Half-Life screenshot
By
Lee D'Amato
Published 8 minutes ago
Lee D’Amato is a writer born, raised, and based in Queens, New York. With collective thousands of hours in games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Elden Ring, and The Legend of Zelda, he's now writes game features, guides, and reviews for Screen Rant, but has covered a wide range of topics, including ancient history, affordable travel, and overall health.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Amid whispers of a third Half-Life game's impending announcement, a new fan project has emerged to allow players to see Black Mesa in a whole new light. Rumors of an upcoming reveal for Half-LIfe 3 have circulated online recently, fueled by Valve's new Steam Machine, next month's Game Awards, and even a mysterious sculpture that cropped up in the Mojave Desert.
Half-Life 3 has yet to be confirmed by any means, but a new fan project called Half-Life: Element 64 could deliver on the classic shooter nostalgia in the meantime. Developed by the fan project Dark Vector, Element 64 is an all-new adventure set in the Half-Life universe, and styled after the 64-bit FPS games that dominated the late '90s.
Half-Life 3 Be Damned, Element 64 Is Here
What It Is & How To Play It
Although Half-Life 3 rumors are anything but confirmed at this point, fans can still experience a little Half-Life content with the Element 64 mod. Currently in development, its demo is available for free, although you'll need a copy of the original Half-Life ($9.99) to play it.
The final product will be a four-episode FPS campaign, likely also free-to-play as an unofficial mod for HL1. To try the demo, you need only navigate to its Steam page, click Download, and wait for the mod to install.
The trailer above credits Dark Vector (formerly known as Black Phoenix Studio) with the development of the mod. Black Phoenix is a non-profit development group with a couple of other Half-Life related projects under its belt: the Black Mesa mini-campaign The FInal Expedition, and the HL1 multiplayer overhaul Half-Life Arena.
It's A Love Letter To The Past
Not Just Half-Life, But All Classic FPS
Watching the trailer for Element 64, it clearly takes place in the Half-Life universe. It features Half-Life weapons, Half-Life Monsters, Half-Life settings... but at the same time, it's undeniably different.
Weapons are centered in the screen, unlike HL1's offset equipment. Enemies are a little flatter, almost more cartoonish. Movement is emphasized throughout the trailer, with the player character zipping around the room to dodge incoming fire and get into advantageous positions.
The fact of the matter is that Element 64 isn't just a love letter to Half-Life — it's a love letter to an entire bygone era of FPS games. It's invoking Doom and Quake specifically with its snappy movement and 64-bit aesthetic.
Even though those shooters and Half-Life are decidedly different, they came out around the same time, and actually seem like an interesting match. Even if Half-Life 3 doesn't get confirmed any time soon, I'm excited to see what comes of creative fan projects like Element 64.
Half-Life 3
Like Systems
Developer(s)
Valve
Publisher(s)
Valve
Engine
Source
Franchise
Half-Life
Powered by
Expand
Collapse
-
Half-Life
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
4 hours ago
Every Thriller Fan Needs To Binge Netflix’s New 6-Part Series This Week (#1 Hidden Gem Right Now)
47 minutes ago
Did Joyce & Hopper Know Henry Creel? What That Stranger Things S5 Memory Means
3 hours ago
People We Meet On Vacation Trailer: Tom Blyth & Emily Bader Are Friends-To-Maybe-Lovers In Netflix Adaptation
1 hour ago
Jason Statham Is A Brutal Assassin In Gritty & Grim New Action Trailer For Shelter
More from our brands
How To Get Every Secret Weapon In 1V1 With Every Gun
30 Best Co-Op Games On Steam (April 2025)
Best Local Co-Op & Split-Screen Games On Steam
Amazing PC Games With Low System Requirements
Half-Life 3 rumors swirl in the wake of Valve's Steam Machine announcement
"Doesn't Seem Like the Story Is Working:" This 5-Year-Old VR Game Brought Back One of the Greatest Series of All Time
Here's why I believe Valve's new project is Half-Life 3 and not a spinoff
Trending Now
CBS Saves FBI From Losing Another Main Character In Season 8
Robert Irwin Shares What Mom Terri Really Thinks About Doing Dancing With The Stars
Anne Hathaway Is A Pop Star Haunted By Demons In The Mother Mary Trailer, A New A24 Horror Musical
