Raising the Bar: Redux
released on May 17, 2020
A mod for Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Experience Half-Life 2 like never before. Return to City 17, held within the iron grip of the Combine and the Consul. Reunite with old friends, and enemies, and some of them brand new. Immerse yourself in a revitalised combat system featuring old arsenals made new again, with added features to raise the bar in gameplay. You've been waiting for quite some time, now. It's time to climb aboard.
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meanwhile in an alternate timeline where the 2003 build of half-life 2 wasn't leaked...
Like playing HL2 from another universe. Remarkable effort
Raising the Bar Redux is a Half-Life 2 Beta fan's dream come true. Not only does it revive the classic and gritty art style we never got to experience, but it melds into the story and progression of retail HL2. Honestly, if you are a Half-Life 2 fan, I cannot recommend this enough.
I see many people saying that the game struggles with guiding the player, but I honestly never had any issues with the level design and I think it actually improves on some chapters like Water Hazard.
The combat loop is exceptional as all HL2 experiences are however with new weapons that are exclusive to certain areas, it gives it much more dynamic combat scenarios than any HL2 mod ever.
It is not perfect, it is an incomplete game and essentially a beta, so the performance is pretty bad. The opening has some bad performance when exploring City 17 but it mostly goes away... then you get to the 2nd half of Ravenholm and the framerate tanks even worse. While there are only 2 of the 7 Divs released, it's a chunky 4-5 hour campaign that leaves you begging for more. This is going to be something truly special if it gets completed.
I see many people saying that the game struggles with guiding the player, but I honestly never had any issues with the level design and I think it actually improves on some chapters like Water Hazard.
The combat loop is exceptional as all HL2 experiences are however with new weapons that are exclusive to certain areas, it gives it much more dynamic combat scenarios than any HL2 mod ever.
It is not perfect, it is an incomplete game and essentially a beta, so the performance is pretty bad. The opening has some bad performance when exploring City 17 but it mostly goes away... then you get to the 2nd half of Ravenholm and the framerate tanks even worse. While there are only 2 of the 7 Divs released, it's a chunky 4-5 hour campaign that leaves you begging for more. This is going to be something truly special if it gets completed.
This review contains spoilers
This game was a great remake of the 2002-2003 storyline that the Beta had. The atmosphere in this game is incredible, and the storytelling, it's so good. Everything about this game, ranging from the wonderful scenery of the dark and gritty City 17 to the colourful eli's den, and the wonderful but dangerous Ravenholm. This deserves to be one of the most favourite mods i have ever played.
It's obviously not perfect, it struggles with guiding the player, some map layouts are confusing, and the performance could be better, but as a look into the, "What if?" of what HL2 could have been, this is an excellent mod.
It still has a long way to go, and every chapter has been better than the last, with Necropolis March being the clear standout, and star of the show. A truly inventive and fun take on the Ravenholm chapter from the original.
I hope they can go back and touch up some of the earlier levels in future releases, and I cannot wait to see the rest of the game. This is the best Half Life 2 mod since Black Mesa
It still has a long way to go, and every chapter has been better than the last, with Necropolis March being the clear standout, and star of the show. A truly inventive and fun take on the Ravenholm chapter from the original.
I hope they can go back and touch up some of the earlier levels in future releases, and I cannot wait to see the rest of the game. This is the best Half Life 2 mod since Black Mesa
I appreciate this mod for not trying to be "accurate" (as in, it's attempts to be accurate is like trying to piece a puzzle with missing parts) like most other beta themed mods I've played, but instead doing it's own thing by using a lot of beta elements and fitting them into a retelling of Half-Life 2's story. I look forward to the full release.