Half-Life 2 achievement guide

How to unlock every achievement, which ones you can miss, and the best order to get them all. Tick them off as you go.

15-20 hours

Time to 100%

4/10

Difficulty

Playthroughs

Missable achievements

3 collectible5 cumulative1 difficulty

Points of no return

Exiting the train station courtyard at the start: Throwing the can at the metrocop and putting it in the trash can become impossible for that chapter run.
Leaving Ravenholm via the mines: Finishing the district with only the Gravity Gun becomes permanently impossible for that run.
Stepping onto the rocky surface of the lighthouse base at the end of Sandtraps: Crossing the sand without alerting antlions becomes failed and locked out.
Transitioning out of any given chapter: Any Lambda caches not found in that chapter's boundaries require restarting the chapter to register.

Recommended order

Step 1

Complete City 17 Canals while picking up the early story achievements, knocking down the can, throwing it back at the cop, killing barnacles with explosive barrels, and shooting down the Hunter-Chopper.
Step 2

Complete Black Mesa East while finding the hidden HEV charger and locating the singing Vortigaunt in the scrap yard.
Step 3

Complete Ravenholm using only the Gravity Gun to secure the primary missable restriction, while also pinning zombies to walls with the crossbow/props.
Step 4

Complete Coastal Highway while killing soldiers with the buggy, taking out gunships with the rocket launcher, pinning enemies with the crossbow, and crossing the sand without touching it.
Step 5

Complete Nova Prospekt while killing enemies using antlion guards and surviving all turret holdout sections without letting your sentries be destroyed.
Step 6

Complete City 17 Streets by leading your squadmates carefully, destroying striders with the rocket launcher, and taking out sniper nests.
Step 7

Complete City 17 Plaza (City 17 Uprising) while destroying generators, disabling suppression devices, and protecting your rebellion squad members.
Step 8

Complete City 17 Nexus by disarming the tripwire laser traps, taking out the remaining snipers, and breaching the core defenses.
Step 9

Complete the Citadel while vaporizing soldiers with the supercharged Gravity Gun and destroying the dark fusion reactor.
Step 10

Use chapter select to clean up any missed miscellaneous combat feats, Lambda cache locations, or weapon-specific kills.

All achievements 0/69

Submissive Missable 45.5% of players Hidden achievement Pick up the trash can at the train station security checkpoint and throw it into the trash can as ordered by the Metrocop.

Barnacle Bowling Missable 37.2% of players Kill five barnacles with one barrel. Use an explosive red barrel to kill at least five barnacles grouped together at the same time.

Defiant Missable 33.4% of players Hidden achievement Pick up the trash can at the train station checkpoint and hit the Metrocop with it instead of throwing it away.

Bug Hunt Missable Cumulative 31.9% of players Use the antlions to kill 50 enemies. Use pheropods to command antlions to kill 50 enemies throughout the coast and Nova Prospekt chapters.

One Man Army Missable 28% of players Destroy six gunships in Half-Life 2. Shoot down six Combine gunships using your rocket launcher over the course of the campaign.

OSHA Violation Missable Cumulative 21.8% of players Kill 3 enemies using the crane. Use the industrial magnetic crane at the docks to crush or drop cargo onto three Combine soldiers.

Blast from the Past Missable 20% of players Find the HEV Suit Charger faceplate in Eli's scrapyard. In Eli's scrapyard, use the Gravity Gun to dig up the original HEV suit charger faceplate from beneath the rubble. Where: Black Mesa East

Targetted Advertising Missable 17% of players Pin a soldier to the billboard in chapter Highway 17. Pin a Combine soldier to the large roadside billboard using the crossbow in chapter Highway 17.

Atomizer Missable 12.6% of players Disintegrate 15 soldiers by throwing them into a Combine ball field. Use the upgraded Gravity Gun to throw 15 Combine soldiers into energy ball fields inside the Citadel.

What cat? Missable 12.4% of players Break the mini-teleporter in Kleiner's lab. Interact repeatedly with the mini-teleporter in Kleiner's lab until it overloads and breaks. Where: Black Mesa East

Two Points Missable 11.2% of players Use DOG's ball to make a basket in Eli's scrapyard. Grab the rollermine DOG throws to you with the Gravity Gun and shoot it through the basketball hoop in the scrapyard. Where: Black Mesa East

Counter-Sniper Missable 11.2% of players Kill all of the snipers in City 17. Eliminate all Combine snipers encountered throughout the City 17 chapters, typically by tossing grenades into their hideouts.

Vorticough Missable 9.5% of players Discover the hidden singing vortigaunt cave in chapter Water Hazard. After defeating the Hunter-Chopper in Water Hazard, open the gate and look for two drainage pipes on the left wall of the canal. Climb up the debris into the grate of the left pipe and follow the radioactive tunnel to find the singing Vortigaunt.

Flushed Missable 7.2% of players Kill an enemy with a toilet. Pick up a porcelain toilet using the Gravity Gun and launch it at an enemy to kill them. Where: Nova Prospekt

Hack Attack! Missable 7.2% of players Kill five enemies with a Manhack. Catch a flying Manhack with the Gravity Gun and use it to kill five separate enemies.

Zombie Chopper Missable 7.1% of players Play through Ravenholm using only the Gravity Gun. Complete the entire Ravenholm chapter from start to finish using exclusively the Gravity Gun to attack. Where: Ravenholm

Deadly Harvest Missable 6% of players Kill an enemy by planting a hopper mine. Reprogram a hopper mine with the Gravity Gun and place it so that an enemy walks near it and gets killed.

Keep Off the Sand! Missable 5.9% of players Cross the antlion beach in chapter Sandtraps without touching the sand. Travel across the entire antlion-infested beach in Sandtraps by manipulating props to create bridges without once touching the sand.

Gordon Propelled Rocket Missable 5% of players Unlock the rocket launcher lambda cache in chapter Under The Radar. Solve the puzzle to access the locked lambda cache containing rocket launcher ammunition in Episode Two.

Citizen Escort Missable 4.5% of players Don't let any citizens die when escorting them to the escape train. Escort all groups of citizens through the train station to the escape train in Episode One without allowing a single citizen to die.

Lambda Locator Missable Collectible 4.2% of players Find all lambda caches in Half-Life 2. Locate and interact with all 45 hidden Lambda supply caches scattered across the entirety of Half-Life 2.

Cache Checker Missable Collectible 3.8% of players Find every radar cache in chapter Under The Radar. Locate and loot all five hidden radar supply caches during the "Under the Radar" chapter in Episode Two.

Pedal to the Metal Missable 3.8% of players Beat DOG in a race to the White Forest base. Outrun DOG in the jalopy race and arrive at the White Forest base entrance before he does in Episode Two.

Live Bait Missable Cumulative 3.3% of players Help Alyx snipe 30 enemies in Episode One. Expose yourself to lure at least 30 zombies and Combine soldiers into Alyx's sniper line of fire during Episode One.

Hit and Run Missable Cumulative 3.2% of players Run over 20 enemies with the car in Episode Two. Run over and eliminate at least 20 enemies using the jalopy vehicle throughout Episode Two.

Car Crusher Missable 2.5% of players Use the cars to squash 15 antlions in Episode One. Use the Gravity Gun to drop or push cars over antlion burrows, crushing at least 15 antlions underneath in Episode One.

Pacifist Missable 2% of players Contain the Citadel core without killing any stalkers. Successfully stabilize and seal the Citadel core in Episode One without destroying or killing any of the Stalkers.

Piñata Party Missable Collectible 1.9% of players Find and break every web cache in Episode Two. Locate and break open all nine suspended antlion web caches hidden across Episode Two.

Puttin' On a Clinic Missable 1.7% of players Defeat the chopper in Episode Two without any misses. Destroy the Combine attack helicopter at the rebel outpost using thrown mines without a single mine missing its target.

The One Free Bullet Missable 1.6% of players Finish the game firing exactly one bullet. Grenade, crowbar, rocket, and Gravity Gun kills are okay! Complete the entire campaign of Episode One while firing no more than a single bullet from conventional firearms.

Zombie-que Missable 1.6% of players Use flares to light 15 zombies on fire. Pick up lit flares and press them into zombies until you ignite and burn 15 of them in Episode One.

Little Rocket Man Missable 1.6% of players Send the garden gnome into space. Carry the garden gnome found at the start of Episode Two all the way to the silo and lock it inside the rocket capsule.

Neighborhood Watch Missable 1.4% of players Save all buildings outside the missile silo from destruction. Destroy every Strider during the final battle in Episode Two before any of the rebel buildings around the base are destroyed.

Get Some Grub Missable 1.3% of players Squish every antlion grub in Episode Two. Locate and squash every single one of the 333 antlion grubs scattered throughout the caves in Episode Two.

Malcontent 70.6% of players Escape the apartment block raid. Progress through the opening chapter and escape the apartment raid across the rooftops.

Trusty Hardware 67.4% of players Get the crowbar. Automatically unlocks when Barney tosses you the crowbar in the "A Red Letter Day" chapter.

Anchor's Aweigh! 52.6% of players Get the airboat. Progress through the "Route Kanal" chapter until you are given the airboat.

Heavy Weapons 46.3% of players Get the airboat's mounted gun. Continue the "Water Hazard" chapter until the rebels mount a gun onto your airboat.

Revenge! 44% of players Destroy the hunter-chopper in Half-Life 2. Destroy the Combine hunter-chopper at the end of the "Water Hazard" chapter using the airboat's gun.

Zero-Point Energy 43.2% of players Get the Gravity Gun in Black Mesa East. Given automatically by Alyx Vance when she introduces you to the Gravity Gun in chapter "Black Mesa East". Where: Black Mesa East

Hallowed Ground 38.8% of players Hidden achievement Escort Father Grigori safely through the graveyard and reach the mine entrance. Where: Ravenholm

Where Cubbage Fears to Tread 37.3% of players Hidden achievement Receive the rocket launcher from Odessa Cubbage and destroy the Combine gunship at New Little Odessa.

Warden Freeman 30.9% of players Survive the second turret standoff in Nova Prospekt. Set up defensive turrets and survive the second ambush wave in the Nova Prospekt prison sector. Where: Nova Prospekt

Follow Freeman 30.8% of players Gain command of a squad of rebels in the uprising. Progress the story into the uprising chapters until a squad of rebels joins your command.

Radiation Levels Detected Difficulty 30.1% of players Get through the toxic tunnel under City 17 in Half-Life 2. Navigate through the toxic, radioactive sludge tunnels in "Route Kanal" without dying.

Plaza Defender 29.5% of players Survive the generator plaza standoff in chapter Anticitizen One. Defend your position against the waves of Combine forces at the generator plaza during chapter Anticitizen One.

Fight the Power 28.1% of players Shut down the supression device by disabling its generators. Infiltrate the Nexus building and disable the suppression device by shutting down all of its generators.

Giant Killer 27.1% of players Survive the rooftop strider battle in the ruins of City 17. Defeat the Striders attacking during the rooftop battle sequence in chapter "Follow Freeman!".

Singularity Collapse 26.5% of players Hidden achievement Destroy the Dark Fusion Reactor at the top of the Citadel to complete the game.

Gnome Alone 10.5% of players Launch Half-Life 2 after Gabe Newell launched a garden gnome into space. Launch Half-Life 2 while connected to Steam.

Watch Your Head! 7.9% of players Make it to the bottom of the Citadel's main elevator shaft in one piece. Ride the central elevator down into the core in Episode One while avoiding falling debris and hazards.

Containment 7.6% of players Contain the Citadel core. Successfully stabilize and seal the overloaded Citadel reactor core during Episode One.

Acid Reflex 7.1% of players Kill an acid antlion worker. Defeat an acid-spitting Antlion Worker during the underground sections in Episode Two.

Elevator Action 7% of players Survive long enough to get on the parking garage elevator. Hold out against waves of zombies and Zombines while waiting for the elevator to arrive in the parking garage in Episode One.

Attica! 6.6% of players Destroy the gunship in the hospital attic. Use the rocket launcher found in the hospital attic to shoot down the attacking Combine gunship.

Into the Breach 6.6% of players Help Griggs and Sheckley hold off the antlion invasion inside the mine shaft. Help Griggs and Sheckley defend the defensive perimeter against waves of invading antlions in the mine shaft in Episode Two.

Escape From City 17 6.3% of players Escape City 17 with Alyx. Complete Episode One by boarding the evacuation train and escaping the destruction of City 17 alongside Alyx.

Twofer 6.2% of players Defeat both antlion guards outside the White Forest. Defeat both Antlion Guards simultaneously outside the secondary silo entrance in Episode Two.

Meet the Hunters 6.1% of players Survive the Hunter ambush with Alyx. Survive the ambush by Combine Hunters inside the abandoned house alongside Alyx in Episode Two.

Gunishment! 6% of players Destroy the Combine Autogun in the junkyard. Sneak through the junkyard and destroy the Combine Autogun using a grenade in Episode Two.

Quiet Mountain Getaway 5.9% of players Survive the ambush at White Forest Inn. Defeat all attacking Combine forces during the ambush at the White Forest Inn in Episode Two.

Secondary Silo Secured 5.8% of players Secure the launch doors on missile silo 2. Close and lock the compromised launch bay doors in missile silo 2 to prevent Combine infiltration in Episode Two.

Defense of the Armament 5.3% of players Save the missile silo from the Combine offensive. Successfully destroy all attacking Striders and Hunters using the Magnusson Devices to protect the rocket silo in Episode Two.

Grave Robber 3.6% of players Steal a Zombine's grenade. Use the Gravity Gun to snatch the live grenade straight out of a charging Zombine's hand before it detonates.

Think Fast! 3.4% of players Kill an Elite Soldier with his own energy ball. Catch an energy ball fired by a Combine Elite using the Gravity Gun and launch it back to kill him.

Bone Breaker Cumulative 2.7% of players Kill 30 enemies with thrown physics objects. Use the Gravity Gun to launch heavy physics objects at enemies until you kill 30 of them. Where: Ravenholm

Payback 2.3% of players Kill a Hunter with its own flechettes. Use the Gravity Gun to hold a large physics object to catch a Hunter's flechettes, then throw it back to kill it.

Conservationist 1.8% of players Kill five enemies with the same energy ball. Fire a single supercharged Gravity Gun energy ball down a crowded hallway to kill five Combine soldiers at once.

Hot Potat0wned 1.7% of players Kill a Combine soldier with his own grenade. Grab a live grenade thrown by a Combine soldier using the Gravity Gun and throw it back to kill him.

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