Gordon Freeman has aged but has not yet said his last word. On November 19, 1998, Valve made history in the video game industry with Half-Life. The ambitious narrative FPS developed the GoldSrc engine, which later evolved into Source and Source 2, the flagship graphics engines that brought all Valve licenses to life. These days, it’s no stranger to considering Half-Life a pioneer in creating the codes that define the world of modern gaming. To honor this important legacy, the company behind the phenomenon organized a celebration with great fanfare.
Until Monday, November 20th at 7 p.m. (French time), Steam users can add the first part of the Half-Life series to their library for free. The entire license remains on sale for a few more hours. If lovers lulled by illusions are still waiting for the fabulous Half-Life 3, they can console themselves with an update of the eponymous Half-Life for an experience adapted to modern machines.
An update two decades later
Despite its status as a monument to the video game industry, Half-Life is not without its flaws. It has now been a quarter of a century since the title presented some problems in the form of bugs and other optimization issues. These errors are now a thing of the past, as a major update introduced to mark this anniversary completes the title and makes it the best version yet.
Firstly, new graphics options now allow the title’s interface to be adapted to modern screens. Optimization is also continuing on the control side and now supports the use of controllers. Fact, Half-Life therefore grants itself verified status on Steam Deck.
Better yet, theseThe title is finally completed with all the missing content from the basic version. With its restored multiplayer, the title also benefits from maps and skins that were previously reserved for a commercially available expansion CD at the time. Also included are four new cards designed specifically for the celebration. Additionally, the Half-Life Uplink demo scenario – previously offered in magazines or as a supplement to computer hardware – is now playable directly from the base game. New locations and events in this version come from chapters abandoned during development.
A documentary that tops it all off
To look back at the game’s creation and its impact on the industry, Valve also released an hour-long documentary. It brings together a number of original developers ready to reveal manufacturing secrets and other amusing anecdotes. On the program: the creation of Valve, the development of technologies, the design of the universe and much more.
Originally posted 2023-11-20 11:46:20.