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Half-Life 2 RTX mod brings ray tracing and DLSS to another Valve classicWill join Portal in the RTX Remix remaster club
Will join Portal in the RTX Remix remaster club
Image credit:Nvidia/Orbifold Studios
Image credit:Nvidia/Orbifold Studios
Nvidia are making an early start on theirGamescomannouncements, which include the reveal ofHalf-Life 2 RTX. This incoming mod for the seminal 2004FPSwill, in the style ofPortal with RTX, rejig the original game with modern technical goodies likeray tracing, updated environmental details, and Nvidia Reflex support. DLSS will also be on hand to absorb the inevitably mahoosive performance hit from bouncing all those rays around, and that includesDLSS 3, provided you have a compatiblegraphics card.
Half-Life 2 RTX, An RTX Remix Project - Announce TrailerWatch on YouTube
Half-Life 2 RTX, An RTX Remix Project - Announce Trailer
Not gonna lie, I’m quite jazzed about this.Portal with RTXhad its flaws, including a nearly complete lack of rapport with AMD RadeonGPUs, but both it and fellow RTX Remix projectPortal Prelude RTXturned out as respectable (and respectful) remasters. Judging from both the trailer and the preview shots Nvidia have released, Half-Life 2 RTX will stay closer to the original’s aesthetic; you can’t look at those ‘after’ pics and tell me they aren’t still Source Engine-y as all get out, even with the addition of shinier floors and more three-dimensional keyboards. Straight out ofHalf-Life: Alyx, almost.
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As it happens, the Half-Life series has form for quality ray tracing mods. Earlier this year, Alice0 ratedHalf-Life: Ray Traced(which was itself based on existing RT mods for the originalHalf-Life) for how it upgraded the lighting and reflections while still looking quintessentially like the source material. Half-Life 2 RTX arguably does lean more towards photorealism, but doesn’t seemoverlyglossy to my eyes. Kleiner’s lab still has that musky, abandoned Czech hospital vibe to it, and I’m liking the little added details, like the magnifying lamp being switched on and bathing the desk in white light.
Fingers crossed for this, then, just as they are for fellow Nvidia Gamescom announcementDLSS 3.5. I’m always up for a new reason to play though Half-Life 2 again, and maybe Katharine could be tempted at anotherGravity Gun-only run through Ravenholm. Ray-venholme. Dammit, should have used that for the strapline.
For more of the latest news and previews from Gamescom 2023, head to ourGamescom 2023 hub. You can also findeverything announced at Opening Night Liveright here.
