Home Gaming Half-Life 2 gets updated today

Half-Life 2 gets updated today

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HL2U

The second tale chronicling the life of silent, crowbar-wielding protagonist Gordon Freeman is still largely considered one of the finest games ever made. Hailing from a time when Valve used to make games instead of just wads of cash, Half-Life 2 is the game that launched Steam as a platform, and set Valve down its path to world domination. It’s also getting a brand new, community-made but Valve-approved update today, bringing modern graphical improvements and more to the seminal shooter.

The community-made mod updates the game’s graphics, adding the sorts of visual enhancements demanding modern gamers expect from their 10-year-old games. Here’s what it adds, fixes, and changes.

  • Complete lighting overhaul including enhanced lighting, more detailed world shadows, and full High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDR).
  • New particle effects and improved fog.
  • Countless bug fixes, correcting both visual and game-based issues.
  • An extensive Community Commentary Mode featuring the voices of well-known YouTubers, including Caddicarus, Brutalmoose, Ricepirate, Balrog the Master, ProJared, and Ross Scott from Freeman’s Mind .
  • Retains the iconic Half-Life 2 visual style and gameplay.

Of course, countless Half-Life 2 mods have existed for years, adding extra layers of graphical sheen to the game, but just about every single one of them has changed the look and feel of the game, which this one doesn’t. It’s the first to be given Valve’s blessing, and even has NVidia, Origin PC and EVGA on board as sponsors. Here’s a brief comparison video, showing how the changes make the game look…marginally better.

Half-Life 2: Update is available free to anyone who owns Half-Life 2 on Steam, which should be just about everybody who has Steam. It goes live later today, and you can grab it here once it’s gone live.

It doesn’t really change all that much, but it’ll be worth it for the commentary I reckon. It’s free though, so it’s worth grabbing, and is infinitely better than paying full retail price for a remastered version of a game you played just last year.

Last Updated: March 27, 2015

99 Comments

  1. Blood Emperor Trevor

    March 27, 2015 at 09:36

    A free graphics update?

    Reply

    • Kromas is drunk with power!

      March 27, 2015 at 12:12

      Unless you are Microsoft. Cann’t believe they want me to re-buy the game at a 33% discount to get the gfx update for State of Decay.

      Reply

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      March 30, 2015 at 07:28

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      Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    March 27, 2015 at 09:39

    I’m amazed Valve still knows how to code updates for games. So far they’ve just been making hats for the last two and a half years. Sad really….

    Reply

    • Frik van der Hewerskink

      March 27, 2015 at 09:41

      “The community-made mod”

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 27, 2015 at 09:42

        Such a friendly community

        Reply

    • Captain JJ the damned

      March 27, 2015 at 10:02

      At least, different to Origin, if Steam puts an old game up they give you patches and fixes to make it work on your pc. Origin just lobs die old install files at you and “good luck”

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        March 27, 2015 at 10:08

        Lies, they don’t say “good luck”

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 27, 2015 at 10:09

          Haha. True.

          Reply

        • WitWolfy

          March 27, 2015 at 10:20

          More like “suckers”

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief

            March 27, 2015 at 10:23

            If you read the fine print you will find this line:

            “BWAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

            But in very small print

      • Pariah

        March 27, 2015 at 10:08

        The Witcher 3 is cheaper on Origin than anywhere else. Just saying.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 27, 2015 at 10:09

          I have W1 and W2 on Steam, so I get a 20% discount.
          Origin can suck it.

          Reply

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 10:10

            R450 on Origin. So your 20% off of $60 is $48 which is STILL more expensive than R450 from Origin.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:11

            Oh wow. That is cheap.
            There’s still no way I’d buy it on Origin though, even if it was R400.
            I can’t remember when last I even opened Origin.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 10:13

            I open it almost every day lol. I don’t understand people’s hate for it. It works perfectly.

            Anyway, if I wanted TW3, I’ll be buying it on Origin.

          • Dutch Matrix

            March 27, 2015 at 10:17

            Oh, I am with you on this one. But gamers are ever so keen to wipe Gabe’s ass just because…

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:47

            It’s got nothing to do with Gabe. It’s EA.
            They care nothing for their customers and they shove Origin down your throat.
            Same goes for Ubisoft. If I want to use Steam, let me. Don’t tell me I can ONLY get something on Origin or I HAVE TO use UPLAY.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 10:48

            Actually, for most games, you HAVE TO use Steam. And HL2 forced it on you as well. Only HL2 required that you redownload everything, because those install disks were just for show.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:50

            Same goes for Darkspore. Discs were useless. Had to download the entire game from Origin.
            So both have their ups and downs, I can’t deny that. But the last 4 EA games I bought for Origin were all utter screw-ups. So they’re not getting any more money out of me.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 10:54

            O_o The last 6 I’ve purchased have all been splendid, so I think it’s your choice in game, rather than platform.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:57

            I get you and it’s fine. To each his own. But EA has just done too much wrong in my eyes. They’ve shown they only care about the shareholders and not the customers. And I’m fine without EA games.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:59

            That is until ME4 comes out…also DA:I…you can’t deny that looks amazing!

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:04

            That’s until I finally get my ass into gear and start with the ME series (of which I have the first – unplayed)

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:06

            Whaaaaaaaaaat?!?! Bro…stop whatever you are playing right now. And play ME. Trust me when I say there is a reason the guys on here (and in the world) freak out about it.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:08

            Haha. My Fiancé actually bought it for me, saying that she heard it’s awesome. So you may have a point there…Plus ME2 is really cheap these days.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:13

            Be a man. Do the right thing.
            I bought all 3 for R150 or something.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:19

            I saw some bundle on Origin, for a really good price. But the last bundle I bought was that C&C one and half the games don’t work.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 11:33

            I also bought the trilogy for R150. Dont’ regret it, playing through again is still such a joy.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:34

            Okay. I’m sold. I’m installing ME1 after work.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 11:01

            Eh, I love ME, and DA:I is great. Plus every now and then jumping into the Sims is cool. While EA have done some terrible things, terrible terrible things, they don’t always get it wrong. So, support the good stuff, ignore the bad.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:04

            I want DA:I. I really do.
            But there’s the Witcher 3, so it’s taking a back seat.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:07

            Here I agree W3 >> DA:I. Even though I haven’t played either lol

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:08

            Haha. Knowing the gameplay of Witcher I’m siding with it.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:14

            And because Geralt of fucking Rivia!

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:18

            Yes. That definitely helps too. 😀

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 11:32

            And Origin will provide it super cheap (comparatively) to Steam or GoG. cc @johnambitious:disqus

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:48

            Well played 😉

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:27

            Agreed man, people just love to hate. Origin isn’t bad at all. Neither is uplay. The only clients that irritates me is GFWL. Now that….*shudders

          • Admiral Chief

            March 27, 2015 at 10:33

            The last time I logged into Origin, I was involved in a horrifying helicopter incident…

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:36

            Funny story…So was I!!

          • Admiral Chief

            March 27, 2015 at 10:39

            I was just going along for the ride! THE HORROR, THE HORRRRORRRRRR

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:44

            We should seriously fly again! I got some mad skills these days. And by mad skills I mean kamakazi skills.

          • Admiral Chief

            March 27, 2015 at 10:45

            Was thinking the same thing. I only have BF3 though :/

            Unless you want to roll with me in my Liberator in Planetside 2. I WILL FLY, you can gun

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:57

            Will need to download that again. I also only have BF3, but my internet sucks, so I can’t play it. Ping is 160ms+.

          • Admiral Chief

            March 27, 2015 at 11:01

            I play Planetside 2 with about 250-280 ping, but the netcode is so good, that I frequently have 30+ killstreaks

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:04

            Yoh that’s a lot. I will get frustrated with the one on one battles. You will almost always lose out and that just kills it for me.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:53

            Mussles can’t fly.

          • A 2 EL POLLO DIABLO?

            March 27, 2015 at 11:56

            Lol, your comment made me think of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2BZCW4SpHE

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:52

            GFWL is such bulllll.
            Uplay is just buggy. Especially when you need to open it to play the game you bought on Steam. Sometimes it just crashes both clients.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 10:56

            Yeah that’s the one thing that bugs me. Opening two clients to play a game. But I bought FC4 physical so it’s UPlay only. That makes it a bit easier.

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:59

            Uplay is also in Euro. Which tends to be really expensive.
            I will definitely get FC4 physical myself (when I’m not wasting my money on everything else). Ubisoft actually makes some good games, so it’s difficult to keep me from using them.

          • Mossel

            March 27, 2015 at 11:01

            Rainbow Six: Siege and The Division…O_O those two alone have me really excited!

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 11:03

            Rainbow Six for a hopefully decent SP and co-op. The MP doesn’t interest me, it’s not Rainbow Six style. The Division got me interested at first, but I’m so over yet another Post Apocalyptic New York. You’d swear there aren’t any other cities in the world.
            FarCry 4 I will have though. And I’ve never been able to pass by a Splinter Cell. 😀

        • Uberutang

          March 27, 2015 at 10:57

          Could get it on GMG for R300, but no STEAM no SALE.

          Reply

      • SargonTheBatpandaOfAkkad

        March 27, 2015 at 15:17

        I picked up Theme Hospital on Origin a while back. Damn if it didn’t take weeks to get it to run properly on my PC. Even now I can only get it to work if I run it as a smaller window.

        <3 Nostalgia.
        </3 Origin. Caught between a rock and Worst.Company.US.

        Reply

    • z1n

      March 27, 2015 at 10:13

      Hat Life 3 incoming.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 27, 2015 at 10:33

        Rofl

        Reply

  3. hairyknees

    March 27, 2015 at 09:45

    New update releases today, 27/03/2015.

    Drop the 27.
    Drop the 2015.
    Left with 03.

    HALF-LIFE 3 CONFIRMED!

    Reply

    • Blood Emperor Trevor

      March 27, 2015 at 09:49

      DROP THE BASS!

      WUBWUBWUB

      3 WUBS

      HL3 CONFIRMED!

      Reply

    • Pariah

      March 27, 2015 at 09:51

      2 + 7 = 9 / 3 = HL3 CONFIRMED for 2015!

      Reply

    • Captain JJ the damned

      March 27, 2015 at 10:03

      But why should we drop the 27 and the 2015?
      Or are you just too lazy to figure out some fancy maths? ;P

      Reply

      • Pariah

        March 27, 2015 at 10:08

        Obvs too lazy, as you saw I pulled it off 😀

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 27, 2015 at 10:08

          Haha. I saw.

          Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          March 27, 2015 at 10:09

          He’s too busy feeding to do maths. trollol

          Reply

        • hairyknees

          March 27, 2015 at 10:19

          Hey man… this site is lazygamer, not mathematicallysoundgamer 😛

          Reply

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:47

            I don’t think that would be as popular.

          • Pariah

            March 27, 2015 at 10:49

            Shall we do the math?

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 27, 2015 at 10:50

            😀

      • hairyknees

        March 27, 2015 at 10:18

        I like how you question the dropping of the 27 and ignore the dropping of the 2015 xD

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 27, 2015 at 10:47

          😀

          Reply

  4. Dutch Matrix

    March 27, 2015 at 09:49

    • Blood Emperor Trevor

      March 27, 2015 at 09:52

      We’re not talking about Star Trek now!

      Reply

  5. Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)

    March 27, 2015 at 09:54

    An enhanced HL2. Great, now Valve has zero incentive to make HL3.

    Thanks a lot modders! Dicks!

    😛

    Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      March 27, 2015 at 09:57

      Or…or… Here’s Half Life 2 all shiny and new. Just to refresh your memory and whilst you doing that here we are, telling you Half Life 3 is on its way!

      Reply

  6. Captain JJ the damned

    March 27, 2015 at 10:01

    So I guess I have to replay it for the…twelfth? time now.

    Reply

    • Pariah

      March 27, 2015 at 10:07

      It’ll be my 2nd playthrough. I’m downloading it tonight, because that nostalgia feels. :/

      Reply

      • Captain JJ the damned

        March 27, 2015 at 10:08

        Oh how I wish it my second only.

        Reply

      • Thinus Swart

        March 27, 2015 at 10:09

        So I’ve started a 2nd playthrough and I’m halfway… now this update…

        Will it be a standalone launcher, so I have to start over again?!?

        Reply

  7. Admiral Chief

    March 27, 2015 at 10:04

    We don’t go to Ravenholm….

    Although now we do

    Reply

  8. Admiral Chief

    March 27, 2015 at 10:04

    Man, that roof in Ravenholm where you encounter the fast zombie the first time!

    Dem feels

    Reply

  9. HvR

    March 27, 2015 at 10:11

    Pfft perfect early April fool opportunity squandered.

    Should have spinned it as a surprise Episode 3 release and sit back watch the world burn.

    Reply

  10. WitWolfy

    March 27, 2015 at 10:19

    Who needs remasteres when devs can just do this to every game.

    Reply

  11. Greylingad

    March 27, 2015 at 10:20

    Oh!! The improvement!! It’s amazing!! I can’t wait to download this!! Just to see the squiggles not be squiggles anymore! This is amazingly everything I’ve wanted from Valve! They’ve done it again! What else could I say, uhm, All hail lord Gaben! No really, I can’t see the use of downloading this at all! I really can’t…

    Reply

  12. Ranting Raptor

    March 27, 2015 at 11:32

    A free graphics update?

    HL3 CONFIRMED!!!

    Reply

    • Pariah

      March 27, 2015 at 11:33

      You could’ve at least tried some math here man. Lazy bastard XD

      Reply

      • Ranting Raptor

        March 27, 2015 at 11:49

        Ok.

        Lagz gave 5 bullet points on changes.

        It’s for HL 2.

        5 – 2 = 3

        HL3 CONFIRMED!!!!!

        Reply

      • Kensei Seraph

        March 27, 2015 at 12:11

        Here you go:
        6 well know YouTubers put their voices towards the Commentary.
        Commentary is for Half Life 2
        6/2=3
        Half Life 3 confirmed.

        On a side note, a potato is a type of tuber.
        Thus a YouTuber is a YouPotato.
        You is a pronoun used to refer to a person other than yourself.
        Thus a YouTuber is SomeoneElsePotato.

        Reply

  13. loftie

    March 27, 2015 at 14:37

    guess what I’m going to play through again this weekend! oh yeah

    Reply

  14. psydex

    March 27, 2015 at 14:53

    The video comparison is 3:33 long.
    inb4 HL3 Confirmed!

    Reply

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