Highly anticipated: VR gamers don't have many truly-amazing system sellers to brag about (though there are a few – Beat Saber and Boneworks, for example), but that might change in the near future. Half-Life: Alyx, Valve's VR-focused return to the Half-Life franchise, finally has a specific release date: March 23.

We've always known the game would launch in March, but Valve kept the exact day under wraps – given how many other Q1 and Q2 launches have been delayed, the company's silence wasn't exactly encouraging.

Fortunately, we can push those fears to the side now. Half-Life: Alyx is very unlikely to get pushed back at this point, and from what we've seen so far, the game looks pretty great. Sure, it's not Half-Life 2: Episode 3, but it's still a prequel to a beloved franchise, with some neat-looking gameplay mechanics to boot.

Of course, given its VR exclusivity, not everybody will be able to get their hands on it, due to either budget constraints or motion sickness issues (I fall into the latter camp). Regardless, those with the means to play Half-Life: Alyx are certainly excited about the opportunity to step into the shoes of one of this series' most well-known characters.

Throughout the game, players will explore the world of City 17, fight off both human and alien enemies, solve puzzles, and experience an "intricately woven," 15-hour (or so) story campaign.

Valve hopes that the VR platform will allow players to reach greater depths of immersion with Alyx. You'll be physically rifling through items on a shelf to find a specific object, manually aiming your pistol at enemies, and interacting with your environment in ways you simply wouldn't be able to on a traditional console or PC.

If any of that sounds like your cup of tea and you happen to have a VR headset, you can pre-order Half-Life: Alyx now on Steam for $53.99. If your Half-Life lore is a bit rusty, the existing games are free-to-play until Alyx's launch.