As has been toted by a mixture of critics and consumers, Half-Life: Alyx is easily one of the most innovative VR games ever made. From its immersive level design and realistic shooting to its incredible special effects and detailed story, it's evidently a big next step for virtual reality that highlights just how much the perspective can add to an experience. It seems, however, that the game might be more multifaceted than even Valve expected, with a new video showcasing just how much can be achieved throughout Half-Life: Alyx's unique set of systems.
Posted to YouTube by a teacher named Charles Coomber, the academic has posted an entire math class for his students inside of Half-Life: Alyx. Coomber admits in the description that the decision was made "because I have to teach today, but Half-Life: Alyx just came out," with the teacher eventually going on to perform an entire seminar on "angle vocabulary" using Valve's newest game.
The lesson begins with Coomber standing on Alyx's balcony, with the teacher joking that he's not at home but instead stuck in self-isolation while the Coronavirus pandemic persists. From here, he enters Alyx's home, using the interactive window pains and markers to draw several detailed diagrams showcasing complementary and supplementary angles. The incredibly captivating lesson continues for a total of sixteen minutes, easily standing as one of the most creative attempts to spread fun educational content for children and teenagers while schools are currently closed.
It seems the lesson has made its impact as well, with a number of people in the comments claiming that the hilarious nature of the video made them stick around to hear what Coomber had to say. One of the top comments on the video claims "This man just tricked me into watching an entire 6th grade math lesson," while another reads "Out of all the cool things I've seen come out of this game so far, this is easily the coolest. FANTASTIC idea." A third hilariously thanks Coomber, stating "You convinced my wife, a math teacher, that we should buy a VR set. Bless you."
Aside from teaching kids valuable maths lessons, Half-Life: Alyx is proof that the series hasn't missed a beat in the 19 years its been absent from gaming culture. With many calling it the greatest VR title of all time, it begs the question of whether Valve will finally dust off the iconic crowbar and put Gordon Freeman back in action to end fans almost two-decade-long wait for Half-Life 3. Luckily, it seems the idea is closer to reality than ever before.
Half-Life: Alyx is available now for PC.