If players are willing to discount 2020's Alyx, which was a VR-only game, then the Half-Life series effectively ended with the closing credits of Episode Two, which came out back in 2007. Given that it's been nearly fifteen years since that DLC was launched, many have pretty much given up any hope of there being a true third installment. However, as one of the best FPS series in existence, fans are willing to continue the legacy, as this one dedicated fan shows when it comes to the second game in the franchise.
According to a recent report from DSO Gaming, modder and artist Ostap Gordon has been working on a recreation of one aspect of Half-Life 2, but in a different engine. A video uploaded to YouTube shows the game's opening apartment complex segments, which, in this version, look absolutely stunning. The video shows off the level of detail that has done into Gordon's remake, using a combination of Unigine 2, Blender, Substance Painter, Quixel Megascans, and FL Studio to give the 2004 classic shooter a new look that really pulls it into this modern gaming era.
It's interesting that the modder has used this engine, and not something like Unreal or Unity. Unigine 2 has been used to make games like the MMORPG Dual Universe, and while the engine is not as popular as some others, including the ubiquitous Unreal Engine used to make games like Gears 5 and Fallen Order, it shows the sheer capabilities that the software has. Gordon's recreation, while not publicly available and is more for an online portfolio, shows what the game would look like with a modern remaster or full remake.
There is, as it happens, a remaster of Half-Life 2 on the way, which was discovered in last year's Nvidia GeForce Now leak. There was also Black Mesa, which was a fan project that completely remade the first game in a modern engine, which included new assets to keep veteran players on their toes, and full re-recordings of the game's dialogue. Evidently, it shows that it's a series which many feel is worthy of preservation.
Even the developer itself is keen to keep the games alive. With Valve updating Half-Life 2, and Portal 2, presumably to make it compatible with the upcoming Steam Deck handheld PC, it feels like it's a franchise that is not ready to leave the limelight just yet. Gordon's Unigine 2 recreation of the apartment complex, complete with Combine soldiers and Striders, is just one way fans are keen to not let go of these classics.
Half-Life 2 released in 2004, and is available on PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Linux, and Android.
Source: DSO Gaming