And Now for Someone Completely Different: In The Stinger, after Alyx is put into stasis, you briefly control Gordon Freeman in the aftermath of the changed ending of Episode Two, complete with HEV Suit gloves and even the faint silhouette of his glasses over the player's vision to differentiate him from Alyx.The dev commentary mentions that the city's art direction was meant to emphasize the contempt and disregard that the Combine have for human architecture, with their brutal, utilitarian fixtures punching through pre-existing structures and murals with abandon. Airstrip One: The game returns to the same anonymous "City 17" that Half-Life 2 took place in.This was explained in the developer commentary as necessary for the medium change, as their flat screen presentation -charging in with guns blazing- was rejected as unsatisfying by playtesters. Their gameplay mechanics are also significantly altered, with them now seeking cover and using grenades and Manhacks to flush the player out of their own cover.(Grunt 1 is messing around with the remains of a strider) Justified because they are a much earlier version of the Overwatch troops. They even try to convince Alyx to surrender during a shootout. Unlike HL2's soldiers with their very mechanical tone of voice, Newspeak-addled dialogue and general lack of humanity, Alyx's soldiers are much more human-like, having casual conversations while on duty, similar to HL1's marines. The Combine Soldiers in Alyx behave very differently from their Half-Life 2 counterparts.Judith Mossman is also completely absent, with her circumstances before her presence in Black Mesa East not delved into much. Breen only shows up on a magazine cover and some newspaper articles found strewn about (as the Citadel he rules from in HL2 hasn't been finished being built yet). Kleiner is only referenced by way of one of his books found at the start.
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D0g only appears by way of an upgrade plan and a Polaroid in Alyx's refuge. Barney is entirely and conspicuously absent (likely because he was going undercover as a metrocop at that time and therefore had to lay low).
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Listing trope examples in Half-Life: Alyx