Choose The Lab
Choose The Lab if you want a Free To Play game with Steam Leaderboards and SteamVR Collectibles. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 4,429 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Lab vs Half-Life: Alyx
The Lab and Half-Life: Alyx sit side-by-side in player discussions even though their catalogue tags only partly overlap. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: The Lab (2016) is 4 years older than Half-Life: Alyx (2020). Half-Life: Alyx scores higher on Steam reviews (98.2% positive) than The Lab (95.1% positive). The Lab is free; Half-Life: Alyx is paid (59.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Half-Life: Alyx
Choose Half-Life: Alyx if you want an Action and Adventure game with Subtitle Options, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 98.2% positive across 60,789 reviews.
Both The Lab and Half-Life: Alyx ship Tracked Controller Support and VR Only on Steam, so either pick lands close enough that the choice is taste, not category. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 The Lab |  Half-Life: Alyx | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Free To Play | Action, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 59.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.1% positive (4,429 reviews) | 98.2% positive (60,789 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Valve | Valve |
Side by side
- The Lab (2016) is 4 years older than Half-Life: Alyx (2020).
- Half-Life: Alyx scores higher on Steam reviews (98.2% positive) than The Lab (95.1% positive).
- The Lab is free; Half-Life: Alyx is paid (59.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
The Lab vs Half-Life: Alyx — FAQ
- Which is better, The Lab or Half-Life: Alyx?
- On Steam reviews Half-Life: Alyx scores higher (98.2% positive) than The Lab (95.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Half-Life: Alyx is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Lab or Half-Life: Alyx first?
- If you want chronology, The Lab (2016) came out before Half-Life: Alyx (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Is The Lab free?
- Yes — The Lab is a free-to-play Steam title. Half-Life: Alyx is paid (59.99 USD).