The fan project’s prologue is here, continuing Gordon Freeman’s journey where Valve left him at the end of Half-Life 2.
So, what happened after Half-Life 2 ended? For 17 years, we have wondered what Borealis is, what the G-Man really is, and whether Gordon and Alyx can finally defeat the Combine. Valve has always been reluctant to create a third Half-Life or a third episode. But that doesn’t mean fans can’t fill the void.
Project Borealis is a fan-made game project that aims to continue the unfinished story of Gordon Freeman andyou can experience the prologue for yourself right now
The Project Borealis prologue is now available for free on Steam
It’s been 17 years since Episode 2 of Half-Life 2, and Project Borealis has been in development since 2017. Now, for the first time, you can take a look at the first playable version, which includes the ten-minute prologue for the shooter.
The Project Borealis prologue is now available for free on Steam
It’s been 17 years since Episode 2 of Half-Life 2, and Project Borealis has been in development since 2017. Now, for the first time, you can take a look at the first playable version, which includes the prologue for the shooter, which lasts about ten minutes.
(Project Borealis: Prologue on Steam)
The prologue is set to usher in the continuation of the story, which takes place on the snow-covered streets of Ravenholm; the city that was turned into a zombie haven in Half-Life 2 after the Combine wiped out the refugee shelter with head crab missiles.
Back in the warm HEV suit, you trudge through the snow as Gordon Freeman, equipped with a crowbar and gravity gun, and encounter the familiar monstrosities. The whole thing is presented in an atmospheric visual style and thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the “new” Half-Life also looks a whole lot more modern.
What’s special about Project Borealis is that the story to be told here doesn’t come entirely from the fans. The game is based on a (now deleted) blog post by former Valve author Marc Laidlaw, who published a story summary for Episode 3, 10 years after Half-Life 2 Episode 2. And it was precisely this summary that inspired more than 80 volunteers to create Project Borealis.
