Today I clocked 6 hours playing Half-Life: Alyx. A VR-only game developed by Valve, which is the sequel to Half-Life 2 (Released November 16, 2004).
I learned so much about VR playing this game. Half-Life: Alyx was way more entertaining and more immersive than I thought it would be. You just can’t imagine how it is like playing such big VR game, you need to experience it yourself in virtual reality and feel it yourself.
It felt like a completely different game than anything I’ve played before. The natural hand interactions, the enhanced photorealism, the sense of immediate danger and threat, the personal gameplay experience when you see NPCs starring you in the face, the sense of scale in virtual reality, the two-hand interactions using the Oculus Quest 2 controllers and so much more.
It a game that might seem very much familiar, but it feels and plays like no other Half-Life game you played before. Yes, there is of course the sense of connection with the theme, the gameplay mechanics, but it was designed from the ground up for VR.
What this means is that the gameplay experience itself is designed to match the medium. It might not feel responsive as a non-VR game, but Valve made sure that in return, you’ll get a VR gaming experience that you’ll never forget. You give up a bit of control comfort, at least at first, but in return you gain so much more.
It triggers so many emotions that I haven’t felt in a game before. It made me feel scared, threatened, isolated—in a way that was new to me in a video game.
This is virtual reality, a new medium that helps deliver unique gameplay experiences. Experienced that tells a story in a much more immersive, fascinating, personal and more cinematic way–at least when it comes to Half-Life: Alyx.
For me, if I knew how good it is playing Half-Life: Alyx in virtual reality (VR), I would have bought a headset for this game. But I didn’t know and no other gameplay video I’ve seen could have helped me comprehend how good it is.
Yes, I only played 6 hours but I am blown away by anything I do in this game. It is revolutionary, VR is revolutionary, and I hope more will understand how exciting this technology is and give it a shot.