Even after two decades,Half-Life 2remains one of the best games ever made. The developer, who humorously can’t seem to count to three,recently released a major updatefor this iconic title, giving fans another reason to revisit the game.

If you’re a new player or returning after years, you might be wondering how long the game is. After all, you don’t want todive into a lengthy titleif you’re pressed for time. Don’t worry, this guide will answer exactly that. Find out how many hours it generally takes to reach the credits screen.

Valve Insider Has Good News For Half-Life Fans

How Long is Half-Life 2?

As all great sequels should,Half-Life 2improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. One of these improvements is its length, although only by a few hours. An average playthrough of this acclaimed title will take around15 hours to complete. If you decide to explore more andclaim all the available collectibles, you can easily add another two to three hours to your playtime.

Overall, players who aim tocomplete everything will likely spend 18 hoursor more in the sequel. Like the original game,Half-Life 2features two major expansions,Episode 1 and Episode 2. Both expansions are included in the base game, so you won’t need to purchase them separately.

half life 2 episode 2 enemies

A third expansion was planned for release in 2007 but wasultimately canceled by Valve.

How Long Are Half-Life 2 Expansions?

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 - How Long To Beat

WhileHalf-Life 2: Episode 1was a critical success for Valve, many critics and players did criticize its short length. A typical run through the game offers onlyaround 4 hours of playtime. Of course, aiming for all achievements will extend the playtime, but for most players,4 hoursis all the content it provides.

Half-Life 2: Episode 2 - How Long To Beat

Like its predecessor,Half-Life 2: Episode 2received much-deserved praise from both critics and fans. Fortunately, this expansion was a bit longer, clocking in at around6 hours to reach the credits screen, which is around 50% longer thanEpisode 1. You can add a few more hours of content by thoroughly exploring, finding all the collectibles, and locating and destroying all the grubs.

If you’re a player who aims to unlock all the achievements inHalf-Life 2, you can easily double your playtime. To make the process easier, be sure tocheck out our achievement guidefor helpful tips.

Half-Life 2 Tag Page Cover Art