Half-Life: Episode 3 remains one of the greatest “what if” events in gaming history. Originally intended to be a continuation of episodes 1 and 2, its cancellation instead left the series on a cliffhanger that was never directly resolved.
Now, in celebration of Half-Life 2’s 20th anniversary, Valve has talked about the game’s development in an all-new documentary that shows off never-before-seen footage of the work in progress, a brand modern Ice Gun, and a raft of modern concept art. You can see a fragment of the gameplay from the documentary in the video below.
From the details shown in the video, it appears that episode 3 would take place in the Arctic and would focus on Alyx as a companion character. In addition to the Ice Gun, the footage shows a blob-like enemy that can split into multiple pieces. According to the document, the team had completed “a collection of playable levels in no particular order” and expected to be able to release the game within a year or two.
In addition to modern gameplay footage, writer Marc Laidlaw, founder Gabe Newell and others also speak candidly about why the film was never released, ultimately putting it down to a lack of modern, stimulating ideas and other reasons. At one point Laidlaw jokes, “Are we allowed to cry in this documentary?”
The reason for Episode 3’s cancellation has been the subject of much debate over the years, not least because Episode 2 ended on a grim cliffhanger. In an interview with IGN shortly before Alyx’s release, Valve level designer Dario Casali described it in part as a matter of shortcoming. Laidlaw later revealed the plot in a story titled “Letter 3” featuring “Gertie Freemont” and “Alex Vaunt” – played by Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance.
You can feel a lot of regret over the decision not to watch episode 3. At one point, Laidlaw jokes, “Are we allowed to cry in this documentary?” Others talk about how, in hindsight, episode 3 probably could have been released. Newell says, “We could have shipped it. It wouldn’t be that complex. My personal failure was undone. I couldn’t understand why episode 3 was pushing anything forward.”
Valve finally released Half-Life Alyx in 2020, giving the story a new direction, but many fans are nostalgic for Half-Life: Episode 3 (not to mention the long-lost Half-Life 3). Now, 20 years after its release, Valve is celebrating Half-Life 2 amid unconfirmed rumors that a new game is in preparation. In the meantime, it’s worth watching the full documentary, which delves into the tense development of Half-Life 2.
Image source: Half-Life 2 documentary / Valve
Kat Bailey is IGN’s news director and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Got a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
