Half-Life: Alyx is Valve’s first major release in years and it looks to have Valve’s seal of quality as it’s reviewing incredibly well. We only received our review code overnight, so our review will be a while off, but so far, it’s sitting at a 93 on Metacritic with glowing reviews all around.
Reviewers across the board all agreed that it’s a worthy entry into the Half-Life series, but also VR’s killer app, bringing together a number of used and new VR mechanics in order to create a fully-fledged AAA VR experience.
VG247 gave it a 10/10 and said: Alyx has been the last week of my life, switching between this virtual reality world and the horror of our actual existence. In a week where we’ve had all the time to do what we want, it’s been hard to do anything but think. Alyx is the only thing that has grabbed my attention away, like an alien barnacle waiting high above with a hungry mouth and a sticky tongue.
IGN gave it a 10/10 and said: Half-Life: Alyx has set a new bar for VR in interactivity, detail, and level design, showing what can happen when a world-class developer goes all-in on the new frontier of technology.
Game Informer gave it a 9/10 and said: Half Life: Alyx is a must-play game worthy of the series’ legacy. Despite some puzzles and encounters that feel like filler, the overall experience is strong. The stunning setpieces, beautiful world, and smart writing stand out no matter the medium, and mark a return to form for Valve. If you were waiting for a killer app before you made the investment into virtual reality, this is it.
PCWorld gave it a 9/10 and said: Half-Life: Alyx isn’t quite as revolutionary as you might hope, particularly if you’re already well-versed in virtual reality, but it’s undoubtedly one of the best games on the platform and hopefully the start of a resurgence for both the series and the hardware.
USGamer gave it a 9/10 and said: Half-Life: Alyx is billed as a VR return to the series, and that’s exactly what it delivers. It does what Half-Life has historically done well, and without the clouding of nostalgia or unhelpful notions of what constitutes “revolutionary” design, it ranks alongside Half-Life 2. It is a full-length VR experience that both needs to be in VR, but that uses the tech to more strongly evoke the same feelings you got with a mouse and keyboard years ago. There are some small flaws that are no more annoying than over-long sewer odysseys or having to crouch jump were in past games, and its spectacle hits the hardest of any in the series. It sets Half-Life up for a compelling future—here’s hoping we see it.
Gamespot gave it a 9/10 and said: Half-Life: Alyx proves that almost everything the franchise did best is elevated by VR: the environmental puzzles that require a keen eye, the threat of a headcrab jumping for your face, the cryptic storytelling. The series’ staples are as great as ever here, and in its most powerful moments, Half-Life: Alyx confidently shows you why it couldn’t have been done any other way.
In order to play Half-Life Alyx: you need the HTV Vive/Pro, an Oculus Rift/S/Quest (Quest will also need a Link compatible cable and a VR ready PR), Windows Mixed Reality headsets or a Valve Index (which currently isn’t available to purchase in Australia).
