If you played through Half-Life 2, then there is a good chance that you will never forget your feelings the very first time that you set foot in City 17. The G-Man’s cryptic introduction, the bleak 1984-like environment, Dr. Breen’s strangely reassuring voice – they all combined to create one of the most memorable video game openings of all time. You may never forget your first experience with the gravity gun, setting traps for zombies in Ravenholm, or the first time that you crushed a Combine soldier with a toilet. Whatever your favorite aspects of Half-Life 2, the game suffered no shortage of set pieces, unique game mechanics, and joyous moments. And, if you are fortunate enough to play through Half-Life: Alyx, you will compile another impressive list of “wow” moments and first-time experiences, and ways in which virtual reality gaming will never again be the same for you. With Half-Life: Alyx, Valve has once again drawn a historical line of demarcation, and everything from this point forward will be measured against it.

It might sound like fanboyism to sum up my opinion of this game as “Valve has done it again”, but the expression fits perfectly -- Valve really has done it again. Half-Life: Alyx surpasses its peers in VR so profoundly that the biggest drawback of the game is that it might ruin future VR experiences for you once you have played through it. It looks incredible, sounds incredible, and plays better than any other game that this medium has to offer. It includes all of the hallmarks of a Valve-designed game and it carries a distinct Half-Life feel from beginning to end. But like Half-Life 2, it also introduces a handful of new game mechanics, enemies, and characters that fit into the series perfectly. And, to top it off all, it ends with arguably the most jaw-dropping narrative moment so far in the series.

In making Alyx the protagonist and ditching the silent protagonist that has defined Half-Life and Portal, Valve demonstrates a bit of wisdom that shows why Half-Life: Alyx is such a great game – they understand where to make changes and where to keep their formula intact. It wouldn’t have made sense for Alyx to be silent for the entire game, so Valve has embraced her being who she is – a resourceful, observant, and rebellious character who has grown up under Combine oppression and has made it her goal to rid the planet of their presence. Alyx frequently interjects her thoughts and emotions into the game, and they always seem to perfectly mirror what you, the player, are feeling at any given moment. It is one of the many subtle ways in which the game excels. Alyx and Russell exchange a lot of dialog, providing some much-needed exposition, a few hints, and a lot of quality humor.