A new, fan-made mod that brings Half-Life 2 to virtual reality has been released for free on Steam.
The new mod, spotted by TechRadar, is titled Half-Life 2: VR Mod, and it brings the entire 2004 classic to virtual reality. Half-Life 2: VR Mod has been in development for some time, and it was finally released to the public on Sept. 16. The game's Steam page cautions that, while Half-Life 2 is fully playable in virtual reality, Half-Life 2: VR Mod is still in public beta, meaning that it isn't complete and players can expect to run into a handful of bugs during their adventure. The final release of the mod is still a ways off, but seeing as it boasts Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam at time of writing, it seems like an excellent way to experience the game regardless.
Half-Life 2: VR Mod is, of course, designed for virtual reality play. Half-Life 2 is already a first-person shooter, so it makes a pretty decent fit for the medium, but the mod's volunteer developers haven't simply plopped the original title into a headset. VR Mod is a full-fledged reworking of Half-Life 2, introducing various quality of life updates necessary to make the game function in VR. The game even has full roomscale support, allowing those with the space necessary to walk around the settings of the game. VR enthusiasts without a massive space to play in can also experience the game in either seated or standing stationary modes.
Half-Life 2: VR Mod represents the first time fans will be able to play this particular game in full virtual reality, but it's not the first time the Half-Life series has dipped its toes into the medium. The most recent Half-Life game, Half-Life Alyx, was built from the ground up for virtual reality. Half-Life 2: VR Mod appears to have taken significant design cues from Alyx in redesigning the original title for virtual reality.
Half-Life fans are no strangers to expansive mods. One such mod, Black Mesa, recently went from an overhaul of the original Half-Life to a Valve-sanctioned remake which is now sold as its own standalone title on the Steam storefront. Black Mesa has been described as the definitive way to experience the story of the original game.
Half-Life 2: VR Mod is available for free on Steam. In order to play the mod, players must own a copy of the original Half-Life 2 and a virtual reality HMD.