Fuck you Valve. People have been waiting for a sequel to Half Life 2 Episode 2 for 15 years and THIS shit is what we get?
They started and cancelled Episodes 3, 4, and 5. They started (and probably cancelled) Half Life 3, but what we get is a VR-only prequel where you play as Alyx??? And they even have the balls to THREATEN customers that if they won't buy it, they will not do any Half Life product in the future and kill the franchise?
Fuck off Valve.
R.I.P Half Life, I loved you for a huge part of my life
Fans of the Half Life franchise have been waiting for a sequel to Half Life 2 Episode 2 since 2007 (not sure why I thought it has been 15 years), not only because it's a series of universally beloved games, but also because episode 2 ended on a dramatic cliffhanger. Earlier this week Valve has FINALLY announced a new Half Life game. That is good. The bad things however are
- it's VR-only (I hate VR and I highly doubt I will ever change my mind)
- it's a prequel (during the last years I have shifted from not liking prequels into outright hating prequels, wether it's a movie, TV show, novel, or video game)
- the player plays as Alyx,not as Gordon Freeman. That's a horrible idea, which I can't understand, I assume they did it for the same reason why Hollywood does all of the gender bending reboots, but this will completely destroy Alyx. Alyx Vance is one of the best video game characters ever, but the protagonist of a Half Life game (or any other 90's fps game) has to be a "blank slate", an empty canvas so that any person can identify themselves as the main hero. The main protagonist can't have a personality, and Alyx has (or had?) an amazing one, mainly in Episode 1 and 2. thanks to Marc Laidlaw's writing. Which brings me to the next point
- important people from the previous games are not involved in this one, that includes Marc Laidlaw. Even the voice actress for Alyx is different, with no good reason. At least they have a good reason for recasting her father, the actor died a year ago
So after I heard the news, I thought "OK, I'm skipping this one and wait for Half Life 3 12 more years". And then I've seen a youtube interview with Valve people, claiming basically that they KNOW that a lot of people will be upset by these changes, but if this game doesn't sell well, they will kill the franchise all together. Companies using emotional blackmail trying to force customers to buy something they don't want is an absolutely disgusting business practice.
I am unfamiliar with the game beyond the concept as i gave them up over a decade ago. (*they waste so much lifetime. ...perhaps half a life)
But i hope your resistance grows. ..unlike that of the STAR WARS franchise people calling for a boycott
Hm, so I will have to spend ~1500 USD to just get the hardware required to play this. Cool. link
STAR WARS Episode IX will make a billion dollars. And nobody will buy the merchandise, go to the parks ...
pittrek -
I have built or helped build three low end gaming computers over the past seven years, with various levels of success (all three are working). I basically learned to build a computer from youtube guides (and some outside hobbyist advice).
My guess is that you could build a computer that meets minimum requirements and save ~ $400 versus building for "recommended" (and be happy). You can always upgrade your CPU and videocard later.
I am leaving you a couple of "Passmark" benchmark guides for CPUs and videocards that you could compare with your youtube Alyx video. These Pass mark guides have helped me build computers for "Dragon Age" games link link
I recommend that you look at the "best value" benchmarks.
Let me know if you need any advice, but I am not an expert by any means.
Thanks, but I am not interested in any new games, the only games I have bought during the last decade were sequels and reboots of the games I fell in love in the 90's.
At least I could say I lived to see Valve release another Half Life game, but making it VR only is pretty much limiting whatever reach this game could have (unless you've got deep pockets, and more room for a VR setup)
VR will remain a niche status, no matter the development, and I think that's gonna affect HL:A, unless someone mods the game to make it playable the conventional way.
On the bright side (for me at least) THANK GOD we finally have Postal 4!