Now that Half-Life: Alyx has been out for a few weeks, can we talk Half Life lore?
With what the ending gave us, and how episode 2 left off, how could they fit a third game into the story? It seems the story is fully addressing G-man now, but i'm not sure how they'd have the characters confront someone like him. Not to mention the Borealis is still very present in the story, and Kleiner/Eli's disagreement over what they'll do with it.
Now that Half-Life: Alyx has been out for a few weeks, can we talk Half Life lore?
Zachary Nelson
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Gavin Russell
Before anything else OP, who the fuck really is Gman?
Logan Butler
its simple.. we kill the gman
Brayden Gomez
I want more Vort lore
Jason Barnes
an external party who works for an entity that could potentially be more powerful than the Combine
Nolan Garcia
I just played HL2 for the first time a couple days back. how is it that I can know where to go and what to do without ever being lost for more than just a few? it seemed as if the levels are all intricately designed
Lincoln Martinez
I fucking missed the cozy lore threads bros.
I like how both Xen and Earth are the parties being conflicted with in the story, and how they're finally able to collectively work together against G-man and the Combine later during the story. (Gordon destroying the Citadel, Vortigaunts rescuing Alyx and Gordon away from G-man)
With what the Vortigaunts have, they seem to be pretty effective at handling G-man, especially given that he had to wait until all of them were occupied healing Alyx.
Mason Edwards
I'm guessing they're going to use the Borealis to get Alyx back.
John Gray
>who the fuck really is Gman?
Wouldn't you like to know.
Ryder Cook
very interesting creatures. they seem to be the tool to beating gman
Jace Turner
Jaxon Wilson
>whats wrong, the freeman? could it be youre...craiving my galalungs???
Ian Flores
How would that work? If anything they’d have to use the Vortigaunts
Tyler Thomas
I dunno man science n shit
Bentley Wood
Well if we are to start, we can at least address a few things we know about G-man.
As for what we know about him currently, we know he hires and detains really important individuals. Its curious as to why he doesn't do things personally, but because of his actions (Giving the crystal to Eli thus catalyzing the Black Mesa Incident), Xen is no longer a threat to him and his employers.
We can see why they could be a threat to them seeing as they interrupted G-mans ability to grab or pull Gordon away from the Vortigaunts.
Then, in Half-Life 2, G-man drops Gordon in the middle of the post-7 Hour war earth and only (attempts to) takes him back after he destroys the Citadel, preventing the Combine from getting teleportation technology from humans.
He only ever directly involved himself in giving the Crystal to Eli, and seeing how he doesn't care about human's knowledge of him, it seems he only uses his "hired" employees like Gordon or Alyx to be his influence, without the Combine or Xen inhabitants knowing? He seems to keep civilizations from becoming too powerful, or at least strong enough to oppose him or his organization.
Andrew Butler
The ending of Alyx doesn't change the current objective. At the end of Ep2 you're about to go intercept the Borealis so the Combine can't re-open a portal to their homeworld for reinforcements, it's just now Eli is still alive and Alyx is stuck in the void.
Luke Ross
it's baffling that an all powerful empire like the Combine can't figure out local teleportation
Isaiah Ramirez
Why?
As far as we're aware the only kind of teleportation they can handle is making pre-existing wormholes bigger.
Sebastian Morris
Well thats the thing, I don't think the Combine can OPEN a portal with the Borealis, the Borealis was more of a large-scale long-distance teleportation device. If anything I think they value the technology of it more than the ability to reach their homeworld.
The Combine from what i've heard are actually not too smart, but only through their raw force they take technologies and species from other worlds and galaxies to better strengthen themselves. Like how they can control the Overseers and how those organisms have telekinetic powers.
Alexander Morales
Can one tame a zombie headcrab?
Christian Powell
I mean, Kleiner kinda tamed a headcrab. Lamarr still tried to couple with people's heads even if they were de-beaked though.
Iunno how Lamarr controlling another person would work though. And what would it matter?
Thomas Cook
Laidlaw's Ep3 revealed the co-ordinates are for *when* the Borealis will be there, does the Combine even know where it can be now that they haven't sucked Eli's brain?
Jacob Allen
Reminder that G-Man probably isn't a person, just an avatar of *something*.
>"So, who are you?"
>"What I am is not as important as what I can offer"
Ian Davis
Its Valve mentality over the years. Give the players subtle cue of where to go and what to do. Very intuitive in designing the mechanics for the game.
Mason James
Got dammit you beat me to it you Clever scoundrel.
Justin James
What the fuck happened to Russel? If he's not dead, where is he/what's happened to him?
Brody Fisher
I hope when the next game come up, Valve used more element of the time travel into the gameplay itself. I'm tired of so many use of time travel just to convolute the story. Might as well put the very element of it in the gameplay instead of bit of story 'nudges' here and there.
Sebastian Stewart
I wish we got shown how the original species of synths look like before they got turned into combine arsenal. it's so fucked up in a good and awesome way
Angel Gutierrez
I know Half Life is supposed to be the pioneer of FPS adventures, but if we ignore that we can see that it's not that special anymore with the amount of similar games that we got over the years
John Reed
Why did Gman become 'disappointed' with Freeman?
I don't remember him directly pissing him off or being disobedient.
Ian Perry
The Borealis chapter in Ep3 was gonna be the Titanfall 2 level that everybody loved, going by what Laidlaw wrote. If HL3 does take us there I would assume it'd be similar, esp given that was designed to be the 'reveal' of the 7 Hour War to build up just how strong the Combine truely was before the Dyson Sphere is shown.
Xavier Thompson
When the Vorts blocked him from Freeman at the start of Episode 1.
Caleb Baker
Thank you
Justin Cruz
A loser
Jose Long
It might not be that, it might be that G-man may not want to work with Freeman anymore because of just HOW capable he is. If anything he may be able to overpower G-man at some point and G-man knows this, and decides to take Alyx in instead as she may be more manageable.
Brayden Smith
This is a good theory.
Could it be Alyx isn't just 'more manageable', but Freeman wants to serve the best of humanity and that could be in contradiction to G-man who, even though is an enemy of the Combine, needs them as a benefit to his 'employers'?
Essentially, he's concerned Freeman will go against his employers wishes.
Parker Perez
Yeah, it would always falls into the argument between what exactly is the best kind of art, the one who did it first or the ones who follows but enhance that foundation itself. But for me Valve games still holds up, it aged certainly compared to its successor but i guess the curated experience of the games is what really compels me every time i'm playing it.
Jack Fisher
because it'd be neat. Like having a traveling buddy who holds a backpack holding all your stuff.
Eli Long
Plus, keep in mind, G-Man took Gordon under him against his will, while G-man gave Alyx her father back in exchange for her servitude. Gordon may not be as willing to work for G-man as she is since G-man only did her a favor.
Eli Sullivan
No, you dipshit. The Borealis will be used to open a portal through time, where they can rescue Lazlo and have him come up with the best way to stop the Combine.
Connor Sanders
>If anything he may be able to overpower G-man at some point and G-man knows this, and decides to take Alyx in instead as she may be more manageable.
HL3 better have Freeman playable as a main character. Alyx is fine but she is just a side character.
Jose Walker
But see here's the thing. Eli didn't die right? So isn't that means that Combine didn't know anything about the Borealis in the first place then?
Blake Flores
FINEST MIND OF HIS GENERATION
Juan Flores
That can't be the case because they found footage of Mossman confirming the location of something to the Combine while they were still in the citadel
Brayden Wright
Oh this was confirmed at the ending of Alyx. There's noway Valve would remove Freeman as the playable character in the direct line of the franchise.
A spinoff game(s), not just missions, are guaranteed to happen with Eli too.
Eli Murphy
No, i'm almost positive the Combine knew about the Borealis. According to Kleiner, the Borealis was a huge legend from Aperture, and from what we heard from Glados, the Combine knew of Aperture, and I believe tried to raid it at some point?
Plus what said.
Grayson Hall
Are we sure that this was Judith by the way? In all conversation i've been hearing about this game, I haven't heard many bring this scene up.
Easton Moore
>Oh this was confirmed at the ending of Alyx. There's noway Valve would remove Freeman as the playable character in the direct line of the franchise.
That's a relief. I'd like to think that we are just getting long overdue "blue shift/Opposing Force" type spin-off's.
Colton Myers
Is it possible to have a dropship pet?
Jaxon Martin
Given Mossman was attacked by Combine forces at the end of her message they at least know the Resistance is out nearby, and since they had the message they might of found her encryption of the Borealis' blueprints and photographs.
Sebastian Taylor
I wonder why this species are chosen to be a flying transportation, the jets are mechanical
Evan Evans
I can't find it right now but a writer was very clear in a post release interview it was NOT mossman, I can't check to verify since I can't find the interview tho.
Dominic Torres
>Kleiner/Eli's disagreement over what they'll do with it.
not anymore, eli will happily use the borealis to save alyx
Jonathan Morris
I like to think the jets give it a boost.
Luke Brooks
I like to think the Combine asked "Who wants to be a plane?" and these guys ecstatically raised their.... limbs. And so they became planes.
Leo Sullivan
There's a lot of examples of biomechanical creatures in Half Life, I'm positive the Combine have figured out a way to create ultra-efficient means of having ends-meet. They're no stranger to abusing creature's special abilities, ie. Vortigaunts in holding up/powering the Vault. Not to mention they've already done the same to humans, aka the transhumans.
I see.
I think so too, I think this is a great way to resolve the argument between the two and sort-of boost morale at searching for the Borealis.
Eli Scott
>eli will happily use the borealis to save alyx
And play directly into /ourguy/'s plan
Adam Butler
WHAT'S HIS ENDGAME???????
Elijah Torres
Wouldn't you like to know
Jason Collins
>endgame, you ask? well, lets just say you have do ask my embloyers :DDD idk
Jackson Green
>I'm positive the Combine have figured out a way to create ultra-efficient means of having ends-meet
that, and looking grotesque about it. Synths are one thing but in Alyx where they show that the generator thingy is powered by organic brains and animal carcass really shows a lot of what the Combine are capable of
Jacob Richardson
I can't be the only person that wants to see more of life at the beginning of the Combine invasion all the way through the 7 Hour War. Almost as a Halo: Reach style ending where there's no possible winning and the story isn't trash.
Noah Kelly
I'm actually fairly pleased by Alyx's ending retconning Alyx out of the end of Episode 2 since it's the clearest way Valve can say, "Epistle 3 won't happen now."