Combine (Half-Life) - Design

Design

Some elements of the Combine's appearance, such as that of the Advisor, are inspired by the works of Frank Herbert. The name "Combine" itself is a tribute to Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which features a collection of authorities which mechanistically manipulate and process individuals.

During Half-Life 2's development, various concepts for Combine non-player characters were created and later cut. Female Combine assassins, similar to black operations assassins featured in the first game, were planned but later abandoned, although they appear in the Half-Life 2: Survivor arcade game. Another non-player character, the cremator, was conceptualized as a Combine laborer who cleaned the streets of bodies after a battle with an acid gun and although removed from the game, its head was featured in Eli Vance's laboratory. Other cuts included a variety of alien Combine soldiers that would have complemented the transhuman soldiers in the game and a number of synthetic combat machines. Many of Half-Life 2's Combine characters went through multiple redesigns; the Combine Overwatch soldier was subjected to at least twelve redesigns before the final appearance was settled on.

Opera singer and actress Ellen McLain provides the voice for the Combine Overwatch announcer in Half-Life 2 and its episodic expansions, while the various Combine soldiers throughout the games are voiced by John Patrick Lowrie.