Half-Life fans rejoice: HL2 & Black Mesa are now fully playable in VR
UPDATE- Statement by Half-Life 2: VR mod lead developer Cabalistic added
You can now experience the Half-Life remake Black Mesa as well as the complete Half-Life 2 including Episode 1 & 2 in VR.
Both fan mods were released on the same day:
- Black Mesa Source VR
- Half-Life 2: VR Mod - Episode Two
You must own all of the base games on Steam to play these VR mods. You will also need a gaming PC and a PC VR compatible VR headset. Read more about the mods below.
Content
Black Mesa Source VR
Black Mesa Source VR is an unofficial mod by Ashok that is not affiliated with Valve, the developers of Black Mesa, or the Source VR mod team (responsible for Half-Life 2: VR Mod). It is based on Black Mesa Source: Extended Edition (2020).
Since the Black Mesa code is not open source, Ashok borrowed the code from Half-Life 2: VR Mod. This comes with some restrictions: for example, the VR game uses the AI and weapons from Half-Life 2: VR Mod. You can find a download link and more information about installation in the links at the end of the article.
The initial version of the mod is still in beta and will be improved by Ashok. The video above shows excerpts and explains how to install the mod.
Half-Life 2: VR Mod - Episode Two
Half-Life 2: VR Mod was released in September 2022, followed by Episode One in March 2023 and since yesterday Episode Two is available. You can find the download links at the end of the article. Check out the trailer below for a sneak peek at the VR version.
The code underlying all three mods received a number of bug fixes and a new feature on April 5th, a 2D cinema mode for vehicles. The developers write on Steam:
"If the teleporting camera mode is still too nauseating or disorienting for you, we have added one more comfort mode for the vehicle rides: in the 2D cinema mode, the game will switch from VR rendering to presenting the vehicle rides on a virtual 2D screen in front of you, offering an experience close to the flat game. You will switch back to VR as soon as you leave the vehicle. The mode is available in the comfort options."
So what's next now that the main game and the two episodes are out? This is what the lead developer Cabalistic said to MIXED:
"The graphics update is still being worked on, but there is currently no ETA. Interested people who are brave enough can basically check it out (see https://halflife2vr.com/howto/#beta-branches), but bugs and other issues should be expected. Other than that, we'll probably go into a maintenance mode on Half-Life 2 as we go."
Download links
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