Half-Life 2: Update

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Half-Life 2: Update is currently available on Steam.
 ▶ Launch it now*
 🛒 Get it on Steam for free (via Browser | Steam client*)
 *Steam required, click here to download Steam.
Supported OS: Windows • macOS • Linux + SteamOS (See system requirements)

Notice: Requires Half-Life 2 to be purchased. Installation of Half-Life 2 is not necessary to play this standalone mod.

Half-Life 2: Update is a mod released in 2015 that improves Half-Life 2 by fixing bugs and improving the graphics.

When Half-Life 2 was ported from Source 2006 to Source 2009 in 2010, there was some bugs and issues, which was listed here. Half-Life 2: Update fixed most of them while also improving the graphics, increasing draw distance, adding new effects without changing the core gameplay (aside from maps, which was slightly modified to add more Lambda Locator crates and symbols while keeping total as 45). Unlike the original (vanilla) Half-Life 2, this mod is completely standalone and have it's own separate saves, separate achievements, separate AppID and configs.

Features

Complete lighting overhaul including enhanced lighting, more detailed world shadows, and full High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDR).

The original Half-Life 2 maps are compiled for LDR only, with some of them are HDR only after 2010 update, but not both LDR and HDR.

New particle effects and improved fog

Countless bug fixes, correcting both visual and game-based issues.

Large amount of bugs is fixed, including bugs that are introduced at launch, / version (Source 2007), and PC after 2010 (Source 2009).

Community Commentary Mode

Featuring voices from various YouTubers, including Caddicarus, Brutalmoose, Ricepirate, Balrog the Master, ProJared, and Ross Scott from Freeman's Mind

Bugs and Limitations

Warning:As of 2023, Half-Life 2: Update runs on the outdated version of Source 2013 from 2015, and it is no longer receiving updates, including recent bugs fixes exclusive to the vanilla Half-Life 2 introduced with the Steam Deck updates, which fixes bugs related to Dropship gun no longer rotates (preventing it from shooting),^[1] NPCs eyes not blinking, and many other issues... Without the bug fixes related to Dropship gun, the game will be noticeably easier such as when it comes to Sandtrap battle.
The game also lacks proper (Verified) Steam Deck support as it does not have Gamepad UI.

An unofficial patch to fix these issues can be found here at PCGW.

References

References
1. User:leonidakarlach (June 10, 2024).  Half-Life 2 - The one Dropship gun bug that ruins the Sandtraps chapter (Now fixed). YouTube. Note:The bugs shown on the video are recorded from Half-Life 2: Update (both unpatched and unofficially patched), but these also applies to original version of Half-Life 2 (since 2007 for consoles, 2010 for PC, was fixed on PC in 2022). Retrieved June 10, 2024.