Digital Foundry’s YouTube channel has released an hour-long video comparing the original Half-Life 2 from 2004 with Half-Life 2 RTX, a remaster being developed using NVIDIA’s tools. The project is led by Orbifold Studios, a team of experienced modders who promise significant visual upgrades, including enhanced lighting, new assets, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 support. The remaster will be free for players who already own the original Half-Life 2 on Steam, though its release date remains unknown.

On March 18, a free demo of the project will become available, allowing players to explore two iconic locations: the abandoned city of Ravenholm and the Nova Prospekt prison. Earlier, a new trailer showcased the game’s ray tracing capabilities and DLSS 4 technology, which boosts FPS performance.

The video itself is a record-breaking 75 minutes long, with experts meticulously analyzing gameplay footage from Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt. They frequently compare the remastered visuals to the original, highlighting the dramatic improvements made by the modding team.

Orbifold Studios is working on high-resolution textures, advanced lighting, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 integration for Half-Life 2 RTX. While the results have impressed Digital Foundry’s experts, they noted occasional frame rate drops in certain areas. Despite this, the overall transformation is remarkable, breathing new life into the legendary game.

Main image: youtube.com

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