Half-Life: Alyx in the Test
You will find it hard to believe, but after almost 13 years, may we with Half-Life: Alyx again in the a long time, lost Shooter-universe – SteamVR-compatible Headset from Index, Vive, Oculus & co. provided. It has a Valve all the prophecies of doom and (parts of)the disappointments of the last few years as a game developer still on it? Oh yeah & damn, it was worth the Wait!
A the same time, first of all: Alyx is not Half-Life 3, not Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and wants to both not be. It takes place five years before the death of Alyx’s father, Eli, at the end of Episode 2. Yes, we have this Info on a Spoiler warning because a) it is Episode 2 already released in 2007 and b) also begins the game with exactly this Information. Alyx Vance, the Sidekick in Half-Life 2 and its episodes 1 & 2 is a young adult, under the Alien rule of the Combine grew up. A certain Gordon Freeman, you know a long time ago, but disappeared since the Invasion by the alien a few years ago without a trace. Together with her father and a few allies, it forms the basis of a slowly, but steadily-growing resistance movement. This seems to win a small victory against the conquerors, as it is a piece manages to capture alien technology. But the reaction of your opponent unexpectedly drops out non-violently. Suddenly, Alyx finds herself on the run from the full Power of the Combine, while her father ends up in captivity.
You get a taste of almost the ashes …
Like Valve and Half-Life used the title, despite the Shooter-roots – quite a Story and, above all, atmosphere up the wazoo. To is the start of the game the same padded and not spilled. Hardly, it slips into the (body-less) gloves of the protagonist standing on a balcony and looks out over the famous City 17 in the direction of the huge (but still under construction) citadel. How impressive that is, not in words, and Screenshots showing only the point of view of an eye and, accordingly, unusually “square” fail to describe – really. Almost childlike joy and fascination then gradually wide, if one starts with the world to interact and realized what little things have been thought of: the packet matches, the (Frou-Frou in the right place), when you shake it next to the virtual ear; the Windows disc, describe with Whiteboard Marker, but with a Finger or sponge and also wipe off again; and, of course, the neighbor’s cat on the balcony two floors down, which startled the Wide addiction, because one smashes a bottle, according to strong. The Half-Liferoots, of course, mean a lot of Action, but in the meantime it is on this, and many other types always invited back, just to (he)research and experiment.
As regards the basic possibilities of VR, not revolutionized it, everything works but incredibly Mature and almost to perfection optimized. The textures are from the close (almost) razor sharp, the frame rate also in liquid with (for VR) mid-class Hardware absolutely. What concerns the movement, support all major and popular versions. If you are prone to simulator sickness, can change via Teleportation or change of location (fast, linear movement) Position and the camera is gradually turning. It belongs, however, to those Happy, in which the balance has not rebelled sense rarely, if at all, you can move fluently via the Controller and/or the camera to rotate freely. Can duck you “in Real”, and also ladders you can pull yourself Hand-over-Hand up – alternatively, a push of a button, the job is done. Only when you Jump to avoid, as a precaution, real movements, here it shows the game via a Controller gesture, where you want to land.
Not without my crowbar?
Sooner or later, conflicts with the Combine soldiers and the people unfriendly Alien can-Fauna in the Form of models of head crabs and Zombies no longer avoid. Who is now the iconic crowbar swing hopes to be, unfortunately, disappointed. Alyx is less martial than their male counterparts and prefer to rely on pistol, Shotgun, and later SMG. In fact, it is thought that in the case of Valve long, also melee weapons such as the red duration of the burner was install with the various implementation variants, but never quite satisfied. Therefore, the cross-hairs shot – without the fixes, by eye, through the sights, and later with laser. Downstream of the semi will load manually: A press of the button ejects the magazine and open the chamber. Over the shoulder in the virtual backpack used, brings you the magazine / cartridges / energy cells, and uses these(s). One more time load and the sled pull back, and the firefight can go further. This works, but only after some Training – even in the hustle and bustle of the fight well. In an emergency, a handle to a rumliege the grenade helps. Sharp and boldly, but with feeling in the direction of the opponent to throw.
Magnetic hands & a multi-tool for all cases
Speaking of throw Grenades: Alyx would not be a true Half-Lifetitle, if you with the physics of the game world and its constituent parts do not interact could be. To grab in addition to the for experienced VR player to the obvious possibilities of objects, carrying, pushing, etc. it is mainly a Pair of special gloves, this is fast becoming one of our most important tools. Not at all narcissistic by its inventor named after himself, the “Russell’s” obviously a way station in the development of the Gravity Gun, we know from part 2. With the palm of your hand in the direction of a (not too large) object point, with the Trigger lock, and with a rapid movement of the wrist, the object flies in the direction of the palm of your hand and can be elegantly out of the air picked. This helps tremendously in the search for ammunition and other resources, and with a little skill you can pilfer unwary opponents, even the one or the other magazine, or the occasional grenade from a distance. In addition, the Mechanics, of course, comes when one or other of the puzzles and Most of all, It’s just fun to leave things on command, flying through the air.
In the course of the game, not less important, but a complete in-house development of the young resistance fighter is your Multitool. This has neither screwdriver of nail file, it scores in the digital domain all the more. The sealed container can be cracked, mines defused and circuits are to be redirected. Usually one of several various Mini needs to be solved-Games. Energy sources must be placed, for example, in the virtual space, that their energy beams go through all the nodes. Other Times it may be necessary to connect multiple points on a rotating spherical surface – unfortunately, but you can hide them, what belongs together, once you get it going again.
VR-exclusivity is a program and not a flaw
Some of the discussions may not be eventually lead to simple: PC vs. console, console vs. console Casual vs. Hardcore … on The subject of VR, for example, often like the price & place for existence, related to, or the Oh-so-bad Outlook for the mass market again and again chewed through. Once again for Reading along: no one, really no one that takes a *serious* with the topic of VR Gaming, that VR will have in its current Form, now or in the next few years, a relevance for the mass market. It is a niche product and will remain there probably for a while. That, however, some inspire, and be ready to invest time and money to no matter whether you are a player on the a or the developer/Publisher on the other hand, may treat those but please just. Valve, for example, is interested in the topic of VR is very, sees this as a (long-term) potential for the future and that is why man has developed this pure VR title. Also, if you will make any money with it, because even optimistic estimated of the title is import costs, never the development. Not least, because you give it away to all of the Valve Index Headset and/or Controller – owner””. Read that right, who ordered an Index Headset or the Index Controller on Steam (), it gets the title at the top.
However, some don’t, of course, that they come without the need for expensive VR Hardware to the train. Understandable, but votes, who think that you should offer a VR-implementation, is necessary to any understanding of the game in Particular and VR in General deny. Without the VR Headset Immersion-related, without the possibilities of the VR Controller and without the appropriate Gameplay, it would be simply a entirely different game. “Door pressing with the Hand a gap; pure peek, before the enemy Horde scare; grenade sharp, pure throwing, and the door can be quickly back to”, for example, not just on mouse & keyboard mapping …
CONCLUSION
No, it is not Half-Life 3, but that is a good thing. Half-Life: Alyx is an independent, full-fledged and especially great (VR)title. It is important to show correctly by Valve for VR, such titles are possible. But no matter how good he is, he, the VR will not run games from your niche. He does not have to but also because, occasionally, developments away from the mass market are necessary, because they are prerequisites for any Form of Innovation and progress.
Of course, no real consolation for those who are not able to play the VR title, or want to, I know. But a final Twist is going to cheer on the rumor mill, what Valve (maybe) still works, again, strong. Also, if the input stresses was what Alyx is NOT, but all somehow together. And now excuse me, a weird guy with a briefcase waiting for me.
What is Half-Life: Alyx? The first Mature and fully-fledged AAA-VR-(Action)-titlePlatforms: PC (+ SteamVR-compatible VR System)
Tested: Version 1.1 on Valve Index
Developer / Publisher: Valve
Release: 23. March 2020
Link: Official Website
