Half-Life: Alyx

 PC
Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 69 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 69
  3. Negative: 0 out of 69
  1. Ars Technica
    Mar 23, 2020
    The finished product accomplished what it needed to: it proved that Valve still knows how to make a classic single-player adventure—one that will inspire a whole new generation of game fans. It left me hungry for more, which is saying something for a single-player game of this length and scope. The masses may not rush out to buy a VR set to play Half-Life: Alyx. But anyone who loves video games should look at this game as a next logical step in the possibilities of dramatic, interactive storytelling. Bravo, Valve. Bravo. [Ars Technica Approved]
  2. British GQ
    Mar 30, 2020
    Half-Life: Alyx is nothing short of mesmerising...This is real innovation. Just put on the headset and see for yourself.
  3. CNET
    Mar 23, 2020
    I played mostly on the Valve Index, but I also played on an Oculus Quest, through a USB-C link cable beta that turns the Quest into a PC-compatible VR headset. It worked surprisingly well in a pinch, but the Quest suffers some lag and controller tracking hiccups with my review build.
  5. Eurogamer
    Mar 23, 2020
    City 17 provides the setting for a VR adventure filled with brilliant detailing. [Eurogamer Recommended]
  6. Kotaku
    Mar 23, 2020
    Half-Life: Alyx reaches some astoundingly high heights while also managing to be both too ambitious and too conservative for its own good.
  7. Polygon
    Mar 23, 2020
    The only thing left is whether hardcore fans will be willing to buy, and use, a virtual reality headset in order to learn what happens next in the world of Half-Life. The good news is that those who do will experience what is likely the best VR game released to date.
  8. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Mar 23, 2020
    But mainly I just yearn for more Half-Life, in whatever form Valve wants to deliver it. It was about three hours after reaching the game’s thrilling, won’t-spoil-it, can’t-wait-to-talk-about-it conclusion that a thought occurred to me: for a brief moment I had a new Half-Life game to play, and now, again, I do not. I hope I don’t have to wait for brain-computer interfaces to exist before the series returns again, because despite a handful of complaints, I still think Valve make the best first-person shooters around. [RPS Bestest Bests]
  9. The Verge
    Mar 23, 2020
    I still think Alyx is genuinely worth the trouble of finding a headset, if that’s feasible, and overlooking its flaws. This isn’t Valve at its most revelatory — but after waiting more than a decade, it’s the Half-Life story I didn’t know I wanted.
  10. Vice
    Mar 23, 2020
    It’s also a performance hog of a video game. My PC is quickly aging, but my GTX 1080 is usually able to brute force its way through a lot of things. Alyx, however, chewed away at my older CPU, despite the settings being at “low.” This didn’t prove bothersome for most of my time with Alyx—VR can get away with cutting corners on fidelity because of the way you interact with it—but there were a handful of sequences, especially towards the end when things ramp up, where my computer slowed to a crawl. It’s less fun to fight your way through a hallway of enemies when their animation is moving at half speed. Your mileage may vary...All the problems were worth it, though.

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2020
9
#9 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

User Reviews

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User Score
9.2

Universal acclaim- based on 2812 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,575 out of 2812
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 2812
  3. Negative: 179 out of 2812
  1. alexreck12
    Mar 23, 2020
    10
    Don’t listen to the troll reviews! Valve has worked hard on this game and made it compatible for even the most affordable HMDs. There are moreDon’t listen to the troll reviews! Valve has worked hard on this game and made it compatible for even the most affordable HMDs. There are more ways to use movement, such as smooth locomotion instead of teleportation. Ladder movement has been fixed! The level design, sound design, graphics and puzzles are phenomenal.… Full Review »
  2. BetaSyntex
    Mar 24, 2020
    10
    The revolution has began. Valve did it with the original Half-Life. Then pushed the limits with Half-Life 2. Now Alyx is here to bring us theThe revolution has began. Valve did it with the original Half-Life. Then pushed the limits with Half-Life 2. Now Alyx is here to bring us the future of videogames.

    Best Half-Life. Best AAA title. Best VR game. I have spoken.    … Full Review »
  3. GEFFUNDEI
    Mar 23, 2020
    3
    It’s really not that Hal-life, that was expected by fans for years. I think it is made for selling Vavle’s versions of VR. After BoneworksIt’s really not that Hal-life, that was expected by fans for years. I think it is made for selling Vavle’s versions of VR. After Boneworks it’s no pleasure to play Alyx.… Full Review »
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