For the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2, Valve retraces the journey of this revolutionary FPS

Game news For the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2, Valve retraces the journey of this revolutionary FPS

Revolution in quick succession

In 1998, Valve published its very first game: Half-Life, a first project which will prove to be a huge success. Hailed by the press and the public alike for its inventiveness and the quality of its storytelling, the game will quickly become a video game classic. Considered by some as one of the best video games in history, Valve did not rush to publish a sequel, despite a commercial success that exceeded their expectations. In fact, the studio will instead embark on the development of what will become Half-Life 2 carefully, wishing that their next production will revolutionize the FPS.

In 2004, the world agreed that Valve's bet was successful. With Half-Life 2the American studio offers what is then the ultimate experience in terms of FPS. Powered by Valve's brand new in-house engine, named Source, this second opus displays a technique that was unequaled at the time. Supported by the Havok physics engine, Half-Life 2 could also boast realistic physics that allowed the player to move almost any element of the scenery using the now famous “Gravity Gun”. Now considered one of the most important FPS games in history, Half-Life 2 recently celebrated its twentieth anniversaryan occasion for which Valve pulled out all the stops.

Often two without three

Indeed, on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Valve has decided to offer Half-Life 2 to players for a dayannouncing at the same time a big update for its flagship game. Improving many graphical aspects and correcting several persistent bugs, the American studio has also included the Episode 1 et Episode 2 in the new version of his game, sequels that had to be purchased separately from the base game until then. To all this, we must add the publication of a 2-hour documentary on the genesis of the game, and the drafts of what could have been the Arlesienne Episode 3surprises that will undoubtedly please early fans.

It must be said that Valve has long been mocked for its reluctance to give a third opus to its game series (Left 4 Dead, Portal et Team Fortress all only know two opuses as well). If the players do not despair that Valve is busy producing a third opus with the same diligence that they demonstrated for the second, this “lifting of the veil” on some of the elements designed for theEpisode 3 could very well inform us about some of the things to expect from the trilogy's conclusion Half-Life… if she ever comes out.