Half-Life: Alyx is anything but Half-Life 3

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We now have more details on the Half-Life: Alyx

Alyx Vance and Gordon Freeman pursued
(Image credit: Valve Corporation)

Valve announced earlier this week that a new Half-Life game is in development, but Half-Life: Alyx isn't exactly the sequel we were hoping for.

Releasing in March 2020, Half-Life: Alyx is a full-length VR entry in the Half-Life franchise which will be compatible with all PC-based VR headsets.

However, we can't help but be disappointed that this new entry isn't the long-rumored Half-Life 3 that we've all been waiting for.

What's the story?

(Image credit: Valve)

According to Valve, Half-Life: Alyx is set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2, and sees "Alyx Vance and her father Eli secretly mount the resistance to the brutal occupation of Earth by a mysterious alien race known as The Combine." 

Unsurprisingly, given the name, you play as Alyx in a bid to "take the fight to the Combine to save the future of humanity".

Half-Life: Alyx looks pretty good on paper, but it's certainly not the full-fledged sequel we've been waiting for. 

However, according to Valve, Half-Life: Alyx has been "designed from the ground up for virtual reality and features "all of the hallmarks of a classic Half-Life game: world exploration, puzzle solving, visceral combat, and an intricately woven story that connects it all with the characters iconic to the Half-Life universe". 

It sounds pretty legit, but we've seen VR entries in franchises before and this certainly isn't the long-awaited Half-Life 3. However, it's nice to see Valve following through on a Half-Life project as the company has run hot and cold on whether we would ever see another entry in the series. But we forever live in hope for a Half-Life 3.

Check out the trailer below:

“Everyone at Valve is excited to be returning to the world of Half-Life,” Valve founder Gabe Newell wrote in a press release. “VR has energized us. We’ve invested a lot of ourselves in the technology. But we're also game developers at heart, and to be devoting ourselves to a VR game this ambitious is just as exciting."

Hopefully this breath of life into the franchise makes Half-Life 3 a bit more possible. We can only hope.

Half-Life: Alyx is available for pre-order now for $59.99, while Valve Index VR headset owners can get it for free.

Vic Hood
Freelance writer

An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.