Half-Life 2 (2004)
0.6645Canon Score · ranked #1 all time
Aggregated from 15 of 17 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the game
Half-Life 2 is a 2004 first-person shooter (FPS) game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It was published for Windows on Valve's digital distribution service, Steam. Like the original Half-Life (1998), Half-Life 2 is played from a first-person perspective, combining combat, puzzles, and storytelling.
Why it ranks #1
Every list on which Half-Life 2 appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Guardian 50 Best of 21st C (2019) | Editorial list | #4 / 50 |
| EDGE 100 Greatest (2017) | Critics' canon | #6 / 100 |
| Rolling Stone 50 Greatest (2025) | Editorial list | #6 / 50 |
| IGN Top 100 (2021) | Critics' canon | #9 / 100 |
| Polygon 500 Best (2017) | Critics' canon | #14 / 500 |
| Metacritic all-time (2026-07 snapshot) | Editorial list | #16 / 214 |
| TIME 50 Greatest (2016) | Editorial list | #17 / 50 |
| Game Informer Top 300 (2018) | Critics' canon | #21 / 300 |
| gamesTM 200 Greatest (2018) | Editorial list | #21 / 200 |
| Slant 100 Greatest (2020) | Editorial list | #71 / 100 |
| 1001 Video Games (2013 ed.) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| Hardcore Gaming 101 Top 200 (2020) | Editorial list | Selected |
| D.I.C.E. Award GOTY winners | Award | Winner |
| GDC Choice GOTY winners | Award | Winner |
| BAFTA Best Game winners | Award | Winner |