If you were planning on playing all the Half-Life games before purchasing the upcoming Half-Life Alyx for VR, you will soon be able to do so for free. Valve has announced that the entire series will be available for free on Steam. Half-Life is one of the most anticipated games of the last decade, making this a great gift for fans.
The events of Half-Life: Alyx will take place before the events of the 2nd game. It doesn't take too long to complete, so take some time to prepare for Alyx. Although it may look somewhat dated, it is still incredibly playable.
Free Forever?
Valve believes that fans will enjoy replaying the classic games before diving into the new one, and we agree with them. However, it may turn out differently as not everyone will invest in a VR set for PC just for this purpose.
Valve has decided to make the games free for 2 months until Alyx is released. After that, the price of $9.99 for each chapter and $7.99 for each episode will return. To download the games for free, create or use your existing Steam account and make sure to have the Steam launcher to play.
All the games are available for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. The list includes the original releases of Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Half-Life: Episode One, and Half-Life: Episode Two. Unfortunately, the Black Mesa DLC is not included, but it can be obtained for free on the official developer's website. If you don't have the time to play the games again, keep reading to learn more about them.
Half-Life
Released in 1998, this game set a new standard for first-person shooters. The game is set in a secretive scientific research facility called Black Mesa, where you play as young scientist Gordon Freeman in charge of research on anomaly materials.
As expected, things go wrong. Freeman survives a disaster and discovers that the government wants to cover up the portal experiments by eliminating everyone involved. The rest of the game revolves around Freeman's fight against government troops and terrifying monster bosses from another universe.
What sets this game apart is its storytelling style; there are no pre-rendered cut-scenes, and the entire narrative is scripted within the game's engine. This makes the gameplay incredibly immersive.
Half-Life 2
The sequel, released in 2004, introduced upgraded Source engine graphics, advanced AI, and a complex narrative set 20 years after the first game in a world controlled by the Combine Alliance.
Gordon joins the Resistance to fight against the alien invaders, navigating through dangerous obstacles and enemies. The game features a rich science-fiction narrative and original concepts.
Know The Roots
Despite their age, both games are revolutionary for their time. They offer an immersive story, unique mechanics, and detailed lore. Have you played the Half-Life games before? Would you like to revisit them before Alyx's release? Share your thoughts in the comments and spread the word!
