Early Half-Life 2 builds spent so much time in sewers that it originally took players straight to the Citadel

At Valve, the discard pile brims with so many abandoned concepts that one could theoretically be submerged. Even decades post-release, gamers continue to unearth hidden mysteries within the early versions of Half-Life 2 and various other Valve titles.

It’s interesting to note that a preliminary version of Half-Life 2 initially linked the famous opening scene of City 17 with the climactic battle at the Citadel. This connection was discovered in an early beta of the popular FPS game from 2003, suggesting that players would have spent significantly more time exploring the sewers beneath City 17 as they made their way to the Citadel.

Half-Life 2’s massive cut sewers

CMDR RileySV delved into the 2003 version of Valve’s masterwork, highlighting the intricate City 17 waterways that remain a part of the original game. Although these areas are off-limits in the final release, earlier versions of the game would have devoted substantial time to these underwater scenes.

Through PCG, the incomplete map labeled “streetwars/proto_c17map” served as an alternative depiction of what later appeared in Anticitizen One. This early layout showcases a network of intricate waterways linking with City 17’s main river. Interestingly, it also directly connects to the Citadel, leading you ultimately to face Breen.

Initially, during development, you’d journey through a vast network of underground sewers to encounter a colossal Hydra. However, in the final release, this was changed to a brief tour through a factory instead. This sounds quite intense, but it might have disrupted the game’s smooth flow.

In my gaming experience, it turns out there’s more to these underground waterways than meets the eye in this early build. The Uprising chapter had a plan to thrust us gamers back into the grime of the sewers, with the Scout Car whizzing at high speed in an exhilarating sequence that would climax with a breathtaking view of the Citadel – a sight that still gives me goosebumps, even in its rough, unpolished form.

Exploring early versions of Half-Life 2 provides an intriguing glimpse into what the game looked like before its complete release. Although the completed game comes very close to perfection, these early builds are like viewing Leonardo da Vinci’s sketch of the Mona Lisa compared to his final masterpiece.

To delve deeper into updates about Half-Life 2, check out our perspective on Half-Life 2 RTX, an eagerly anticipated, resource-intensive overhaul of Valve’s renowned first-person shooter game.

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2025-04-09 15:40