Romance in Half-Life?
So, how many romantics reading this? Probably not many. I am and I’m not ashamed of it but in this case I don’t want a love interest in Half-Life.
I like the addition of Alyx but feel that she has been underused by modders, partly because of her script lines and partly because she didn’t really bring anything new to the gameplay.
Aside from that, there’s the sideways glances and the little one way banter that is just enough for the game, without it getting mushy.
Of course there always the actual problem of HOW would Valve show they hooked up.
Non-native English speakers
Just a quick note to non-native English speakers. Hook up is a phrasal verb with one definition of “To get together in a working or social relationship with another person”.
The Poll
I havent voted yet as thats a tough question even if its yes or no.I’m trying to think of an outcome for both scenario’s.I’m leaning towards no but thinking hey let em have a one night stand but don’t get mushy with it.
It’s a good question. If we consider Gordon Freeman to be ourselves while we play, the fact that Gordon and Alyx hook up might be a forced situation depending on the player’s feelings and appreciation towards this character.
I voted NO since my feelings towards Alyx while being Freeman haven’t become anything special. While you can wish for two fictional characters to get together at the end of a book or film, in this case I’d rather Alyx ended up with someone like Barney who Valve could make obvious she was happy with for ever and ever.
Just a quick note to non-native English speakers. Hook up is a phrasal verb with one definition of “To get together in a working or social relationship with another person”.
I am a non-native English speaker and when I read the definition above, well, didn’t they already hook-up in episode 1 and episode 2 ??
If you mean hook-up in a romantic way, please don’t let it go to far, I like andyb’s idea of a one night stand (just like Clint Eastwood in a lot of his movies, just to show that he’s not only a machine) and I am shore that Eli Vance is dreaming of grandchildren that listen to the name Freeman, but please, keep it Half Life and don’t let it become a Sisi movie.
I had assumed that Gordon and Barney were already an item, and that “beer” was their code word for a spot of man love… don’t think Alyx stands a chance!
Would that make Alyx a …. hooker?
Just kidding. Atta boy Gordon, give her your best shot.
That would make Gordon a dirty old man
I have to go with Kasperg on this one. An actual hook-up situation like this would have to be forced on the player and I can’t help but believe it would feel awkward. Especially since Gordon is mute. Nothing like a one-sided romantic conversation, huh?
After seeing so many bad romance scenes in other media, especially science fiction (*cough* Star Wars *cough*), I’d prefer it to be left to the imagination what happens.
That’s not to say Valve can’t strongly hint that this could happen. Showing without telling has always been one of their greatest storytelling traits. They’ve already dropped hints that Alyx likes Gordon, at least. There’s no reason they couldn’t keep doing this, perhaps escalating for humor in Episode 3. But would Gordon ever return them? I say, let the player’s imagination answer the question of what happens between Gordon and Alyx.
… or Barney. X)
I would generally vote no, but if Valve did do it, it would have to be at the very end of the Half Life story. Not to be continued. It would have to be the very very end, in my opinion.
Otherwise it would slowly but surely stop becoming “Half Life” from that point onwards.
I agree with Chris – Ep. 3 may not be the end of the story, according to Official Valve Rumors, and if Alyx and Gordon are going to ride off into the sunset together, it should be the very last sunset of the story-arc.
I voted “YES” Valve made a good looking woman for Gordon, she’s been very “coy” around Gordon throughout the whole series, and her dad approves thru his statments!! 😉 I don’t know how it’s going to end up or continue in E3, but it’s nice to have someone that works with you and not be a hinderance!! Anyway I think we will find out more about the G-Man in E3, I for one am looking forward for it! 🙂
I voted no, mainly because It would be difficult to implement in game. It’s likely they will continue what they have been doing, perhaps escalating the “tension” between the two characters. However, Valve has demonstrated that it is not afraid to eliminate a main character, so there is a chance Gordon or Alyx may not survive. 🙁 That would suck! But a one night stand would serve as an excuse to continue the bloodline. 😉
Perhaps in a future game you will play as their kid, inferring that they found another way to work together.
OMG NO. That would turn HL into a Sims game.
Yes!-The only problem I have though, is that I’ve always felt that Gordon was much older then her, but besides that I say go for it. Actually, I think they should be working together alot more. Alyx is not only smart but easy on the eyes. But, then, like any other love story, there has to be, at some point, the betrayal. Maybe she does a one nighter with a Combine gaurd that’s been holding her in jail ,just to get out. Then when the baby comes and Gordon finds out he fly’s off the handle and heads for Xen for a much needed vacation and some “alone time”-He comes back with a Vort lawyer and they start deviding the property. Ne gets the suit, she gets the gravity gun and buggy. (to haul junior around). But then Gordon wakes up, discovers it was nothing but a nightmare and they continue to fight for freedom together, with an occasional booty call. (for non English speaking people, that’s a serious hookup)
To be honest, I’ve been waiting for it since Half-Life 2, even if it is the “we’re two breathing humans of the opposite sex, so let’s hook up.” But I do feel that the “romance” isn’t totally there, especially because Gordon never speaks.
“I like the addition of Alyx but feel that she has been underused by modders, partly because of her script lines and partly because she didn’t really bring anything new to the gameplay”
Ironically, I contacted Merle Dandridge (the actress who is the voice of Alyx) and asked if she would do some voice over for StriderMountain.
http://www.merledandridge.com
After some initial interest, she ultimately decided that she could not participate in the mod due to potential conflicts with Valve. All thoughout the communication process, Merle was very kind and wished the SM team success.
As far as the vote, I said no. I think that just the tease of a romance is far more intriguing than them actually having one.
You are in contaaaaact with Alyx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The voting is closer than I expected. Anyway, assuming Alyx and Gordon don’t end up together, hands up if you want her and Barney to live happily ever after.
Heres hoping for Gordon Freeman and Judith Mossman hooking up.
Oh no, a three way..lol. throw some porn grove into the mess..lol..
They “does she like me, or doesn’t she?” tension is part of what makes Alyx’s character so likeable. If that were to be lost through a love story not only would it ruin that element, but it would also be very undesired for people who do not actually feel that connection.
Don’t forget that Freeman isn’t really a character, he’s an avatar. He does not have an opinion or feelings, they all belong to the player. If this scene ever did unfold I would like to see it left in the hands of the player; a choice like at the end of HL1.
I don’t honestly care if they hook up or not. I am interested in the story that underlies the whole game though, and am still waiting to see how HL1 & 2 are supposed to be linked.
I want to know about the Vorts, the G-man, Dr Breen & his co-collaborators, potential traitors in the rebel camp, the Combine, how many & which/why are human converts and which are alien….
I for one took it that the Striders were vehicles controlled by humanoids, and the HUnters remote-contolled, or semi-sentient robots, but to find that they’re actual creatures took me by surprise, perhaps it was something to do with that “Pilotable Strider” Mod that I seem to remember…
What about the gunships? Are they “pilotable” as in Hard-Life? Or sentient creatures too?
Many many back-story questions that Ep3 is unlikely to directly address, but HL3 just might….
Here’s hoping!
I’m in line with most commentators above, in that I’m sort of “in favour” but can’t get the mechanics of how it could work, and therefore go for the “Barney Option” too…Some seem to have missed the demise of Eli at the end of Ep2 though, unless I just misread them, or even worse that they haven’t played it yet….
G-Man is Alyx’s secret lover, in another dimension, and is sub-contracted by the Vorts to save Gordon because in an alternate reality his long-suffering beer swilling pal Barney is Eli’s great-grandfather…..and they need him to reverse engineer the portal gun in order to resurrect Xen..
I mean, the story’s wild enough as it is isn’t it?
Alyx is deliberately kinda cute though isn’t she….?
(I’d take a couple of nice bottles round to Mossman’s too though if that helps……)
(Awesome that you’re in touch with the actress though…..try again, I can’t believe Valve could possibly object…Have you asked them as well? Could be worth a shot…..!)
It would be nice to know the finish/release date of Ep.3-The lady doing the Alxy should definetly know that or maybe I’ll email Adam Foster again and ask him.He was good enough to give me a few hints when I got stuck in Minerva. I really don’t see the Half Life story going away after 3 but continuing for a long time. It’s that good.
clunkfish, you really made me laugh with that comment (comment #4) 😀 😀
Well, I dunno… Gordon looks more like a lonely warrior to me, he should go on beating the crap outta combines. There’s just no time for romance in a world invaded by freaking aliens.
I don’t think they’ve thrown in the teasing just for the fun of it. I wish, for the story’s sake and fluence, that they DO hook up, but it should be left at the player’s choice. And I stress “for the story’s sake’, because on my end, as a female player, it feels weird having a female character flirting with me (but that’s just standard, all games assume that the player is male..) and my first reaction to this poll question was “oh, hell, no!” :))
please, this is half-life, not love life. I think it would not go well with the story and most likley valve would then feel obliged to add yet another “protect the NPC” section, which I rather despise. Besides if you want gordon and alyx to hook up, then why not make a mod? (or gmod video)
Also, the whole “beer” thing with barney is a throwback to the original half-life when you could get the security guards (barny’s) to say “catch me later, I’ll buy you a beer”
I personally wouldn’t mind getting with the model for Alyx, Jamil. She is fine!!!! But that aside, keep things platonic between the two.
I think that the best way for Valve to go with their relationship is to imply that they got together after the end of the series, but to not make it absolute. It’s obvious that Alyx has somewhat of a crush on Gordon, but Gordon being more an in-game avatar of the player than a stand-alone character can not be assumed to share those feelings(Because some players might not like Alyx that much). So I’d rather their relationship stay ambiguous, allowing players to use their imaginations. So I guess that’s closer to a “no” than a “yes”.
Okay, there are a few factors to consider:
1) Gordon is WAAAY older than Alyx… BUT Gordon was in suspended animation. It would be kind of unfair to tell a person that he counts as being 45 when he looks 25 and has only gotten to experience 25 years of life. I’m counting this as not really an issue.
2) Dating a coworker’s daughter? Eli seems to be okay with it, in fact even encouraging it. Doesn’t seem to be an issue
3) Does Alyx like Gordon? Seems to be that way. I don’t think she’s really stopped to think about it until Eli started hinting at things. She does seem to view Gordon as being intelligent, utterly reliable, trustworthy, and a capable warrior. Not a bad combination.
4) Does Gordon like Alyx? This is the biggest issue with this. Gordon isn’t Gordon, he’s the player. So really this boils down to a different question:
5) Does the player like Alyx? I see Alyx as physically; cute, and sexy in a way that comes from simply being healthy and in shape, mentally; intelligent, good with technology, quick wit, emotionally; strong, but still sensitive, levelheaded while still retaining empathy, generally kind, supportive and brave. She’s a very well rounded package and, if real, would definitely catch my interest.
Ultimately, I do think that Gordon and Alyx SHOULD get together, but NOT within the storyline of Half Life. At the very most it should be implied that they are going to stick together after the combine are defeated, but in the meantime they’re kind of in the middle of saving the entire human race. “Hooking up” can come later.
The important part is remembering that the player never really has a choice in the game. It’s all linear. It’s one thing to get roped into saving the planet (and your own life in the process) cause most people would be inclined to do that anyway, but getting strong-armed into a relationship, no matter how hot s/he might be, or much you might like him/her, is a HUGE nono. I think Valve is smart enough to realize that.
They kind of already are, they cross paths all the time, watch eachothers butts.. why not.