Aside fromAlyx, theHalf-Lifeseries has pretty much been left for dead, at least officially, but someone is keeping the memory alive by creating a mod that revives the cancelled project that was being developed by Arkane Studios. Considered to be among the best first-person shooters of all time,Valve’sHalf-Lifeseries has had an enormous impact on the genreand on gaming in general. With 2007’sEpisode Twoending on a major cliffhanger, fans have been hankering for more in the Black Mesa universe.
So beloved is the iconic franchise that even theoriginalHalf-Lifeis still being modded to this day. It may be a sci-fi action game on the surface, but upon release in 1998, the first game not only skyrocketed Valve into overnight success, it also made gamers and studios realize what was possible when it came to video game storytelling. Given the legacy the two main entries have left behind, it’s not surprising, so many want to see the series make a comeback and while that’s not likely to happen in any official capacity, at least the fan base is keeping it alive.
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A user on Steam who goes by CrunchySoap has created a new modification using theGarry’s Modediting tool, with the goal being to bring to life the canceledHalf-Lifeproject. The modder says that after seeing a documentary about the scrapped “Ravenholm” game from theDishonoredandDeathloopstudio, they wanted to play it so much they decided to make their own. The mod adds in some lore as well as a bunch of NPCs, including male and female zombies, a regular and mutated version of Father Grigori, rebel survivors, and more.
For those who don’t recall, Arkane was developing aHLtitle, but it was sadly never finished even though earlyfootage from the cancelledHalf-Lifegame did emerge. The story would have taken place in Ravenholm, the creepy abandoned mining town that forms one of the most infamous levels inHalf-Life 2. Although it wouldn’t have featured Gordon Freeman as its protagonist, the game would have starred some notable characters, including the aforementioned Father Grigori. Players would also have taken on the role of Adrian Shephard, the marine soldier from theOpposing Forceexpansion.
It is a shame thatValve doesn’t tend to release games these days. There are a couple of exceptions, of course, but Gabe Newell and his team evidently have a lot going on with the extremely lucrative Steam platform. Whether there will ever be an official new entry in theHalf-Lifeseries remains to be seen, so all fans can is keep hoping or doing their own thing.
