If you have a VR setup and want to play more Half-Life after Half-Life: Alyx, you'll soon be able to play Half-Life 2 thanks to the Half-Life 2: VR mod launching its Open Beta in September 2022. While the game is completable from start to finish and all gameplay elements will be available, that doesn't mean it's complete. It's apparently really fun to play, which for many will be all that matters when they dive into the Half-Life 2: VR mod next month.
What else should I know about the Half-Life 2: VR mod?
Half-Life 2: VR is a fan project that has been in development by the Source VR Mod Team for the last five years. "Overwhelmingly positive feedback" has convinced the development team to release the mod in Open Beta, and while there isn't an exact release date yet, it will likely be on a Friday, which means September 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th are all likely release dates.
According to the roadmap, the two Half-Life 2 episodes will require a separate build for the mod. They'll come eventually, as apparently "the majority of the episodes already works very well in VR", and after the Public Beta launch, the development team will work on getting the episodes fully supported as soon as possible.
As for the VR experience itself, the weapons have been fully converted into VR, which means manual reloading, two-handed weapon handling, and optional laser sights are in. There's also room-scale movement support along with overhauled maps, assets, and textures. The development team seems to be doing their utmost to ensure that the 18-year-old title will look and place the best it can in VR.
If I've whet your appetite for more, VR mods have been a thing for quite a while now. Off the top of my head, there's the Resident Evil 7 VR mod, the Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod, and the Red Dead Redemption 2 VR mod currently available. With Half-Life: Alyx reviving the series so successfully, it was only a matter of time before we got a VR mod for Half-Life 2. Will we eventually get a VR mod for the first Half-Life? Who knows! We'll keep you posted either way.
Want to see the Half-Life 2: VR mod in action? Check out the Public Beta Announcement Trailer below!
For more information on Half-Life, VR, and everything in between, stay tuned to TechRaptor.
