Half-Life: Alyx is as Long as Half-Life 2 - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 05 March 2020 / 3,033 Views
After many years without a new release, Valve is releasing a new Half-Life game. This new game, Half-Life: Alyx, is a virtual reality game. Despite that it isn't considered a spin-off.
Valve programmer David Speyrer speaking with The Verge revealed the game is as long as Half-Life 2.
"It’s not a side story, nor an episodic one — it’s the next part of the Half-Life story, in a game around the same length as Half-Life 2," said Speyrer.
"While it does take place before the events of Half-Life 2, we actually recommend that you play through Half-Life 2: Episode 2 before you play Half-Life: Alyx, for reasons that will become clear as you progress."
Geoff Keighley confirmed via Twitter the game took him over 15 hours to complete.
"I’ve played through HL: Alyx (it took me over 15 hours) and seen it in multiple stages of development," said Keighley. "This is a full-blown Half-Life experience, with a rich, vibrant world, immersive combat, great storytelling, and innovative game design."
I’ve played through HL: Alyx (it took me over 15 hours) and seen it in multiple stages of development. This is a full-blown Half-Life experience, with a rich, vibrant world, immersive combat, great storytelling, and innovative game design. pic.twitter.com/FLKtXusyQc
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 21, 2019
Here is an overview of the game:
Half-Life: Alyx is Valve’s VR return to the Half-Life series. It’s the story of an impossible fight against a vicious alien race known as the Combine, set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2.
Playing as Alyx Vance, you are humanity’s only chance for survival. The Combine’s control of the planet since the Black Mesa incident has only strengthened as they corral the remaining population in cities. Among them are some of Earth’s greatest scientists: you and your father, Dr. Eli Vance.
As founders of a fledgling resistance, you’ve continued your clandestine scientific activity—performing critical research, and building invaluable tools for the few humans brave enough to defy the Combine.
Every day, you learn more about your enemy, and every day you work toward finding a weakness.
ABOUT GAMEPLAY IN VR:
Valve’s return to the Half-Life universe that started it all was built from the ground up for virtual reality. VR was built to enable the gameplay that sits at the heart of Half-Life.
Immerse yourself in deep environmental interactions, puzzle solving, world exploration, and visceral combat.
Lean to aim around a broken wall and under a Barnacle to make an impossible shot. Rummage through shelves to find a healing syringe and some shotgun shells. Manipulate tools to hack alien interfaces. Toss a bottle through a window to distract an enemy. Rip a Headcrab off your face and throw it out the window.
Extra content for Index owners
Customers who have purchased Valve Index hardware by the end of 2019 will have access to unique bonuses starting early next year:
- Explore environments from Half-Life: Alyx in your SteamVR Home space
- Alternate gun skins to embellish Alyx's arsenal
- Special Half-Life: Alyx-themed content for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Community-built environments
A set of Source 2 tools for building new environments will ship with the game, enabling any player to build and contribute new environments for the community to enjoy. Hammer, Valve’s level authoring tool, has been updated with all of the game’s virtual reality gameplay tools and components.
Half-Life: Alyx will launch for Windows PC via Steam in March 2020.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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If it's even remotely as good as described, if that's not the killer app for the VR, I don't know what is
Good to hear it's a full length game rather than an extended tech demo. Can't wait.
I assumed I'd be able to play the game without a headset but the Steam page says it's required. That's annoying.
Should of been optional to use VR headset.
I wonder if it'll come out for the PS VR eventually. Sony has to be interested in getting such a huge project for their platform.
Looking promising
