While some fans have spent the time between iterations of the Half-Life series speculating about potential leaks and other tidbits others have used this time to create their own original content set in the Half-Life universe.

One such stand-alone game is the upcoming Prospekt which has the unique distinction of being one of the few fan creations to receive the official seal of approval from series developer Valve. Developed over the course of 18-months single handily by modder Richard Seabrook, Prospeckt has players venturing once again into the decaying combine prison Nova Prospekt, which is used to turn prisoners into striders as well as home to the Combine’s technological development.

Players will take the role of unnamed Nova Prospekt guard who is on-duty during the events of Half-Life 2. Not only does Prospekt provide a change of view for our protagonist but will also continue some story elements introduced in Gearbox Software’s 1999 expansion for the original Half-Life – Opposing forces.

Prospeckt is available for pre-order on Steam for the low asking price of $9.89 CDN and will be available later next month. It joins another well known Half-Life fan project, Black Mesa, as one of the few games to receive approval for Valve. Here’s hoping Prospekt’s 13 missions are just as engaging as the original expansion that inspired it.

Check out a list of features for the game after the jump:

• Substantial, highly-polished and totally new addition to the Half-Life 2 universe, comparable to Half-Life 2: Episode One in length
• Developed by one person, 25 year old Richard Seabrook
• Official Valve approval for Half-Life 2 license and assets
• Standalone PC game built using the Source engine – no requirement for Half-Life 2
• Continues the story of Opposing Force, Gearbox Software’s (Borderlands) update that tells the original Half-Life 2 story from the perspective of the Marines. Gordon
• Freeman is cornered and being overrun by soldiers in the Nova Prospekt prison; the player controls US Marine Adrian Shepherd – the unsung hero – as he’s teleported in by Freeman’s Vortigaunt allies to help fight back.
• 13 new levels featuring fully-scripted puzzles and action sequences, all carefully integrated into the Half-Life 2 story
• Substantial graphical updates over the original game, including but not limited to:
• New Textures
• New Models
• Updated high resolution combine soldier skins with improved normal mapping
• Updated high resolution textures
• Updated lighting
• Higher resolution models
• Increased cube mapping
• Over 20 new particle effects
• Modded HUD
• Modded VGUI
• New player model skin
• Return to Xen
• New voice acting
• New music
• New AI improvements, such as soldiers attempting to undo the player’s actions

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