Half-Life's On A Rail Isn't Bad | Cascade

[@jstn9914]

The only non-linear section of the game is literally on a rail AND IS CALLED ON A RAIL

[@Ordnance_T]

Just like the section where you have to blast the pit monster is called blast pit

[@hatti...]

Oh yeah like when you power up the generator in the chapter called power up

[@syberpunk]

And that chapter where you reach the surface is called Surface Tension, in reference to the scientific property. Half-Life chapter names are full of puns

[@bigfatcarp93]

@@Ordnance_T Many of the replies seem to be missing jstn9914's point. The title is the REVERSE of what you'd expect. It's not just a pun, it's an ironic pun.

[@doctorcreeps2169]

@@syberpunkanother example of a funny chapter name is Foxtrot Uniform in opposing force, which if translated from the NATO phonetic alphabet spells out F U

[@RumbleFudge]

On a Rail got more fun the more that I played it.

[@duckykevkev4337]

Same here

[@acousticfacts]

Same

[@Xe_Non]

It is fun to play but I found it too long

[@deanarberman2985]

It’s great once you know the route

[@rasputin15832]

And by the end of the chapter, it was like the heavens had opened up

[@philmower1]

I'm ashamed to admit, I played the original Half Life for years without realising there was a soundtrack. Only after leaving the original install CD in by mistake did I discover it for the first time! It really does add to the atmosphere. This is a great series by the way, so much detail, a real nostalgia trip. Thank you!

[@kabeam5643]

Well theres no music on the downloadable CD version cause the music originally played on the CD instead of being stored as an MP3 like in the steam version

[@philmower1]

@@kabeam5643 yes exactly! I was playing this pre-steam. After installation the CD was removed from the computer (because why bother keeping it in!) But that meant no music. The same was true for the original Quake which also had a pretty good soundtrack by NiN

[@EnjoyCocaColaLight]

Except there is not?

[@zombifiedoll1388]

@@EnjoyCocaColaLight There is not what?

[@sparrowanon]

Weren't you the guy that talked about Half-Life's atmosphere without it's OST in r/halflife?

[@blueshit199]

I never had a problem with OAR in any of the games, it's just long enough and different enough, and gives more insight on the marines vs aliens fights throughout black mesa. Exploration also works cause it makes the place really feel vast. Overall I would say that OAR is pretty much early fame Surface Tension

[@WindiChilliwack]

Same, when i first played on it it made me think that theres more to this facility of what was it developing and I always wondered why was there a rocket.

[@AsianEspionage]

Im an idiot. I see hard part of the game. I do impulse 101

[@Jwallworth]

I liked it as it showed how old the facility is, not black Mesa itself but where it had been built. The rocket launching facility was what it was built on so you see the older parts of black Mesa, I loved the ambience that the new remake added too. I can see why people would be frustrated with the original games layout with the arrows etc, but I know my way round so I guess that doesn’t bother me. Even if you got lost it wouldn’t take long to find your way. I never even knew this chapter was disliked

[@AliShuktu]

"On a rail" was my second favourite after "Surface tension".

[@AliShuktu]

@@Jwallworth True. Small minds tend to an easy ways. A lot of people I knew were avoiding "complicated games" sticking with NFS and Call of Duty.

[@Jess_Atomoxetine]

If the cart stopped when the player jumped off it maybe people would dislike the chapter less.

[@PurpleColonel]

Honestly that bugs me a lot in Black Mesa, especially when I just want it to go somewhere so I can meet up with it later.

[@josephdodds1715]

@@PurpleColonel Cant you turn it off in settings?

[@Dognuhtz]

@@josephdodds1715 Ofc you can’t it’s a game mechanic not a setting

[@MrDwarfpitcher]

I used the slow moving cart as a shield for the rockets I loved it

[@josephdodds1715]

@@Dognuhtz Ive just checked and you cant any more, but in older versions of black mesa there was a train cart emergency stop toggle in the gameplay options

[@sydney_pepper]

The music that plays when you launch the rocket. Such a great moment.

[@awhahoo]

What is it called again?

[@chflarforkorp2060]

@@awhahoo Drums and Riffs kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJLUfXtjp8aBrNk

[@awhahoo]

@@chflarforkorp2060 Thanks!

[@zebitus5731]

drums and riffs is the best half-life song due to the context otherwise it would be like 2cnd best

[@gamertypeawesome]

yeah it makes you feel as if you just beat the game, since its supposed to stop the invasion. its great Get Apprehended loser

[@maxallen121]

Before I played half life for the first time I heard about how bad this chapter is. But when I got around to actually playing it I had almost no trouble with it. I don't understand how people find the loop confusing its literally just 2 circles.

[@AliShuktu]

At the time the game was released to have a PC was already confusing. Everyone who had a Computer were called a "computer guy" in my country. :)

[@UNSCPILOT]

It's not unlike people who get lost in the Halo:CE level "The Library", most of us can figure out where to go or signs we're going the wrong way, but others will get endlessly lost and never pick up that they are backtracking instead of advancing. It depends heavily on the perception and attentiveness of the player

[@wta1518]

Yeah, and the loop has extremely recognizable landmarks.

[@SpiffoGaming]

I was genuinely excited to see how painful it would be and was supremely disappointed by how not shit it was

[@wta1518]

@@SpiffoGaming Same. With the exception of the mounted turrets.

[@Steelion69]

That "paranormal wailing" is actually supposed to be a houndeye pack according to the files. EDIT: Reverfied myself that nothing in the files has any correlation to houndeyes, but the_horror# does awfully sound a lot like alien dogs howling, and iirc there are a lot of houndeye packs in the level.

[@TinyDeskEngineer]

I always thought it was the screams of the people who died down there

[@kiiwikiori7542]

I believe the same sound was used in L4D2 for hordes

[@sometffurry]

i assumed it was people in other areas of black mesa being killed by aliens

[@trashtrash756]

I think I heard someone theorize somewhere that it was the Nihilanth fucking with Gordon and projecting distressing stuff into his mind

[@ivanvenne]

Makes sense but it's confusing that OAR is the only chapter we ever hear those screams. Def makes the chapter more unique tho

[@smuwug]

I like bhopping through the whole chapter, I can't play half life like a normal person anymore

[@flaminghollows3068]

You're too far gone. jk

[@chocolateneko9912]

I can't play half life at all without playing like I'm going for the world record speedrun lol

[@nopushbutton]

@@flaminghollows3068 imo depends on if he does the OAR tripmine skip lol

[@eternalnut]

I can't either, I'm probably going to start speedrunning though.

[@zebitus5731]

i cant play hl1 normal either i just turn airplane mode and start bhoping

[@avpclassic]

The things that OAR does well are the tone/atmosphere (imagery and music), combat, the multiple paths (you didn't mention one cool side area that takes you underneath a scripted vort/marine fight), letting the player dictate the level's pace, and the incredible variety of enemies (headcrabs, zombies, barnacles, houndeyes, bullsquids, leeches, marines, automated turrets, fortified turret emplacements, rocket launchers, tripmines, explosives, and a sniper). This chapter features some of the best combat sequences of aliens and marines and is essential in conveying the scope of the invasion, the marines' almost single-minded focus on Freeman yet also questioning the morality of killing civilians, and the fact that the marines are fighting a battle they can't win. It also has very memorable imagery, such as the bridge over a flooded pit, a destroyed elevator in a side area, the marine ambushed by headcrabs, the colorful walls with flowing electricity, the machinery hauling industrial material to the right and left, the small side area with a bullsquid eating a marine with a barnacle and some graffiti and spray can, the rocket launch, etc. As for the things that suck, the combat tends to be rather difficult and sometimes annoying with marines, as well as dicey with a couple of vort ambushes. The combat for me can be taxing to the point where I dread the last fortified turret emplacement just before the outdoor section, because as your video demonstrates, you kind of have to save the MP5 grenades specifically for the marines manning the turrets. Also it seems that there are two cases of bad texture work, one includes z-fighting on the entrance to the bottom-most section of the rocket where the marine is fighting headcrabs, and another is an untextured part by the floor in the first battle area with vorts against HECU. Also a lot of people criticize the abundance of grey corridors but I feel that it's essential for depicting the gritty, dark overtones of the chapter. If you haven't already, I would recommend reading Wangman's pitch bible for OAR Uncut found here: www.leakfree.org/t/on-a-rail-uncut-re-adding-cut-areas-scenes-expansion-project/11920/3 as well as the longer, interesting comments (especially Vic's) on the RTSL Replay Experiment project for said chapter here: www.runthinkshootlive.com/posts/half-life-on-a-rail/

[@Gulliblepikmin]

About the bad texture work: The z-fighting to my knowledge was only added to goldsrc in an update for half-life, (probably added in the steam release) meaning that all the z-fighting seen throughout half-life and it's expansions was probably not a case of bad texture work. Also, if you view it from the right angle, the missing texture becomes un-missing, so it's most likely some other goldsrc bug. (possibly added in the steam release) BTW, the On a Rail uncut link no longer works.

[@homeygfunkoffacherryfruitl4971]

I never realized how truly brilliant the sniper in this chapter was. I always found myself thinking "Why would they put this random one-off thing here just to drain health?" But what I realize now is that as this video stated it is literally there as a curveball to players who have gotten too comfortable with the shoot/explore/collect items loop. They don't repeat it again until 3 chapters later in Surface Tension with the dying guard. It's just long enough that most players have forgotten about the first sniper but not so long that attentive players wouldn't be able to pick up on it. It teaches the player to always be on their toes in every new area they head into rather than just falling into a rhythm for the whole game. Valve really are masters of pacing and I hope no one forgets that.

[@Absolute_Zero7]

I think the problem with the sniper is that its presence is so poorly conveyed. First, this is the first introduction to the sniper in this game, so any new player coming here will have no idea that snipers are even in this game, let alone how to deal with it. 2) The section takes place at night and as such its impossible to see that there even is a sniper. Playing through this game as a tween, I never realized there was a sniper. I took damage so inconsistently that I thought for the longest time that it was just a glitch and the game was just damaging me via rail electrocution. It wasn't until later that I learned that there's a sniper, and not until this very video where I finally realized where the nest is. This Sniper could work if it was the 2nd or 3rd appearance of a sniper so that the player might be able to figure out what is shooting at them, but as it stands this sniper does none of the things you claim it does.

[@alarmy5211]

@@Absolute_Zero7half life 2 introduced snipers way better by simply… having them shoot shit? idk have the guards freak out over a headcrab before it gets sniped before they start talking about how much they hate freeman

[@rez9914]

The song that plays during this chapter was honestly fitting for what valve was going for when it comes to half-life’s atmosphere

[@mightyone8313]

"The worst level" guys just shoot the wall arrows thats it lol

[@remlet3753]

either that or you just bhop your way out as well as doing puzzles made for people who ditched the tram

[@Xe_Non]

@@remlet3753 every time I stop the cart to kill the soldiers and aliens then continue

[@sambuxton931]

This is the first time I realised you had to shoot the arrows. Every time I played half life I just abandoned the first cart and hopped along the side of the railway

[@pork5877]

@@sambuxton931 lol same. I just walked on the side of the rail and solved puzzles, didn’t even think the tram was necessary

[@D00000T]

Still better than interloper

[@thatissuperfunny5358]

I love On A Rail but only because when I was younger, I was too afraid to play Half-Life after the resonance cascade starts. I loved trains at that age, so I really wanted to play with the train you use at the end of the tutorial some more. When I actually played through the whole game I loved On A Rail because I was finally able to do that. I dislike Apprehension, the next chapter, because to me it feels like that was the chapter that messed up the pacing.

[@xianicarus8770]

It's refreshing to find others who love On a Rail! It's absolutely full of great moments, most of which you highlighted here, as well as some just absolutely solid combat arenas and a unique mechanic that is fun to use (and optional if you don't agree).

[@taboret3280]

Its too fucking long

[@hatandhoodie_]

2:23 "Because not only is shooting signs unintuitive, but it really clashes with the more realistic approaches to gameplay the rest of the game takes." This is the same game where SMGs have Grenade Launchers, Single-barreled Shotguns can double-barrel shoot, the player flies upward into vents via a giant fan (which is turned on by a switch found below the deadly fan blades I might add), and a security guard gets blown up by a laser gun that leaves only his boots left unscathed where was standing with his bones piled up nearby, and you think shooting signs to change railways is too unrealistic.

[@Zekiraeth]

Though most of these things you point out as unrealistic are fair enough, I will add that there does exist a model of MP5 with under barrel grenade launcher in real life.

[@alexeistukov433]

Please keep on making more of this quality content! As for On a rail I think it also serves one more purpose that you did not mention: being the(pacing-wise) mid point of the game. It is revealed that the H.E.C.U are starting to have problems with containing the invasion and are starting to bring their heavy equipment in. And if you do not want to(or can't due to your health situation) engage in a couple of fights between aliens and marines you do not have to. If you are low on resources you can hunt around for crates, H.E.V. charging outlets etc. Sad that such an important part of the game gets so much hate. Just like Xen...

[@Turbs94945]

Xen is an important part but the gameplay is horrible and you'd be lucky to survive for a minute without being bombarded with waves of enemies (I'm looking at you, Interloper)

[@alexeistukov433]

@@Turbs94945 Not really. The amount of enemies you face is larger but not unfair(except on hard with the 1 sec vort attacks). The thing is that xen promotes a different, more careful and stealthy style of play. I like this because it reflects the fact that you are hopelessly outnumbered in a cold, alien dimension. You have to be careful and avoid fights if you can. But if you rush in like a tard expecting to be Dick Kickem or something then you will get buzzsawed back to New Mexico.

[@govinlock8568]

For me, Xen is okay, except in the Chapter Interloper where the checkpoint become scrare and make the game frustating in hard mode.

[@innoclarke7435]

@@Turbs94945 I'm going to say it. People who hate Xen are just bad at the game. It's really not difficult to get through all of Xen without dying once. The game gives you health stations, you get plenty of ammo, there's areas to take cover, etc., so how the hell do people keep having trouble with Xen??

[@enozlliks7794]

@@innoclarke7435 For me, I don't really like Xen because 1: It doesn't look that good 2: The bossfights aren't really fun 3: There are moments where you *have* to take fall damage, or at least it's really hard not to, which is annoying 4: The first chapter is WAY too short and is boring It's ok and not that hard, but it is one of the weaker parts of the game

[@random_me666]

"Sirens In The Distance" when I first heard it, sounds like it's from the Fallout universe, especially with the screams, as Fallout has ambience of the past world of the souls who lost their lives in the Great War.

[@3irikur]

Sure some of the mechanics were a bit clumsy, but damn if I didn't love this chapter. It's just you and your train, fighting your way through the underground. It was probably my favorite.

[@CsubAzUrmedve]

On repeat playthroughs this chapter ain't so bad to be honest. The direction change is not intuitive at all, but once you get used to it, you can breeze through it pretty quickly. And because of this, I don't know why devs of Black Mesa decided to cut down a huge chunk of the chapter only to make the Xen chapters two or three times longer than Surface Tension.

[@TeaserTravlein]

zen was honestly amazing. Interloper made me want to resonance cascade off a cliff.

[@CsubAzUrmedve]

@@TeaserTravlein Fair enough.

[@jarvy251]

"You change train direction by shooting signs, which is unintuitive..." This really took me aback because when little kid me played this back in '99, shooting the signs was the most obvious thing in the world. There's an arrow sign? It looks like it spins? Shoot it to spin it! I wonder if because it was a common trope in cartoons and other media at the time. I wonder if it's like watching people play HL2 for the first time today and not even realizing there's a physics puzzle to solve, when at the time of release, 20 years ago, the physics were so hyped up that people were always looking for ways to interact with the objects in this new way.

[@haroldgage7347]

You speak so clearly that the auto captions actually understand you

[@abanoub7002]

I personally dislike OAR but not because its "confusing", in fact for me on first playthrough it was a bit confusing but I got the hang of it shortly after as other players might have. But the reason why I just don't like it is because it gets boring cause most of the time as the chapter implies your on a rail and just hitting the things that change your direction, but the parts where your fighting tons of marines and aliens? chefs kiss, especially for the rocket launch part at the end of the chapter which is my favorite part of the game.

[@Awesomeness-iz3dh]

On a Rail is an open world adventure game in disguise.

[@typeable]

Honestly, I loved On a Rail when I was playing on my first ever play-through. I still like it.

[@chickenfarmer321]

The only problem I had was with the clunky cart controls. They're not the most intuitive, and when you hop on and interact with it, you're glued to it. If you reflexively look to the side and hop off, you just accelerated it and now it's not at all where you wanted to be.

[@gaelforcewind2351]

On A Rail is the chapter I play any time I want a quick dose of HL, it's my all time favorite. Even after playing it countless times, it always leaves me with the feeling that there's things I've never seen before (and don't want to see) down there.

[@S1nwar]

i like this chapter because your so far removed from where you started and where you need to go. it makes it feel like a real journey and the atmosphere is nice

[@multigrandmarquis]

I genuinely liked On A Rail my first runthrough. Every run after, I completely forgot how to turn the cart on and had to play it without the cart

[@doom-1472]

lol same i completed the game a lot of times and i still didn't know that you need to shoot the signs i thought i was forced to get out of it

[@ImperfectV01D]

I grew up on Descent II, so "winding maze-like tunnels" feel like home to me. Honestly, I wish more games employed that kind of non-linear level design - the kind that would actually challenge you, give you the freedom to play around, and expect you to figure things out on your own.

[@repdebt]

the soldier shooting rockets at you in the chapter is just terrifying for some reason lol

[@ilikepigeons6101]

it is terrifying cuz it catches you off guard, TWICE lmao

[@IIIGAH77]

Does he ever hit the tram? I just duck and he never actually hits it

[@Shadowpastcool]

Not to mention it seems a bit overkill to shoot at a scientist with a *missile launcher*

[@UnrelatedAntonym]

6:16 the haunting screams and wails are used at that red portal just before you meet the Nihilanth that plays scientist voice lines from before and during the cascade, "Big day today Freeman", "Some one get him out of there. Shut down the equipment and someone get him out!", etc. That portal was always so fascinating to me. Xen rock platforms floating in a black void that seemed like maybe it is related to the void space G-Man uses. Would love a video that discusses that, since it doesn't feel like the rest of Xen.

[@Half-Bad-Goodman]

In the game folder this sound called the_horror3.wav

[@billy_nintendo6239]

i think the screams may be gordon hallucinating. after hours of huge struggles without any breaks and watching his friends and co-workers die, combined with the creepy and abandoned feel of the place would drive me insane

[@Nn-xz5es]

It was my one of my favorite chapters, it reminded me of the first Metro game

[@houssinesqalli9379]

it's one of those chapters that the more you play it the more you appreciate it

[@davidnewhart2533]

On a Rail is arguably the best level in the game. The more I watched this video, the more I remembered how the fun the level actually was. I never really hated the level like what others say. Literally all of the sections you showed in the video were engrained in my mind; they were so memorable. The only problem I had with the level was the signs you had to shoot to change directions of the train.

[@zzoinks]

You're really great at explaining and organizing your points about On A Rail!

[@zzoinks]

Your editing is top notch too

[@mitchinatr7093]

Black Mesa handled On a Rail very well imo. One of the things I hated was that the rails shocked you in the original. It’s good that an unnecessary hazard is gone.

[@Badjoe117]

I think what makes it a chapter that I'm not looking forward to when playing HL is just that you are constantly getting sidetracked with all the side passages and such for the player to explore. And while I love exploration, it also takes away from any sense of urgency as you are constantly stopping the car every few minutes. It makes the chapter feel almost like a slog, combine that with all the enemies and it can be a very exhausting chapter that feels a bit gimmicky. It does have some good moments, but those are really the times when you are not on the train itself.

[@abhaybhatt4286]

The only reason I hate it is how the marines always have crazy bullshit positioning over you. The rotating elevator and firs area with the mounted machine gun come to mind. The cart is the only source of cover and it's a bitch to operate.

[@Shortyland05]

one of the devs for Black Mesa did an extension addon that put alot of the original layouts from the old half life into the Black Mesa remake, but with alot of the frustrating parts left out and a few edits to make the chapter in line with the rest of the game detail wise. Its well worth checking out.

[@invisiiso]

I played the original Half-Life recently. I already knew about this one's reputation beforehand... Despite that, this chapter was definitely one of my favorites.

[@spiderplant]

FUN FACT: the "screaming" at the bottom of the rockets is a chicken/rooster call with some distortion

[@theredlindworm732]

I like too imagine that certain cut enemies are still *Cannon* to HALF-LIFE but just are not encountered and that the odd creepy f*cking screams in this level are actually Stukabats communicating with each other somewhere where Gordon never goes or ends up in after the bats have left

[@vizthex]

i have a funny replay of Black Mesa where i threw a grenade at the marines discussing who Freeman is immediately after they finished talking. it's one of honestly way too many random game clips i have, but it's one of my favourites cuz it reminds me of the perfect comedic timing you sometimes find in old game clips on YT.

[@IanPeon]

0:45 into this video, and I agree completely. I had more fun with "On a rail" than I've had in most entire games. It's Non-linear, as you point out, which gives the player freedom to clean up the area as they choose, while handling the puzzle aspects at their leisure... Brilliant!

[@chrisu491]

I’m gonna be honest and say I really didn’t like this chapter. But instead of being critical I’m gonna praise the black mesa uncut version. I love how to rails don’t kill you and it’s linear and un linear at the same time. I loved this and would recommend it

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Me too. I despised the crap out of HL's On A Rail and still do to this day, but BM's uncut/retail version of it rocks my socks.

[@wta1518]

I like the mod that combines Uncut with the Loop mod.

[@zeynaviegas]

on my first playthrough this chapter felt like AGES the other 20+ times, it felt so good I love it. One of the best parts

[@ilikepigeons6101]

same here

[@mfaizsyahmi]

The remnants of the first iteration of the "rocket launch chapter" where you start from the control room is still in the final game. In the previous chapter, at the top of the toxic pit where the grunts had set up a base, you can see a board (i.e. screenshot of the level editor Worldcraft) showing the layout of the power up + on a rail chapters. It shows that the track used to go from Power Up directly to the outside of the launch pad (the place with the sniper). Also the launch control room still has global triggers that check for the state of the silo doors which were supposed to change the camera view and clear the rocket for take off, but these logic triggers are not hooked up to anything in the final version.

[@rexetelectric3811]

Playing on a rail in vr is awsome, with your left hand controlling the throttle, driving and blasting never felt so good

[@kylefinn5301]

Honestly OaR is one of my favorite chapters, and also in Black Mesa there’s a mod that reimplements the sections that were cut and greatly extends the chapter.

[@That_Scientist-b1t]

On a rail is acutely my favorite map. I just really like it. The carts a cool mechanic in this chapter which for me makes it very fun!

[@synthomite405]

I never figured out the sign shooting, I actually had to discover a glitch to get the cart further

[@patrikvajgel240]

What glitch?

[@sourpusstv7984]

If only they added it in the hazard course

[@Vycter_Real]

Great video as always.

[@FaultOfANation]

I love how every NPC that purple founds gets killed by him

[@coneman8855]

I like how their was a ad with the kfc colonel in it before the video started

[@agroed]

I don't know why anyone dislikes this level. I thought it was a fun change-up.

[@lukeystuff]

I was so confused at the first part of On A Rail when I first played. I didn't realise that you had to shoot the signs, so I just kept going around in circles until I googled how to continue.

[@GenMaj_Knight]

I remember actually liking On A Rail the first time, just the cart not stopping when you jump off was the only annoying part. It wasn't too hard to just remember what turns led where.

[@mixererunio1757]

I loved it, because I played it after I played Metro Last Light which train lever is an homage to this one.

[@bbenjoe]

I loved it evenly like the rest. Though I am surprised people still make videos with the original Half-Life 1, instead of the remae, Black Mesa.

[@literatemax]

I finally played through the main half life games a couple years ago to see what all the fuss over the years was about. The only thing that stood out to me was the archaic cart controls.

[@nopushbutton]

Wow, I didn't even know about the TNT grunt. I guess I just never went down that right side tunnel!

[@BasicallyBreezy]

First played this game as a kid. Half life 2 came out when I was in 8th grade and up until 2018 I only played HL2. I played blackmesa then and cringed to the cart experience all over again. Memories had been flooding back for my play thru of blackmesa but that damn cart really puckered my ass. You have indeed changed my mind and since I have all versions on pc now, I shall be going back and doing a real play thru of hl1 original. For the first time in around 20 years. Thank you

[@ThatUnknownDude_]

I think what makes the rocket launch more memorable is the frustration part of on a rail, so it feels like this rocket launch is like a big ass sigh of relief

[@kamikaw7832]

I like the small details of the chapter like the guard in the boarded up room and the secret vent/supply area under the stairs later on.

[@theobserver200]

As a child born in a 3rd world country, this game has been an eye opener to me especially the technologies back then. I wouldn't have an idea that humanity can go to the moon I can only look and admire, the rocket launch was just a moment for me.

[@NKP723]

The whole point of the chapter is to be a long, grueling struggle. Remember the dialogue from the scientist at the end of We’ve Got Hostiles, then the guard at the end of Power Up? They can’t give you good directions or any idea how long it is. If it was perfectly linear, what would be the point in adding rideable carts?

[@TinyDeskEngineer]

The music playing during the chapter is the sounds of the ghosts of people who died in the rail system

[@blackout295]

I remember actually sort of sequence breaking through this area. I didn't go on the rail so much as I went on the sides and traversed through the quickest path possible

[@nerfnewb7155]

I really like it, maybe I’m just a weird train guy but even on my first play through I liked it.

[@focalpoint._]

When I played OAR, it was like the game was just doing the usual game techniques of showing where you need to go using lighting, and getting you comfortable with shooting the signs. Then once you get out of the loop, things continue to get more and more hectic. A typical difficulty curve. Once you get used to the mechanics, HECU Grunts start coming out of the walls, so you would do what Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist would do. Panic, then try to make sense of the situation you’re in, think of a plan, and execute it.

[@purpleflurp6601]

Glad I’m not the only one who really likes this chapter. It’s especially fun on repeat playthroughs. I like messing with the AI and taking different paths when I have the option to.

[@Dat_Jonx]

On A Rail was always my favourite chapter because of it nonlinear structure, so I can explore map for secrets and also YOU'RE DRIVING A DAMN CART.

[@toxic_shr00m]

I absolutely *love* On a Rail. It's such a condensed chunk of what Half-Life is at its core. Well designed combat, simple yet great puzzles, engaging areas, and of course, bomb-ass setpieces!

[@OdinPerez]

On a Rail always has been my favourite Half-Life level, both on OG and Black Mesa. It embodies the perfect Half-Life experience: complex, non-sequential exploration in an otherwise pretty linear game using all of the game technology to produce emergent scenarios more akin to an immersive sim than to an FPS. Absolute immersion. It doesn't get any more RUN.THINK.SHOOT.LIVE than that.

[@bibia666]

I liked this level..., always have liked it. I still enjoy it very much.., so much I'm going to play HL (on ps2) "on a rail" part straight away ;) Greetings bibia.

[@johnwallen5719]

I don't remember ever thinking 'this level isn't fun' when i first played this in the late 90s. The world building, visual storytelling and ambience are so strong throughout HL that it was more like 'oh gee whizz what now?' with each new level

[@EyeOfTheStorm228]

This is one of my favorite parts of the game I didn’t know people hated it

[@kennymustdie8518]

Mine too. Maybe because I love trains.🚂🚃🚃

[@duckykevkev4337]

On. A. Rail. Often being a highlight of my playthrough, even on my first playthrogh, On A Rail consistently keeps me on my toes. When I see a double sign on a pivot, I SHOOT IT. THAT'S HOW GAMING WORKS. Fun, engaging, varied, and suspenseful. 10/8.426

[@vizthex]

god, the steam screenshot sound that played every time you showed the area map had me checking to be sure i didn't somehow click F12 without even having my hands on the keyboard every damn time ffs

[@SpaceHunterM]

How can anyone hate On A Rail? It's the magnum murder rampage chapter!

[@PKMNTrainerKelly]

4:42 the first time i got to this section i only had single digit health thanks to an astounding series of mistakes, so dealinf with it was really fun. had to really think about where to throw and shoot

[@Real_TV12]

It's funny bc on a rail is probably one of my favourite chapters

[@hideshisface1886]

Honestly, I actually like On the Rail a lot. It actually induces the sense of travel and gives you some proper scale - it also introduces some interesting traps and other elements - you finally see grunts fighting against the aliens for one, you get the signs that situation is getting more desperate with military trying to fortify the place. And the cart itself gives you an obvious sense of direction at all times.

[@scalias]

Always loved this chapter as it had this slightly unsettling feeling of being lost in a maze and having to find your way out of there while hitting all the various obstacles and sidetracks where you got off the train.

[@Wall2157]

Dang, I have always loved “On A Rail.” I consider it one of my favorite chapters. Thank you for your analysis, brother!

[@Senor_Gago]

i only had problems with on a rail the first time i played and thats the case with every chapter really, every playthrough since i have breezed through it and its actually one of my favorite chapters

[@daiyahigashikata]

honestly i didn’t have much trouble with this chapter, but mostly because i had no idea what i was doing and i just happened to be lucky and get through it quickly. i didn’t even know about that crane puzzle at the start

[@coondogtheman]

I enjoyed this part, especially the first time you use the railcar because you can run over the bull squids and send gibs flying. What I dont like about it is sometimes you slip off the car and it keeps going.

[@Dumpsterfire95]

"but I loved on a rail!" -me, on Critical Nobody's "Reviewing EVERY Half-Life" video, somewhere in march 2021

[@chinoyomaji288]

On a rail was my favorite as a kid, it was creepy and felt haunting, the horro3 sound ties it all together.

[@dhl5928]

on a rail is fav chapter. the music.screams.ambience perfect, and the action and those gun turrets i always noclio in there to use them (u cant use them) and the end was very cool i mean a rocket

[@thedonttouchthatdialguy]

You're still not selling me on the design choices but your voice is so damn soothing I can't bring myself to disagree with you.

[@pixelrunner2775]

The part with the crane in the way was literally the only reason i didn't like this chapter. I was so confused the entire time and to this day I still don't know how to get to the lever because I ended up just walking along the side of the track until the next train/cart/thingy loaded in with the next map. Edit: also it wont cost you any health if you walk on the concrete along the sides and not directly on the track (hence the tram ride PA: "Please, stay away from electrified rails")

[@Covert0ps]

It’s not too bad, never thought of any bad map, although the tram ride at the star.

[@ChisponGroxo]

I remember that on my first playthrough back in 2000, I didn't even use the cart on the entire chapter because it just went away after I fell and I never found it xD After my friend told me it could be stopped I played it the intended way and it's one of my favorite chapters behind Surface Tension. I really thought people would hate Residual Processing rather than this...

[@davidthebear1109]

On my first playthrough I thought it was a okay length. as soon as I thought "i cant take much more of this...' it throws me off into the water.

[@ksysinf]

I do remember when I beat the geame for the first time I thought of on a rail to be a very long chapter that dragged on and on. it being underground didn't help either. I once didn't even start a new playthrough because I remembered this chapter to be in the game and I was like oh cmon, I think I'll pass it then. But since then I grew to really like it, it's exploration mood, feeling of loneliness and traps

[@the_kovic]

Once again, you have produced a well-crafted video which I absolutely disagree with. Well done, engaging content