Half-Life Alyx NoVR continues to impress and evolve

By Liam Dawe - 4 Jul 2023 at 11:32 am UTC

Last updated: 4 Jul 2023 at 12:58 pm UTC

Half-Life Alyx NoVR is really coming together and a fresh update is out now to make the experience even better for those without a VR kit. I will say that it's still one of my favourite experiences ever in gaming with the Valve Index, but given how Half-Life is a much loved series, more people deserve to be able to play it. These modders are a dedicated bunch that's for sure!

To go along with the update they also released some new trailers:

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What's in the latest update:

Added Alyx's pockets (not available on Steam Deck yet).

Improved collision in various levels so players cannot skip areas.

Unsupported mods no longer crash the game when going back to the main menu.

Added new supported mods.

Improved viewmodel sway and bob.

Improved interactions throughout all levels.

Easier to use ladders.

Crash fixes.

Steam Deck stability improvements.

And more!

They're also now providing a dedicated version for the Steam Deck, although that will potentially not be needed once they add support on Steam Deck for everything. From what I tested in a previous build on Steam Deck it was very promising and desktop too - so I can't wait to see this finished.

For the mod support it now works with Levitation, Extra-Ordinary Value, Resident Evil Alyx: Biohazard, Goldeneye Alyx - 007 - Dam, Belomorskaya Station, Overcharge and Red Dust.

See all the info in their news post on Mod DB. A good time to try it as Half-Life: Alyx is currently on sale on Steam with 60% off in the Summer Sale.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.

Tags: Steam Deck, FPS, Mod, Steam, Valve, Virtual Reality (VR) | Apps: Half-Life: Alyx

19 Likes

About the author - Liam Dawe

I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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7 comments

edo 4 Jul 2023

Can someone confirm if it's fun to play it like this or not? I have heard it feels too slow in this way

1 Likes

TrainDoc 4 Jul 2023

View PC info

Quoting: edoCan someone confirm if it's fun to play it like this or not? I have heard it feels too slow in this way

As someone who has played both modes, this just turns the game into a mediocre FPS. It's cool to make custom actually good FPS maps/campaigns though.

2 Likes

Grogan 4 Jul 2023

I don't imagine it'll be a ton of fun, while designed for VR, but I might do it just to see the game. I doubt I'm ever going to get VR headgear.

I was disappointed when I first heard of it, "oh wow, a new Half Life game!" then my eyes fell on VR only.

0 Likes

TimeFreeze 4 Jul 2023

View PC info

Well, bought HL:A thanks to the NoVR mod i can finally enjoy it, since i refuse to buy a VR headset just for 1 game. Yeah i probably miss out on a lot, but who cares. Lets just hope that when Valve will make a new Half-Life game (i can dream right?) that it wont be VR exclusive.

1 Likes

BalkanSpy 4 Jul 2023

It is nice that someone is working hard on a non-VR mod. But yeah, the movement and gunplay look just too stiff and janky.
Hopefully one day it will be almost as fluid as the VR version.

0 Likes

Ehvis 6 Jul 2023

Supporter Plus

Quoting: BalkanSpyIt is nice that someone is working hard on a non-VR mod. But yeah, the movement and gunplay look just too stiff and janky.
Hopefully one day it will be almost as fluid as the VR version.

Doubt it will ever live up to expectations. It suffers the same problems that many flat -> VR ports have. They can kind of make it work, but it never feels as if the mechanics of the game feel well thought out. A game that was designed and balanced for human motion won't ever feel right as a flat game.

1 Likes

edo 12 Jul 2023

Quoting: TrainDoc
Quoting: edoCan someone confirm if it's fun to play it like this or not? I have heard it feels too slow in this way
As someone who has played both modes, this just turns the game into a mediocre FPS. It's cool to make custom actually good FPS maps/campaigns though.

Are there k+m novr custom campaigns on the alyx workshop?

1 Likes

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