings that were seen as nothing but a buffet for a bunch of Poison Headcrabs. As such, they carry around multiple Poison Headcrabs, which they can fling at you liberally.
When dealing with them, of course, you simply do not take your chances. Kill them with fire. These things are what the grenades are made for. Forget about shooting them with bullets; if the host dies, then the Poison Headcrabs will simply swarm you.
4 TENTACLE
By now, you're already aware that Half-Life is full of messed up creatures that look like they came out of someone's phantasmagoric nightmare. The Tentacle is one of those, and it's nasty as giant Xen aliens come. Along with Garg, it's also one of the few creatures you can't kill with your own weapons.
These things are supposedly blind, and can only sense sounds and vibrations to which they respond with violence. You'll see a bunch of them throughout your journey in Half-Life, and you can only kill some of them through a mandatory level puzzle. When you do, however, it's one of the most satisfying kills you'll perform in Half-Life or in video games.
3 GARG
With a name that sounds like it came from a heavy metal band, Garg is one of the few enemies in Half-Life that you won't be able to kill conventionally. It's a huge hulking creature with questionable anatomy and design, which is also the reason it's menacing and horrifying to see. The Garg is also extremely territorial and likes all the space it can take — meaning you're not welcome.
Thankfully, you'll only meet two Gargs in the duration of Half-Life's storyline, and both of them are mandatory puzzles that you'll need to solve or kill. The first one can be easily dealt with by making it walk into a high voltage light show while the second one is vulnerable to a military airstrike.
2 ICHTHYOSAUR
The Ichthyosaur is a fish that has come to haunt you in your dreams. It's a freaky zombie-like fish that prowls the waters of Black Mesa just as it did in Xen. It's one of the most terrifying creatures you will ever face.
Part of that is due to the fact that your options for fighting this scourge of the depths are limited. Not many weapons work underwater apart from your crowbar, pistol, and rocket launcher, crossbow, and Hivehand. Of course, jumping into the Ichthyosaur's arena when fighting it is folly, so try to stay dry while fighting this fish.
1 GONARCH
Alright, let's get the elephant out of the room right away, that thing that looks like a giant...part of male anatomy...is actually female. She's the queen mother of all headcrabs, and she's called Gonarch. She's a boss creature that you'll spend the whole level fighting, that's how much of a spotlight she gets.
Oh, and she'll also be sending her newly-born tiny headcrabs at you during the entire fight, which means that the fight can get annoying and that she's also a bad parent. Luckily, the fight itself is not that hard. You can clearly see her weakness dangling right there, ready to be kicked with rockets and grenades. Still, the initial terror and disgust you'll feel upon seeing her for the first time is something that will stay with you long after finishing the game.