Want to learn more about the world of Half-Life: Alyx, and how developer Valve adapted to the unique challenges of creating a virtual reality gaming experience? Now, with the game’s latest free update, you can!
Simply look for an in-game headset and then place it on your character’s head to gain access to the developer commentary. There is a full three hours of commentary, subtitled in ten different languages. In it, the Valve team discusses topics ranging from how they decided on enemy movement to how they programmed realistic-looking water and alcohol which can really slosh around if you pick up or throw a half-empty bottle. There’s even a discussion about whether or not head crabs – a type of monster which fans of the Half-Life series will be quite familiar with – are adorable or not. What do they decide? You’ll have to listen to find out!
This is not the first time that Valve has added developer commentary to one of their games. Previously, similar tracks were made available for both Half-Life 2 and Portal, which could be access by setting the game to “developer commentary mode” before playing.
Half-Life: Alyx is a first-person virtual reality shooter which was released for Windows in March, playable via all PC-compatible VR headsets. A Linux edition was also released later in the year. The game, which takes place between the events of 2000’s Half-Life and 2004’s Half-Life 2, puts players in the shoes of recurring character Alyx Vance as she attempts to steal a super-weapon belonging to the alien Combine. It received generally positive reviews and was embraced by a number of fans and critics alike for making use of the vast potential of VR.
Anyone who purchases or has purchased a copy of Half-Life: Alyx can access the developer commentary at no additional charge. If you already own the game, an update will be required before you can access this new content.
