I might be alone on this and I haven't done the final chapter, but I think it's going downhill a bit. It's gone from subtle brilliance and uniqueness to a bit, I dunno, conventional? It's still great in bits, but the quiet moments are better than the increasingly AAA bits. It's trying to do real personal followed by massive scale in some well-judged juxtaposition and failing. It goes from a genuinely long and heartfelt Alyx and Russell journey to a - pull stupid lever to watch COD levels of explosive set-piece expense. 

The combat is still all kinds of cool and maybe the final chapter will do a thing and I'll be praising it. It's still been amazing. So so good. I just wish they'd gone for a Firewatch fizzle and not mad AAA thing with all the explosions. It's not over yet though and maybe I'm wrong, but the last chapter was a bit meh.

Hmmm, okay I shall see. I'm still on Chap 5

Jeff

Some mumblings. It's such a linear and long journey that without Russel in your ear it would be a lonely one in VR. Like all Half Lifes it seems over too quickly, but again like all HLs thinking back it seems really long,probably because like HL2 every chapter has a unique feel and theme. It's a long journey with different sights and scares but this time with constant background narration. It weirdly reminds me of Apocalypse Now except this is also funny, sometimes very funny. VR makes things funnier, probably because you tend to laugh harder when you're genuinely tense.

The weapons are terrific and upgrading is a pleasure. They're few, personal and memorable and feel like major characters in themselves. It's not unlike Destiny in that respect, without the range or choice. 

The plot is as basic as all the rest. You are here and you need to get there. I thought the first 2/3 was better than the final 1/3 but that may be personal preference. It tried way too hard to ramp it up and it really didn't have to, like they'd inexplicably handed the reigns to Micheal Bay. Set action pieces seem much more like set pieces in VR and not in a good way. 

I liked the ending, I think. The final chapter starts brave by toning it down a ton, which I loved, before ramping it up again but this time in a better way. 

Overall it's probably the most startling entertainment experience I've ever had. Sometimes in VR it doesn't matter - Skyrim VR isn't any different to flatscreen except it's VR, and I think I prefer the flatscreen version. Elite Dangerous can look slightly worse in VR but is a far better experience overall. Alyx would be just awful in flatscreen. The gloves are the main dynamic and are there to solve practical issues like cable management and tiredness, and that wouldn't translate well. In VR it's all kinds of cool though. Alyx is about the little things. Trying to kill a headcrab with a chair or rummaging about and picking up a floppy disk. The level of rummaging alone would make this shit in flatscreen. 

The sequel should be interesting and the ending makes it Hollywood clear there will be a sequel. As a series that typically pushes new tech that's probs not going to happen with the next one. They might go for more of a full finger tracking experience I guess and push Knuckles functionality, but it's not going to be the revolution this is.

I haven’t played today. Busy with AC, but will be back on tomorrow. Agree with Hair. It’s so intense I’m taking it in small bursts. But it is that generational new experience that only comes along once in a while like; Doom, Wipeout, Mario 64, Halo. Everyone needs to experience this.

Great bit of body horror and very thematic when the Combine computer terminal processors

Bollockoff wrote:

I'm part-way through watching a playthrough and it does look incredible. Though people seem averse to using paint cans to bat headcrabs mid-leap which I can't understand. There's one new Combine solider type that seems taken right out of R6: Siege.

I tried that but missed and then I had a headcrab on my face and I was then trying to hit myself in the face with a paint can. It didn't go well....

I caught one by accident and shot it up close.

Can one meaningfully watch this game on YouTube o is that not possible / advisable?

Armitage_Shankburn wrote:

Can one meaningfully watch this game on YouTube o is that not possible / advisable?

There'd be so much lost in translation that unless you're really bored I don't think it'd be that enjoyable, but you certainly could. It's deliberately slow paced and you'll spend half the time watching someone rummage through grotty kitchens.

Made me ill

Or manky toilets ill?

Just finished it. That's the best thing I've played in ages. Was proper tingles by the time it all wrapped up.

Armitage_Shankburn wrote:

Can one meaningfully watch this game on YouTube o is that not possible / advisable?

Apparently it's fine. It's so difficult to tell when you're in there but people have been having shitfits about how good it appears so I guess it translates afterall.

Spoilerific.

I got part way through chapter 3 but was just finding the 3m cable a bit restricting.