Summary
Valvefinally launched a newHalf-Lifegame in 2020 after 13 years of waiting withAlyx, and while it wasn’t Half-Life 3, it’s still vital to the series' future. The issue is that VR and the gaming rig you need to run it are wildly expensive, so not everyone has had a chance to try the game out.
I won’t delve into spoilers, but ifthe Half-Life X leaksare true and a new game is underway, it’ll be incredibly confusing without the context of Alyx. Thankfully, fans have made it completely playable from start to finish without the need of a VR headset.
DubbedHalf-Life: Alyx NoVR, this fan-made conversion has become the most-popular game on ModDB amidstthe new Project White Sand and HLX rumours. It’s aiming for a 1.0 release by the end of the year, with a few goals still being worked on such as making the final six achievements unlockable and adding new animations to Alyx for the health station. But even though it isn’t completely finished, you can play through the game on your desktop just as you wouldHalf-Life 2.
Half-Life: Alyx Can Even Be Played On Steam Deck
The best part of this mod is that it’s Steam Deck compatible, so you may play Alyx on the go. It takes some fiddling with the Linux desktop and control setup, but it’s perfectly achievable and there are even instructions on the mod’s GitHub.
Half-Life: Alyx is currently $20.39, so there’s no better time to try out this mod.
It’s an unbelievably impressive feat, even winning Mod of the Year in 2023 from both the editors and players. Of course, the game is intended to be played in VR and it’s an incredible experience, but for those who can’t afford it or simply find virtual reality too nausea-inducing, now you can finally step back into the Combine dystopia for another adventure after over a decade of waiting.
Half-Life: Alyx
WHERE TO PLAY
Half-Life: Alyx focuses on Alyx Vance, companion to Gordon Freeman in Half-Life 2, in a story that takes place five years before her appearance in that game. Developed solely for VR headsets, it is ia FPS game that was launched to great acclaim.
