In November 2019, Valve shocked the world by announcingHalf-Life: Alyx, a virtual reality-based interquel set between the first twoHalf-Lifegames. This is the first official game to explore theHalf-Lifeuniverse sincePortal-inspired VR experienceThe Lab, which released alongside the HTC Vive in April 2016. More importantly, this was the first timeHalf-Lifereceived a full new entry sinceHalf-Life 2: Episode 2in 2007. That’s a long time to wait for one of the more story-focused first-person shooter franchises to receive a new installment, and it was only made more painful byEpisode 2’s cliffhanger.Half-Life:Alyxappeared during an age when it felt like a newHalf-Lifegame was never happening.
While it was noHalf-Life 3,Alyxproved a worthy continuation of the franchise. The game put players in the shoes of a younger Alyx Vance, and followed her on an adventure through the Combine-infested City 17. The game wasmeant to be VR’s killer app, and it supports all Steam VR-compatible headsets, which includes the Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, and all Windows Mixed Reality headsets. While limited VR ownership hampered total sales, the game still sold enough to be considered a success.Half-Life: Alyxis one of the best reasons to own a VR headset, and it would benefit the technology if it comes to other VR platforms.
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Valve Should Bring Half-Life: Alyx To Other Platforms
There is no reason why Valve can’t bringHalf-Life: Alyxto other VR platforms, especially PlayStation VR. Despite owning the popular PC gaming storefront Steam, Valve has not been shy about releasing its games on other platforms. Gamers around for the seventh console generation likely remember how significant it was whenThe Orange Box, a collection including every episode ofHalf-Life 2,Portal, andTeam Fortress 2, released for PS3 and Xbox 360. Just last year, Valve releasedDota Underlordson iOS and Android as well as PC.
It would be good for bothHalf-Life: Alyxand VR technology in general ifAlyxcould spread as far as possible. With the COVID-19 pandemiclimiting the Valve Index’s supply chain, the fanbase currently has no real path to growth. Just opening the door to current PSVR users should cause a spike in sales, both for the game and the headset. Valve succeeded in making VR’s first real killer app, and that tier of game is important for making the technology more enticing.
Half-Life: Alyx Needs to Be Experienced by All VR Owners
CallingAlyxa VR killer app is no understatement, either. The game learned from years of games that came before it, soAlyxis acollection of VR’s best practices. All guns and items work differently, but are intuitive to use both in combat and environmental interactions. Enemy variety is low, but the game continues throwing new scenarios at the player that have to be approached in different ways. The game’s ambience is also excellent, always hitting the tone it’s aiming for.
All of that is great for any game, but wouldn’t getHalf-Life: Alyxfar without those aforementioned “best practices” in VR. Players can choose to move through the environment with pretty much every type of movement. The game is designed to account for this, and many visual settings are available to ensure players can be as comfortable as possible. There are even settings available to help streamers keep watch over their chats.Half-Life: Alyxis an acclaimed game, and it could be the title that truly unites and expands the VR community with a slightly wider release.
