The much anticipated sequel to the classic 2004 game Half Life 2, Half Life: Alyx, is finally confirmed to launch on Steam on 23 March. It’ll cost $60/£46.49 and is a PC exclusive title.
The game controversially is VR-only and requires a compatible headset to play and is set between the events of 1998’s Half Life and Half Life 2. It’s rare to see a franchise resurrected so long after its last game, and it’s somewhat a shame that the VR constraints will keep more people from playing it.
Half-Life: Alyx, available March 23, 2020 https://t.co/NCOLWqSp3e pic.twitter.com/Q04EZwNfBt
— Valve (@valvesoftware)
February 13, 2020
Developer Valve is hoping to encourage gamers to buy into its own Valve Index VR headsets, which kills some of the romance to Half Life’s return, but it will also run on Vive and Oculus.
However they play, fans of the influential series will be hoping for some answers. After the Black Mesa incident of the original game, it’s always been left partially unexplained as to how the Combine regime came into power. Playing as Alyx Vance, the new game focuses on her and father Eli’s fight against Combine, with events likely to end where Half Life 2 began.
As far as game sequels and prequels go it’s pretty tantalising and certainly a candidate for one of the best upcoming games of 2020.
