Half-Life 2 RTX Demo Now Available for Players
The long-awaited Half-Life 2 RTX demo has just been released, enabling players to dive into two classic levels: Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt. As modders from Orbifold Studios have worked tirelessly for years on this overhaul, the anticipated demo is finally accessible.
To get started, visit the Half-Life 2 RTX Steam page to download the demo. Players can explore Ravenholm right away, with Nova Prospekt becoming available after completing the previous level.
For those eager to explore more content, there are still some old console commands that work. Press ‘~’ to open the console and enter sv_cheats 1 followed by sv_unlockedchapters 15. However, it’s worth noting that while this unlocks some chapters, it won’t grant access to all chapters beyond the demo content.
System Requirements
This version of Half-Life 2 is significantly more resource-hungry than the original. Here are some basic requirements:
| Component | Minimum Specification |
|---|---|
| OS | 64-bit Windows 10 / Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 8600, AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
| Storage | 50 GB available space |
Be sure to check if your hardware is up to the task! There are options to adjust settings and turn off effects through the RTX Remix menu (accessed with Alt + X), which can help players on older devices.
If you’d like to learn more about the gameplay experience, feel free to check out my detailed playthrough on my blog. Overall, the visual enhancements are impressive while retaining the beloved elements of the original Half-Life 2 gameplay.
