Half-Life 3 Doesn’t Need A Cliffhanger Ending, It’s Time For Gordon’s Story To End

I used to be seven years outdated when Eli Vance died on the finish of Part-Existence 2: Episode Two. Because the display screen light to black, leaving me on my own with the haunting cries of a grieving Alyx, the joy for what would come subsequent was once in reality bittersweet; I vividly keep in mind turning to my dad and pronouncing “I will’t wait” throughout the tears. This vintage sport’s last moments promised a revenge-fuelled go back and forth to the Arctic, a reunion with Judith Mossman, and a possibility to in the end put an finish to the Mix (or a minimum of, their Orwellian regulate over Earth), all wrapped up in a Portal-themed bow. I’m 24 and nonetheless ready.

Episode 3, or even the Arkane-helmed Episode 4, had been each cancelled. The collection was once, satirically, placed on ice. Valve would go back with a VR-exclusive spin-off/pseudo-sequel 13 years later named after Alyx, however this too ended at the similar cliffhanger, albeit remixed. Now, Eli was once alive, however Alyx have been taken through the elusive G-Guy.

That long-awaited go back was once 5 years in the past, and we’re no nearer to learning the place the tale will move when we depart that White Woodland hangar than in 2007.

It’s Time For Gordon Freeman To Dangle Up The Crowbar

However that in the end seems to be set to modify. A sport referred to as “HLX” has been discovered within the backend of a number of Valve video games for years now, and it’s extensively believed to be Part-Existence 3. On the finish of 2024, it was once reported to have gone through late-stage playtests with friends and family, and it seems that to have spent the closing couple of months within the optimisation segment. And simply the day before today, dependable leaker Gabe Follower made a daring declare — “Part-Existence 3 would be the finish of Gordon’s journey”.

Then again, when saying this, he made positive to mood expectancies, pronouncing that “this may increasingly dissatisfied some other people”. Nevertheless it should not. That is the most productive information we’ve got had but. Part-Existence 3 received’t finish on a cliffhanger – there’ll in the end be a solution.

I perceive the reluctance to transport on from Gordon, and the attraction of anthology-style tales the place he’s interspersed during humanity’s long term, preventing the nice battle, however we’re speaking about Valve right here: the studio that rakes in billions of greenbacks from Steam annually, and which isn’t beholden to shareholders. It’s a double-edged sword that suggests tasks incessantly get cancelled on a whim in order that builders can center of attention on extra gratifying paintings, but if devs are in reality hooked in to one thing, they aren’t rushed to a time limit.

It’s additionally price noting that Gordon’s tale coming to an in depth nonetheless leaves room for spin-offs. C’mon, give us some other Barney sport.

Alyx was once internally behind schedule a 12 months to go through rewrites, and the overall tale is without doubt one of the maximum poignant in gaming historical past, let on my own VR. However that way may be what resulted in a lot of iterations of Episode 3 and Part-Existence 3 being cancelled, as Valve felt it wasn’t pushing the envelope ahead sufficient. It’s a miracle that HLX seems to be going in addition to it’s; for plenty of, myself incorporated, Alyx felt like a fluke. Short of Gordon’s tale to proceed manner HL3 has to finish in a spot the place that’s conceivable, and I’d a lot somewhat his arc in the end wrap up, as a result of there’s no ensure that we’ll get some other sequel — and even supposing we do, we may well be ready some other two decades.

Gordon Freeman from Half-LIfe standing in front of the Borealis.

I do not know if the finishing will likely be excellent or dangerous. There are some beautiful large dangers, from ripping away G-Guy’s mystique to upending the cosmic horror of the Mix in a low-stakes shootout, worries that haven’t any doubt plagued Valve for years as expectancies snowballed some of the group. However I’m excited for Valve to a minimum of in the end strive an finishing, and to be left with solutions as an alternative of dangling at the precipice over again. I don’t wish to be in my 40s, looking forward to the following ‘bankruptcy’ in a tale shedding its lustre with each and every decade that passes, desperately clinging onto leaks and rumours.

I’ll simply feel free to peer the collection retire with Gordon, so we will all transfer on with our lives and depart Part-Existence at the back of on our personal phrases.