Chinese players call VR game Half-Life: Alyx the future of gaming

Valve already commands a large following in China as the operator of Steam and maker of CS:GO and Dota 2

Reading Time:3 minutes

Half-Life: Alyx is a full-length game with about 15 hours of gameplay. (Picture: Valve)

Published: 5:00am, 26 Mar 2020Updated: 5:00am, 26 Mar 2020

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Sometimes it takes a while for a new medium to come into its own. Even though virtual reality games have been around for years, some gamers are calling the newly released Half-Life: Alyx the first VR masterpiece.

Valve’s latest entry to the storied Half-Life franchise has become the most talked-about new game this year next to Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The VR shooter has been getting universal praise from critics and players alike, with many claiming that the game has made better use of VR than perhaps any other before it.

Gamers can either physically move to close in on enemies or use teleportation. (Picture: Valve)

While it’s still early days for the game, praise is already spanning oceans. In China, one of the game’s early fans includes Yan Feng, a Chinese literature professor at Shanghai's Fudan University who is also a popular commentator on Weibo.

“From dawn till now, I have been playing Half-Life: Alyx. Here is my experience. Four words: Eyes brimming with tears,” Yan posed. “We have been waiting for a game which can put the potential of VR on full display. Now it has arrived.”

He added that the game reminded him of being in awe the first time he played Contra on the Nintendo Famicom.

Chinese players call VR game Half-Life: Alyx the future of gaming

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Valve already commands a large following in China as the operator of Steam and maker of CS:GO and Dota 2

Valve already commands a large following in China as the operator of Steam and maker of CS:GO and Dota 2