How to Get All Achievements in Half-Life 2

Unlocked automatically while progressing through the “Point Insertion” chapter.

In the “Point Insertion” chapter, when the combine officer knocks over the soda can and asks you to pick it up and drop it in the trash can, throw the can at the officer instead to unlock the Defiant achievement.

Alternatively, pick up the soda can and drop it into the trash can as ordered by the combine officer to unlock the Submissive achievement.

Unlocked automatically when picking up the crowbar in “A Red Letter Day” chapter.

Unlocked automatically upon breaking the teleporter in Kleiner’s lab. You can break the teleporter by repeatedly teleporting items to and fro.

Unlocked upon discovering all 45 Lambda Caches in the game.

You can unlock this achievement by tricking a group of Barnacles into picking up an explosive barrel and then shooting the barrel when it’s close enough. You must kill five barnacles in one explosion. You can pursue this achievement in the “Route Kanal” chapter, which features several Barnacle groups in the slimy tunnels.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Route Kanal” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Water Hazard” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Water Hazard” chapter.

In the “Water Hazard” chapter, after defeating the chopper, you must open a gate to progress further into the area. Right after passing through the gate, you’ll see two drainage pipes with the grate on the left pipe partially open. Use the airboat to climb into the left pipe and head all the way across until you see an opening to the left. Here, you’ll find the singing Vortigaunt and unlock the associated achievement.

In the “Black Mesa East” chapter, shoot DOG’s ball into the basketball hoop in Eli’s scrapyard to unlock the achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Black Mesa East” chapter.

Kill one enemy using a Gravity Gun to grab a toilet and launch at them.

After acquiring the Gravity Gun in the “Black Mesa East” chapter, arrange the crates nearby to access the area above Eli’s Scrapyard. Then, use the Gravity Gun to grab the HEV faceplate to unlock the achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “We Don’t Go To Ravenholm” chapter.

To unlock this achievement, you must play the entirety of “We Don’t Go To Ravenholm” while only using the Gravity Gun. Switching to other weapons or crowbar doesn’t invalidate the achievement as long as you don’t use them.

You can unlock this achievement in the “Highway 17” chapter by using the crane to pick and drop items on the three guards. Use the object shadows to line up the drops. Alternatively, you can pick up a cargo container with the crane and swing it around until all three guards die.

In the “Highway 17” chapter, you’ll find a crossbow on a small hill adjacent to the blocked road. Use it to aim at the billboard with the “Petrol” sign. You’ll find a combine guard scouting the road billboard’s platform. Shoot the guard with the crossbow to pin them to the billboard and unlock the achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Highway 17” chapter.

You can unlock this achievement by shooting down six gunships in a single playthrough of Half-Life 2. You’ll need rocket launchers to bring these ships down.

In the Nova Prospekt chapter, you’ll gain the ability to control Antlions and use this newfound talent to kill 50 enemies to unlock the achievement.

To unlock this achievement, you must cross the Antlion beach without touching the sand. You’ll need to be creative when crossing the beach and build makeshift passages using the items found in your vicinity.

This achievement is pretty straightforward to unlock, and it involves grabbing the manhacks with your Gravity Gun, and either shooting them at combine soldiers or running into them with the hack equipped.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Nova Prospekt” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Anticitizen One” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Anticitizen One” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Anticitizen One” chapter.

To unlock this achievement, you must kill all five snipers in the “Follow Freeman” chapter. You can achieve this task by either lobbing grenades into the windows that the snipers are using as cover or launching rockets into them.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Follow Freeman” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Follow Freeman” chapter.

In the “Our Benefactors” chapter, you’ll receive an upgrade to your Gravity Gun, allowing you to grab Combine enemies and throw them into large energy fields. Doing this 15 times will unlock the Atomizer achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Dark Energy” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Undue Alarm” chapter.

If you wish to unlock this achievement, you must only shoot one bullet throughout the gameplay. In the “Low Life” chapter, you must shoot down a lock, and it’s the only place where you must fire this bullet. Avoid using a shotgun, as each pellet will count as individual bullets.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Containment” chapter.

In the “Direct Intervention” chapter, you’ll be required to contain the citadel core and, while you’re at it, ensure that you do not kill any stalkers in the area. If you meet this requirement, the achievement will pop up at the end of the chapter.

One of the best places to unlock this achievement is in a parking garage in the “Lowlife” chapter. Here, you’ll find a hole in the ground that infinitely spawns Antlions. Luckily, there’s also a car that can be grabbed with the Gravity Gun to crush these creatures. The Car Crusher achievement will appear once you’ve killed 15 of these Antlions.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Lowlife” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Urban Flight” chapter.

In the “Urban Flight” chapter, once you take out the combine soldier, Alyx will take their spot and provide sniper cover while you deal with enemies on the ground. To unlock the “Live Bait” achievement, you must draw out enough enemies to help Alyx secure 30 kills.

In the “Exit 17” chapter, you’ll be tasked with escorting a group of citizens to the train station without letting a single citizen die. Since you’ll mostly be dealing with enemies at range, stock up on rocket ammo to make the task easier.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Exit 17” chapter.

You can unlock this achievement by lining up enemies in narrow passages and decimating them with an energy ball. You may need to save the game before attempting to unlock this achievement, which should allow for quick reloads if your attempts fail.

To unlock this achievement, you must grab an energy ball shot by an elite combine enemy and shoot it back to kill that specific enemy. Elite combine enemies can be identified by their distinct white armor.

In the “Lowlife” chapter, you’ll be required to activate an elevator, and immediately afterward, you’ll be ambushed by a zombie horde. You can find a good number of flares in this area, which can be used to set these zombies on fire and subsequently unlock the associated achievement.

Kill 30 enemies by throwing physical objects. Zombies are great candidates for farming this achievement.

The best time to unlock the Deadly Harvest achievement is while defending the mine shafts from Antlions waves in “This Vortal Coil” chapter. You’ll find plenty of Hopper Mines during this chapter, and you can use them to line up the mine shafts to secure a kill for the achievement.

Use the Gravity Gun to pull a grenade from the Zombine enemy.

Kill an acid Antlion. These Antlions can be identified by their distinct green color, and they tend to sit back and shoot acid from a distance. You can find these specific Antlions while navigating the Antlion Caves.

Pick up a grenade thrown by a combined soldier and throw it back to kill that specific soldier. You can also grab the grenade and run at the soldier; just make sure to close the distance before detonation.

You can secure this achievement by grabbing a tire and letting the hunter shoot its flechettes before throwing it back at the hunter to kill it.

Find and destroy all 9 Antlion web caches.

Find and destroy all 333 grubs in the DLC.

This is one of the most challenging achievements to unlock in Half-Life 2: Episode Two, as it requires you to carry the Garden Gnome with you for the entirety of the DLC. In the final chapter, you must drop the Garden Gnome in the rocket’s compartment and close the hatch to unlock the achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through “This Vortal Coil” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Freeman Pontifex” chapter.

In the “Riding Shotgun” chapter, you’ll acquire a car. Use this car to run over 20 enemies to secure the achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Riding Shotgun” chapter.

In the “Riding Shotgun” chapter, you’ll need to outrun a hunter chopper before having to bring it down. Periodically, the chopper drops some mines, and you must throw them back at the chopper to inflict damage. If you manage to take down the chopper without any misses, you’ll unlock the Puttin’ On A Clinic achievement.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Under The Radar” chapter.

Find the Lambda Cache in the “Under The Radar” chapter, and obtain the rocket launcher from the adjacent rack.

Beat DOG in a race in the “Under The Radar” chapter.

Find all five lambda caches after having your car outfitted with a radar.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Under The Radar” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Our Mutual Fiend” chapter.

Unlocked automatically when progressing through the “Our Mutual Fiend” chapter.

Complete the “Our Mutual Fiend” chapter without letting the Striders destroy a single building. This is among the most difficult achievements to unlock in Half-Life 2: Episode Two.

Automatically unlocked upon launching Half-Life 2: Episode Two for the first time.