Half-Life: Alyx Review

I played through the game in about 12 hours.

You spend the first few hours getting to know the environment and getting comfortable with the equipment.

It's mostly a horror game as you spend a whole lot of time killing zombied people or head crabs or dodging barnacles.

#1 Unless you have the Valve Index VR controller, you don't get the full experience.

#2 Unless you use this with a 2080Ti, you don't get the full experience. It's very choppy on anything under a 1080Ti or better and you have to reduce the settings.

I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both.

As for the story... They seem to treat the ending like a "reboot" following HL: Episode 2, as if they can rewrite that game's ending. That makes me wonder if they have the cohones to continue the story into HL3 based on HL: Episode 2 or alter the sequel based on HL:Alyx.

There are inconsistencies between the story of Alyx and the story of HL2 among the characters.

I appreciate seeing more Combine technology demonstrations as the environment is extremely detailed and interactive, but I can't help but think the exact same thing could have been accomplished if this was a regular FPS game.
 
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I played through the game in about 12 hours.

You spend the first few hours getting to know the environment and getting comfortable with the equipment.

It's mostly a horror game as you spend a whole lot of time killing zombied people or head crabs or dodging barnacles.

#1 Unless you have the Valve Index VR controller, you don't get the full experience.

#2 Unless you use this with a 2080Ti, you don't get the full experience. It's very choppy on anything under a 1080Ti and you have to reduce the settings.

I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both.

As for the story... They seem to treat the ending like a "reboot" following HL: Episode 2, as if they can rewrite that game's ending. That makes me wonder if they have the cohones to continue the story into HL3 based on HL: Episode 2 or alter the sequel based on HL:Alyx.

There are inconsistencies between the story of Alyx and the story of HL2 among the characters.

I appreciate seeing more Combine technology demonstrations as the environment is extremely detailed and interactive, but I can't help but think the exact same thing could have been accomplished if this was a regular FPS game.

You sure you actually played the game?

'I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both."

If you played the game, the answer to this should be obvious.

Your previous posts bashing VR lead me to believe this comment is made up. You said less then a week ago:

"Going VR only was probably the biggest mistake they could have possibly made.

What were they thinking?

Where is Half Life 3?

Where is Portal 3?

ALYX could possibly get a FPS mod that allows you to play it just as you would a regular Half Life game. But why wasn't that offered already - especially considering the number of people who would have bought it if it offered both modes?"

Particularly that last paragraph, leads me to believe you in fact don't own VR. The only people I know who think it would be easy to translate hand presence in VR to M&K are those who have never played VR. It doesn't work, it would be fundamentally different.
 
Looking forward to trying this game, thanks for the review and insight.
Not rushing into VR gear although I know my GTX 1080 will run it, maybe when I come across a deal on a decent headset.
 
Looking forward to trying this game, thanks for the review and insight.
Not rushing into VR gear although I know my GTX 1080 will run it, maybe when I come across a deal on a decent headset.

Sold out everywhere right now unfortunately too. Oculus S, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, Index. All sold out. Even the Windows mixed reality headsets are having stock issues and those are bottom of the barrel.
 
#1 Unless you have the Valve Index VR controller, you don't get the full experience.

#2 Unless you use this with a 2080Ti, you don't get the full experience. It's very choppy on anything under a 1080Ti or better and you have to reduce the settings.

I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology.
Absolute rubbish. You have got to be joking.

Index controllers let you crush cans using grip pressure but don't really add much to gameplay.

The game is highly optimized and runs fine on a lowly gtx 1080.

If they made a non-vr version where you just press 'e' to interact and 'r' to reload it would be a hilariously limited experience, which is why they didn't bother.
 
Absolute rubbish. You have got to be joking.

Index controllers let you crush cans using grip pressure but don't really add much to gameplay.

The game is highly optimized and runs fine on a lowly gtx 1080.

If they made a non-vr version where you just press 'e' to interact and 'r' to reload it would be a hilariously limited experience, which is why they didn't bother.

The Index controller has a way better and more refined control.

I started by using my HTC VIVE with my Alienware 17” laptop (core i7/ 1080/32GB DDR4) on this game and then continued on my desktop using the Index.

it was like Night and Day.

the VIVE is older, yes, but that’s my experience.

take it or leave it.
 
The Index controller has a way better and more refined control.

I started by using my HTC VIVE with my Alienware 17” laptop (core i7/ 1080/32GB DDR4) on this game and then continued on my desktop using the Index.

it was like Night and Day.

the VIVE is older, yes, but that’s my experience.

take it or leave it.
I'm currently playing with an original Vive and a 1080GTX on the high preset. Had absolutely no problems with it whatsoever.

I'm sure the Index and it's controllers would be a better experience but night and day? I'm not convinced..

In any case, you do NOT need a 2080ti and Index to have a great experience with this game.
 
I'm currently playing with an original Vive and a 1080GTX on the high preset. Had absolutely no problems with it whatsoever.

I'm sure the Index and it's controllers would be a better experience but night and day? I'm not convinced..

In any case, you do NOT need a 2080ti and Index to have a great experience with this game.

That’s your opinion

I disagree

take it or leave it
 
I played through the game in about 12 hours.

You spend the first few hours getting to know the environment and getting comfortable with the equipment.

It's mostly a horror game as you spend a whole lot of time killing zombied people or head crabs or dodging barnacles.

#1 Unless you have the Valve Index VR controller, you don't get the full experience.

#2 Unless you use this with a 2080Ti, you don't get the full experience. It's very choppy on anything under a 1080Ti or better and you have to reduce the settings.

I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both.

As for the story... They seem to treat the ending like a "reboot" following HL: Episode 2, as if they can rewrite that game's ending. That makes me wonder if they have the cohones to continue the story into HL3 based on HL: Episode 2 or alter the sequel based on HL:Alyx.

There are inconsistencies between the story of Alyx and the story of HL2 among the characters.

I appreciate seeing more Combine technology demonstrations as the environment is extremely detailed and interactive, but I can't help but think the exact same thing could have been accomplished if this was a regular FPS game.
I don't get why you actually think that people don't fact check the things you say. The game is well optimised to run at very high framerates and high resolutions. If your PC is not very powerful then you can always lower the settings (the difference is not big between the settings) or use a cheaper headset like an Oculus Rift S which requires a lower resolution than the Valve Index and also a lower framerate. You also don't need top of the line CPU to run the game, something like the 3600x is more than enough.

With the Valve Index you are essentially targeting 120 FPS at 2880x1600 resolution (1440x1600 per eye) in a game that has very high quality graphics coupled together with a very high interactivity with the items in your scene. It's normal for something like this to require top of the line GPUs if you want Ultra settings.

And for the love of god take that stick out of your ars and stop spoiling the story. At least use a spoiler tag. You know full well that many want to play it and can't yet. The good headsets are sold out everywhere.
 
I don't get why you actually think that people don't fact check the things you say. The game is well optimised to run at very high framerates and high resolutions. If your PC is not very powerful then you can always lower the settings (the difference is not big between the settings) or use a cheaper headset like an Oculus Rift S which requires a lower resolution than the Valve Index and also a lower framerate. You also don't need top of the line CPU to run the game, something like the 3600x is more than enough.

With the Valve Index you are essentially targeting 120 FPS at 2880x1600 resolution (1440x1600 per eye) in a game that has very high quality graphics coupled together with a very high interactivity with the items in your scene. It's normal for something like this to require top of the line GPUs if you want Ultra settings.

And for the love of god take that stick out of your ars and stop spoiling the story. At least use a spoiler tag. You know full well that many want to play it and can't yet. The good headsets are sold out everywhere.

I didn’t spoil the story.

I never used specific details.

I was careful not too use specific details.

As for the technical details of the equipment, I gave my experience. That is all.
 
You sure you actually played the game?

'I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both."

If you played the game, the answer to this should be obvious.

Your previous posts bashing VR lead me to believe this comment is made up. You said less then a week ago:

"Going VR only was probably the biggest mistake they could have possibly made.

What were they thinking?

Where is Half Life 3?

Where is Portal 3?

ALYX could possibly get a FPS mod that allows you to play it just as you would a regular Half Life game. But why wasn't that offered already - especially considering the number of people who would have bought it if it offered both modes?"

Particularly that last paragraph, leads me to believe you in fact don't own VR. The only people I know who think it would be easy to translate hand presence in VR to M&K are those who have never played VR. It doesn't work, it would be fundamentally different.
Agreed - I've played thru it - took me 17 hours to get most of the achievements - super smooth with my 1080, cant wait for the next assignment :)
 
I played through the game in about 12 hours.

You spend the first few hours getting to know the environment and getting comfortable with the equipment.

It's mostly a horror game as you spend a whole lot of time killing zombied people or head crabs or dodging barnacles.

#1 Unless you have the Valve Index VR controller, you don't get the full experience.

#2 Unless you use this with a 2080Ti, you don't get the full experience. It's very choppy on anything under a 1080Ti or better and you have to reduce the settings.

I liked the game, but there's no reason they could not have made a separate FPS experience that didn't require the VR technology. Resident Evil proved you can have both.

As for the story... They seem to treat the ending like a "reboot" following HL: Episode 2, as if they can rewrite that game's ending. That makes me wonder if they have the cohones to continue the story into HL3 based on HL: Episode 2 or alter the sequel based on HL:Alyx.

There are inconsistencies between the story of Alyx and the story of HL2 among the characters.

I appreciate seeing more Combine technology demonstrations as the environment is extremely detailed and interactive, but I can't help but think the exact same thing could have been accomplished if this was a regular FPS game.

The game work just fine with oculus controllers, the catch is you hit up Amazon and pick up a strap for your knuckles, Individual finger control didn't do anything.

Alyx is a VR masterpiece and an example of what can be done in VR, properly while some more interesting things from boneworks could have been used, I feel they did just fine.

A 2060 can handle low a 2070 medium a 2080/1080ti high and a 2080ti for ultra.

Personally you all need to stop whining already, VR has Valve excited to make games again, VR is an evolution of FPS immersion Especially for horror games.

RE 7 was also amazing and helped sell me on VR, but the controls were *** and the interactions limited due to it not being VR only. Also Capcom can go walk off a pier for not releasing it on PC for VR. RE and several other series could actually benefit from being VR only.
 
I didn’t spoil the story.

I never used specific details.

I was careful not too use specific details.

As for the technical details of the equipment, I gave my experience. That is all.
Telling the plot twist at the end is not spoiling the story? Even if you omitted details you just told the most important one.
 
I'm just not jumping on the VR train. Don't need it and don't want it. I'm too old and too old school for VR. I still play with keyboard and mouse, only way I hang. I just have to miss Halflife this time around. Homie don't play VR.
 
I really enjoyed Half Life when it first came out and it's following new version.
I am aware that it also came out on Xbox, but after having multiple surgeries on my right hand leaving a lot of it fused solid, plus also fracturing my left, I find it very painful to hold and operate a console controller when compared to far less pain from a keyboard and mouse - so I was happy it was available on PC.
But then Half Life was dropped from PCs and I I have awaited it's return.
As the years passed, I became more disillusioned and less interested in the game.
Then I heard it was coming out on PC again - WooHoo - started looking forward to it's release.
BUT, then I heard it was going to be VR only
Well that was like the feeling you get when you come home to find your house has been stolen.
I was totally gobsmacked!!
So now it is only for rich people - especially when a decent VR setup here costs at least $2000 (eg - 2020 Valve Index Full VR Kit w/ Half Life Alyx is priced at about $3000 here) and that does not include the PC which would need to cost at least another $2000 to have a hope of giving a good experience.
So who has a spare $4500 to $5000 lying around just to be abe to play a game??
Absolutely STUPID to bring it out for VR only both preventing soo many from playing it and reducing it's profit by a very significant amount.

Even if I did have an Xbox to play earlier versions of Half Life, it is useless with this game because there is no dedicated Xbox VR headset - again proving how moronic their decision making is limiting it only to rich people.

It astounds me why didn't they do as Resident Evil did and cover all the bases and bring out a non VR version???
 
Did you enjoy the review?

I really enjoyed Half Life when it first came out and it's following new version.
I am aware that it also came out on Xbox, but after having multiple surgeries on my right hand leaving a lot of it fused solid, plus also fracturing my left, I find it very painful to hold and operate a console controller when compared to far less pain from a keyboard and mouse - so I was happy it was available on PC.
But then Half Life was dropped from PCs and I I have awaited it's return.
As the years passed, I became more disillusioned and less interested in the game.
Then I heard it was coming out on PC again - WooHoo - started looking forward to it's release.
BUT, then I heard it was going to be VR only
Well that was like the feeling you get when you come home to find your house has been stolen.
I was totally gobsmacked!!
So now it is only for rich people - especially when a decent VR setup here costs at least $2000 (eg - 2020 Valve Index Full VR Kit w/ Half Life Alyx is priced at about $3000 here) and that does not include the PC which would need to cost at least another $2000 to have a hope of giving a good experience.
So who has a spare $4500 to $5000 lying around just to be abe to play a game??
Absolutely STUPID to bring it out for VR only both preventing soo many from playing it and reducing it's profit by a very significant amount.

Even if I did have an Xbox to play earlier versions of Half Life, it is useless with this game because there is no dedicated Xbox VR headset - again proving how moronic their decision making is limiting it only to rich people.

It astounds me why didn't they do as Resident Evil did and cover all the bases and bring out a non VR version???
 
I think some of you need to watch digital foundry's alyx min specs video. you guy's act as if every game should be played on ultra
 
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