For the twenty fifth anniversary of the long-lasting Half-Life, developer/writer Valve has launched a documentary celebrating the monumental first-person shooter. As well as, the studio has launched an replace to the unique “that includes high quality of life fixes, restored content material, and new multiplayer maps.” 

The documentary, launched through Valve’s official YouTube channel, is over an hour in size and covers the studio’s earliest days, the method of making Half-Life’s opening ranges, and different avenues of manufacturing like weapon, sound, and stage design. Maybe extra notably the documentary reunites the staff who labored on Half-Life, together with co-founders Mike Harrington and Gabe Newell. 

It’s most likely no shock to anybody, however the documentary was directed and edited by Danny O’Dwyer, of the noclip YouTube channel, who made different Half-Life documentaries up to now, akin to Unexpected Penalties: A Half-Life Documentary and Black Mesa: The 16 Yr Challenge to Remake Half-Life. 

When it comes to the twenty fifth anniversary replace to the unique Half-Life, it contains Half-Life Uplink, which was “initially launched as a CD unique for magazines and {hardware} producers,” in line with the official website’s description, and encompasses an extra “mini-campaign.” It additionally contains 4 new multiplayer maps, together with Contamination, Pool Get together, Disposal, and Rocket Frenzy.

The replace additionally brings Half-Life into the twenty first century with assist for widescreen displays, an choice to disable texture smoothing, lighting fixes, and software program rendering for Linux customers. It now helps a “correct gamepad config,” and Steam Networking, along with being formally Steam Deck verified. The event staff has additionally reworked the sport to scale larger resolutions.

Then there’s an entire slew of restored content material, together with the unique Valve splash display screen, the menu discovered within the 1998 model of Half-Life, in addition to Ivan the Area Biker and Proto-Barney as multiplayer skins. And in the event you thought that was all, you’d be sorely mistaken. The replace provides content material beforehand present in 1999’s Half-Life: Additional Information, together with the Double Cross, Rust Mill, and Xen DM multiplayer maps, and a pair extra participant fashions for the multiplayer mode.

It’s a superb day for followers of the unique Half-Life, and it’d make sense if hopes for an extra sport within the collection after 2020’s Half-Life: Alyx are skyrocketing. Within the meantime, you may get Half-Life free of charge through Steam till November 20 and take a look at out all this up to date and restored content material for your self!