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HL1 has a native Linux version, HL2 works with Proton.

Edit: As cosarara correctly points out, HL2 also runs natively.

HL2 works natively too.

For some reason only Windows and OS X are listed on the HL2 Steam store page. But you're right of course, HL2 runs natively too.

Some games seem to use Steamplay automatically. For example, I was able to install and run the old Star Wars Battelfront 2 on Linux without doing anything while I had to grab Proton to run other games

What do you mean with "grab Proton"? By default Steam only uses Proton for games where it was tested to work but there's a setting to enable it for all that aren't available natively.

You can also force it to use Proton when a native version does exist which is useful for bad ports.

I think I had to grab a specific version for a game

Generally yes, I only wish the VR mods¹ worked on Linux.

1: https://old.reddit.com/r/virtualreality/comments/egccp8/valv...

All valve games (except maybe ricochet) have native linux support.

I haven't tried, but they almost certainly do. CSGO works under Linux, and HL2 uses the same engine.

Yes, I played all Portal and HL+HL2 episodes natively from Steam in ArchLinux