Comparing Original Half-Life 2 to RTX Version

Digital Foundry's YouTube channel recently unveiled a comprehensive, hour-long video comparing Valve's 2004 classic, Half-Life 2, with its upcoming RTX remaster, Half-Life 2 RTX. Developed by Orbifold Studios, a team of seasoned modders, this free remaster leverages NVIDIA's technology to deliver stunning visual enhancements. Expect significantly upgraded lighting, new assets, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 support. The remaster will be free for existing Steam owners of the original Half-Life 2, although a release date is yet to be announced.

A free demo, launching March 18th, offers a sneak peek at two pivotal locations: the eerie Ravenholm and the imposing Nova Prospekt prison. A previous trailer showcased the impressive ray tracing and DLSS 4 performance boosts.

Digital Foundry's in-depth, 75-minute analysis meticulously compares gameplay footage from both Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt, highlighting the transformative impact of Orbifold Studios' work. The team's focus on high-resolution textures, advanced lighting, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 integration has yielded remarkable results, although Digital Foundry did note some minor frame rate inconsistencies in specific areas. Despite this, the overall visual upgrade is undeniably impressive, revitalizing this legendary title.