Half-Life

23 Games with a sci-fi setting like Half-Life that you should try

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Half-Life down to the 23 that fit the “Sci-Fi” category. Half-Life: Opposing Force, Black Mesa and Half-Life: Source top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Half-Life.

iRank91/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

Tags

NarrativeDarkSoloMultiplayer

Year 1998Dev Valve Software

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Quick answer

Within the “Sci-Fi” category, the closest game to Half-Life is Half-Life: Opposing Force — scoring 98/100 on our similarity scale. Black Mesa and Half-Life: Source follow close behind.

#1Half-Life: Opposing Force98 #2Black Mesa93 #3Half-Life: Source92 #4NecroVision91 #5Doom Eternal90

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The best games with a sci-fi setting like Half-Life

23 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Half-Life. Each one has been evaluated across 16 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Half-Life: Opposing Force

98

Half-Life: Opposing Force

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPRangedTacticalMeleeNarrativeDarkSci-FiHorrorFirst Person

Steam👍 95%· 28KRAWG👍 80%· 750IGDB70· 1

Year 1999Dev Gearbox Software · ValvePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, while skipping punishing difficulty

93

Black Mesa

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerRangedMeleeTacticalNarrativeDarkSci-FiHorrorFirst Person

Steam👍 95%· 142KRAWG👍 90%· 1.1KMC86IGDB88· 3OC85· 16

Year 2020Dev Crowbar CollectivePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Linux

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming, horror tension and early access, while skipping puzzle design

#3Half-Life: Source

92

Half-Life: Source

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerRangedMeleeTacticalNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 69%· 17KRAWG👍 72%· 557

Year 2004Dev Valve Software · ValvePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming and horror tension, while skipping punishing difficulty

91

NecroVision

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedTacticalDarkNarrativeHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 68%· 1.9KRAWG👍 44%· 89MC63IGDB60· 1

Year 2009Dev The Farm 51 · 1C-SoftClubPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, fantasy world and historical setting, while skipping adventure storytelling

90

Doom Eternal

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTacticalDarkHardcoreNarrativeHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 215KIGDB86· 14OC89· 211

Year 2020Dev id Software · Bethesda SoftworksOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, fantasy world and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping puzzle design

#6Return to Castle Wolfenstein

89

Return to Castle Wolfenstein

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerRangedMeleeTacticalDarkNarrativeHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 9.1KRAWG👍 90%· 467MC88IGDB68· 5

Year 2001Dev Nerve Software · Bethesda SoftworksPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, stealth mechanics and historical setting, while skipping puzzle design

87

DOOM II

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedMeleeDarkHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Year 2020Dev ELDRAZI-17On PC

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, setting space and co op, while skipping adventure storytelling

#8Half-Life: Blue Shift

86

Half-Life: Blue Shift

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloRangedMeleeTacticalDarkNarrativeSci-FiHorrorFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 21KRAWG👍 74%· 764MC71IGDB60· 1

Year 2001Dev Gearbox Software · ValvePlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, while skipping punishing difficulty

86

Halo 3

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPTacticalMeleeDarkSci-FiHorrorFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 3.0KIGDB91· 4

Year 2007Dev Bungie · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, sandbox world and offline, while skipping adventure storytelling

#10Wolfenstein: The Old Blood

85

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTacticalDarkNarrativeHorrorSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 90%· 23KIGDB76· 15OC78· 84

Year 2015Dev MachineGames · Bethesda SoftworksOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, stealth mechanics and historical setting, while skipping puzzle design

#11Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

89

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPTacticalMeleeNarrativeSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 88%· 55KIGDB81· 12OC81· 130

Year 2019Dev Project Aces · Bandai Namco EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, historical setting and visual third person, while skipping adventure storytelling

#12Star Wars: Squadrons

88

Star Wars: Squadrons

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPTacticalMeleeSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 65%· 28KIGDB81· 12OC79· 121

Year 2020Dev Motive Studios · Electronic ArtsOn Xbox · PC · PS4

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and combat tactical

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, setting space and co op, while skipping adventure storytelling

Steam Epic Xbox

87

Halo 2

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPTacticalMeleeSci-FiFirst Person

IGDB81· 6

Year 2004Dev Bungie · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and combat tactical

≠ Its own twist: setting space, offline and co op, while skipping adventure storytelling

#14Star Wars Battlefront II

87

Star Wars Battlefront II

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

MultiplayerSoloPvPMeleeTacticalSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 88%· 96KIGDB72· 17

Year 2017Dev EA Digital Illusions CE · Electronic ArtsOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings third-person shooting, setting space and fantasy world, while skipping puzzle design

#15STAR WARS™ Republic Commando™

87

STAR WARS™ Republic Commando™

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedTacticalNarrativeSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 17KRAWG👍 88%· 530MC78IGDB81· 5OC70· 23

Year 2005Dev LucasArts Entertainment · Disney InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with setting space, historical setting and co op, while skipping puzzle design

Complete list of games with a sci-fi setting like Half-Life

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Half-Life, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

PlanetSide 2

PlanetSide 2

Shooter · FPS

Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2

Shooter · FPS

Killzone 2

Killzone 2

Shooter · FPS

Halo 5: Guardians

Halo 5: Guardians

Shooter · FPS

Transformers: War for Cybertron

Transformers: War for Cybertron

Shooter · FPS

Killzone: Shadow Fall

Killzone: Shadow Fall

Shooter · FPS

Brink

Brink

Shooter · FPS

Splitgate

Splitgate

Shooter · FPS

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Rankings in the same genre

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