How Valve made Half-Life 2 and set a new standard for future games
SMRTR summary
Half-Life 2, released 20 years ago, set a new standard for PC gaming with its innovative development practices and polished execution. The game introduced influential elements like physics-based gameplay, advanced character animations, and subtle environmental storytelling, while its "cabal" team structure and rigorous playtesting approach shaped industry practices for years to come.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Ars Technica.
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