Half-Life Legacy

Half-Life Legacy

Developer(s)

The Phoenix Project Software

Publisher(s)

The Phoenix Project Software

Release date(s)

February 22, 2020 (ModDB)
December 12, 2025 (Steam)

Genre(s)

First-person shooter

Mode(s)

Single-player, Multiplayer

Platform(s)

Windows, Linux

Engine

GoldSrc

Steam AppID

3619040

Written in

C++

Steam Deck compatbility

Unknown

Distribution

ModDB, Steam

Links

Steam page

Half-Life Legacy is a fan-made restoration project developed by The Phoenix Project Software. Originally released on February 22, 2020 under the name Half-Life Classic, it is the first entry in Half-Life: The Legacy Collection, a series of enhanced versions of Half-Life, Half-Life: Opposing Force, and Half-Life: Blue Shift. The project's goal is to preserve the original 1998-2001 experience of the games, including menus, intro movies, sounds, and more, while integrating modern technical improvements, bug fixes, and Steamworks features.

On September 14, 2025, it was announced that Half-Life Legacy would be launching on Steam at an unannounced date. On October 21, 2025, similarly to Half-Life: Cross Product Multiplayer, a closed beta was announced for the 1.5 update and Steam release, which was later announced on November 20, 2025, to release on December 12, 2025 with the addition of Steam Workshop (also in ) support.

Overview

Originally announced as Half-Life Classic in 2020, the project was renamed in 2025 to coincide with its Steam release. Additionally, The Phoenix Project Software announced the game would become part of an "anthology" known as The Legacy Collection, featuring the expansions with the same fixes and restorations applied.

Features

When it originally released in 2020, Half-Life Legacy's aim was to simply restore features and quirks of the launch version of Half-Life, that had been cut by Valve during updates throughout the 2000s. However, the 2023 GoldSrc (25th anniversary) update made a few of the changes reduntant, so the project's focus has moved on to more subtle and in-depth details that still haven't been restored officially.

Restorations & bug-fixes

• Viewmodel bob tilt & viewroll (not applied in Multiplayer)
• HD-compatible HUD scaling
• OpenGL texture filtering option
• Removal of bunnyhop speed-cap (still applied in Multiplayer)
• Resolved Z-fighting issues in and around the Half-Life campaign maps

New features

• Steam Achievements
• Dynamic weapon lighting
• Autojump option
• Enhanced controller support (PS light bar, vibration, impulse triggers) using Steam Input
• Censorship filter option mimicking the 1998 German release

Updates

Half-Life Legacy has received a few updates since its initial February 2020 release, with each update restoring, adding, and fixing different features.

1.0 (February 2020)

• Restored viewmodel bob tilt
• Restored viewroll

1.1 (April 2020)

• Restored charge-sensitive Tau cannon lighting
• Removed OpenGL texture filtering

1.2 (April 2020)

• Restored the Glock's "chambered bullet" mechanism.
• Fixed game stuttering issues.
• Made in-game text bigger.
• Added an option to switch between the "WON fire-rate" and "Steam fire-rate" for the MP5.

1.3 (February 2022)

• Added menu options.
• Fixed Glock not reloading on 18 bullets.
• Set the "fall-punch" to move forward, and not sideways, for more parity with the original Half-Life release.
• Added dynamic lighting effects for all weapons and muzzle-flash events.
• Added native Linux support.
• Dropped native macOS support.

1.4 (October 2024)

Version 1.4 was released on October 17, 2024. As it was the first to release post-25th anniversary, this update focuses on more subtle changes and details, with quality-of-life improvements.

• Full compatibility with the 25th Anniversary Version of Half-Life.
• Complete rewrite of codebase, based on the latest version of the Half-Life Updated SDK.
• Added deathmatch.
• Recreated the original WON version menu with all listings intact.
• Restored the original Sierra & Valve intro video.
• Removed all unnecessary files, as the Half-Life base-game folder is used as a fallback.
• Removed the option to change the MP5's fire-rate as it was not authentic to the original version of the game.

1.5 (December 2025)

Version 1.5 (also known as the Steam Release Update) was released on December 12, 2025. Its primary focus was Steamworks integration, as well as a plethora of map fixes.

• Added sv_german <0|1> command. Setting to 1 and a map restart removes blood effects and changes all monster models to their respective German-version counterparts.
• Restored the Gluon Gun Flare (a.k.a. "energy cloud").
• Restored random pitch modulation for the Crowbar swing sound.
• Added Steam Achievements.
• Added Steam Rich Presence.
• Restored the original WON-style checkbox.
• Added Steam Workshop.

  Take advantage of the Half-Life Legacy Mod Tools & Harbinger, available now as a Tool on Steam.

• Added VGUI2.
• Added a new Server Browser.

  With many special thanks to Wuffesan for their open-source Server Browser, and Workshop implementation.

• You can now re-enable the "Steam"/"Quake" style viewbob.
• The HD pack is now included with the game. Use the toggle in Content Settings.
• Added Field of View option to Advanced Options.
• Added Auto-switch to stronger weapon on pickup option to Advanced Options.
• Added a command to toggle dynamic weapon lighting, which was introduced in 1.3 (r_muzzleflash).
• Added an option to restore the original Satchel Charge controls (on by default – cl_legacy_satchel <0|1>).
• Added an option to restore the original hand grenade physics (on by default – sv_legacy_hgrenade <0|1>).
• Extra Half-Life: Further Data content added for multiplayer:
  • Maps: TheHill.
  • Playermodels: Cannibal & Ken.
  • Added many missing Further Data sprays.
• Added holiday playermodels created by Valve in 1999: Santa & Pumpkin HEV suit.
• Added a Speedometer (hud_speedometer <0|1>).
  • Displays your current speed in units per second.
  • Adjustable height (hud_speedometer_height <value>), or positioned below your crosshair (hud_speedometer_below_cross <0|1>).
  • Optional graph showing speed over time (hud_speedometer_graph <0|1>).
• Added an option to disable the modern HUD scaling introduced in the Half-Life 25th Anniversary Update (cl_legacy_hud_scaling <0|1>).
  • Toggling this option requires a game restart to take effect.
• Added Center player names option to Advanced Options.
• Busters, a gamemode implemented in the Half-Life 25th Anniversary Update, is now an option in the Create Server settings (sv_busters <0|1>).
• Added Discord Rich Presence.
• Added the original pre-VGUI scoreboard to multiplayer (on by default – cl_legacy_scoreboard <0|1>).
• Added a new adaptive music system using OpenAL.
• Backported the Custom Game Composer from Cross Product to filter out singleplayer maps.

  A slightly modified version which mimics the Create Server UI from the CD release version of Day of Defeat (2003).

• Added an unused spray found in the spraypaint WAD file (pldecal).
• Added the ability to change the position/offsets of the weapon viewmodel.

  Use the cl_viewmodel__ofs_right|up|forward commands.

• Adjusted the colours in the UI.
• Fixed "z-fighting," missing geometry, scripts, and potential softlocks throughout the game.
• Added Day One viewmodels with higher-resolution textures.
• Viewmodel bobtilt and viewroll are now deactivated in multiplayer to prevent cheating.
• Autojump is no longer forced on. It is now tied to a command – cl_autojump <0|1>.
• The code is now built using CMake.

  The source code for Half-Life Legacy, known as Foundation, will be released at a later date through GitHub.

• Fixed an issue in the final Lambda Core map (c3a2d) where the HEV Suits would not appear.
• Set the default FPS to 100 to prevent physics issues, such as being crushed by a lift.
• Fixed two misplaced rechargers in Apprehension (c2a3a & c2a3b).
• Fixed a missing ground texture in On a Rail (c2a2b1).
• Fixed a missing cliff texture in On a Rail (c2a2h).
• Fixed an issue where the music would sometimes not play during Black Mesa Inbound (c0a0).
• Fixed z-fighting on the door in Anomalous Materials (c1a0).
• Fixed incorrect texture mapping in the vents in Office Complex (c1a2b).
• Fixed Barney sequence not playing at the beginning of On a Rail (c2a2).
• Fixed an issue where the bunnyhop speedcap would sometimes return.
• Fixed wooden planks and increased the draw distance in c2a2a.
• Fixed door z-fighting at the end of Black Mesa Inbound (c0a0e).
• Fixed Nihilanth line not playing at the beginning of Gonarch's Lair (c4a2).
• Fixed overlapping text in the Hazard Course (t0a0b1 & t0a0b2).
• The grate no longer breaks on touch in c2a3e, requiring the crowbar to be picked up first.
• Fixed z-fighting lamps in Questionable Ethics (c2a4e).
• Fixed z-fighting elevator glass windows in Lambda Core (c3a2).
• Fixed z-fighting door glass windows in the experimental rooms in Questionable Ethics (c2a4d & c2a4e).
• Fixed z-fighting next to the valve in the first Residue Processing level (c2a4).
• Fixed the dying Scientist in Blast Pit being interruptable.
• Fixed the scientist near the power generator sometimes not saying his scripted lines (c1a4f).
• Fixed the blue sprites in the Nihilanth chapter not being transparent.
• Fixed a Lambda Core soft-lock involving the retinal scanner scientist (c3a2).
• Fixed a premature reload occurring after a game over message in Lambda Core (c3a2).
• Fixed music cutting off at trigger_changelevel.

  Achieved with the new music system.

• Fixed z-fighting lamps on Crossfire and Undertow.
• Fixed a sound not playing on Doublecross due to a filename typo (mechwine.wav).
• Fixed a bug in Interloper where missing sound files were referenced (beamstart13.wav).
• Fixed many z-fighting doors on Blast Pit.
• Fixed z-fighting test chamber door in Anomalous Materials.
• Fixed z-fighting rails in Black Mesa Inbound.
• Fixed z-fighting kitchen door in We've Got Hostiles.
• Fixed z-fighting Barney lever in Office Complex.
• Extended and enhanced weapon viewmodels for high FOVs and ultrawide displays.
• Fixed a z-fighting shelf next to the .357 and Bullsquid in Residue Processing.
• Fixed green goo z-fighting in Forget about Freeman!.
• Fixed z-fighting pipes in Surface Tension.
• Fixed Barney repeating animations after a secret room in Surface Tension (c2a5e).
• Fixed the mortar muzzleflash in Surface Tension (c2a5e).
• Fixed a missing hurt trigger in Blast Pit (c1a4g).
• Fixed z-fighting water in Subtransit.
• Fixed z-fighting lights in Crossfire & Doublecross.
• The HD pack now uses the correct HUD sprites and icons on larger displays.

1.5.1 (January 2026)

Version 1.5.1 was released on January 16, 2026 in response to community feedback gathered shortly after the mod's launch on Steam.

• Added options for adjusting viewmodel offsets to Multiplayer > Advanced.
• Added a toggle for the viewmodel shifting effect (cl_shifting).
• Added an "Additional HUD effects" command (hud_fx).
• Added a command for speedrunners to return the object boost glitch (sv_obbo).
• Like the PS2 version of Half-Life, a movement icon will display in the HUD if a gamepad is in use.
• The game now tracks statistics for how many times the player has killed each enemy in the game.
• Fixed the "Alien Slaves Killed" stat incrementing repeatedly if the player shot the ASlave during its dying animation.
• A biquad EQ filter is now applied to music playback, enhancing the quality of the soundtrack so it sounds less 'flat' and 'crunchy.'
• Fixed a softlock involving some boxes near the G-Man sighting in Apprehension.
• Fixed the Uplink button in the New Game dialog being the first highlighted option with a controller or arrow keys.
• The game now ships with node graphs pre-generated, with the hopes of fixing glitches such as the Lambda Core door.
• Fixed Uplink titles not displaying correctly on other languages.
• The game will now check more often if you're eligible to unlock the Marathon achievement.
• VGUI2 panels, such as the Server Browser and Workshop Manager now scale up to 4K displays.
• Removed the default 100 FPS cap.