A modder has successfully decompiled the Dreamcast edition of legendary first-person adventure, Half-Life (1998). The project, executed by modder "maximqad" and reported by Sega Dreamcast Info, sees Valve's cancelled Sega port reverse-engineered, freeing up its source code for the homebrew community.

But that's not all. Given access to Half-Life's infrastructure, maximqad has been able to integrate online multiplayer support. This is an especially impressive feat, as while Half-Life DC has been accessible ever since it was first leaked in the early '00s, the multiplayer component has remained buried deep within its source code, lacking key elements that would have made it playable (even if the title had reached the market)

This is the natural evolution of maximqad's previous project, which ported the Xash3D engine to Dreamcast, before activating online capabilities in Counter-Strike (another Dreamcast cancellation) maximqad has recoded the multiplayer component themselves - filling in the gaps, if you will - and activating the game's dormant online capabilities.

So not only do we now have the source code to Half-Life Dreamcast - which opens up the floor for bug fixes as well as further modifications and customisations - but we also have access to its multiplayer component, played directly from the game's native code, for the first time.

If you want to check it out for yourself, then take note that it's not a "plug-and-play" deal. First, users must download the modified GDI of the 2001 Half-Life Dreamcast prototype. From there, the GDI must be rebuilt, now injected with maximqad's custom code.

Once that is done, Half-Life Dreamcast's multiplayer mode should be accessible. Crowbars UP...

Half-Life, despite being one of the most popular and beloved video games of all time, was cancelled on the Dreamcast due to waning interest in the platform, which gave Valve and Sierra pause on mass-producing their port for Sega's hardware. It's strangely ironic that now, over 25 years on from the game's cancellation, talented modders are still finding new and interesting ways to bring Half-Life To-Life.