Back when this game was announced, I started to put some serious thought into investing in VR. I couldn't resist the hype and Half-Life: Alyx was the sole motivator for me to put the money down for an Oculus Rift S. I've had some great experiences before now, namely Pavlov and Windlands 2, but nothing has compared to Half-Life: Alyx. It entirely delivered on my high expectations.
In the past 3 months I have replayed through the entire HL series, starting with Black Mesa, even playing Portal and Portal 2, and Half-Life: Alyx is absolutely on par with those titles. The polish of Valve games is unlike any other and this is the next fully-fledged Half-Life story experience.

Graphics and Performance:
Jesus Christ, the graphical fidelity and the environments/level design have been the greatest accomplishment of this game. To be immersed in a world so detailed and crisp takes Half-Life to the next level. Every space you enter has so much character and life, it feels lived in. From the beautiful set pieces to the finest details, it's a testament to the industry-leading work of the artists. It is not only visually phenomenal but it runs great too, I hope to see more from the Source 2 engine for VR in the future.

Gameplay:
The gameplay is great, but if you're looking for a weapon simulator like H3 or Pavlov, this isn't it. This game is friendly to VR beginners and that's not a bad thing. It's solid and satisfying in its implementation and that's all I ask for. Realism/Simulation has its place in VR for sure but for Valve, polish, story and immersion come before everything else and that's what they do best.
The real standout when it comes to interaction with the world are the gravity gloves. It's obvious these have been fine-tuned to make the experience as good as it can be. They become second nature. Even by the end, they were still a joy to use.

I've seen negative reviews that list their issues with the game, some valid criticisms, but the reality is, any small problem I had with the game doesn't stop if from being incredible or detract from the overall experience.

Story:
The story in this game ♥♥♥♥ing delivers dude. It starts off with a basic task, your intrigue builds, you meet familiar faces, you traverse through the masterclass in game design that is Chapter 7: Jeff, and the story takes off from there. The only downside is that people without VR at this time won't get to experience this essential instalment in the Half-Life series, but the game's not going away and VR will only get cheaper. If you're a fan of Half-Life, you must experience this story.

Conclusion:
To deliver on the expectations and hype that has built over the past 13 years is a true achievement and a clear indication that this game does something right. I feel happy for the team at Valve and hopeful for the future. As with each Half-Life instalment, Valve takes advantage of new technology to push the game and the medium to the next level. VR was necessary for that and this game wouldn't exist without it. This is simply the most complete and polished VR experience that can be had right now and sets a new precedent for future VR titles. You've never seen the world of Half-Life like this before but I hope you will.