Some folks have been suggesting centring a Half-Life film on the second game’s Orwellian City 17 and that’s not the worst idea. are memorable in certain ways, but are also only partially defined. His only traits are defined by what the rest of the cast suggests about him (“You’re so smart!” “You’re a hero, Freeman!”) and whatever sundry characteristics the player cares to come up with in their role as co-author. Since he can never express his emotions, Gordon is nothing more than a player surrogate. The mute Gordon Freeman may have attracted a cult following - becoming a fan favourite on the strength of his iconic power suit, glasses and crowbar - but he’s ultimately a pretty terrible character. This is partially because Half-Life, for all its strides forward in interactive narrative, doesn’t have a particularly interesting story. Just the same, I wouldn’t point at either Newell or Abrams as the best people suited toward the surprise project announced at the end of their keynote - the collaborative film based on Valve’s intellectual properties and a Bad Robot-produced videogame proposed by the two creators. Both companies, regardless of the quality of their work, take creating entertainment very seriously and seem interested in contributing worthwhile art to our culture. I respect Valve for its commitment to innovative game design and Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions for its writers’ love of mystery.

Will there be a half life movie