The Half-Life games are free to play on Steam through March

Valve’s classic narrative shooter series Half-Life is now free on Steam, and will stay free for the next two months.

With the launch of virtual reality shooter Half-Life: Alyx set for March, Valve is opening up the 2004 digital remaster of 1998’s Half-Life for free, as well as DLC missions Opposing Force and Blue Shift. Half-Life 2 is also part of the package, as well as follow-ups Half-Life 2: Episode One and Episode Two. The value of the separate items on offer is around $56.

A Valve statement on the deal said that the promotion is designed to pave the way for Half-Life: Alyx which is set before the events of Half-Life 2 and its subsequent episodes. “The games share characters and story elements,” Valve said. “The Half-Life: Alyx team believes that the best way to enjoy the new game is to play through the old ones, especially Half-Life 2 and the episodes, so we want to make that as easy as possible.”

The Half-Life games center on scientist Gordon Freeman who must escape locations where mutants and aliens roam, making use of weapons and solving puzzles. The first game’s expansions feature other protagonists — Black Mesa security guard Barney Calhoun and military specialist Adrian Shephard — and were developed by Gearbox Software. In Half-Life: Alyx VR players will take on the role of Freeman’s ally Alyx Vance, as she once again does battle with enemies, making use of a gravity gun. The Half-Life games are available for Windows PC, Mac, and Linux.