Footage of cancelled Half-Life: Ravenholm unveiled in new documentary

Arkane Studios has released footage of Half-Life: Ravenholm, a spinoff project in the beloved franchise it worked on a number of years ago for Valve. 

The project was showcased as part of Noclip’s latest documentary which focuses on the history of Arkane Studios. The developer is responsible for a number of classics such as Dishonored, Prey and a few other underrated gems. 

Known as Ravenholm, the project was originally in development at Warren Spector’s Junction Point, before being handed off to Arkane after a number of elements in the title had been established. From here it continued to grow, with the studio producing a number of levels set across the iconic universe. 

Players would find themselves playing as Lieutenant Shephard from Opposing Force after awakening in the humble abode of Father Gregory. From here, they would assist in restoring power to the surrounding town before finally venturing into the haunted confines of Ravenholm. You can see it for yourself below from the 33:33 minute mark: 

For a bit of context, Ravenholm is a location from Half-Life 2 filled with all manner of horrible monsters and other unwieldy creatures. It possesses a distinct survival horror vibe, still sending chills up our spines over sixteen years later. It’s a favourite amongst fans, which explains why Arkane Studios was eager to expand upon it further. 

The spin-off would have featured an innovative new weapon known as the Magnet Gun. This would have been capable of attracting metallic items much like the gravity gun before expelling them towards enemies with brutal force. It would also be used to solve a variety of environmental puzzles.

While a number of leaks labelled it as another entry in the episodic Half-Life series or even a full blown sequel, Arkane Studios considers Ravenholm to be its own entity outside of Gordon Freeman’s story. It’s a shame it never came to fruition, since the idea of a horror-driven Half-Life sounds genuinely fascinating.