Half-Life 2has no small number of incredible community mods for players to choose from, but its latest major mod release offers virtually all the major 2003 beta content on a silver platter. With no news about a potential newHalf-Lifeproject following the release ofAlyx, fans of the series need to look back at its earliest content instead, and comprehensive modding tools make this a feasible goal.
It’s no secret thatHalf-Life 2had a few major revisions as part of its development process. In fact, the 2003 beta build ofHL2featured huge chunks of content that never made it into the full game, and though explorations of this content aren’t anything new or novel, one mod-maker has dedicated their time to creating a comprehensive “museum emulation” of the whole thing.
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Namely, Cvoxalury’sHalf-Life 22003 Storyline Port is a unique mod that allows players to experience a whopping 50 levels from the game’s 2003 story campaign. Whereas other major projects have done things likesuccessfully adding a VR mode toHalf-Life 2, the 2003 Storyline Port is concerned mainly with adding back what was lost, rather than introducing any new elements to the mix. To that end, players can now quickly and easily enjoy all the old levels, though it’s certainly worth pointing out that none of them are as interesting or polished as the final game’s missions ended up being.
Much as was the case with theHalf-Life Ravenholmfootage that got leakedearlier this year, there aren’t any major modern concessions being made here. Cvoxalury was concerned mainly with preservation for this specific build of the mod, though they did put down additional health items, ammunition, and save points for good measure. Additionally, 2003 Storyline Port players can also try out some ofHalf-Life 2’s beta weaponry, such as the XM29 assault rifle.
There’s been no shortage of ambitious mods coming out forHL2in 2022. TheEntropy: Zero 2 mod forHalf-Life 2puts players into the shoes of a Combine trooper, for example, offering an entirely new narrative campaign that does its best to stay in line with the general vibe of the original game. Overall, it’s not a bad time to be aHalf-Lifefan, even though Valve itself isn’t keen on any official reveals.
For those who want to playHL2again, but differently, there’s the potentially distressingHalf-Life 2Mirrored mod. It does precisely what it says on the tin by flipping the game on its vertical axis, which is bound to feel incredibly confusing forHalf-Life 2veterans. For extra confusion, one might attempt to combine it with Cvoxalury’s 2003 Storyline Port, even.
Half-Life 2launched in 2004 and is available on Mobile, PC, PS3, Xbox, and Xbox 360.
