Feature: What does Half-Life smell like?

Of the traditional five senses, only sight and hearing are catered for in a major way by videogames. Recently rumble and motion control have brought a slight tactile element to gaming, but we’re far from experiencing the kind of virtual reality depicted in films or novels.

Although our sense of smell is relatively weak and underused compared to most other species, it can still be one of the most evocative and sensual, especially if you believe that everything the perfume industry says is true.

It can also be a powerful catalyst for nostalgia, as author Vladimir Nabokov once said, "Nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it."

In that spirit, let’s examine what scents you might associate with different games…