Digital Foundry's YouTube channel recently unveiled a comprehensive, hour-long comparison video showcasing the remarkable visual enhancements in Half-Life 2 RTX, a fan-made remaster developed by Orbifold Studios using NVIDIA's tools. This ambitious project promises significant upgrades to the 2004 classic, boasting enhanced lighting, new assets, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 support. Best of all, it's 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, will offer players a taste of the remaster, featuring two iconic locations: the chilling Ravenholm and the foreboding Nova Prospekt prison. A previous trailer highlighted the impressive ray tracing and DLSS 4 technology, promising boosted frame rates.
Digital Foundry's in-depth, 75-minute analysis meticulously compares gameplay footage from these locations, showcasing the dramatic visual improvements achieved by Orbifold Studios. Their experts highlight the stunning advancements in high-resolution textures, advanced lighting, and ray tracing integration. While acknowledging occasional frame rate dips in specific areas, they ultimately praise the transformative impact of the remaster, breathing new life into this legendary title.