Half-Life Alyx - 10 Connections To The Original Games That You Missed
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Half-Life Alyx - 10 Connections To The Original Games That You Missed
Half Life: Alyx contains several references to the original games - how many of them did you catch on your playthrough? is a true love-letter to fans that have stuck with the series since its inception. Having to wait over 12 years for an entry in the iconic franchise, many were skeptical of the spinoff. It appears that has made a successor to the previous entries in the best possible way, combing intense combat with engaging exploration. Those who have a keen eye while exploring likely noticed some fun references to past entries. From the Black Mesa incident to Doctor Breen's propaganda posts, there is a reference in here that any Half-Life fan will notice. Here are 10 connections to the original games that you likely missed in Half-Life: Alyx. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY Vortigaunt Mural
Via: During the early portions of Half-Life: Alyx, players will stumble across a secluded Vortiguant that is cooking Headcrabs and trying to give Alyx advice. While it is speaking of Alyx's fate, players can find a Mural at the back of the room that displays various characters and aliens from the Half-Life universe. Fans of the series will instantly recognize the central figure is Gordan Freeman and the Black Mesa incident. Further along the wall various species enslaved by the Combine are showcased, with Freeman again appearing to save them. This is a cool nod to the stories from the previous games without dropping minutes' worth of exposition. The Mind Of Breen
Via: GameSpot Wallace Breen is one of the main antagonists of Half-Life 2, constantly appearing on televisions and radios to spread propaganda about the Combine's good intentions. While we never get to hear his long-winded speeches in Half-Life: Alyx, there is a nice nod to his character through a magazine that players can find. Players can find it when they first meet Russell face-to-face. There are a ton of easter eggs in this area, but this is a great reference to the annoying antagonist from the second entry. Alyx s Snark Pet
Via: Spunge (YouTube) Most knew of Dog, Alyx's pet robot she has spent years with. She never mentioned having a pet Snark in any game, though. Snarks are biological grenades players fought in the last levels of the original . It seems this Snark is friendly and is a personal pet of Alyx. You can even feed it to obtain an achievement. This Snark can be found towards the beginning of the game right after you call Eli in the first chapter. He can be found in a jar on a table with his food nearby. Dr Kleiner s Book
Via: During the first chapter of Half-Life: Alyx, you will find a balcony with a radio and a book laying next to a chair. Picking up the book will reveal the author is none other than Doctor Issac Kleiner. Kleiner was a supporting character in both Half-Life and Half-Life 2. He mainly experimented with teleportation, typically being seen with the special teleporting device that players use in the second game. Issac Kleiner is also the main scientist model used in the first game to such an excessive degree that there are . Dog s Original Design
Via: GameSpot Alyx's massive robot companion, Dog, is unfortunately absent in Half-Life: Alyx, save for a post-credits scene. There is a sketch of him in one of the game's earlier chapters, though. Fans will notice that he looks much more like a robotic dog in these sketches, appearing more as a mechanical dog than the bulky stature fans know him for. Alyx does mention in Half-Life 2 how she altered and added parts to Dog over time, resulting in his massive size in that game. This could be the original concept or prototype of Dog before he was altered by Alyx extensively. Gnome Chompski
Via: SirLicksBatterys (YouTube) Valve has a habit of placing a certain gnome . Having existed since Half-Life 2: Episode 2, this gnome is a reference to an infamous easter egg in that game. In Episode 2, players could find this conspicuous gnome at the very start of the game, right after the first conversation with Eli and Dr. Kleiner. If players could escort the gnome through nearly the entire episode and launch it into space, they would get an achievement. There is a similar achievement in Half-Life: Alyx for escorting the exact same gnome found near the beginning of the Combine Vault, one of the last levels in that game. Black Mesa Incident
The opening level for Half-Life might be one of the most iconic moments in video games, setting the player as responsible for destroying the facility and causing the central conflict in that game. It seems it resulted in much more than a research facility's destruction. Towards the beginning of the game, players can find a globe of Earth that depicts all seven continents. Unlike most globes, this one is marked with the hotspots of the Combine's invasion. If you roll the globe over to the northern equator, you will immediately notice that the entirety of North America is crossed out, showing its destruction. This could be because of the Black Mesa incident or the Seven-Hour War. Regardless, it is a cool reference to the previous games and their impact on the planet itself. Gordan Freeman s Achievements
Running through corridors and killing Headcrabs with a Crowbar is one of the most Half-Life things you could imagine, even if shooting them was easier. Those crazy sandbox elements are referenced in Half-Life: Alyx semi-jokingly. When the player uncovers that the Vault is housing someone, Alyx and the Resistance crew infer it is none other than Gordon Freeman, the protagonist of both Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Russell goes on to describe his accomplishments, stating he escaped Black Mesa with only a Crowbar and the HEV suit. Not many games reference their previous games' protagonists with such high acclaim, excluding the likes of . Citadel Layout
Via: GameSpot Here's a throwback for hardcore Half-Life 2 fans. Inside a hidden safe haven in the first chapter, players can find a whiteboard detailing the construction of the Combine Citadel. What is striking is how similar the second and third stages of the Citadel resemble the leaked Half-Life 2 beta's Citadel. In the infamously leaked beta, the Citadel had many blocky shapes protruding from its skinny base instead of the sleek yet intimidating appearance it has in the second game. It was completely overhauled before the game released to coincide with the game's lighter tone and shorter campaign. Poisoned Water
Advertisements for a certain brand of bottled water can be found in Half-Life: Alyx seemingly for the sake of immersion. These adverts reference a common phrase Resistance members would bark in the second game. In Half-Life 2, many Resistance NPCs would tell each other to not drink the water because the Combine has poisoned it. Whether it was a joke about their paranoia or revealing the dire situation was never certain. Well, it seems to be the latter as these billboards encourage the citizens to drink lots of water, likely to cull parts of the population before the Combine finishes the Citadel and completely enslaves everyone.