Mods for video games – including Half-Life – add a bit more fun to the experience, such as letting the Iron Giant wreak havoc in Fallout 4 or allowing players in Red Dead Redemption II to ride giant animals. Some mods give games a new breath of life, such as mods for Minecraft that change how the title is played.

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Mods for the Half-Life series often create either single-player or multiplayer games, giving players the choice to play alone or with friends. The mods can expand upon the Half-Life story or offer an entirely new experience, such as medieval warfare or zombie survival. Here are 10 of the best mods for Half-Life.

10 Age of Chivalry

Age of Chivalry gives players the opportunity to take part in medieval warfare and was released in December of 2007. Game modes for the mod ranged from castle defense to all-out bloody brawls between teams.

The game pits two teams, the Agatha Knights and the Mason Order, against each other, with three classes being offered to players in the form of archers, footmen, and knights. Sadly, the mod is not as active as it once was, but the team who developed the mod went on to make Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. 

9 Goldeneye Source

Goldeneye: Source gives fans of the Half-Life series and the James Bond series a game they can play with their friends, while also using the Source Engine. Goldeneye: Source plays similarly to Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and should give fans of the Nintendo 64 version of Goldeneye a sense of nostalgia.

The mod updates the gameplay of the Nintendo 64 game and offers familiar weapons and maps. The maps range from the cradle to the library in St. Petersburg. Goldeneye: Source is the perfect deathmatch-style mod to play with friends.

8 Zombie Panic! Source

Zombie Panic! Source is a multiplayer mod for Half-Life 2 that puts players against a horde of the undead. Most of the maps in the game have the players try to complete objectives in order to survive against the zombies.

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Some maps are strictly survival-based, having players barricade a room to keep zombies from coming in. When a player dies, they join the zombie team, attacking the humans to win the round.

7 DayHard

DayHard is a mod that adds a bit of comic relief to the Half-Life universe. The player plays as Morgan Freeman, the cousin of Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman. The player can find themselves in whacky situations as they travel to take down the antagonist – who happens to be a good friend of George W. Bush.

Players who play the mod can find themselves trying to defeat mini-bosses, who are referred to as 'The Bad' and 'The Ugly,' run into a cop bar full of civil protection, and many smaller details. Fans of the Half-Life series will enjoy this comedic break from the original games.

6 Battle Grounds 2

Battle Grounds II is a mod that puts players in the Revolutionary War, fighting as either the British Redcoats or the American Patriots. Players can capture colonial cities or take part in line battles, reliving historical battles.

The mod offers historical weapons, such as muskets that take about a minute to reload and swords that can easily cut down a foe. The team that developed the mod has released a free-to-play sequel called Battle Grounds III.

5 Fistful of Frags

Fistful of Frags started out as a mod but turned into a free-to-play game in 2014. There are four factions to choose from: The Vigilantes, Desperados, Bandidos, and Rangers. Game modes range from deathmatches, zone capture, and capture-the-flag.

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Fans of western games will enjoy this mod. Historical weapons from the time period are included in Fistful of Frags, adding to the western setting.

4 Pirates, Vikings, & Knights II

Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II pits pirates, Vikings, and knights (who would have guessed?) against each other in a unique mod for Half-Life 2. Each team has a unique characteristic to them, such as pirates having guns, knights having crossbows, and Vikings having a rage ability.

The game modes do not differ from most games from the time, offering deathmatch, capture the flag, and objective-based modes. The mod can be found for free on Steam and will give fans of any of the three mentioned groups a fun experience.

3 Missing Information

A player looking at the Borealis in Half-Life 2

Missing Information gives players the chance to play levels from the Half-Life 2 beta. Levels include the Hyperborea, an early design of City 17, and a chapter set during the Uprising where players can fight the combine. Early models of weapons and characters can also be found in the mod.

The mod gives the mega fans of the Half-Life series a chance to play through an early version of the game. With how much care the development team put into the mod, it feels like playing an actual Half-Life game.

2 Black Mesa Source

Black Mesa Source is a mod that remade the first Half-Life in the Source engine. The mod went on to update the graphics and models of the characters. In 2012, the team working on the mod had yet to finish but decided to release what they had, ending the game before the Xen chapters.

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Black Mesa Source released as a stand-alone game in March of 2020 for $20. Fans of Half-Life will enjoy the remaster of the game from 1998.

1 Garry's Mod

Garry's Mod

Garry's Mod started out as a mod for Half-Life 2 and grew to something bigger. Garry's Mod gives players an opportunity to build contractions using props for Source games or an opportunity to use characters from Source to make scenes with their friends.

Garry's Mod has spawned many game modes in itself, such as Trouble in Terrorist Town and many types of role-play servers. Any person who plays Garry's Mod can find a game mode that fits their interest and will be entertained for hours.

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