An RTX remaster of the Valve classic Half-Life 2 is in the works, and promising leaks have raised more than a few eyebrows with just how good the old game is now looking.
Valve’s Half-Life games are considered PC royalty. 1998’s Half-Life and its 2004 sequel Half-Life 2 are commonly discussed in conversations surrounding the best and most impactful games of all time. But over two decades after both games came out, some newcomers may find them tough to get into given their dated visuals.
To celebrate the game’s 20th anniversary, Nvidia revealed the fan-developed Half-Life 2 RTX. While no release date was given at the time, the trailer was enough to catch the attention of fans. Development leaks of what seems to be the early build have now surfaced and it’s safe to say that many players are anxious to jump into the remastered version of the classic first-person shooter.
A clip from a 2023 build of Half-Life 2 RTX revealed how the game improves on the original with new models and lighting while retaining its established charm.
The leaked video’s title reads 2023, suggesting the leaked clip was from an extremely early build, taken before it was even announced. The unloaded textures and lighting issues are likely to be improved in the final build, though the visuals generally show improvements already. It’s known now that Half-Life 2 RTX is essentially a fresh coat of paint on Half-Life 2 with the same gameplay, story, and characters all intact.
Half-Life 2 RTX | Half-Life 2 20th Anniversary Tribute Video
The lighting in particular sees a notable revamp in these Half-Life 2 RTX leaks. The early build properly displays the dynamic lighting discussed in the original announcement, whether from a window view or a burning enemy. The leaked clip also shows the early build of the famed Father Grigori. The consensus from fans is he looks too clean, especially considering the in-game circumstances. It’s unknown if he will look any different in the final build.
Released in 2004, the original Half-Life 2 reflects the technical and graphical limits of the time. Half-Life 2 RTX aims to remaster every asset in the game, including character models and weapons. A fan project like this might get overlooked, but with Nvidia’s involvement many believe the remaster will be highlighted by the technology company just as an RTX remaster of Quake 2 once was.
Half-Life 2 RTX is expected to come out sometime in 2025, though there’s no exact release date yet available. The game was initially announced in 2023 while the reveal trailer dropped in 2024 to celebrate the original’s 20th anniversary. Using RTX Remix, members of development group Orbifold Studios can “bypass the limitations” of the Source engine to introduce modern changes.
Half-Life 2 RTX is available to wishlist on Steam, though there’s no release window available there. The remaster is being worked on by members of other Half-Life fan projects, including Half-Life 2 VR. Fans hope this prior experience will help speed up the development process and lead to an earlier release, as many are eager to run through HL2 again with these graphical improvements in hand.
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