Shacknews Best Graphics of 2020 - Half-Life: Alyx

How often do you root through boxes or crates and flip them over to scrutinize their undersides in real life? My answer: Never. How often do I do those things in Half-Life: Alyx? Far more than I should.

Valve's return to the Half-Life universe checks all the boxes fans expect from installments of the franchise: A dirty dystopia, weapons with heft, environmental storytelling, and scalable tech. All of that coalesces to present a world that feels lived in, and that you live in. Hallways are adorned with paintings, photographs, debris, and all sorts of objects to tinker with--and without feeling recycled.

Grab a box, turn it around, and note its unique textures. Pick up a bottle and shake it to note the way the liquid inside sloshes around. That's a testament to Half-Life: Alyx's physics, sure, but as any fan of Half-Life 2 will tell you, physics goes hand-in-hand with visuals to inject (literal and figurative) virtual worlds with verisimilitude.

I don't even feel encouraged to poke my eyes into every nook and cranny. I just want to. The visuals make exploring feel natural, especially when hunting for ammo and resin with which to upgrade my weapons. It feels like a real place, and while I'd never want to live in City 17, I always enjoy visiting.

Check out the other winners from The Shacknews Awards 2020 in our Year of the Games: 2020 article.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.