Just three days ago, Valve Software’s Twitter got active for the first time ever. They said that they were planning on revealing something they have been working on for years. Their first full VR game with the name of Half-Life: Alyx. Yes, this is an extension of the original Half-Life campaigns, and the story will continue right where everything left off; frozen in time.
Today was the day that we finally got to check the official trailer out and some of the screenshots. You can check out the official trailer below.
This trailer gave us the chills, and if it didn’t give you the chills, maybe you didn’t watch it all the way through. To describe the hype this 110-second trailer gives out, we would use ‘WOW’. This game has clearly been in the works for some time, and the developers have put together a game that is worth getting excited about. There is a lot going on with this game right now, and we couldn’t be more excited to cover it for you guys.
Half-Life: Alyx Release Date
We don’t have a specific day to expect this game to come out yet, but we do have a month to look forward to. March 2020 is going to be the month we are going to get this game. A lot of big VR titles and developers are reluctant to announce even a month, as these projects often get pushed back and hit unexpected bumps in the road. This isn’t saying Valve won’t have those problems, but it seems like they are planning for them. This game will likely be done in January, and will have a couple of months to build up hype and market the game.
What Can I Play Half-Life: Alyx On?
Half-Life is going to be released on the Steam Store, but you won’t be getting this game for your PC. In fact, this game won’t get any compatibility for the flatscreen and it won’t be getting it in the future after the release either. This is going to be a virtual reality exclusive game. You will be able to play the newest chapter of Half-Life on any Steam supported virtual reality headset. Those will be listed out below, and it is subject to change as more headsets are released and upgraded.
- Valve Index
- HTC Vive
- Vive Cosmos
- Windows Mixed Reality
- Oculus Rift Platform
- Oculus Quest (with Oculus Link)
Any other VR headset that you have found that is compatible with Steam is going to be able to play this game, but it won’t be optimized for the game if it isn’t on the list above. If there is another big release between now and then from another big company, it will likely be ready to play Half-Life upon release.
How Do You Play Half-Life: Alyx?
If you are a fan of virtual reality but understand the limitations without being blind to the glaring issues, you are going to love the options that Valve has announced for playing their newest Half-Life. One of the problems in the latest big VR titles is the lack of customization in the play style. Many players are different in their preferred way of movement and playing.
Newer players enjoy the calm and comfortable way to play, as some of the more experienced VR players with an iron stomach won’t mind being tossed around in VR as long you are able to get from point A to point B quickly.
There are multiple ways to play this game with different mechanisms. As for the room setup, this Valve hit game will be allowing you to play from room-scale, sitting, and standing. All three options will immerse you as much as you allow them to, and each will be equally as fun. We don’t know how much room-scale is going to change the way you move in this game, but we do know that you will be able to walk around in the virtual world.
Controls
As for the controller options for this game, you have plenty. If you are playing with a controller that has a dedicated grip button, the game will know that and be optimized for it. If you are using the Valve Controllers, the game will work perfectly with the finger tracking that has been built into them. This is going to give you every option when playing this game to be immersed and have fun with your current setup.
Player Movement
The biggest topic, the movement, is going to be pretty good we suspect. You have three options in this game, and they are all great. Teleport, shift, and continuous are going to be the three to choose from. Teleport is just like any other teleportation game, but we don’t know how it will orient us when we do teleport. As for the shift, this one is a little newer. You simply choose where you want to go, press a button, and you will quickly zoom right over there.
Lastly, we have the continuous. This is going to be featuring the analog stick and is the more common way to move in video games. Although many people don’t prefer this way of moving inside virtual reality, it is going to be an option for anyone who buys this game.
How Much Will Half-Life: Alyx Cost?
The cost of Half-Life: Alyx is going to be $59.99. This game is a full virtual reality title and it is going to be a top game, regardless of the price. It is interesting to see this game get a price tag so early on, but Valve is betting on themselves that the price won’t be getting in the way of the customers that want to play this game.
If you purchase right now, you can get the game for 10% off. If you wait, this deal will likely go back to regular pricing before the initial release of the game in March of 2020.
What If I Already Have The Valve Index?
If you already own a Valve Index, or will be buying one before the end of 2019, you are going to be in for a treat. When this game is released, it will automatically appear in your Steam Library. No need to purchase, enter a special code, or even press download. The next time you run the Steam App, it will be right in your library.
Even if you don’t have the Index headset and you are rocking the Valve Controllers with your Vive headset, you will be getting this game for free. On top of the free copy of the game, you are going to get a lot of extra free content. From alternate and exclusive skins to exploring the scenes from the game without enemies, Valve hardware customers are going to be pampered.
