Half-Life 2 is officially 20 years old this weekend, and to mark the occasion Valve has released a special anniversary update, bundling in a brand-new documentary, commentary, the previously separate Episodes 1 & 2, and more. Oh, and the game’s free to keep over the next few days.
Valve’s seminal shooter sequel, which charts the continuing adventures of bespectacled scientist Gordon Freeman and his deeply erotic love affair with a prising tool, released into the world on 16th November, 2004. It was immediately heralded as a classic of the genre, and Valve has done everything in its power not to release a numbered sequel since.
But now, 20 years on, Valve is in a celebratory mood, and – much as it did when the original Half-Life reached the big two-five last year
There is, for starters, a new documentary created by Secret Tape. “It’s about a lot more than just the making of a game,” explains Valve in its announcement. “Running out of money. Getting hacked, and an early version being leaked online. Being sued by our publisher. Trying to build Steam. It’s all in there!” It’s also unearthed a number of old presentations from across Half-Life 2’s development, which it’s shoved on its anniversary website.
Additionally, Valve has recorded a brand-new Half-Life 2 commentary for its latest update, and it’s also permanently bundled Half-Life 2: Episode One, Episode Two, and Lost Coast – all previously available separately – together with the base game. That’s alongside the addition of integrated Steam Workshop support, meaning everyone can browse and download player-created content from directly within the game.
But that’s still not the end of it. Valve says every map has been looked over by its level designers to “fix longstanding bugs, restore content and features lost to time, and improve the quality of a few things like lightmap resolution and fog”. It’s also added new graphics settings meaning players can now choose between the original launch day blood and fire effects or those introduced in Half-Life 2’s later episodes; it’s updated gamepad controls and aim assistance, and it’s also possible to play with only the highest detail models in High Quality mode. Full patch notes, if you’re curious, can be found in Valve’s announcement.
All the above is now available as part of Half-Life 2’s free 20th anniversary update on Steam. And if you don’t already own a copy of Half-Life 2, it’s free to download and keep on Valve’s platform, provided you pick it up before Monday, 18th November at 6pm in the UK.