Half-Life: Alyx vs Living Hell

• Perspective: First-Person (VR)
• Multiplayer: None (Single-Player Only, with extensive mod support via Steam Workshop)
• Setting: City 17 & surrounding areas, Earth (Between Half-Life 1 & Half-Life 2)
• Platforms: PC (Windows - SteamVR Compatible)
• Unique Feature: Flagship VR Title, Gravity Gloves Interaction, Unprecedented VR Immersion & Detail, Continuation of Half-Life Story, Source 2 Modding Tools.

• Perspective: First-Person
• Multiplayer: 1-4 Player Online Co-op
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Pelican City
• Platforms: PC (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Release Window: Coming Soon (Early Access)
• Unique Feature: A unique time-pressure mechanic where players must complete their co-op horror mission and escape the city before the sun rises, which brings instant death.

• Russell (Via Radio Comms): While not physically present, Russell is Alyx's constant companion via radio communication. He provides mission objectives, guidance, technical support, lore exposition, and humorous commentary throughout the game. He is crucial for narrative progression and player guidance.
  Human
• None (Physical AI Combat Companions): Alyx undertakes her physical journey through City 17 alone. She does not have any AI-controlled combat companions that follow her or fight alongside her in the traditional sense, emphasizing her vulnerability and resourcefulness in the VR environment.

• Resin: Small, orange, cylindrical pieces of Combine material found scattered throughout all levels, often in crates, shelves, or hidden nooks. Collected and used at Combine Fabricator stations to upgrade Alyx's three main weapons (Pistol, Shotgun, SMG).
• Ammo (Pistol Clips, Shotgun Shells, SMG Power Cells): Found in Combine supply crates, on defeated enemies, or in the environment. Essential for combat. Alyx can store a limited amount on her person and in her backpack.
• Health Syringes: Medical items that restore Alyx's health. Found in medical kits, bathrooms, or sometimes dropped by Combine medics. Stored in wrist slots for quick access.
• Combine Grenades: Standard fragmentation grenades used by the Combine. Can be found in the environment or taken from defeated enemies. Stored in wrist slots.
• Grub Nests / Antlion Grubs (Healing Items - Minor): In Xen-infested areas, Alyx can find Antlion grubs in nests. Crushing them provides a small amount of healing. A nod to Half-Life 2: Episode Two.
• Vodka Bottles (For Jeff sequence): Specific to Chapter 7: Jeff. Vodka bottles are used as throwable distractions to lure the sound-sensitive creature Jeff away from Alyx's path.
• Battery Cells (For Multi-Tool Puzzles): Small cylindrical batteries that must be found and inserted into specific slots to power up doors, lifts, or other machinery as part of environmental puzzles solved with the Multi-Tool.
• Hidden Gnome Chompski (Easter Egg): A single, well-hidden garden gnome. Finding it and carrying it to a specific later point in the game unlocks an achievement, referencing a long-running Valve gag.

• Mutated Specimens: The primary objective item of each run. Collecting these is essential for mission success and the survival of your shelter.
• Crafting Materials: Scavenged from the procedurally generated interiors of Pelican City. These are essential for crafting weapons, tools, and consumables.

• Alien Occupation & Resistance
• Father-Daughter Relationship
• Hope in Oppression
• Scientific Discovery & Peril
• Body Horror (Headcrabs
• Xen Creatures)
• Totalitarian Control (The Combine)
• VR Immersion
• Prequel Story
• Environmental Storytelling

• Survival Horror
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Environmental Catastrophe
• Co-op
• Procedural Generation
• Time Pressure
• Sci-Fi Horror

• Pistol (USP Match / Alyx's Pistol): Handgun (Semi-Automatic)
  Alyx's starting weapon. A reliable semi-automatic pistol. Can be upgraded with a reflex sight, laser sight, extended magazine, and a burst fire module.
• Shotgun (Modified Winchester 1887 / 'Old Reliable'): Shotgun (Pump-Action/Lever-Action Hybrid)
  A powerful close-quarters weapon. Can be upgraded with a laser sight, double shot capability (fires two shells at once), and a grenade launcher attachment (fires explosive grenades).
• SMG (Combine Pulse Submachine Gun): Submachine Gun (Automatic)
  A rapid-firing Combine weapon. Can be upgraded with an extended magazine, laser sight, and reflex sight. Effective against groups or for sustained fire.
• Gravity Gloves ('Russells'): Utility Tool / Pseudo-Weapon
  Not a traditional weapon, but Alyx's primary tool for interacting with the environment. Allows her to target and flick distant objects (ammo, Resin, health syringes, physics objects) into her hands. Can be used offensively by throwing explosive objects or heavy items at enemies.
• Grenades (Combine Grenades): Throwable Explosive
  Standard fragmentation grenades found in the environment or dropped by Combine soldiers. Can be stored in wrist slots and thrown physically by the player.
• Multi-Tool: Utility Tool (Hacking/Puzzle Solving)
  A handheld device used to hack Combine interfaces, disable force fields, solve electrical circuit puzzles by redirecting power, and scan objects for information.
• Xen Grenades / Snarks (Implied/Contextual): Organic Throwable (From Xen Creatures)
  Players can often find and throw explosive Xen flora (like 'Boom Blobs') or potentially use Snark-like creatures found in specific containers, though these are environmental interactions rather than equippable weapons.

• No Equipable Armor System: Alyx Vance does not have an equipable armor system where players can find or upgrade different pieces of armor for stat boosts. Her survivability is based on her base health, which can be restored using Health Syringes found in the environment or from Health Stations. Player skill in combat, using cover effectively, and managing resources are key to survival.
• Health Syringes & Health Stations: Health Syringes are consumable items stored in Alyx's wrist slots that provide instant healing. Wall-mounted Health Stations can also be found, allowing Alyx to restore her health by interacting with them (often requiring a puzzle or power to activate).

• Alyx Vance's Standard Attire: Alyx wears a consistent outfit throughout the game, consisting of a practical jacket (often with a Black Mesa logo reference), shirt, pants, and her iconic fingerless gloves which house her health/ammo display and are part of the Gravity Glove system. There are no player-controlled clothing customization options for Alyx; her appearance is fixed for the narrative.
• Gravity Gloves ('Russells'): These are a key piece of Alyx's gear, not clothing in the traditional sense, but visually distinct. They are black and yellow and integral to her ability to interact with the VR world. They are not customizable in appearance.

Progression is based on survival and character choice. Players choose from eight distinct characters, each with unique passive abilities that encourage different team strategies. There is a deep crafting system for creating weapons and tools, and players must manage their inventory and a 'Thermal Load' hydration mechanic to survive.

The game features six hand-crafted districts that make up Pelican City. While the districts themselves are fixed, the interiors of buildings are procedurally generated for every run, ensuring high replayability and a constant sense of unpredictability. A subway system is used for travel between districts.

• None (Player Controlled for General Traversal)
  Alyx Vance traverses all environments on foot using various VR locomotion options (Teleport, Shift, Continuous). There are no player-controlled vehicles like cars, bikes, or aircraft for general navigation in the game.
• Combine Razor Train (Contextual / Environmental): Mass Transit / Enemy Transport
  The iconic Combine Razor Trains are present in City 17's environment and feature in some scripted sequences or as background elements, but Alyx does not pilot or directly control them.
• Lifts & Elevators (Environmental): Mechanical Traversal
  Various lifts and elevators are found within levels, providing vertical traversal. Alyx interacts with them to move between floors or different sections of a facility.

• Alyx Vance: Protagonist / Resistance Fighter
  The main playable character. A resourceful and skilled member of the human resistance against the Combine. Daughter of Dr. Eli Vance. She is determined, witty, and possesses a strong moral compass. The game explores her capabilities and resolve before she meets Gordon Freeman.
• Eli Vance: Supporting Character / Resistance Leader / Scientist
  Alyx's father, a brilliant scientist formerly of Black Mesa and a key leader in the resistance. His capture by the Combine at the start of the game is the catalyst for Alyx's mission.
• Russell: Ally / Resistance Technician & Inventor
  A quirky and humorous resistance member who communicates with Alyx via radio throughout her journey. He provides technical support, guidance, and invents crucial gear for Alyx, including the Gravity Gloves (which he calls 'Russells').
• Combine Overwatch (Various Voices/Units): Primary Antagonistic Force
  The military arm of the interdimensional Combine empire occupying Earth. They are cold, calculating, and technologically superior. Communicate via standardized radio chatter. Alyx confronts various soldier types and their technology.
• Vortigaunts: Allies / Enslaved Alien Species
  An alien species from Xen, formerly enslaved by the Nihilanth and now also oppressed by the Combine. Some Vortigaunts aid the resistance and Alyx, possessing unique energy-based abilities and cryptic wisdom.
• G-Man (Brief Appearance/Reference): Enigmatic Interdimensional Figure
  The mysterious, pan-dimensional 'bureaucrat' who has influenced events throughout the Half-Life series. His presence is felt, and he makes a pivotal appearance that recontextualizes past and future events.
• Dr. Judith Mossman (Mentioned/Implied): Scientist / Double Agent
  While not directly appearing in person for most of the game, her actions and involvement with Eli Vance and the Combine are referenced, linking to the broader Half-Life narrative.
• Headcrabs, Zombies, Barnacles, etc. (Xen Creatures): Antagonistic Fauna/Flora
  Various hostile lifeforms originating from the borderworld Xen, now infesting parts of City 17 due to Combine activity or portals.

• Main Story Chapters (Approximately 11 Chapters)
  A linear series of chapters that progress the narrative of Alyx Vance's mission to rescue her father, Eli Vance, from the Combine. This involves navigating various sectors of City 17, infiltrating Combine facilities, confronting Xen creatures, solving environmental puzzles using VR interactions and the Multi-Tool, and ultimately reaching a massive Combine Vault. Each chapter presents unique environments, challenges, and story developments.
• Environmental Puzzle Solving
  Throughout the levels, Alyx must solve various environmental puzzles to progress. These often involve using the Gravity Gloves to manipulate objects, finding and placing battery cells, rewiring circuits with the Multi-Tool (involving 3D holographic puzzles), disabling Combine security systems, or navigating hazardous terrain.
• Combat Encounters (Combine & Xen)
  Engage in intense first-person combat against Combine soldiers (various types with different weapons and tactics) and hostile Xen creatures (Headcrabs, Zombies, Barnacles, etc.). Combat emphasizes physically aiming, reloading weapons, using cover, and utilizing throwable items like grenades or environmental explosives.
• Stealth Sequences & Evasion
  Certain sections require or encourage stealthy approaches to bypass heavily armed Combine patrols, avoid waking dormant enemies, or navigate areas with unkillable threats like Jeff. This involves using cover, distractions, and careful movement.
• Resource Scavenging & Management
  Continuously search the environment for vital resources: Resin (for weapon upgrades), ammunition for Alyx's three firearms, health syringes, Combine grenades, and other useful items. Efficiently managing these limited resources is key to survival.
• Weapon Upgrading (At Combine Fabricators)
  Locate Combine fabricator stations and spend collected Resin to unlock and apply various upgrades to Alyx's pistol, shotgun, and SMG, enhancing their capabilities (e.g., adding sights, extended magazines, alternate fire modes like a grenade launcher).

• Specimen Collection
  The primary gameplay loop. Players enter a district of Pelican City at night with the objective to collect a certain number of mutated specimens and successfully extract to their shelter before dawn.

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.

• Q: Is Half-Life: Alyx a VR-only game?
  A: Yes, Half-Life: Alyx was designed from the ground up exclusively for virtual reality and requires a compatible PC VR headset (like Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest with Link, Windows Mixed Reality) and motion controllers to play.
• Q: Where does Half-Life: Alyx fit into the Half-Life timeline?
  A: Half-Life: Alyx is a prequel set between the events of the original Half-Life and Half-Life 2. It takes place five years before Gordon Freeman's return in Half-Life 2.
• Q: Do I need to have played previous Half-Life games to understand Alyx?
  A: While Half-Life: Alyx tells a self-contained story focused on Alyx Vance, familiarity with the Half-Life universe, characters (like Eli Vance, G-Man), and the Combine will significantly enhance the appreciation of its narrative, lore, and the impact of its ending. However, it can still be enjoyed by newcomers.
• Q: What are the 'Russells' or Gravity Gloves?
  A: The Gravity Gloves, nicknamed 'Russells' by Alyx after their inventor, are a pair of gloves that allow her to target distant objects and flick her wrist to pull them towards her through the air. They are a core VR mechanic for interaction, looting, and puzzle-solving.
• Q: How long is Half-Life: Alyx?
  A: A typical playthrough of the main story campaign takes around 12-15 hours, though this can vary depending on exploration, puzzle difficulty, and player skill. The Steam Workshop offers many additional hours of community-created content.
• Q: Does Half-Life: Alyx have mod support?
  A: Yes, Valve released official modding tools (Source 2 SDK) for Half-Life: Alyx, which has led to a thriving modding community creating custom maps, new campaigns, gameplay modifications, and other experiences available through the Steam Workshop.

• Q: What is Living Hell?
  A: Living Hell is a 1-4 player online co-op survival horror game where players must venture into a radiation-scorched city at night to collect mutated specimens and escape before the deadly sunrise.
• Q: Is the game procedurally generated?
  A: Yes and no. The game features six hand-crafted city districts, but the interiors of all buildings are procedurally generated for every run, ensuring high replayability.
• Q: What happens if you don't escape before sunrise?
  A: The arrival of daylight means instant death due to the lethal solar radiation that has ravaged the city. This time limit is the game's core pressure mechanic.
• Q: Can I play it single-player?
  A: Yes, the game features a full offline single-player mode in addition to its 1-4 player online co-op.

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.

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.

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.

• OFFICIAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Half-Life: Alyx (VR Game). This information has been adapted to the provided JSON structure. Half-Life: Alyx is a VR-exclusive title with established requirements. The '1080p' and '1440p' tier keys from the template are used here to represent 'VR Minimum' and 'VR Recommended' specifications, respectively. The '2160p' tier has been populated with hardware for an 'Extreme VR / Max Supersampling' scenario, which is not an official Valve-defined tier but represents a very high-end target.
• Laptop Performance Note: For VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx, laptop models of listed desktop GPUs must have comparable performance. Sufficient TGP (Total Graphics Power) for the GPU, robust cooling, and correct port connections for the VR headset are critical for a good VR experience.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Adequate TGP is crucial for VR performance on laptops, ensuring the GPU can deliver its expected power.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is essential to prevent thermal throttling and maintain stable frame rates, which is vital for VR comfort.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Sustained CPU performance is important for physics calculations, AI, and overall game logic in demanding VR scenarios.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus can reduce latency and improve framerates by allowing the dedicated GPU to connect directly to the display (or VR headset via appropriate ports), which is highly beneficial for VR.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: The game engine (Source 2) features dynamic resolution scaling and allows for fixed render resolution overrides (per-eye) to manage performance for VR. SteamVR also provides global and per-application resolution settings.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: In-game graphics fidelity settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), the VR headset's native refresh rate (e.g., 90Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz), and the render resolution (per-eye) are the most significant factors affecting performance and visual quality. Maintaining a stable framerate matching the headset's refresh rate is crucial for a comfortable and immersive VR experience.
• Game Name: Half-Life: Alyx

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS from the game's Steam page. These specifications are for the Early Access version and are relatively modest.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance should be excellent on modern hardware. The game is designed to be accessible, and most gaming laptops from the last few years will run it well.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.
• Game Name: Living Hell

• Upscaling Tech: The game engine (Source 2) features dynamic resolution scaling and allows for fixed render resolution overrides (per-eye) to manage performance for VR. SteamVR also provides global and per-application resolution settings.
• Key Settings Impact: In-game graphics fidelity settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), the VR headset's native refresh rate (e.g., 90Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz), and the render resolution (per-eye) are the most significant factors affecting performance and visual quality. Maintaining a stable framerate matching the headset's refresh rate is crucial for a comfortable and immersive VR experience.

• G P U T G P: Adequate TGP is crucial for VR performance on laptops, ensuring the GPU can deliver its expected power.
• Cooling Thermals: Excellent cooling is essential to prevent thermal throttling and maintain stable frame rates, which is vital for VR comfort.
• C P U Power Limits: Sustained CPU performance is important for physics calculations, AI, and overall game logic in demanding VR scenarios.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus can reduce latency and improve framerates by allowing the dedicated GPU to connect directly to the display (or VR headset via appropriate ports), which is highly beneficial for VR.

• G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.