Half-Life: Alyx releases for VR-ready Windows PCs on March 23. This, we know. We've known. For a fair while now, with the VR-only release, set between the events of Half-Life and its sequel, announced back in November 2019. But as for what comes after Alyx, that, dear reader, we're still in the dark about.
It goes without saying - which is to say, we're about to say it anyway - that fans of all things Half-Life have been super-keen on a third instalment proper ever since silent protagonist Gordon Freeman and his companion Alyx Vance were attacked, with seemingly fatal consequences, by the invading Combine forces at the end of Half-Life 2: Episode 2. (Spoiler? Episode 2 was released in 2007, keep up.)
Having Alyx as the protagonist of the new VR game - rather than the series' more, I guess, recognisable 'hero' of Gordon Freeman - sure doesn't rule out a future return for the most famous swinger of a crowbar in all of video games, though. And employees at the series' developers Valve sure appear keen on putting out more Half-Life, beyond their adventure into virtual reality.
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Which, yes, means we could yet get Half-Life 3. Could being the operative word here. IDK if we even deserve it, anymore.
Anyway, as Video Games Chronicle reports, Valve dev Robin Walker has referred to Alyx as a "return to this world, not an end to it". Originally speaking to Game Informer, Walker added:
"Half-Life means a lot to us, and it's been incredibly rewarding to re-familiarise ourselves with its characters, setting and mechanics. There are Half-Life: Alyx team members who have been at Valve since Half-Life 2, and quite a few who go back to the original Half-Life.
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"There are also people on the team for whom Half-Life Alyx is their first time working on this series at all - and many of them certainly hope it's not the last."
No doubt, no doubt. Walker also told Game Informer that anyone wanting to get the very most out of Alyx's story, bearing in mind it's a mainline entry in the series rather than a spin-off, is recommended to replay Half-Life 2: Episode 2 prior to March 23. So it's pretty handy that 1998's original Half-Life, its 2004 sequel and that game's two follow-up episodes are currently all free to play on Steam. They'll stay that way until Alyx's release, so, don't dawdle, peeps.
In related news, we've now seen what Half-Life: Alyx looks like to actually play, and we've got to say: we're impressed. Naturally, it being a VR-exclusive release has a lot of people disappointed; but hopefully Valve's enthusiasm in continuing the series after Alyx will turn into something concrete before long. An actual, proper Half-Life 3? Is it too much to dare to dream? We'd rather that over a third Left 4 Dead game, wouldn't we? Or: how about both?
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C'mon Valve. You make one new, big-series game after years of nothing, might as well make loads more.
Featured Image Credit: Valve