Download Hints

Get quick and convenient access to just the hints you need for Half-Life, without staying on our website. Just download a free trial version of our UHS Reader software and a copy of these hints. You will get the same gradual hints you see here -- unlike ordinary cheats or a walkthrough that can spoil your game.

You can also buy the full version of the UHS Reader for Windows or macOS. For just $14.95, you get full access to hints for hundreds of games and 1 year of free updates. You can also search, decode, or print an entire game's worth of hints at once.

Ask the Author

If you have questions about a puzzle that aren't answered anywhere in these hints, you may contact the author.

Half-Life Hints

What are these aliens flying around in the main gateway room?

  • 1 of 3: The aliens that begin teleporting in when the scientist starts to open the gateway to the alien world Xen are called alien controllers. They basically fly around, give off an annoying screech, and throw heavy-hitting orbs at you.
  • 2 of 3: Alien controllers can be especially difficult in situations where there are many attacking at one time. Therefore, try to cut them down to a handful before they get a chance to group up.
  • 3 of 3: The orbs that the controllers throw are quite easy to avoid as they are somewhat slow-moving. Just duck or strafe to avoid getting hit by the orbs. Sometimes an alien controller will unleash an entire string of orbs, which is a bit more difficult to avoid.