PC Gamer examines the surprisingly young canonical age of Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman, who is 27, then compares him with leading characters from other classic first-person shooters. The article’s light-hearted point is that many figures remembered as hardened veterans are officially much younger than players may expect, making the games’ timelines feel unexpectedly distant.

The comparison ranges across well-known FPS series and distinguishes between characters with stated ages and those whose ages are unclear or inferred from game lore. Rather than reporting a new development, it uses these details to reflect on the age of longstanding game franchises and the gap between their protagonists’ official biographies and fans’ perceptions.