Achievement Breakdown:
Story Related: (6)
Missable: (2)
Slay: (5)

All Achievements of Half Life 2 – Episode 1 can be earned in one playthrough. There are quite a few missable Achievements however so stay vigilant. The main Achievement we will be working towards is The One Free Bullet. The only weapons we are allowed to use are: Grenades, the Crowbar, Rockets, & the Gravity Gun. We can fire one bullet; however, we use that immediately after receiving the Handgun. After that, “no more bullets John!” There is no Achievement associated with Difficulty so playing on Easy will really make things simpler for you.

*This guide contains major spoilers.

1. Complete Undue Alarm, Direct Intervention, Low Life
2. Achievements: 8/13
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Achievement #1 – Watch Your Head!: Make it to the bottom of the Citadel’s main elevator shaft in one piece.
Story Related. This will unlock as you make your way through the Citadel after the long elevator section with Alyx.



Achievement #2 – Think Fast!: Kill an Elite Soldier with his own energy ball.
As soon as this Chapter begins, you will exit through the door into a narrow hall. Save in case you mess up. Shortly after leaving the doorway some Elite Soldiers will round the corner & attack, there is a very high chance one will launch an energy ball at you. When they do, pay attention to who shot it, grab the ball, & launch it back at them for the Achievement.

When you enter the Citadel Core, there will be energy bridges you will have to activate. As you do however, there are two Stalkers in the area that will deactivate it on you so you will have to be quick getting across. They are annoying, but we cannot kill either of them by accident so pay attention where you fire the energy balls. I recommend quick saving every time you get across a bridge so you do not have to redo it if you fall.


Achievement #3 – Conservationist: Kill five enemies with the same energy ball.
There is a very easy way to unlock this Achievement. After climbing up the ladder while in the Citadel Core, you will cross over a small energy bridge. Save in case you mess up. Follow the path left & grab an energy ball for entering a narrow hallway. When you enter a group of soldiers will charge out at you. Walk back into the Core room for a second so they all funnel into that hall, then round the corner & launch the energy ball. You should get 5-7 kills with that ball easily unlocking the Achievement.


Achievement #4 – Containment: Contain the Citadel Core.
Story Related. After you have activated the three reactors you will have successfully mitigated the Citadel’s imminent destruction.


Achievement #5 – Pacifist: Contain the Citadel Core without killing any Stalkers.
If you did not kill either of the two Stalkers in the first section of the Citadel Core you will unlock this Achievement.


To progress, we will have to shoot a lock off of a door. This is the one & only time we are allowed to fire a bullet. We get this one free bee so from here on in, only use the: Gravity Gun, Frag Grenades, or the Rocket Launcher.


Achievement #6 – Car Crusher: Use the cars to squash 15 Antlions in Episode One.
Make your way through the underpass tunnels & eventually you will reach a section where you must turn a wheel to open a garage door. In this room will be a pit that infinitely spawns Antlions, you must use a car to cover it. Before covering it, use the Gravity Gun to bounce the car into the Antlions. There will be a number other pits we can use throughout the rest of the game or you can just farm 15 kills right here for the Achievement.


Achievement #7 – Zombie-que: Use Flares to light 15 zombies on fire.
This is probably the hardest Achievement in the game. Eventually you will reach a section where you will have to wait for an elevator to arrive. During this time, waves of zombies will begin attacking you. If you were lucky, you may have lit some zombies on fire earlier with the few Flares we may have come across. I had 4/15 at this point. Save before summoning the elevator.

There are two Flares right in front of the elevator.
One Flare is in the far-right corner near where you first entered this room.
There are two Flares a little ways down the left side behind a square chain link fence.
The last Flare will be in the same room as where you find the elevator control box.


Achievement #8 – Elevator Action: Survive long enough to get on the parking garage elevator.
Story Related. This will unlock after you enter the elevator & begin making your way up to the next Chapter.

1. Complete Urban Flight, Exit 17
2. Achievements: 13/13
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Achievement #9 – Live Bait: Help Alyx snipe 30 enemies in Episode One.
During the Chapter, Alyx gains access to a Sniper Rifle & covers you as you carry on. This is a pretty easy Achievement if you are going for the One Free Bullet Achievement. Just let Alyx kill all the enemies you come across & the Achievement will unlock. In the second street area, there is an Antlion pit you can farm the Achievement for if you are worried about missing it.


Achievement #10 – Attica!: Destroy the Gunship in the hospital attic.
Story Related. This will unlock after you take down the Gunship with the Rocket Launcher in the attic.



Achievement #11 – Citizen Escort: Don’t let any citizens die when escorting them to the escape train.
When the Chapter begins, you will have to ferry 14 citizens across an area & get them safely to the train evac. You will be pestered by Combine the whole way, save after each trip. Keep an eye on your squad when you are taking citizens over. If you lose any, reload your save. It is easiest to try & sprint through a lot of this but be careful. Use the Rocket Launcher to quickly dispatch any Combine soldiers in your way. Clear the area of mines or snipers before grabbing your next set of civilians. There will be 5 different sets you have to ferry, the final one will have Barney with it. When Barney reaches the exit & you have not lost a single civilian, the Achievement will unlock.


Achievement #12 – Escape From City 17: Escape City 17 with Alyx.
Story Related. After defeating the Strider, the Achievement will unlock at the end of the Chapter as you ride the train out with Alyx.


Achievement #13 – The One Free Bullet: Finish the game firing exactly one bullet. Grenade, Crowbar, Rocket, & Gravity Gun kills are okay!
This Achievement will unlock at the same time as the last Achievement if you have met the perquisites. Overall, it is not too difficult, there are only a few sections that can prove challenging, mostly just when you are being corned by enemies. Save often.

Definitely shorter than Half Life 2 was. You can probably beat this Episode all in one sitting, it only took me 3 hours to beat it on Easy Difficulty. If this guide helped you achieve 100%, rate the guide or let me know in the comments. Helps me know if I am doing things right!



100% complete!
Thank you for choosing Cynic, & I will see you in the next guide!

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