Original Half-Life 2 vs. RTX: A Comparison

Digital Foundry’s YouTube channel has released an in-depth hour-long video that meticulously compares the original Half-Life 2 from 2004 with its remastered version, Half-Life 2 RTX. This remaster, developed by Orbifold Studios, a team of seasoned modders, promises to bring significant visual enhancements to the beloved game. These upgrades include improved lighting, new assets, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 support. Importantly, the remaster will be available for free to those who own the original Half-Life 2 on Steam, though a specific release date has yet to be announced.

Starting March 18, fans can dive into a free demo of Half-Life 2 RTX, which will feature two iconic settings: the eerie, abandoned city of Ravenholm and the formidable Nova Prospekt prison. A recently released trailer highlighted the remaster's advanced ray tracing capabilities and the performance-enhancing DLSS 4 technology.

The comprehensive 75-minute video by Digital Foundry delves into gameplay footage from both Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt, offering side-by-side comparisons between the original and remastered versions. The experts at Digital Foundry praise the dramatic visual improvements crafted by Orbifold Studios, noting their work on high-resolution textures, advanced lighting systems, ray tracing, and DLSS 4 integration.

While the experts acknowledged occasional frame rate drops in some areas, they were overwhelmingly impressed with the transformation. Half-Life 2 RTX breathes new life into the legendary game, showcasing the potential of modern graphics technology to enhance classic titles.