Why Do Players Dislike On a Rail? (Half-Life) 

Wait are players supposed to use the cart? I thought this chapter was created to test speed runner's bhop capabilities

Fun fact: The second scream sound effect would later be reused as the "Alerted the horde" sound for the Left 4 Dead games.

9:51 Many believe and its a theory that I some what agreed that the sounds of screams from all the victims from all over Black Mesa being echoed through Xen's astral plane space and time from both past, present and future.

Why I liked “On a rail” HECU: Ha ha freeman will never get through our defenses. Freeman: *has already quietly gone around and now begins to maliciously load shotgun* Pretty much the entire thing is about being smart and resourceful. You can’t rush straight into the enemies defenses so going around and killing then from behind is usually a way better idea. Even if you can’t quickly kill them, they’re usually left open with no cover. It’s even better when they’re already fighting aliens as now they have to defend themselves from 2 sides.

Well I mean, for Sven coop it’s a completely different kind of brisket, the cart is usually a great antic.

My theory concerning the screams heard at the beginning of "On A Rail" is that they are the distorted echoes of the hums and screeches of other carts running elsewhere on the distant rail system. They're intended to sound like screaming, as I'm sure at this point that's how a battle-weary and on-edge scientist would initially interpret them. Compare it to the sounds of real life underground metros and subways. It puts us in Gordon's shoes, filling us with dread as we descend into the maze.

2:52 I personally believe it's an air circulation fan; with how vast of an underground network the BMRF is, ensuring sufficient airflow for all the personnel is crucial, especially in areas where a lot of combustion is used, such as of course the rocket silos and refuse incineration.

I loved this...so good. The screams....my south American friend at work, Alfonso, told me about how the natives of the Amazon jungle believe spirits live inside the mesas, almost like a home for their ancestors, maybe Black Mesa was built directly where the spirits dwell...

I interpretated the mysterious screams as Gordon experiencing paranoia/trauma after witnessing the previous events. Imagine going through the horrors he did up to this point only to be left alone to wander a lonely, silent maze. I'd be hearing things too.

Notice how he didn't even talk about how much of a safety hazard that enormous fan is? The switch to turn it on and off is BELOW the blades!

On a Rail is one of my favorites, alongside Questionable Ethics and Surface Tension.

Ngl i kinda like the "ride the cart/caravan" aspect of the chapter, feels kinda like a quest, with some occasional stops, sorta feels worldbuild-y, perhaps better than Water Hazard because it's not as "rush-y". It's also dope how in Black Mesa you can put spare supplies on the cart and carry/use them as you need, which reinforces the "quest"-like feel (and personally made me feel like a 1000iq boi). Btw, great video!

"i'll say it right off the bat and trigger a bunch of people - i love this chapter" wait... people hate blast pit?

WAIT, YOU CAN SHIFT WALK OYUR WAY THROUGH THE TENTACLE MONSTER? WHY DO I ONLY FIND OUT ABOUT THIS NOW

The screams could be many things and that’s why it’s so punchy: - the victims of black mess from all of time screaming in fear / agony because of the invasion / Nuke / HECU - A fragment of the nihilanth’s psychic mind flowing through the tunnels, maybe because it’s hunting you down to watch you? - Screaming of victims throughout the past present and future of Freeman’s life through all the games? - Simulated PTSD with Freeman being put through the absolute horror that is the resonance cascade, invasion, and military insurrection? - Vorts in the tunnels? Gordon linking with the Vortessence and hearing the cries of an enslaved race? I’m more inclined to believe it’s the Nihilanth linking minds with Freeman. The Nihilanth is shown as an all knowing creature and a powerful psychic so I don’t think it’s too out there of a theory. When I was a kid I thought it was monsters / zombies echoing in the underground.

I'm pretty sure the rocket had something to do with all the teleportation stuff on Xen. It was *suppose* to close the portal between Earth and Xen but the Nihilanth was still holding it open with its sheer power. The rift was (I think) closed from Earth's side but not Xen's side. Which is probably also why you encounter alot less wildlife after that part of the game, the resonance cascade had stabilized somewhat.

I always liked On A Rail, and that final rocket launch felt so rewarding. I get a very cold feel from the tunnels, and can smell the humidity due to the tunnels being flooded and abandoned.

Honestly, I hate Residue Processing more than On a Rail. It's just filled with a lot of big rooms that you'd expect to have something, ESPECIALLY after you just lost everything you had, but they're all just empty space. Everything before you get the revolver is just uneventful platforming.

7:30 this is something so many people forget about Half Life is that when you don’t know where to go it’s a very tough game. Going from modern games to Half Life is a real change of pace in that regard and how it directs the player doesn’t really hold up in my opinion.

It would be interesting if you could try to theorize where these screams of terror could come from in On the Rail. And maybe some attempt to more logicly map out the entiriety of Black Mesa bascing it off HL1, Opposing force and blueshift bits, and trying to sort out some of the "spacial insanity" that is typical for valve's levels

Fun fact: all 4 of those horror screams were present in many S.T.A.L.K.E.R. builds up until release as one of the ambient soundscape sounds. As far as I remeber whole "random soundscape" system was cutted during development and never came back as the tone of the game shifted, which is sad - hearing far away mumbled gunshots, screams and obscure sounds was really what brought Zone to life. (You can check out how it sounded by searching "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Oblivion Lost Ambience" here on YT)

Honestly, maybe I'm the odd person here, but I kinda wish there was a segment of it that was just... Driving a train without having to stop every 5 seconds? (The game INFRA has a lot of stuff where once you solve the train puzzle, you can just ride for a while and it's so satisfying to me)

People don't like Blast Pit?

When I first heard those scream sound files in a HL trivia video, not so long ago, I've immediately recognised them because several zombie servers back on CS 1.6 used them and only now years later I've realized how haunting they actually sound

I dislike it because I can’t do a backflip on the cart

You nailed everything I liked about this chapter, all the chapters before were all high energy (apart from sneaking around the tentacle in Blast Pit) I still remember this chapter In my first ever playthrough and for me It was the one that sold me on the fact that this game is awesome, Valve showed me how well they told their story with the "Show-Don't-Tell" with all the grafittis that threaten or mock Freeman, the aliens and HECU killing each other which makes the world even more believable, and the cherry on top, when you get outside and hear the conversations between the marines, that moment was so memorable to me because it showed me that these marins are not just some random goons, they have their own motivations and are just following order, and the music that starts playing after launching the rocket coupled with the fact that I just survived that tunnel and slipped through the marined finger just made feel like a badass who's surviving against all odds. I Really love this chapter.

fun fact the screams are actually used in most of the zombie mods in counter strike 1.6 rip dat good old era.

I played Half-Life for the first time this year, and "On a Rail" was actually my favorite chapter lol. I love the atmosphere and the eerie industrial look of the environment. There is a good sense of apprehension every time you clear an area, board your cart, and start once again creeping through the tunnels, not sure what kind of alien or military ambush lies ahead. I'm playing through Half-Life 2 for the first time currently (On the Ravenhome level right now), and "Water Hazard" was my favorite chapter so far in that game too, so maybe I have a type lol

Cart...people just like some action

I always felt like On a Rail was a prelude to Surface Tension. It's meant to be a long chapter with lots of soldiers. It's meant to test your endurance. Plus I do like trains, personally. I never found it too difficult to master the train cart. For me, the worst pre-Xen chapter by far is Residue Processing.

Honestly, it's just the movement. The tram is a nuisance to use. If you decide to say screw it and go by foot, then the rails get in the way the whole time. If you remove the tram and just make it regular hallways, suddenly it's a good chapter. Problem then is that it's no different from any other.

Maybe the screams at the end are from the future, from the 7-hour war, to be exact. Time travel is a thing in the HL universe, as shown by the G-Man. The teleporter before the Nihilanth also plays scientist lines from the resonance cascade which had happened hours before, so I don't see a reason why it couldn't show you things yet to come.

The chapters in the original Half-Life, to me were fine, when I played them at first, even Xen; At first with Xen, I got a little confused (as I was younger) but I got the hang of it later on. Great video.

It's the lack of player choice for me as no using the train takes so long but using is jank and boring, I don't skip it cus it's charming, but anytime I get lost in the endless hallways it's always the worst part of a play through

I love this chapter. Lots of fun combat encounters, some optional areas and great atmosphere with plenty of little details and things going on. Such as the the small room with a dead grunt next to some graffiti and a spray can, or the area beneath the satellite rocket where another grunt is getting flooded by headcrabs jumping out of the walls. As a kid I amused the screaming was a crowd of zombies somewhere in the tunnels. The same sound effects are also used in the area you can access via a vent in the final part of the Xen manufacturing facility of Interloper. It kind of feels like Valve added this for effect but I always preferred to just immerse myself into the game and accept everything going on as actual events that took place during those 4 days. Kind of hard to change your view on a game like this when it had a big impact on you as a 10 year old.

My theory about the screams it that they originally belong to a cut enemy. You'd hear them in the distance via a trigger before you engage a nest of them in combat for the first time. If I remember correctly they where supposed to be flying/floating enemies similar to cacademons from Doom (but much smaller).

tbh, the reason why i love blast pit, on a rail, and apprehension is because, why not? i love decommissioned and industrial areas, the atmosphere and design was just beautiful despite being vitrified and abandoned, still my type of ambience

i like it because the music fit very well whit the chapter and the exploration whit the train and see how the H.E.C.U fighting whit the aliens

Didn't know a lot of people had no idea to shoot signs to switch tracks. Back when I first played On A Rail, my mind quickly connected them to the shooting range attraction: aim and hit a brightly colored object, it flips over and that counts as a score. Also didn't know that some pricks hate Water Hazard. It's a great change of pace and literally a breath of fresh air after crawling through sewers having to deal with enemies with no way around them. You fly through the game world that opens wider allowing you to *speed* from one set piece to another, plowing through enemies withought bothering to get off your ride, and only a huge water gate or a supply hideout can slow you down. And who could forget that heli chase! This chapter along with Highway-17 made me realize I love vehicle sections (the only reason On A Rail aren't quite doing the same is that it goes through same narrow tunnels), which is prbbly why I like Scrap Mechanic survival: Drive down a road, deviate into more desolate/foresty areas if you want, pull over next to an outpost of some sort, check if there're any goodies to find or baddies to fight, then get back on the wheels towards where you eyes aim at. Good game. Do recommend.

Tbh I never had too much issue with it, however when I would play Sven Co-op with friends they would complain how it's too long andrepetitive for what it is aswell as having no clear direction. Love the video.

I recently loaded up HL and specifically played this section and I'm in the like it quite a bit group. It's a lot of fun fighting your way thru a large section of Black Mesa. Makes sense that Lambda would be far from Anomalous Materials and the only realistic way to get there would be through the lesser traveled and service pathways.

7:14 To me who also played hl since 2000, and i still dive into the hl universe atleast once am month for a few days, this is one of the best explanations ive heard, not only for on a rail, but for the whole universe, and since i've heard you saying these sentences, i play HL from an whole other perspective. I don't play to feel like it was me wandering through the BMRF anymore, but like i would be Gordon with his desperation to figure a way out of this hell. It hits even more, that while time passed in real life, i am already quite older than Gordon was. From the perspective of my age, Gordon is still a young guy, overwhelmed by to complexity of the BMRF, and because i was something like 12 when i played it the first time and felt like Gordon was "some wise older adult" i kept having that feeling, even when i passed that age. But after seeing some other videos of on a rail, i had to come back here, to tell you how right and valuable your video is for an hardcore fan and i've also learned to understand and value on a rail much better. You've did a great job with this video. But still, i can't get rid if that, is that it still doesn't work to give an immersion of the size of the BMRF. The Layout of the tracks feel cramped to a small squared sector, not able to give an feel of how huge BM is compared to the personel Transit System. But maybe it is because some parts have been cut and should pasted together in short time while late developing.

9:29 those are testers of Black mesa sweet voice

I find it hilarious that On A Rail can actually be completely faster by just going on foot normally. No speedrunning tricks, just walk like a normal person and occasionally take some shortcuts.

Oh damn... Never noticed those screams when I played the chapter. It's been a while now, but that's really creepy! I love it!

I love this chapter because it shows that you started using the abandoned rusty railway system because there is no chance to progress on the surface and it feels like a safe bunker down the facility until you find out that the military thought of that and sent troops down there to hunt down anyone who tries to use it to escape.

I'm pretty sure having to shoot the signs to switch tracks is a reference to the second Indiana Jones movie. Like Indy does that exact thing during the part where he's in the minecart.

I actually love On a Rail. I enjoyed the explorative aspect of it, it feels very large and sprawling.

One of my favorite parts about Half-Life were the short times you were on the surface and battling the HECU if I'm correct. But I absolutely love opossing force, I can play it over and never get tired. I even found myself playing it more than the main story.

Of course Rad Haz had to say Dark and gritty TM. Amazing video! You should make more when you analyze levels from HL games.

I enjoyed that level, but that's only because I ignored the rail car completely and simply sprinted through

I think one of the biggest problem for me with this level is the damn electrical rails, it keeps draining your health points so quick that by the time you jump out, you'll get killed by the millitary

Love your videos man, keep it up!

I used to hate On a Rail (took, like, an hour to beat it Normal) until I realised that it's quicker to stay Off a Rail (at which point I could beat it in about 20 minutes on Hard).

Radiation Hazard deserves 100 times more subscribers just from the effort he puts in to these videos. Most underrated youtuber ever!

On my first playthrough back in 2008 when I was 9 years old I absolutely hated On a Rail. It seemed all too long and hard for the little me, I didn't even know how to deal with the turrets and all other stuff. However every time I revisited the chapter I started loving it more and more to the point where it's my 2nd favorite chapter after Surface Tension which by the way, little 9 year old me also hated to the bone for being long and hard.

heck yeah love your videos~ another great one

The worst part of the whole chapter is the stupid green box you have to crouch jump over, I spent 40 minutes trying to get over it and looking for the next part of the game without riding on the cart. Eventually I looked at a walkthrough and immediately felt stupid, the ending of on a rail is honestly one of my favorite moments in the game, so calm

ON A RAIL IS THE HIGHWAY 17 OF HL1

I love every single part of Half-Life. It's such a unique experience that every part of it makes it what it is and what it'll forever be in my mind and heart. Never EVER in my playthrough was I ever like "oh man this part again...". Exploring maps and nooks and crannies of the maps is always a joy. Immersing yourself in the world building is just beautiful. Long live Half-Life.

Powerful enemies around tons of blind corners, carts that drive off without me telling them to, elevators that kill me just because I was standing, a lot of walking around without the cart...

I like that we have some shortcuts if we don't use cart

I like on a rail. The one chapter I've never liked was gonarchs lair. When I first played it I felt like I was endlessly shooting it with no indication I was accomplishing anything other than wasting my bullets. The fight just feels confusing and janky and is plain annoying.

the 3 horror.wavs i actually either heard them from cs 1.6 zombie mode servers or l4d1 (maybe even l4d2) kinda crazy that i actually never knew they actually exist in half life

I will take On A Rail over Lambda Core or Interloper any day. The former being a bit more complex and I find myself always "where to go" and the latter for being way too tough. In hard mode you struggle a lot in Xen. Interesting that you pointed out the screams. As far as I'm concerned, those screams where made for Half-Life: Uplink. The part where the bodies were dragged. Same screams can be heard as well in the Interloper chapter.

these screams are the screams of those who feel a sense of dread when playing on a rail. /s anyways, this is my fav chapter. the atmosphere is strong and the combat racks up, keeping the player engaged is a constant focus as for the ending, man it feels so satisfying after all you go through. btw, keep up the great content, you got a sub

Rewatching the video and hearing the screams gave me ptsd, When i first played half life 1 and went thru apprehension, i was playing at night and i was a kiddo, the damn screams haunted me for the rest of the night and if i remember correctly, you can also hear them in blue shift

There can be no realism in on a rail because this underground rail system doesn't actually connect to any of the base except where you get on, and where you get off. Neither does the monorail. Like every half life level it's just a pipe the player goes down with some greebles to make it resemble somewhere.

Great video bro About water hazard it’s literally one of the best chapters for me I don’t think that it does slow the flow or the gameplay of the game actually some parts of that chapter are literally filled with adrenaline and I enjoy it so much!!! A little long but a cool chapter! While for on a rail....I used to hate it…but after watching this video..well.. I don’t hate or love it so much… it I think yes…it wasn’t that bad

I never had a problem with On The Rail. The only chapter I remember hating was Interloper.

I really like this chapter because it tests my stealth skills + you don’t need the cart + rocket launch good + if you get stuck on a loop you are a certified dumb dumb

7:27 this part right here is your hint that you need to shoot the signs, the houndeye is positioned deliberately so that when you try to shoot it you most likely shoot the sign instead

wait there are people who don't know you have to sneak around the tenticle!? The guard at the airlock literaly tells it to you, and then they show you what happened to someone who made too much noise. Figuring out that you can use grenades would be a litle more difficult i'd imagine, but the game gives you lots of those, so i imagine that eventualy you'd put one and one together since it's atracted by sound, but even if you don't, it's not as vital to geting past it as sneaking is

i actually find on a rail quite unsettling. the music, the screams, the feel of the entire abandoned railway system, and the fact it's so huge.

My issue with on the rail is that soldiers have traps and ambushes set up if you use the cart, so I avoided using the cart as much as possible and sneak along the rail looking out for ambushes.

older sound files of the scream sound refer to it as a houndeye pack

4:29 Radiation hazard you are a gamer, At heart *are one of us*

I love every freaking piece of this game. Its perfect and ill never forget the first time i played it through I was blown away.

I'm going through half life for the first time. I got stuck on the tentacle monster level because I couldn't figure out that you needed the fan to blow you upwards.

At the fan section I always throw a grenade before jumping into the airflow to blow up the baricates blocking the upper tip of the chasm. I thought the pressure would make me bump my head on these wooden planks.

On the Screams part, the_horror3.wav is used in Interloper especially at the portal to the Nihilanth. the_horror4.wav is never used.

Valve prioritized player experience over realism in Half-Life 2. The trip to Kleiner's lab was going to be much longer including the factories and Manhack Arcade, but that's too long to go without any combat, so the lab was made close to the train station despite that not making sense.

for blast pit with the tenticle monster, if you throw a grenade into the black pit, itll "harm" the monster and it will withdraw into the hole momentarily, giving you enough time to run to the next room you need to

I honestly have always loved this level. It might be one of my favorites. I can see where some may find it tedious, but I really enjoy it, personally.

i just love how the engine feels and the movement of tram itself

when i first played this chapter i accidentally skipped an entire section and lost my cart. i only realized it when i questioned why i was being forced to make difficult jumps over rails and stuff constantly.

The one door at the end of on a rail looks like one you can't open by interacting only by pressing a button

I love how the_horror_2 is reused in l4d1

First time I played I just walked along the side of the tracks for most of the level lol

the problem I have with blast pit is there's nothing telling you to kill the monster, and nothing telling you to back-track to kill it, I got stuck for so long before giving up and watching a walkthrough

As a kid, I didn't particularly find this chapter too confusing, just a tad long, but it then slowly picks up pace again, until it reaches the crescendo (Surface Tension) and continues the action in the next chapter as well. I feel like the version of On a Rail in Black Mesa kind of shortened the level to keep up the pace. I'm not sure if I entirely agree with the change, but I did notice the chapter felt a little shorter.

Played through the Black Mesa rework of on a rail (the modded version for Black Mesa not stock) and it is quite interesting, I think you should cover it in context of this chapter in the original half life 1

The screams are probably Gordon's ptds since he saw many of his fellows scientist die.

Honestly always have been indifferent about it. It has it's moments, but having to tug around the train the whole time can get a bit annoying.

2:58 probably the blast ventilation fan

i feel like the screams are some easter eggs made for fun and the sound origin are just the death sound of tentacle with different pitch and speeds

Played the game quite a few times. Never noticed those screams beams before. Damn...

The rocket might have closed the portal on this side but the nihilint still held his end open thats why you had to go to zen

The most wtf moment for me was when i got stuck on the first red blast door. Didnt realize that it opens automatically when you get close. Realized that via a youtube walkthrough (i was *that* confused). Shooting the signs thing, i kinda figured that on my own after my first loop.

Maybe there was the 3 boss in this game after tanticle monster and gargantula who player will fight in on a rail .In the beggining in this chapter you can find a room where you can see the bottom of the rocket, in the hallway to this room there are 2 squads of HECU dead and maybe in the room where you can see bottom of the rocket there was supposted to be 3 bossfight after tenticle monster and gargantula that explains the screams, who knows maybe the mr.friendly wasn't deleted completely from the game maybe the screams are him killing HECU marines.But in thes room in the actual game now you can find 1 solider shooting headcrabs who spawn from the infinite spowner the whole think with headcrabs is like not complited like why this room exists why there is infinite spawner of headcrabs with one marine shooting them the whole thing looks unfinished maybe thats why on a rail chapter looks so confusing for players the full chapter is to get to the surface and launch the rocket withaut explaining why, maybe there was something supposted to happend before launching the rocket who will explain to player why they are launching the rocket and where these screams come from.