The wait is over. Strap your headset on, grab your controllers, and warm up your shooting arm. Half-Life: Alyx is officially out (!) and ready to be played! If you followed the smart advice from Valve and downloaded this game last Friday, this game is ready to be played this very moment. If you didn’t, you’ll have to wait through the 50ish GB download this morning.
This is the biggest VR game release of all time. Yes, virtual reality is still young in number of years, but no release has seen this hype yet. Beat Saber is a fantastic game, but it was on the market well before it gained the respect is has right now. Pistol Whip was highly anticipated, but it wasn’t on this level.
It takes a lot for us to get truly excited about one certain VR game. Between motion sickness, unfinished mechanics, and hard-to-understand interactions, it can be a challenge to love one specific FPS in VR. HLA seems like it is the perfect mix of everything, and we truly have been excited about this game more than any other title.
Price and Size
This game costs a light $60. This is the same price you are going to find most high-end console games. You will rarely find a VR game this price, but we don’t feel like this is going to be a rip off in the slightest. Once you jump into your new world posing as Alyx, you are going to realize than Valve created a game worth your hard-earned money.
As for the size of the game, you’re looking at something well over 50 GBs. The original file is 48 GB, but there are so many little add-ons you’ll need you’ll be taking up more. This download could take 30 quick minutes if you’re wired into great internet, but if you are on some questionable WiFi, you’ll need at least a few hours to get this game up and running on your PC.
Jumping In
What headset should you be using? Do you have the Valve Index? Use it. If you don’t, use your best PC VR headset. Some may only have one though, so use it. If its the Oculus Rift S, look to buy a Valve Index. We know not all can splurge on that right now, so look at the Cosmos Elite. If neither of those are inside your price range, the Rift S will get the job done. With that being said, Valve has made it clear that this game is going to work best on the high-end PC headsets.
The last thing you want to do, if you have the option to avoid, is start playing this game on your Oculus Quest via the Link Cable. It won’t be awful, but you likely won’t be getting the experience you want or Valve wants you to have. Focus on getting your best headset with this game.
It is live now, so go play Half-Life: Alyx right now! For more VR news and HLA updates, make sure to check back at VRGear.com.
