Half-Life: Alyx reviews are in, and they are - for the most part - overflowing with praise. Many folks can now let out a sigh of relief knowing that one of gaming's most sacred relics, i.e the Half-Life franchise, not only came out of this untainted by this whole VR spinoff ordeal, but has actually received a new lease on (half) life.
Now, no one here at The Arcadist has managed to see for ourselves what all the hubbub is about, but hey, just because we weren't among the chosen few to receive an advance copy of Valve's biggest release in over a decade doesn't mean we can't get in on the excitement, right?
Thanks to the expedience of the internet, I have lovingly curated this list of reviews from other, more fortunate outlets, including the biggest takeaways from their experiences playing Half-Life: Alyx.
PC Gamer - 92/100
Christopher Livingston of PC Gamer says of Half-Life: Alyx "With old friends, new enemies, and an exciting story, revisiting City 17 in VR is a thrill"
Rock Paper Shotgun - "Bestest Bests"
Graham Smith of Rock Paper Shotgun calls it "The Half-Life game you wanted"
US Gamer - 9/10
Leo Vader of US Gamer concludes that "Valve ups the ante for virtual reality with a rich campaign and clever controls"
PCGamesN - 9/10
Dustin Bailey of PCGamesN feels that Half-Life: Alyx "Confidently serves as both a vindication for the magic VR can bring to gaming, and a satisfying new entry in the beloved Half-Life series."
GameSpot - 9/10
Michael Higham of GameSpot delivers a glowing verdict, saying that "Not only has Half-Life: Alyx made good on its shift to VR, it has elevated many of the aspects we've come to love about Half-Life games. It may not be as bombastic as previous games, but the intimacy of VR brings you closer to a world you might have thought you knew over the past 22 years."
Kotaku - Recommended
Nathan Grayson of Kotaku states that, of the things he liked, Half-Life: Alyx "Makes familiar enemies and locations feel new again, hugely interactive world, a constant sense of dread, inventive mechanics that improve the playability of FPSes in VR."
Polygon - Recommended
Ben Kuchera of Polygon believes simply that "Valve has created a VR masterpiece and expanded the Half-Life universe"
IGN - 10/10
Dan Stapleton of IGN delivers Half-Life: Alyx the highest praise, stating that it "has set a new bar for VR in interactivity, detail, and level design, showing what can happen when a world-class developer goes all-in on the new frontier of technology."
So there you have it, folks. It would seem that Half-Life: Alyx has been deemed a must-play for long-time fans of the series, as well as those seeking the most refined VR experience to-date.
