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Half-Life: Alyx vs Grand Theft Auto V
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| shopping_cart Where to Buy | |
| info General Information | |
| Release Date | |
| Mar 23, 2020 | Sep 17, 2013 |
| Developer | |
| Valve | Rockstar North |
| Publisher | |
| Valve | Rockstar Games |
| Genre(s) | |
| VR, First-Person Shooter, Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi, Horror | Action-Adventure, Open World, Third-Person Shooter, First-Person Shooter, Heist |
| Engine | |
| Source 2 Engine | RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine) with Euphoria and Bullet Physics |
| stars Ratings & Price | |
| Content Rating | |
| Mature 17+ | Mature 17+ |
| Avg. User Rating | |
| 4.9 / 5.0 | 4.7 / 5.0 |
| Current Price (USD) | |
| $59.99 | $29.99 |
| tune Key Specs | |
| Quick Highlights | |
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| sports_esports Gameplay & Mechanics | |
| Companions/Followers | |
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| Key Themes | |
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| colorize Combat & Gear | |
| Weapons Overview | |
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| Armor / Gear Sets | |
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| Outfits/Customization | |
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| trending_up Progression & Upgrades | |
| Skills & Progression | |
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Each of the three protagonists has unique special abilities: Michael can slow down time in combat (like bullet time); Franklin can slow down time while driving; Trevor can enter a rage mode, dealing more damage and taking less. Player stats (Stamina, Shooting, Strength, Stealth, Flying, Driving, Lung Capacity) improve through repeated use of related actions. Weapons can be customized with attachments (scopes, suppressors, extended mags, grips, tints). Vehicles can be extensively modified at Los Santos Customs shops (performance upgrades, cosmetic changes). Properties can be purchased to generate income and provide safe houses. |
| public World & Exploration | |
| World & Level Design | |
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The game world is one of the largest and most detailed ever created by Rockstar. Los Santos is a vast, meticulously crafted urban metropolis with diverse districts (Vinewood, Downtown, Rockford Hills, South Los Santos). Blaine County offers contrasting environments like the Alamo Sea (Salton Sea analogue), Mount Chiliad, Sandy Shores (desert town), Paleto Bay (coastal town), and dense forests. The map is filled with activities, landmarks, and dynamic events. |
| Playable Vehicles | |
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| book Story & Characters | |
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| people Multiplayer | |
| Multiplayer Details | |
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Half-Life: Alyx is a purely single-player experience. There are no official multiplayer modes. Community-created mods might explore multiplayer concepts, but these are not part of the base game. |
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| extension Editions & DLC | |
| Available Editions | |
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Half-Life: Alyx was released as a single digital edition on Steam. Owners of the Valve Index VR headset received the game for free. There were no special or collector's physical editions announced by Valve. |
Originally released on PS3/Xbox 360. Later enhanced versions released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and further enhanced versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Various editions included: Standard, Special Edition (SteelBook, blueprint map, stunt plane trials, bonus outfits, tattoos, special ability boost, additional weapons), Collector's Edition (Special Edition content + security deposit bag, GTA V cap, characters for GTA Online). The Premium Online Edition bundles the base game with the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack for GTA Online. |
| Post-Launch Content / DLC | |
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Valve released extensive modding tools (Source 2 SDK) for Half-Life: Alyx, leading to a vibrant community workshop scene with numerous custom maps, campaigns, and experiences created by users. No official story DLC or expansions have been released by Valve for Alyx. |
The primary post-launch support has been for Grand Theft Auto Online, which has received a massive amount of free content updates over the years. These include new heists, businesses (CEO, Biker, Gunrunning, Nightclub, Arcade, etc.), vehicles, weapons, clothing, game modes, properties, and story-driven contact missions. No single-player story DLC was released for GTA V. |
| help_outline FAQ | |
| Frequently Asked Questions | |
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| build Technical Details | |
| Graphics & Visual Fidelity | |
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Developed on the Source 2 Engine, Half-Life: Alyx sets a new benchmark for visual fidelity and detail in VR. It features incredibly realistic environments with high-resolution textures, advanced lighting and shadow effects, and detailed character/enemy models. The level of interactivity with objects in the environment is exceptional, designed to leverage VR capabilities. The game is renowned for its atmospheric and immersive world. |
Utilizes the RAGE engine to deliver a highly detailed and realistic depiction of Los Santos and Blaine County. The game is known for its impressive draw distances, detailed textures, advanced lighting and shadow effects, realistic weather systems, and convincing character animations. Enhanced versions on PC, PS4/Xbox One, and PS5/Xbox Series X|S introduced higher resolutions, improved textures, denser traffic/pedestrians, and features like ray tracing on the latest consoles/PC. |
| Audio & Soundtrack | |
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Original score composed by Mike Morasky, featuring atmospheric electronic and orchestral pieces that build tension, enhance horror, and underscore dramatic moments. Sound design is crucial for VR immersion, with highly realistic spatial audio, distinct enemy vocalizations (Combine radio chatter, Headcrab screeches, Barnacle clicks), and impactful weapon sounds. Environmental audio plays a key role in detecting threats and navigating. |
Features an extensive and diverse soundtrack across multiple in-game radio stations covering genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, country, electronic, reggae, Latin, and talk radio. Original score by Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist, and Oh No, which dynamically adapts to gameplay. Sound design is incredibly detailed, with distinct vehicle engine sounds, weapon effects, character dialogue, and ambient city/countryside noise creating an immersive soundscape. |
| User Interface (UI/UX) | |
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Designed for VR immersion. Health and ammo are displayed on Alyx's left glove. Weapon selection is often done by reaching over the shoulder or via a wrist-mounted menu. The Gravity Gloves provide intuitive object interaction. Inventory (syringes, grenades, Resin) is managed via wrist slots or a backpack accessible by reaching behind the shoulder. Minimal on-screen HUD elements to maximize immersion. |
Features a clean and functional HUD displaying a mini-map (with GPS), health, armor, ammo, and wanted level. A weapon wheel allows for quick selection. The in-game smartphone is used for contacts, missions, internet browsing, and accessing GTA Online. Each protagonist has a unique phone interface. Third-person and first-person views offer slightly different UI presentations. |
| Accessibility Options | |
| N/A |
Includes options for customizable controls, subtitle display (size, background), aim assist options (full, partial, free aim), options to skip difficult mission sections after multiple failures (in story mode), colorblind-friendly HUD elements, and audio balancing. First-person mode can also aid some players. |
| video_library Media Links | |
| Gameplay Video | |
| launchWatch | launchWatch |
| Walkthrough/Guide | |
| launchView | launchView |
| settings_applications System Requirements | |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Minimum (1080p ~30 FPS, Low/Medium Preset) (Low to Medium Preset) CPU: Minimum desktop CPU for playable framerates. CPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop CPU equivalent. Modern i3/Ryzen 3 or better recommended. GPU: Minimum desktop GPU. GPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop GPUs. Game is less demanding by today's standards for these settings. RAM: Minimum RAM requirement. Storage: HDD is absolute minimum, expect long load times. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) or AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor @ 2.5GHz (4 CPUs) developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT (1GB) or AMD Radeon HD 4870 (1GB) (DX 10, 10.1, 11) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i5-2430M / AMD A8-3520M equivalent or better laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M / AMD Radeon HD 6570M or better. **Any modern integrated GPU (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Graphics) or entry-level dedicated GPU (RTX 3050 Mobile, etc.) will run this game at 1080p Medium/High comfortably.** layersRAM: 4 GB saveStorage (Tier): 72 GB HDD (Current installs often need more) |
| 1080p (Full HD) - VR Minimum (Mapped to '1080p' key for structural consistency) (Targets baseline VR performance, suitable for Low/Medium in-game fidelity settings. Actual render resolution depends on the VR headset used.) CPU: Official minimum desktop CPU required to run Half-Life: Alyx. CPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop CPU equivalent. VR is demanding; ensure the laptop can sustain performance without overheating. GPU: Official minimum desktop GPU required for Half-Life: Alyx. Must have appropriate video outputs for your VR headset. GPU (Laptop): Estimated laptop GPUs. Ensure the laptop GPU is not a significantly lower-power variant and has the required VRAM. RAM: 12 GB of system RAM is the official minimum requirement. Storage: SSD installation is strongly recommended for the best experience in VR to minimize load times and asset streaming issues. | |
memoryCPU: Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 580 (8GB VRAM) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-7700HQ / AMD Ryzen 5 3550H equivalent or better. laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile (6GB, full desktop equivalent performance) / GTX 1660 Ti Mobile or AMD Radeon RX 5500M (with sufficient VRAM and performance). layersRAM: 12 GB saveStorage (Tier): ~70 GB (SSD Recommended) | — |
| 1080p (Full HD) - Recommended (1080p ~60 FPS, High Preset) (High Preset) CPU: Recommended desktop CPU for 1080p at 60 FPS. CPU (Laptop): Estimated mid-range laptop CPUs. GPU: Recommended desktop GPU for 1080p at 60 FPS on High. GPU (Laptop): Estimated performance-focused laptop GPUs. 2GB VRAM is bare minimum, 4GB+ better. RAM: Recommended RAM for smoother performance. Storage: SSD strongly recommended. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i5-3470 @ 3.2GHz (4 CPUs) or AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHz (8 CPUs) developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (2GB) or AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-3610QM / AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (Laptop equivalent) or better. **Modern Intel Core i5 H-series / AMD Ryzen 5 H-series (e.g., i5-11400H, Ryzen 5 5600H) strongly recommended.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M (2GB) / GTX 1050 Mobile (2GB/4GB) or AMD Radeon R9 M385X / RX 560 Mobile. **An RTX 3050 Mobile or RTX 4050 Mobile will provide excellent 1080p High/Ultra 60FPS+ performance.** layersRAM: 8 GB saveStorage (Tier): 72 GB SSD (Current installs often need more) |
| 1440p (QHD/2K) - VR Recommended (Mapped to '1440p' key for structural consistency) (Targets higher fidelity VR performance, suitable for High in-game fidelity settings. Actual render resolution depends on the VR headset used.) CPU: Official recommended desktop CPU for a smoother and more consistent Half-Life: Alyx experience. CPU (Laptop): Estimated higher-performance laptop CPUs to better handle VR demands at higher settings. GPU: Official recommended desktop GPU for playing Half-Life: Alyx at higher fidelity settings. GPU (Laptop): Estimated performance-focused laptop GPUs. High TGP and good thermal design are critical for these higher-end mobile GPUs in VR. RAM: 16 GB of system RAM is officially recommended for improved performance and stability at higher settings. Storage: SSD installation is strongly recommended. | |
memoryCPU: Intel Core i7-9700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super (8GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8GB VRAM) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-10750H / AMD Ryzen 7 4800H equivalent or better. laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super Mobile / RTX 2080 Mobile / RTX 3060 Mobile (High TGP variants) or AMD Radeon RX 6700M / RX 6800M. layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): ~70 GB (SSD Recommended) | — |
| 1440p (QHD/2K) - High (1440p ~60 FPS, High/Very High Preset with Optimized Settings) (High/Very High Preset (Optimized, DLSS potentially useful)) CPU: Desktop CPU for 1440p at 60 FPS. CPU (Laptop): Estimated high-end laptop CPUs. GPU: Desktop GPU for 1440p at 60 FPS. GPU (Laptop): Estimated high-performance laptop GPUs. 6GB+ VRAM essential, 8GB+ preferable. RAM: 16GB RAM recommended for smoother experience. Storage: NVMe SSD strongly recommended. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.0GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB) / RTX 2060 (6GB) or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (8GB) / RX 5700 (8GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-8750H / AMD Ryzen 7 3750H or better. **Modern Intel Core i7 H-series / AMD Ryzen 7 H-series (e.g., i7-12700H, Ryzen 7 6800H) recommended.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile (8GB) / RTX 3060 Mobile (6GB, High TGP) or AMD Radeon RX 6600M/6700S. **An RTX 3070 Mobile or RTX 4060 Mobile provides a very smooth 1440p High experience.** layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 72 GB NVMe SSD (Current installs often need more) |
| 2160p (UHD/4K) - Extreme VR (Max Fidelity & Supersampling - '2160p' key used for structure) (Ultra in-game fidelity, significant supersampling (e.g., 150%-200%+ on high-resolution headsets) to achieve maximum visual clarity. Targets highest stable framerate supported by top-tier VR headsets (e.g., 90Hz, 120Hz+).) CPU: Top-tier desktop CPUs required to minimize any potential bottlenecks when pushing extreme VR resolutions and maintaining high, stable framerates. CPU (Laptop): Absolute flagship laptop CPUs. Performance will still be below desktop counterparts and heavily dependent on laptop cooling and power delivery. GPU: Flagship desktop GPUs with maximum available VRAM essential for driving very high VR resolutions with supersampling and ultra settings. GPU (Laptop): The most powerful laptop GPU available (as of early-mid 2025). Performance will vary based on TGP; will still require careful settings management for extreme supersampling compared to desktop. RAM: 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM recommended for handling extreme VR demands and potential background processes without issue. Storage: A very fast NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 4.0 or newer) recommended to ensure ultra-fast loading and asset streaming for the most seamless experience at maximum settings. | |
memoryCPU: Intel Core i9-13900K / Core i9-14900K or AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D / Ryzen 9 7950X3D developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (24GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (24GB VRAM) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i9-13980HX / Core i9-14900HX or AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX / Ryzen 9 7945HX3D laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU (16GB VRAM, Max TGP) layersRAM: 32 GB saveStorage (Tier): ~70 GB (High-speed NVMe PCIe 4.0/5.0 SSD) | — |
| 2160p (UHD/4K) - Ultra (2160p/4K ~30-60 FPS, Medium/High Preset with DLSS Balanced/Performance) (Medium/High Preset, DLSS Balanced/Performance (Native 4K High/Ultra 60FPS is very demanding)) CPU: Desktop CPU recommendation for 4K. CPU (Laptop): High-end to top-tier laptop CPUs required. GPU: Desktop GPU recommendation for a playable 4K experience, likely requiring DLSS. GPU (Laptop): High-end to flagship laptop GPUs essential. 8GB VRAM is absolute minimum for 4K, 12GB+ strongly preferred. RAM: 16GB minimum, 32GB strongly recommended for 4K. Storage: NVMe SSD required. | |
| — | memoryCPU: Intel Core i7-8700K @ 3.7GHz or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X @ 3.6GHz developer_boardGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super (8GB) / RTX 3070 (8GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6800 (16GB) laptop_macCPU (L): Intel Core i7-10870H / AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS or better. **Modern flagship Intel Core i7/i9 HX / AMD Ryzen 7/9 HX series (e.g., 13900HX, 7945HX) recommended.** laptop_windowsGPU (L): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile (8GB, Max TGP) / RTX 4070 Mobile (8GB, Max TGP) or AMD Radeon RX 6800M/6850M XT. **An RTX 3080 Mobile (16GB) / RTX 4080 Mobile (12GB) or higher is needed for a better 4K experience, heavily relying on DLSS. Even an RTX 4090 Mobile may need DLSS for Ultra 60FPS. A hypothetical next-gen flagship (RTX 50-series) would be the target for improved native 4K.** layersRAM: 16 GB saveStorage (Tier): 72 GB NVMe SSD (Current installs often need more) |
| save Overall Storage | |
Spec: ~70 GB available space (SSD Recommended) Note: An SSD (Solid State Drive) is strongly recommended for optimal loading times and to reduce potential stuttering during gameplay. Approximately 70 GB of free disk space is required for installation. Type: SSD | Spec: 72 GB available space (SSD Recommended). Initial release was smaller, but updates and GTA Online have increased the size. 90GB+ often cited for current installs. Note: An SSD is highly recommended for faster loading and texture streaming, especially in GTA Online. Type: SSD |
| desktop_windows Operating System | |
| Spec: Windows 10 (64-bit) Explanation: 64-bit Windows 10 is the officially supported operating system. Windows 11 is also generally compatible. | Spec: Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit) Explanation: 64-bit OS required. Windows 10/11 64-bit recommended for best compatibility and performance. |
| gamepad DirectX Version | |
Spec: Vulkan (Primary), DirectX 11 Explanation: Half-Life: Alyx primarily utilizes the Vulkan API for rendering, which is recommended for best performance. DirectX 11 is also supported as a fallback. | Spec: DirectX 10, 10.1, 11 Explanation: DirectX 10 compatible card minimum; DX11 recommended for best visuals. |
| info_outline Other Game Notes | |
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| laptop Laptop Considerations | |
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info_outline Feature details based on available data. System requirements and performance estimates may vary.
laptop_chromebook Laptop Recommendations
Common Recommendations (Handles All Compared Games)
For Half-Life: Alyx Specifically
For Grand Theft Auto V Specifically
info_outline Laptop recommendations are estimates based on available component benchmarks and game requirements. Actual performance may vary depending on settings, drivers, cooling, power limits, etc. Prices and availability subject to change. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.