If you’ve been a fan of video games for a long time, you know just how important the Half-Life series is for the industry overall. It inspired so many future gamers and developers. Unfortunately, the series has been on a hiatus these last couple of years. Many began questioning whether a third game was ever going to come out.
Thankfully, the series is alive and well in the form of VR. Valve is currently working on Half-life: Alyx, and judging by its gameplay, it looks to be like an amazing VR experience. This will be the first time this iconic series appears on this type of platform, so it will be interesting to see how the loyal fanbase takes to it.
Thus far, it seems like they’re on board. That’s because the system that’s supporting the game — Valve Index — has almost completely sold old since Alyx was first announced to the gaming community. There are shortages in both the US and Canada markets. That’s not really surprising. It just goes to show how much people care about this series as a whole.
Those who purchase the Valve Index — which came out this April — will be able to get Half-Life: Alyx for free. It’s a great incentive that is making these VR packages fly off the shelves. If you don’t currently own an Index and are hoping to grab one to experience this highly anticipated VR title, then you’ll just have to wait. Stores should restock here pretty soon, though.
It’s pretty crazy to see the positive reception for Alyx. Already, it looks like one of the most detailed VR experiences to date. In the latest trailer, we see the user moving around boxes on a shelf to find ammo. The entire segment is pretty authentic and just goes to show how immersive Valve wants this game to be.
It should give the Half-Life series a fresh coat of paint that makes gamers feel like they’re in these futuristic/alien worlds in person. If Alyx is successful, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Valve follow it up with another VR game.
Or, maybe this VR title is just a teaser of what’s to come. Possibly, a full-fledged Half-Life 3 is on the horizon. Either way, the gaming community will certainly settle for Alyx in the interim. The story is set between Half-Life and Half-Life 2, so it will be interesting to see how Valve fills in the gaps.
