A modder has combined the worlds of Half-Life and Bioshock. The project, built inside Half-Life: Alyx with the help of its modding tools, allows players to explore the iconic underwater city in VR through the eyes of Alyx Vance.
Return to Rapture, as the project has been dubbed by creator Wim Buytaert, sees Alyx descend into a version of the city that's been discovered by Half-Life baddies The Combine. Built primarily out of repurposed assets from Half-Life: Alyx, the project isn't exactly a shot-for-shot recreation of Bioshock's iconic opening, but it's certainly an impressive attempt to capture the art-deco stylings of Rapture.
The mod also makes a few crucial adaptations here and there. Bioshock's Vita-Chambers, for example, are obviously present, and act as respawn points for Alyx should anything go wrong, with original voiceover helping explain the ins-and-outs of Rapture. The arrival of The Combine means you won't be facing off against Big Daddies, but the excellent Half-Life: Alyx combat means gunfights should still be entertaining.
Currently, the mod runs for around 25 minutes, which isn't quite as long as either of the games that inspired it, but Buytaert says there's a chance they'll develop other chapters if there's enough support. Given that creator Ken Levine has moved on to a new studio and the next game in the series is still in its early stages of development, however, this might be our only chance to explore the world of Bioshock for quite some time.
Whether you're looking to get lost in Rapture, City 17, or somewhere altogether nicer, check out our list of the best VR games for some inspiration.
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