Original Half-Life 2 vs. RTX: A Comparison

Digital Foundry's YouTube channel has released an extensive hour-long video that delves into the visual comparison between the iconic Half-Life 2 from 2004 and its upcoming remaster, Half-Life 2 RTX. This project, spearheaded by Orbifold Studios, a team of seasoned modders, aims to enhance the visual experience significantly. The remaster boasts upgraded lighting, newly crafted assets, the implementation of ray tracing, and support for NVIDIA's DLSS 4 technology. Notably, this remaster will be available at no extra cost to those who already own Half-Life 2 on Steam, although a specific release date has yet to be announced.

A free demo of Half-Life 2 RTX will be released on March 18, giving players the chance to experience the updated visuals in two well-known settings: the desolate city of Ravenholm and the Nova Prospekt prison. A recent trailer has also highlighted the game's advanced ray tracing and DLSS 4 capabilities, which promise to enhance frame rates significantly.

The detailed video, which runs for a record-breaking 75 minutes, features expert analysis of gameplay footage from both Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt. It meticulously showcases the visual enhancements and compares them to the original game, underscoring the remarkable work done by Orbifold Studios.

The team at Orbifold Studios is meticulously working on integrating high-resolution textures, advanced lighting techniques, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 into Half-Life 2 RTX. While Digital Foundry's experts were impressed with the overall transformation, they did observe occasional frame rate drops in specific sections. Nevertheless, the remaster is set to breathe new life into this legendary game, offering fans a fresh and visually stunning experience.