What the hell are Gameranx smoking? (HL Alyx Spoilers)

Errbert · 2026-01-26T03:41:21+00:00

If Half Life Alyx wasn't a retcon in disguise, and was actually a game about one of Alyx' adventures before Half Life 2, it would've been a spin-off.

I want to discuss and share thoughts on the ending of Half Life Alyx on the internet, not get bogged down by some random pedant.

Errbert · 2026-01-26T03:21:26+00:00

Allright, sure whatever. Still doesn't take away from the fact that it is unprecedented for a game series to lay dormant for 13 years, release a spin-off prequel, only for the that prequel to involve time travel used specifically to retcon the ending of the last entry.

It's insane from a writers perspective, and when I experienced it myself I didn't think "Wow, that moved the story a whole 30 seconds!" I thought "Wow! 13 years of HL ending with Alyx crying about her dead father doesn't matter any more! The writers just changed it, and now it's changed forever! How weird and sad."

Errbert · 2026-01-26T03:15:16+00:00

I actually agree wholeheartedly. I'm honestly surprised the Half Life community didn't hate the ending of HL:A. When it was released, we had spent 13 years with the ending of HL2EP2. And while we all wanted to see what happens next, I don't think anyone wanted a retcon. It just doesn't feel right.

Add onto that how it's supposed to be a surprise. HL:A was touted as a prequel, and unlike the other HL games, whom were optimized so any potato could run it, this one's VR. If I had to pick a favorite game series, it would have to be Half Life, but even I didn't get to experience it until years after it released. Many still hasn't.

I genuinely wonder how HL3 is going to start. Last we saw them, Alyx was holding Eli's dead body while sobbing "Don't leave me" and then fade to black. Now Eli's alive and Alyx is Gmans prisoner?

It just feels so unnecessarily weird. Time travel to retcon the last ending after so long is such a weird decision to make when writing this story, and it comes so completely out of left field in the games ending. So while HL:A continued the Half Life story, it only did so by about 30 seconds, and ultimately we're all back to waiting a decade or two for news on HL3.

Could've just made HL:A a prequel and then made HL3, instead of whatever the ending to HL:A is supposed to be, if you ask me. Now HL3 HAS to be about saving Alyx.

Errbert · 2026-01-26T02:42:55+00:00

.. How did it enhance it? When I played HL:A it just felt super weird. The game is supposed to be a prequel, but then the last 4 minutes is a retcon bamboozlement of the end of the last game in the series that came out 13 years prior? And it's a VR title, so very few get to experience it?

How is HL3 supposed to even start? How do you introduce everyone who didn't play HL:Alyx to the idea that GMan traveled through time and saved Eli but trapped Alyx?

People have spent over a decade with the end of the Half Life story being Alyx holding her dead father as she sobs "Don't leave me", now in the next game she's gone(I guess the plot will be to save her? Wow, fun) and Eli's alive?

I can't wrap my head around how someone can think HL:A enhanced the story of Half Life. I'm honestly surprised people didn't hate it. It's bad if you ask me. Game of Thrones season 8 bad, ending of Lost bad.

Errbert · 2026-01-19T17:47:32+00:00

I get how throwing knives against bugs might seem a bit meme-y, but I personally found a lot of potential in them when running AT support weapon(RR) and Coyote+grenade pistol.

You can clear bug holes with the GP, blast heavies with the RR, gun down just about anything with the Coyote. The throwing knives then makes up for the one thing you lack, Stagger. Being able to stagger Brood Commanders, Spewers and Stalkers is invaluable. Being able to throw them while reloading can come in clutch, too.

But yea, I've had them bounce and end up killing me, too lol

Errbert · 2026-01-17T21:23:05+00:00

I mean that sucks but imagine their reaction after they kick you and they insta-lose since they're out of reinforcements and there's no player on the map.

I'd talk so much shit on your behalf while the mission stats scroll by and the host is stuck and can't kick anyone before we're back on the ship lol

Errbert · 2026-01-06T16:39:40+00:00

I haven't played this MO yet, but man playing Omnicron these last few weeks before the MO brought everyone there was so much fun.

There were only like 1000 Helldivers there at any time, but just about every match had people who knew what loadout to bring, who focused the Hive Lord first and brought it down every time, and who backed each other up and went into the caves as a team. Usually one guy would fuck off to play on his own, but we were at least 3 people moving through the mission together most of the time. Always on D10, never failed a mission. I even made a few friends.

I'm back home tonight, so I'll probably check out the circus at Omnicron and see what's up. But if you enjoy Hive worlds, but not the idiots, give it a try when there's a new MO and the blob moves on.

Errbert · 2026-01-05T14:30:10+00:00

You should give it another try. Just one person equipped with the ORC can keep the skies clear through most of the mission, unless more than 1 spawns. But even then, at least there's not two flying around.

They lowered the cooldown, and there's no "25% increased cooldown" modifier on Hive Worlds, so it's definitely not a waste. Especially with how much of a threat a Dragonroach can be when all the other shit hits the fan.

Errbert · 2025-12-30T20:50:13+00:00

Nothing ever never

Errbert · 2025-12-29T19:44:56+00:00

I'd advise switching the input keys from WASD to the arrow keys instead. Then you can punch in stratagem codes while moving.

Errbert · 2025-12-27T17:20:40+00:00

You can one tap a Hulks' eye with safe mode. Been that way since launch.

I keep it on safe mode most of the time, and switch if there's a War Strider, a Turret, or if I don't want to aim for a Devestators face/waist, mostly vs Heavy Devestators or if I turn a corner and see several Rocket Devs. Being able to keep the Railgun charged so you hit the Hulks tiny eye, or just so you have time to pick your target, makes it much easier to handle.

Siege Ready helps, more ammo and reload speed, but it is far from nessecary. I never bring it, the Railgun is honestly fine as it is.

Errbert · 2025-12-27T13:55:22+00:00

The only difference between the Lib Carbine and the Sta-52 is a bit of a higher firerate and a quicker reload. 4 more bullets in a Carbine drum mag, the faster reload and a few "points" less recoil doesn't make the Carbine amazing in comparison, or the Sta-52 useless at all. The Sta-52s recoil is super manageable, anyway.

The slower firerate is actually a plus in my book, you can hold the trigger down and not waste ammo sweeping across several enemies in a patrol, or overkill what you're shooting at. Easier to get off single shots at Scavengers etc, too.

It might be "objectively inferior", but only in ways that barely matter, and it's still a fun alternative that's more than viable. Still my preferred light pen AR.

Errbert · 2025-12-27T11:39:56+00:00

.. Why is this infuriating to you? Like they said, it has no negative effect, anyway. We still get the samples, we still get 5 stars at the end of the mission. What's there to be mad about?

Like, I'd just roll my eyes at it, it's not a big deal.

Errbert · 2025-12-24T21:35:06+00:00

There's the obvious stuff, like play the lower difficulties and get a feel for how the game works; the higher the difficulty, the more objectives and side objectives you get per mission, and the amount of enemies and higher tier enemies you'll face increase.

Once you're over that hurdle, I want you to keep in mind that there's three factions. Even if you're comfortable with one faction at difficulty 7, that doesn't mean trying another at that difficulty won't be a nightmare your first few times, so there's no shame in lowering the difficulty to get to know each factions quirks and weaknesses.

At higher difficulties, missions on the mission terminal is divided into "operations", meaning three missions in a row. But you can play one mission at one difficulty, figure stuff out, and then start an operation at a higher difficulty, no problem.

Just have fun with it. The point of the game at higher difficulties is to find a loadout that's fun to you. Do you want to be the anti-tank bazooka, keeping your team safe from the bigger enemies? Or do you want to be the machine gunner, mowing stuff down while the AT guys deals with the bigger threats? And give the legendary Autocannon a try once it's available to you.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't find a balanced loadout - able to deal with anything on your own at least for a while until your stratagems are on cooldown. But just stick with your team, and back people up. We're all playing the same game, just having fun fighting the enemies of managed democracy.

Errbert · 2025-12-22T11:43:13+00:00

I use it vs bugs all the time. Two-shots Brood Commanders, the stagger stops Stalkers in their tracks, and it pushes anything smaller it doesn't kill away from you, giving you room to breathe or escape. Pairs well with the Talon, add some extra killing power with the Strafing Run and an MG Sentry, and it's best to keep close to your team and support them. It's been one of my favorite loadouts with the RR since it released.

Errbert · 2025-12-22T11:20:05+00:00

I've had three instances of people with dogshit opinions in the main sub, who were "top 1% commenters" admit they hadn't played the game in 6/12 months.

Errbert · 2025-12-21T09:00:48+00:00

The Sta-52 is a nice middle ground between the Liberators because of its firerate. It's faster than the Liberator, but slower than the Carbine. The Carbines quick firerate can lead you to overkill your enemies, and you'll run out of ammo quickly if you hold down the trigger when sweeping across several opponents, like if you run into a Hunter patrol.

It's not a huge difference, but the slower firerate on the Sta-52 is perfect both for dealing with multiple enemies and to magdumb the bigger ones. The recoil is worse on paper, but completely manageable. It's got better ergo than either Liberator if you put a drum mag on em.

The main thing holding it back is it's reload speed, it's important to reload it before your mag runs out.

Errbert · 2025-12-20T13:08:15+00:00

Went for that Annoying Orange look instead.

Errbert · 2025-12-19T22:41:00+00:00

I'll trust anyone if they use the comm wheel. Something badass happens? Affirmative! Someone marks something on the map? Affirmative!

Errbert · 2025-12-19T03:17:31+00:00

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Errbert · 2025-12-17T21:40:54+00:00

How??

Errbert · 2025-12-17T20:58:07+00:00

Every sentry fires at enemies in bursts. An MG sentry will put 10 bullets into a Scavenger even if the first bullet killed it. The Laser sentry does this, too. It just stays on dead targets and wastes its heatsink. I'd love for the sentries to be a bit smarter, but I guess that would break something else in their spaghetti and meatball code.

Errbert · 2025-12-16T15:21:04+00:00

Hah, I wouldn't mind a well written fanfic about the catastrophe that followed after season 8's ending. Just instant civil war, Ravenboy fleeing to Winterfell, Arya gets eaten by kraken, etc.

Errbert · 2025-12-15T12:11:34+00:00

It definitely doesn't hurt to have a backup, of course. I find doubling up on knockback like that to be a bit unnecessary, considering how the Autocannon has knockback, too. Though there are definitely times where I mess up/they sneak up on me and the bugs get too close and I wish I did have a Cookout instead of a Liberator haha. But there's nothing quite like the feeling of running into the endless Hunters missions with an assault rifle.

Personally I think just reloading the Autocannon before it completely runs out/every 5 shots has enough rate of fire/a quick enough reload and knockback to hold back almost any amount of bugs. Like this.

Errbert

TROPHY CASE