Half-Life: Alyx is now officially out for all supporting VR headsets. It has been quite a while since we’ve been treated to a new Half-Life game, 13 years in fact. That’s a long time for any fanbase to wait. It looks like their patience might be paying off though, judging by early impressions of this VR experience.
VR is in an interesting spot right now. It hasn’t been fully adopted by the gaming community, but it gets a lot of things right. Probably the most prominent is its immersion. That’s why Half-Life: Alyx is still so intriguing. Fans can immerse themselves in the Half-Life universe like never before and enjoy novel experiences that weren’t possible when this franchise was at its height of popularity.
You still have many die-hards who’re a little disappointed that this isn’t Half-Life 3. It has been teased here and there over the years, but to no promising developments. That could change according to recent reports from Valve, though.
In a recent interview, the lead game designer for Valve Robin Walker took time out of his busy schedule to give an update on the franchise as a whole. He re-iterated the importance of the Half-Life series as a whole and made his intentions clear that if development continued for these games, the wait wouldn’t be as long.
That’s great if you grew up playing these first-person shooters back in the early 2000s. However, like many things in life, there are no guarantees of a follow-up project after Alyx. Right now, Valve first needs to see how well this game does and how much buzz it generates within the community.
Then if Alyx reaches its sales goals and is a huge hit, that should bring forth movement with some sort of sequel. It could be another VR title or finally, Half-Life 3. Either way, it’s pretty exciting to contemplate what’s in store for this beloved series. It seems like it has been forever since it was alive and thriving.
Half-Life: Alyx is already showing a lot of promise, too. Early reviews indicate immersive experiences and unique combat sequences, especially when you account for the headcrabs that randomly pop out in your direction. The game’s main protagonists also are easy to get behind and root for.
If there was ever a chance for the Half-Life series to be kicked into overdrive and continue receiving support, now’s the perfect time. Fingers crossed.
