Gordon Freeman is a fictional character, the main protagonist of the Half-Life video game series. He is a theoretical physicist (Ph.D. from MIT) who finds himself thrust into a battle for survival against both alien and human forces. Throughout the series, Gordon must prevail in hostile situations despite overwhelming odds, usually without backup. As a means of immersing the player in the role, the character never speaks, and there are no cut-scenes or mission briefings all action is viewed through Gordon's eyes, with the player retaining control of Gordon's actions at nearly all times.