New Half-Life 2 RTX trailer is how I remember this PC gaming classic looking

Half-Life 2 RTX: An RTX Remix Project is shaping into one of the best retro game remasters I've seen, if the revealed remastered Nova Prospekt is anything to go by. Developer Orbifold Studios has shared a new trailer of the vaunted remaster that makes use of Nvidia's RTX Remix, and it's impressive.

The Gamescom 2024 reveal showcases how Nvidia's RTX Remix, one of the more exciting uses of generative AI I've seen in recent months, is aiding the team at Orbifold Studios to quickly revamp this classic PC game. You can watch the new trailer, revealing the remaster of one of Half-Life 2's most famous levels, Nova Prospekt, above and see for yourself.

There are now over 100 artists working on this remaster, creating new textures, models and more to refresh Half-Life 2

Orbifold Studios has announced there are now over 100 artists working on this remaster, creating new textures, models and more to refresh Half-Life 2, and the results are a game that looks the way my old head remembers it - the sure sign this remaster is on track to be one of the year's best.

The press release states: "Orbifold Studios are rebuilding materials with PBR properties, adding extra geometric detail via Valve’s Hammer editor, and leveraging NVIDIA technologies, including full ray tracing, DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction, Reflex, and RTX IO to deliver a fantastic experience for GeForce RTX gamers."

You can follow the team's progress at Orbifold Studios' website as well as regular diary entries on the Nvidia GeForce blog. If you're a fan of old games, then read my guide to the best retro game consoles for how to play classic games today.

What is Nvidia RTX Remix?

RTX Remix from Nvidia is a new tooklit for videogame modders and and developers that makes creating game assets and materials quick and easy. It's built on Nvidia Omniverse and makes use of a new runtime renderer, as well as advanced rendering capabilities.

What makes it super useful to small teams is the ability to 'capture' in game assets, to then automatically enhance materials using generative AI tools. RTX Remix remasters can make full use of ray tracing, DLSS 3.5 and Ray Reconstruction.

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Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.