Half-Life: Alyx

Hands down the best VR game out there! Everything about the game was just amazing, the combat, the soundtrack, the visuals, the interactions! The cutscenes were honestly so fascinating!

Bravo valve, always making the best games out there!
Half life is my most favorite franchise and playing this was just an honor. The story was great aswell.

If you have a VR i'd heavily recommend to play this game, IT'S A MUST! Especially if you're a half life fan!
Hope Valve continues making those kinds of games because they are always so well done.

PROS

It's not often that scenes in a game give me goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach. Some of the set pieces in Half-Life Alyx stunned me. In the first opening scene, I just stood there for about 15 minutes looking over a balcony at City 17 and the Citadel with my jaw dropped. As I play the game, I feel compelled to take my time, to observe the richness and detail of the world. Something as mundane as picking up a piece of litter like a beer bottle or floppy disk and being able to read the text on it makes the world feel so much more rich and tangible.

To date, this is the most high production-value and polished VR game I've ever played. The visual fidelity and richness is absolutely stunning. The sound design. The atmosphere. The voice acting. The level designs. The character designs. The smoothness of gameplay. Everything is top-tier. I truly feel like I'm immersed in a cinematic experience.

CONS

I will say, it's a pretty linear and simple shooter in the classic Half-Life formula plus a pinch of very simple resource hunting and crafting. You progress through the levels in a linear fashion, solving some world/physics puzzles. That's not really a con in my view. Just don't expect "revolutionary" gameplay. It's nothing new shooter-wise or Half-Life-wise except that it's wrapped in a super immersive and rich VR experience.

Even though this is the best-looking, polished and complete VR experience to date, it is showing its age. Some of the VR-specific mechanics do feel a bit dated in their design compared to more modern VR experiences.

Switching weapons/tools is a matter of navigating a sub-menu interface on your hand, rather than actually holstering/unholstering them off your body, which more modern VR games have figured out.

Pistol magazines cannot be filled between firefights, so if you want to conserve ammo, you're stuck having to go into firefights with partially filled mags or having to discard those mags entirely if you want a fully loaded gun before the next firefight.

You can move around freely and have the option for continuous turning (snap turning is the default). BUT, there is no jumping unfortunately. So to mount platforms, you're stuck with using a "teleport" movement mechanic (which breaks immersion in my opinion), or a clunky vaulting mechanic.

A weird performance quirk: I found that the frame rate takes a big hit if the game window is focused. This is particularly apparent when I'm trying to play the game at 120 fps. If the game window is focused, the fps will drop and fluctuate between 60 and 90 fps. Just make sure to click outside of the game window to fix the issue.

SETUP

I play on a Quest 3, tethered to my PC (5800X3D, 4070 Ti), at 2064x2208 per eye, 120 Hz & fps. Ultra settings. I really recommend settling for nothing less than that. This game NEEDS to be experienced at its full potential. I tried playing wirelessly, but it just doesn't look as crisp and fluid. A word of warning, trying to get this game to run on a Quest 3 at 2064x2208 @ 120 Hz is a bit finicky and unstable. I got it to work reliably enough, but you could always settle for 90 Hz instead for peace of mind.

Half-Life Alyx is the Best VR Game I've Played!

Half-Life Alyx set a new benchmark for VR gaming, taking full advantage of the medium's immersive potential. One standout moment is when you have to literally cover your mouth to avoid alerting Jeff, a terrifying enemy in the campaign. This kind of interaction showcases the depth of immersion VR can provide, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.

Exploration in the game is incredibly satisfying. Interacting with objects feels natural and engaging. Thanks to the excellent physics system, every object behaves as you’d expect, reinforcing the physicality of the world and making even small details a joy to engage with.

The graphics are another highlight, designed specifically with VR in mind. Everything is meticulously detailed, with high-polygon models and ultra-high-resolution textures that hold up beautifully when viewed up close. It’s a visual treat that enhances the sense of presence in the game.

Combat is both fun and challenging, but what truly stands out is the intimate interaction with your weapons. Managing your arsenal feels tactile and rewarding, turning even simple actions like reloading into a satisfying challenge in its own right.

While the story is mostly okay, it’s Russell who steals the show. His humor and charm keep the game from feeling monotonous, making him an indispensable part of the experience. The ending, however, is where the game surprised me, delivering a revolutionary twist for the Half-Life franchise. It leaves me hopeful for a future game that builds on its groundbreaking conclusion. I hope that someday we can see the Half-Life franchise blossom once again! 😊

In every sense, Half-Life Alyx is a masterpiece of VR gaming.

*THE* VR game, I don't think I've yet played another VR game like this, even something like boneworks doesn't compare. The environments are gorgeously detailed with lots of interactivity, and fun combat. People have said that the combat is kind of slow which I agree with, but it's understandable as this is most likely many's first introduction to VR, I believe a sequel with more challenging combat would do wonders. Otherwise though, the game is incredible, if you have the means to play it you should, this is honestly a really strong reason to get VR.

What an incredible experience I've had with this game. My very first experience to VR in general and I understand now what the hype has been about. And I totally get why people want another VR game made by Valve. 100% must play whenever you're able to get a VR Headset.

Justifies buying VR. Especially comfy with the index controllers or anything with finger tracking, but do what you can. If you can. VR is NOT cheap.
Also, some people get motion sickness. But you gotta do your best to work through it in order to use the actual walking option instead of teleporting. It's the proper way to play the game, in my opinion.

Honestly i'm shocked with how good this game is. Played HL1 back in the day, liked it. Completed HL2 (quite recently), liked it even more. Here, i'm not sure if i'm half-way through the game, but i love it so far! Transported into VR world, great graphics, cool mechanics, amazing...

I wonder if HL3 will have VR support, or if its going to be played on desktop... idk, future will tell.
now that said, GO GET THAT DAMN GAME (if you have VR)

Genuinely a great game. Really shows what is possible with the immense immersion of VR.

Great game serve as entrance for any VR newcomer as Valve does the best job imo at introduce nearly anything you can do with the headset.

"A linear sequence of scares." The most Half-Life quote to ever describe Half-Life.

But this game isn't half life, this is a whole different philosophy with a Half-Life skin. In a game where the line between linear story game and on-rail arcade shooter is blurred, a game where you can't even choose when to turn off your flash light, or get this, my favorite, the first Half-Life game where they use an invisible wall to stop you from entering an otherwise accessible hallway. "Can't go through here, it's too dark."

This ignores everything else. This ignores the main gameplay loop being looking behind trash cans and rummaging drawers for magic rocks between everything else. This ignores the constant fight between the player and the controls, this ignores the benign "puzzles" or the baffling aspect of why the Combine would secure their devices with classics such as "match the shapes"... Or immersion questions like why does Alyx not need a hazmat suit in a quarantine zone with walls made of flesh and rot.

I have much more to say but in the end I'm just tired. Not looking forward to finishing the game as of now, feels a lot more like chores and a lot of frustration instead of fun.

VALVE, please make more VR games. I’ve already sacrificed my dignity, sleep schedule, and most of my living room furniture. What’s a few more hours of hitting walls, awkward flailing, and taking my neighbor’s sanity along with mine in the name of immersive gaming?

Likely the peak of VR gaming. One of the most memorable and unique experiences I have ever had with a game. My time with it reminds me of playing Super Mario 64 as a kid. It is a game changing experience and I wish more people could play this game.

In my opinion the best VR game ever hands down and up there in one of the best games in general, incredible story with innovative game play for VR. Not to mention this games visuals, absolutely incredible scenery and art direction and listening to the dev logs really gives you an insight on the process. Great game, an absolute must play if you have a VR headset

Can't wait for Half-Life 3

I would say this game is something next level.

Valve's dedication to quality and every tiny detail never ceases to amaze me. Immersion is unreal, I havent seen anything like this before. Seeing City 17 with your own eyes (as close as it gets) is something everybody should experience in some time. If you are thinking to step into the VR, I wouldnt think twice, even Alyx alone is worth getting into the VR.

I have brushed my teeth in this game, I took a sh*t in the construction cabin and uhm bunch of other weird things I prefer not to say. You can interact with every object, literally rendered and exists in games physics.

Perfection!

gameplay is so fucking good i love it and the story matches. also insanely cool visuals especially when you first boot up and get to see the city from above along with some insane visuals during the ending. 10/10 will for sure come back with a better headset

This is still, without a doubt, the most polished VR game on the market. The weapons are fun to use, the gravity gloves make a lot of sense and feel intuitive, the exploration, puzzles and overall interactivity is on top. There are also accessability options too for things like ladders and locomotion, which is very nice.

My only complaint is the lack of a melee weapon. Valve said that it didn't feel satisfying in testing but trying out the crowbar in the VR mods for Half Life 1 and 2 disproves that, in my opinion.

TLDR-Thoroughly mindblowing from start to finish and something that anyone with a VR headset absolutely needs to experience.
One of the best games I've ever played and the only downside is that it will ruin any other VR game in comparison.

Half Life Alyx is simply mindblowing.
The first and most obvious thing you'll notice is the detail, it's painstakingly done to the best possible effect.
Every object you pick up looks and feels real.
All the environments too.
Bottles for example are super impressive.
The liquid in them behaves and reacts just how you would expect it to, and they're super fun to smash! :D
Even old newspapers will fold depending on how you hold them.
And the glass, oh sweet Jesus the glass.
The people responsible for programming and designing how glass breaks deserve an award for that alone.
So much fun and SO realistic.
Taking objects and throwing them through windows?
Super satisfying.
Realizing you can pistol whip windows to break them?
Next level satisfying.
I would detour to break every window I could find after that.
I had a similar revelation shooting padlocks.
Instead of aiming down the sights I realized I could just push the barrel of the pistol right up against the padlock and shoot.
There a lot of cool things in this game that are only possible in VR and this just scratches the surface.
The puzzles are a good example, they require manipulating objects in 3D space in a way that can only be done in VR and they're a visual marvel too.
Even the act of modifying weapons is super fun and an incredible sight to behold in VR.
There's a number of objects that are so cool and detailed, I would take time to just stop and admire them from every possible angle.
The sound design is classic Half Life and even more immersive in VR.
Anything you throw sounds the way it should sound, hell you can pick up a bottle, shake it and hear the liquid inside.
The guns sound great, the voice acting is superb, just immpeccable all the way around.
The gameplay is nothing short of amazing.
Exhilarating firefights that left me sweating and feeling like a total badass afterwards.
Hectic moments like when I was just about to land the killshot on a headcrab only to realize I was out of ammo and had to frantically reload and dodge while it pounced through the air.
The weapons all feel great to use and are satisfying to reload too.
But everything comes back to the gravity gloves.
Want to feel like Luke Skywalker snatching his lightsaber with the force?
You got it!
And it informs everything you do, from simple searching to snatching a grenade out of the air to toss back or picking a magazine back up off the floor that you dropped trying to reload after being ambushed by an enemy.
All the love and attention to detail truly culminate in the most immersive game I've ever experienced.
I lost track of the amount of times I encountered something so cool, all I could do was laugh.
I always thought my top 5 games of all times was unshakable, but Half Life Alyx has given me reason to reconsider.
I could continue to gush endlessly, but at the risk of venturing into spoiler territory I'll pick one moment out of many that stuck with me.

I dropped down onto a catwalk/scaffolding that was about 8 feet off the ground below, next to a wall that ended just above where I was standing.
I could hear a zombie but couldn't see it so I squatted down to look under the wall and found the zombie on the floor below.
Lined up a shot and took the zombie out, but I could still hear noises.
Still squatted down, I cross over to my other side to see another zombie.
I take it out too, but this one's headcrab is still alive and before I can get a shot off, it leaps up at me!
It narrowly misses and I can see it's claws dragging off the edge of the catwalk I'm squatted on before it falls back down to the floor below.
As it rolls over, ready to strike again I finish it off with the last bullet in my pistol.

Now in reality, I'm standing in the middle of my kitchen, sweating and squatted and pointing my controller at the floor and shooting down at another floor below me that doesn't exist.
But in that moment?
I WAS on that catwalk shooting down into a headcrab that had almost pounced on me from the floor below.
When I stood up, I was slightly shaking and had to take a break.

The hype is real and what they say is true.
The only downside to Half Life Alyx is that it will ruin any other VR game in comparison.
It's the true gold standard of what a VR game can and should be.
You've been warned.

The ending for this game gave me goosbumps, its probaly the best story game ive ever played, its like number 1 in my story game list above boneowkrs and bonelab. I do recommend that you mod the game after you finish the story i love gun man contracts.

Potuzhna game, have all achievements. But don’t do only for VR again.

Best vr game I've ever played hands down

Gun play is immaculate

The way the hands feel is very jank and floaty at first, but you really do get used to it after some time

9.9/10 vr game

Finished it today and by far one of the most prettiest vr games that I had ever played. Highly recommend to anyone who likes the Half Life series and wants to try a new story and be in the action.

Best VR game I've ever played.....This is a must for your collection.

This game gives you that feeling of emptiness after the end. The need to play more of this franchise can't be met however, due to half life 3 most likely never coming out. In the mean time, i will probably replay this game with different mods

I’ve tried many different VR games since playing Half-Life: Alyx for the first time. While some of them improved on individual aspects, I don’t think any have surpassed Alyx as a complete package.

The first reason is its presentation and visuals. Some areas in the game are so photorealistic that, if not for the limitations of current VR hardware, it would be hard to distinguish them from reality. The attention to detail in the art and level design is incredible, with so many atmospheric, lived-in environments. You find yourself just standing there, in awe, thinking, “Yeah, I can totally see people living here, it feels completely real.” This is especially true if you’re from Eastern Europe and have seen many places like this in real life.

The same goes for gameplay and interactivity - most games I’ve played since feel lacking in comparison. The amount of thought, ingenuity, and playtesting that went into every feature and interaction is astonishing. Simple mechanics, like grabbing items with the gravity gloves, are so satisfying and fun that after hours of playing, I caught myself wishing I could do that in real life 😂

The game offers a perfect blend of varied gameplay scenarios, stunning locations, and engaging character interactions, all of which culminate in a deeply fulfilling and memorable experience. If Half-Life: Alyx ends up being the game that helps Valve break free from the trap of high expectations and leads to a continuation of the main series, its significance will only grow with time

amazing gun play the sights are a lil wonky but you can get a laser site that makes up for it enemies do some good dmg sometimes but that makes you use your cover so on u if you die tbh feels rewarding to look around and the space at which you get your gun is very well paced all around great game and changed my perspective on gaming for sure best vr game ever and maybe one of the best games ive played ever tbh

I am very late to the party. I have already played many Quest games and almost everything from the Rift Store. The big blockbusters like Asgard’s Wrath, Lone Echo, Batman Arkham VR, Arizona Sunshine 1 & 2, etc. However, I had skipped HL Alyx until now. Often you read about supposed Alyx killers, like the current Batman game. But don’t believe it, Alyx is still in a league of its own! And I hate horror games. But I could play Alyx well; it’s not a terror game but rather atmospheric without cheap jump scares. The gunplay is unmatched, and graphically it’s still top tier. The game was available for €20, and I finally grabbed it. It would have been worth the €60 easily! So, people, BUY IT.

5 years and 1000 vr games later, nothing have surpassed the bar raised by Half Life Alyx in the VR industry

The game reminds us that VR Immersion isn't just about Feeling like you're in the game, its also about BEING THERE

Amazing VR game. played through it 2ce. Now im dusting of these mods for the first time. EPIC! cant wait

It's nearly 2025 and this game is still ahead of it's time.
Nothing has come along and knocked it off the top spot after nearly 5 years.
Played though the game many times and the workshop mods are also amazing.

Great game serve as entrance for any VR newcomer as Valve does the best job imo at introduce nearly anything you can do with the headset.

~ GAMEPLAY~

✅ Very good
🔲 Good
🔲 It's just gameplay
🔲 Mehh
🔲 Watch paint dry instead
🔲 Just don't


~ DIFFICULTY ~

🔲 My 90 year old grandma could play it
🔲 Easy
✅ Normal (Customizable)
🔲 Hard
🔲 Hardcore


~ AUDIENCE ~

🔲 Kids
✅ Teens
✅ Adults


~ GRAPHICS ~

🔲 MS Paint
🔲 Bad
🔲 Meh
🔲 Graphics dont matter in this game
🔲 Good
🔲 Beautiful
✅ You forget what reality is


~ MUSIC ~

🔲 Bad
🔲 Not special
✅ Good
🔲 Beautiful


~ VOICE ACTING ~

🔲 No voice acting
🔲 Oblivionly bad
🔲 Acceptable
🔲 Good
✅ Pure talent


~ STORY ~

🔲 No Story
🔲 Some lore
🔲 Average
🔲 Good
✅ Lovely
🔲 It'll replace your life


~ PRICE ~

🔲 Free
🔲 Underpriced
✅ Perfect Price
🔲 Could be cheaper
🔲 Overpriced
🔲 Complete waste of money


~ REQUIREMENTS ~

🔲 You can run it on a microwave
🔲 Average
✅ High end (For max settings.)
🔲 NASA computer


~ GAME TIME ~

🔲 Long enough for a cup of coffee
🔲 Short
✅ Average
🔲 Long
🔲 To infinity and beyond


~ GRIND ~

✅ Nothing to grind
🔲 Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
🔲 Isn't necessary to progress
🔲 Average grind level
🔲 Too much grind
🔲 You'll need a second life for grinding


~ BUGS ~

✅ Never heard of
🔲 Minor Bugs
🔲 Can get annoying
🔲 ARK: Survival Evolved
🔲 The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs



~ TOTAL ~

🔲 1
🔲 2
🔲 3
🔲 4
🔲 5
🔲 6
🔲 7
🔲 8
🔲 9
✅ 10

Still waiting for HL3...

A must-play for everyone. This game is an experience. There's action, adventure, story, mystery, horror. Oh and the physics engine is a lot of fun.

Went back and replayed this after acquiring a Quest 3 with its amazing lenses and discovered so many little details I missed the first time around, most notably the fact you can see an outline of Gordon's glasses slightly obscuring your vision during the post-credits scene.

Best game ever. We need more AAA VR titles, like now! This game wants me to become a developer.

Honestly even four and a half years later, this game should be everyone's introduction to VR Gaming, Insane how well it holds up in a rapidly developing industry like VR. The Graphics, Level Design, VR Mechanic designs should be the basis for all future developers on how to make VR Games, the exact same way the First Half-Life and Half-Life 2 where for video game development.

Might possibly be the best videogame I have ever played. Half-Life 2 and it's episodes are masterpieces, and in my opinion, Half-Life 2 is the best game ever made. Half-Life Alyx is right up there with it though. I played with the NO VR Mod and my experience was excellent, if not a bit strange at first. Can't wait to play this again with a VR rig at some point. Absolute Masterpiece, 10/10.

VR perfection. The only unfortunate part is that it was the first full game I've played since getting VR and I'm confident that nothing else will ever live up to HLA. If that's the case, it's still worth it!

Incredible atmosphere, graphics, physics... but I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed with the overall interactivity the player has with the environment.

It's really frustating not being able to use the scene's items as improvised weapons (there aren't even melee weapons) or having to select through the hand controller the weapon do you want to use instead of grabbing them directly from your body; that means selected weapons will be sticked to your hand even if you don't press the common grab button.
This both features were implemented way after release of HL: Alyx by INDIE games as Pavlov, Boneworks or Blade & Sorcery.

I recommend playing it, it's a really enjoyable game, but the lack of real interactivity, not just moving, grabbing and throwing objects (WOW!), really frustrates me.

Great game and the graphics are awesome! It does make you feel like you are there.

very good vr game, makes you shit your pants every time a zombie or combine spots you, but after a while it just begins randomly crashing your game

4 years later and this is still THE best VR experience, and by far unfortunately.
Whenever a new hyped VR game comes out I'm like "yeah its good, but it is nowhere near Alyx good".

This is the best VR game ever made. It is the Half Life 2 of its generation. By playing this you are literally saving poor Laszlo and he no longer dies in HL2.

I feel like this review is redundant but I can't not give this game praise. It's the single most impressive, enjoyable gaming experience I've ever had. Nothing has ever come even close to the excitement and wonder I felt when playing this game. The main story is only around 8-9 hours long, it took me around 19 hours. This just goes to show how impressive the environments are, it really makes you want to explore every little nook and cranny. I'd pick up a 9 volt battery and just marvel at how detailed the textures are and how amazingly they react to the ambient lighting.

Half Life: Alyx doesn't have the strongest story of all time, and it's got issues here and there but the sheer amazing gameplay and fun makes up for any shortcomings. It also has a pretty big impact on the Half Life universe, and it pretty much confirms Half Life 3 (or Episode 3).

It's a really hard decision but I genuinely feel like Half Life Alyx might be the best game I've ever played. No other game has given me such feelings. No other game has offered such immersive experiences. I've never forgotten entirely about the outside world and been FULLY immersed in a video game for hours on end like I have in Alyx. I might be 4 years late but I'm so glad to have experienced this masterpiece.

10/10

This is the "Super Mario 64" of VR games. When Super Mario 64 - and the Nintendo 64 - originally released, for many people it was their first time getting into 3D games. It was revolutionary, and near-perfect right out of the gate. Similarly, Half-Life: Alyx sets the bar for what VR should do. I played this game 4 years after it came out, and it still feels like Half-Life: Alyx is a few years ahead of any other VR games.

I don't consider my gaming PC to be cutting-edge, and I have one of the cheapest VR headsets on the market. I had no prior experience to VR whatsoever, yet not only did this game give me my VR legs, it introduced me to a level of technology and fidelity that I did not believe was possible. In addition to an incredible story with great voice acting and writing, the entire game has been designed for VR, and includes accessibility options, developer commentary, challenging achievements, and full Steam Workshop support for custom content.

While expensive, the cost of buying a VR headset, extra battery headband, prescription lenses, and a new router for true PCVR over WiFi was worth it for the experience of Half-Life: Alyx alone, and there are enough other VR titles to keep me satisfied until another bombshell of a game like this releases. In the meantime, Half-Life 2 and its DLCs have also been ported to VR with assets from Alyx, and are equally good experiences.

Very good graphics, and a long campain so looking for a good long game here it is

One of the Best in the Making!
This game had me in shock and awe of how much I felt I was in the Half-Life world you are playing as the charectar as Alyx Vance hence the title of the game. And you are fighting against the combine and the zombies head hoppers etc. This will have the player on the edge of you seat the entire time and have you fully immersed the entire way that you play this. These games that they make and push out never have me dissapointed and have been a Half-Life fan ever since the day of the first one released. As always amazing job Develpers I will be patiently waiting for the next one to come out to pre-order again. I highly recommend this game and ONLY because of the shelf life of this being out I would grab it on a sale either way amazing game to play and most definitly replayable.

My first VR title as a long time Half-Life fan and I'm absolutely stunned how good this game is. Now all other VR games will be measured to this one and my guess is all of those will fail to amaze me.
I hope I will live long enough to play through HL3 eventually, but if that will be anything near this, I'll be satisfied.

Been playing videogames since the Atari days and let me tell you that Alyx is one of those major leaps in gaming. It's like a super mario 64 moment.Absolutely phenomenal games that everyone should play. Get yourself a VR headset and play this game asap. I played using the PSVR2 and it's just mind blowing

this is how VR should be done...makes me sad

successful Half Live successor, brilliant work with VR mechanics, good graphic/performance ratio, mod support...what more can i ask for? More games like this...f**k meta "destroyer of vr"

The go-to game for everyone in VR, new or old.

I usually find it hard to replay a game, but after replaying the game on hard, I have to say it's absolutely worth it! This game is another one of those valve classics you just can't get enough of. Added onto that they're is a lot of workshop content to play through as well!

Very solid VR game.