It’s easy to recognize Valve’s 1998 hitHalf-Lifeas one of the most innovated and influential first-person shooters ever made thanks to its emphasis on storytelling and world-building, even if the 2004 follow-upHalf-Life 2largely improved upon that core gameplay. The franchise continues to this day thanks to the2020 VR titleHalf-Life: Alyx, but one fan has decided to go back in time and reimagine the original game in a whole new way.
Fan-made video game “demakes” are somewhat common projects, as many find it interesting to imagine what modern titles could have looked like if they were developed in a different era. Similar projects in the past have included aFire Emblem: Three HousesGame Boy Advance demake, aCyberpunk 2077PlayStation demake, and more. Now, solo developer Jackarte is reimagining the world ofHalf-Lifeas if it were made on the original Game Boy.
RELATED:The 11 Most Innovative and Influential First-Person Shooter Games
Jackarte posted a 15-minute showcase of their ongoing project called “Half-Life GB” to YouTube on February 10. It’s clearly more inspired by the Game Boy aesthetic than it is ardently adhering to the system’s limitations, with the game’s itch.io page advertising Game Boy-styled graphics, 8-bit sound, and a retro appearance plus different mechanics. TheHalf-Lifefan game has a demo available to download for anyone interested in trying the idea out.
In the download page on itch.io, Jackarte said they came up with the idea because of a passion for retro games and a general interest in recreating games with “graphics, sounds and mechanics of the past.” The creator previously uploaded a video to YouTube showing off a Game Boy-styledHalf-Lifenot using the system’s green color scheme, and they have also shared projects including a bizarre take onCyberpunk 2077and test footage for aDragon Ballfan game.
While Valve has become well-known for its digital storefront Steam, the company has a number of popular franchises under its belt includingPortal,Left 4 Dead, andTeam Fortress. The originalHalf-Lifeis its earliest success, and the series is still widely acclaimed to this day withHalf-Life: AlyxwinningBest AR/VR game at the 2021 New York Game Awards.
The idea of turningHalf-Lifeinto a Game Boy game isn’t entirely unusual, as Nintendo’s handheld system is fondly remembered and still seeing attention to this day. Though Nintendo itself is focusing on games for the Switch, developers like Greenboy Games are creating brand-new Game Boy titles such asKickstarter successThe Shapeshifter, which is currently aiming for a May 2021 release.
