Half-Life: Alyx vs Half-Life 2 | Direct Comparison 

13:32 Flexing in March 2020

“I used the cliffhanger to destroy the cliffhanger” -Valve

You know what's missing in HL: Alyx? "body_hitting_the_ground.mp3"

Still important to note that a lot of HL2 models still emote better than many current games.

"You have to constantly be aware of your surroundings, and of what expensive monitor you're about to smack..." I felt that on a spiritual level.

Thanks valve for the "throwing TV out of the window" mechanics you've been providing all these years.

I love how they handled all the Xen materials in Alyx

12:59 - pretty sure Valve mostly set objects opacity to 0 when you pick them up as hand shadows are never rendered...I don't think it's for performance, more aesthetics, as showing the shadow of a floating object without the shadow of floating hands holding objects would just look strange. The decision to not render the shadows of the hands was likely for the same reason, they'd need to render Alyx's whole bodies shadow, and it likely would've created some very janky looking shadows based on how how unnaturally you'd be able to contort her arms based on where you're holding the controllers. ;)

15:35 when i used the "can't use" sound in HL:A, i was like "oh my god.." IT'S SO NOSTALGIC, even if it's sorta reused, it's a nice addition for when you're out of ammo overall, i like how they reused some sounds from the original HL2.

16:06 That combine soldier's terrified voice sealed the deal, there was also a humorous part about 2 combine soldiers later in the game, where one is kicking a (definitely dead) strider with his mate telling overwatch that he's kicking it, I think we all know that scene, it just reminds you that they're technically humans as well.

Something that I miss from hl1 it's MUTILATION, remember when anything alive could explode in pieces?

I like how Valve just chooses to release their game on a platform they think would be successful or phemomenal. First was Half Life 2 which is now considered by many as one of their best games played on PC. And now they release Alyx, which is on a different platform and is already gaining popularity because of how well created it is. I think in a few years or so, this game would also be considered as one of the best games in VR. Valve will soon cement their name in 2 different platforms as a good game developer

Hl:A's combine looks... *T H I C C*

Rather than a replacement for the SMG in half life 2, I think that the SMG in half life alyx is a replacement for the energy rifle

16:04 I love the combine voice and death sound

Someone show this to Linus, he thinks Alyx doesn't look any better than HL2.

Im really impressed with the audio in this game. Every sound is so crisp and clear. Sounds like it comes from the actual direction its being emitted from

I really think that with the ending (No Spoilers). They should've used the Combine Elite Soldiers... I really miss them!

My crappy prior job as a warehouse worker, where I stood and walked around for 8 hours straight every day, has made me ready for this.

1:14 "half life 2 of course handles like any other first person shooter" Desinc and speed runners: I beg to differ...

Half-Life Alyx is a good contender for GOTY. The most immersive game I have ever played.

I love their approach to quality over quantity i dont like that its been years, but i feel like they put time and care in every game they make so that makes it all okay to me

You missed a pretty subtle sound design aspect in alyx. With player movement of hands and head you can hear Alyx's clothing creasing and stretching

regular headcrabs are so cute when they flop and roll around. also the physiscs are incredible on those lil suckers.

13:31 Apparently City 17 is also short on tissue

The fact that you can draw a PP on a window is enough for me to rate Half-Life Alyx -10 out of 10- Big PP rating

*It was awesome to see all the hl2 props remastered, even just seeing a simple paint bucket from hl2 in hlA was dope.*

*16* years later, Half-Life 2 still looks remarkable.

HL-A is a modern day masterpiece, Valve is at it again.

Great job covering so many details! Did you mention that Alyx evens talks differently when you cover your mouth? Yes, the game is a MUST PLAY and is absolutely amazing in VR! It would seem quite dull to play in 2D. Super well-done Valve as always!

Alyx was my favorite gaming experience in a long time... probably since Skyrim. It's now one of my all time favorites and in a week I've played through twice (With and without cheats). The level of immersion is just indescribable. Seeing videos can't do it justice. It's not just amazing looking... it's damned real!

They really improved everything on Source 2 I would love to see Half-Life 2 on Source 2

"You can even drive around in vehicles, which are not available in Alyx at all" Oh nooooo

The audio is a completely different thing when played on the Index. It is amazing how real it sounds and feels.

Alyx has better sound design, but I am even more impressed with HL2’s sound design than I previously was when hearing a direct comparison and thinking it holds up pretty well.

When i saw you shooting at jeff inside locked elevator, something inside me died.

I have been going through the whole series again since Black Mesa has been officially released, great times. 1) Black Mesa, 2) Opposing Force, 3) Blue Shift, 4) Half Life 2, 5) Episode 1, 6) Episode 2, 7) Portal, 8) Portal 2 And now only Half Life: Alyx will remain. PS. I had forgotten how much Cave Johnson was hysterical.

I remember how amazed my dad was looking at HL2's graphics

the sound you emmit changes depending on the evironment

I guess the combine soldiers look different also because they wear gear which helps them fight in the quarantine zone.

I love the way alyx's voice changes with the environment she stands in. If you stand directly in front of a wall it sounds entirely different than if you stand in the middle of a room

Im going to assume from the Combines experience with Alyx, they decided to change things up. Suits: Decrease surface area as much as possible and increase manoeuvrability while maintaining as much defence. Remove 'evident weak-points' (e.g. the canister that can blow and the grenades by either hiding them or making them more 'strong') Units: Increase quantity and interactions/co-operation w/ Overwatch and their team. Weaponry: Auto-reload or easier to reload (Pulse requires time to reload which affected their battle, shotgun has too many parts and slows down reloading, grenades become easier to 'bounce around corners' Their 'Hammer' appears to be a weapon that takes too long to shoot giving their target time to hide and attack thus deeming it worthless in extended battles, especially when there is plenty of cover available. If Im right, then the Combine feels more realistic learning from their mistakes due to Alyx.

There were several points in the game that made any individual hesitant almost considering about killing the -Combine- Universal Union Human milita; they appear to be aware what they are doing and are unmodified; they can be heard quoting; 'it will all be over soon... I am sorry' - 'unarmed civilian, lowering the weapon' - 'sh*t!'

there are 100% some water effects, in the beginning of the game when the floating cardboard starts. at the black mesa grafiti button puzzle

I love the fact that the combines panic when you shoot the tank

I like how the combine will engage in Idle chatter that's relevant to the situation

I'm honestly shocked that a 2004 PC game looks completely different compared to a 2020 VR game.

15:39 I think it would be more fitting if you compare the HLA AR with the HL2 AR instead of the SMG

I can't stress enough how much better this game looks through the VR headset vs the "flat" render you see in videos. The difference is huge, and it's hard to explain why.

11:50 I would particularly recommend "Half-Life 2: Update" on Steam for anyone replaying HL2, adding in all the fancy lighting effects that came later to make HL2 look as good, if not better, than its later episodes.

In short Half-Life ALYX is dope

I knew HL:A would be another revolutionary game by valve

5:03 it was based of the USP-C Match Made by Heckler and Koch the SMG was also a Heckler and Koch Prototype for the MP7 1911s use .45 ACP stronger and slower bullet meant to knock enemies back 9mm was adopted by most of the world due to it's balance between recoil and stopping power. surprised alyx hasn't injured herself from the recoil using it with a single hand (Biologically especially, combination more dense in nerve cells (meaning females can feel more pain than male counterparts, this also however lends women to surviving head-shots more often due to nerve cells being better ballistic protection than fat or muscle. the pain also keeps the victim from moving around too much and having the bullet Rip and Tear like Doomguy cosplaying mastercheif in a Bumblebee lifepod landing on Halo on the second mission in Halo CE/1 (Yes because the Cheif didn't wear a seatbelt he killed on landing all marines and pilots inside bouncing around like a Pinball in the pod itself)) and less strengthened bone composition. Malnourishment from Combine Rationing also would play a Role) 9mm or 9x19 was invented by Luger, yes the P08's designer had the last name Luger hence why it's called the Luger. the original nickname for the 9mm bullet was Parabellum, Luger's own motto "want peace, Prepare for war" 9mm 1911s do exist, the Polish Radom Vis 1938 was heavily based on the 1911 design and was in 9 millimeter. it along with the Ruby (Pocket pistol) and Antiquated Nagant 1895 revolvers (reissued from German Captured Russian Stock as Nagant Vz 95) most commonly issued to Polish BAR Units and officers Given that city 17 is in eastern Europe it might be a Radom Vis. doesn't look like a makarov nor CZ-52 (Half life 2 mod Logistique used a CZ-52 and it looked too much like a Makarov. i thought it was a Makarov until i beat the Mod. i was ashamed because i have 2 CZ-52s one in Takarov ammo like it's TT-33 Ancestor from Russia and a 9mm (one of my friends accidentally fired a TK Round through the 9mm barrel by accident, good thing the gun didn't blow up from the pressures. guess that shows the craftsmanship of who ever made the 9mm barrel conversion))

0:42 a perfect look at changes in how characters act...

I wish they built a "theme" park for Half-Life with life sized parkour of a City-17.

The first thing I noticed about the enemies is how big they are. The headcrabs felt huge and the combine in the first elevator scene felt like they could lift me up by the throat with one hand. It's something I never got from earlier half life games

I just now noticed the 9:30 on your logo. Been watching your vids forever and I'm just now noticing that. Also, great video as always.

the combine soldier in hl alyx looks like the type of guy who would ask someone where is their power armor

Half life 2 looked amazing for the time

13:54 THATS A MINI TENTACLE MONSTER FROM HALF LIFE

I’m really in love with the simple stuff in their game like being able to crush a can in your hand with the right announcer of pressure and rubbing marker off the window with your fingers .

I love how you show off the physics by just poking, throwing, placing and bending things.

Half life 2 combine : *1 shotgun shells, died* HLA: *3 fockin or 4 shells*

I'm absolutely LOVING Alyx! Played again last night and it's just SO GOOD.

Hey man! First of all: Great Vid! Just saw this one and immediately subscribed to your channel :) But what version of HL2 are you showing of here? Textures are way more detailed than original. What mod is it? or is it just 4k? Since there are no changes in the textures in general, just their quality

i cant describe how wonderfully well that thumbnail looks WHY DOES IT LOOK SO GOOD

I just love the combine soldiers radio chattering. They sound so good.

NICK BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH THE TOP TIER COMPARISONS!!!!

8:04 there is actually 4 zombie models in the previous game before Alyx thete was the Zombie, the Fast Zombie, Poison zombie,Zombine.

Tbh, Half-Life: Alyx teaches you how to use a weapon.

Mount and Blade II vs Mount and Blade I, and Resident Evil 3 remake vs Resident Evil 3 Original are two planned comparisons.

props on the stunning alyx footage, curious how you achieved that

Thank you for an amazing review! You’re the best reviewer out there hands down!!

fluid effects have now been added to bottles and containers showing it off a bit, nifty stuff, good vid.

1:00 You vs. The guy she told you not to worry about.

I feel like I'm seeing Half-Life 2 for the first time back in 2007 again.

Two things that I've noticed: 1) 15:39 It would be more fair to compare HLA SMG to the Pulse Rifle from HL2, since they use same ammunition and very similar in operation. 2) 16:20 In HLA, if your health is full, you will not hear the healing sound. It seems like you have done just that, because there was no beeping. Otherwise, great video, the production on it is real sweet. Glad you've benn recommended to me by RU-vid!

I feel like you should've made a comparison for the sound design on the Strider. Going from whale-like sounds to techno-dubstep roars is definitely worth of a highlight reel.

Yeah, Source 2 certainly does make Half-Life: Alyx one of the better looking VR games out there atm. I would love to see how far Source 2 can be pushed visually in some non-VR games with all that ray tracing goodness involved. Hopefully, once the Source 2 SDK is out will start to see some non-VR projects being made(Titanfall 3 and Half-Life 2 remake plzzzzz!1).

For all the haters about it being VR only, this is an absolute masterpiece and was more than needed for VR, it is an absolute halo product we need to get more into a mainstream level. Honestly I know it can be quite expensive, but on the Rift S this is amazing and works perfectly $400 is a lot of money but the government just cut you a check for 1200$ please think about helping grow the percentage of VR users as this has reinvigorated Valve to make games again, its not just a periph. its an ecosystem that represents a shift in modern graphics and game design you simply can't get with a flat screen, videos like this don't even come close to the awe of seeing it in 3D where depth is fully represented there is nothing more terrifying that seeing a headcrab flying past you or coming at you. HL:A isn't the only reason to own a HMD but it def. is one hell of a good reason to have one I would say Boneworks being a solid 2, while PistolWhip and Beatsaber are tied at 3 with 4 Lucky's Tale and Moss at a tie. I wish Capcom would port RE7 to PC for the headsets as that is a major reason why and where HMDs make a strong case and shine.

I was fascinated by the way the combine react to injuries and their environments, even imminent danger (take for example the part where the enemy has their gas tank damaged and ignited, they lose their composure and sound genuinely scared). It really helps to remind the player that these enemies were once human too, and adds to the realism of the series.

i really liked the new combine sounds in the sound comparison part because they sound alot more well humans that actually get scared

This is like being a newbie in a game and fighting the last boss from the start

If Half Life it's the father of videogames, Half-Life: Alyx it's the god of vr

its amazes me so much, its really incrediable how far we have come with graphics

Hey nick absolutely loved this video and all your content and I have a recommendation to do a direct comparison with the original call of duty modern warfare 2 and the brand new remarstered.

There are tons of people spreading misinformation in the comments, passing on their own opinions and theories as facts without any sources. Be wary

0:47 did you just try- nevermind...

it would be cool to see nick930 do a setup tour tbh

Guys. Valve took 13 years to advance the plot of their game by a full 8 seconds

Do a Direct Comparison with Warzone and Blackout

I think a lot of Alyx's art direction is good in its own right, but I miss the more subdued look of Classic HL2. I feel like the simpler designs, and less stylized look of the combine all made the experience feel more like a post-apocalyptic earth than Alyx, where the excessive style makes the whole environment feel more alien. The weapons and gear most of the Combine used looked like re-purposed or modified versions of real-life models, owing to the Combine's focus on efficiency, having humans continue their standard production just using it for them. Meanwhile in Alyx the more sci-fi look of the guns and combine uniforms makes it look more like the entire world has had much longer to be integrated into combine society

Anyone else notice that when you're healing yourself it kinda sounds like a muffled "thanks" looped over?

8:18 combine soldiers *shows a combine prison guard or guard i forgot*

I wish HL Alyx was more science oriented, that was my highlight in the other HL titles

1:21 wrong, any standard shooter operates like hl2

@Nick930 14:00 at the time of release for Half Life: Alyx, the source 2 engine surprising couldn't simulate water at the time and was very emersive breaking if used, as it was flat and reflected poorly. Recently the Source 2 engine is getting support for water physics and shaders for reflections and white caps. It will be really cool when it releases.

8:25 the fact that it left a small dot on the window when you threw the pen - now that's immersion of the highest order

what the hell did you do to the HL:Alyx logo

I’ve been playing through HL:A, and it’s amazing so far (I’m at chapter 5 currently). I really do recommend it