After the events of Half-Life 2: Episode 2, where Eli Vance tragically met his demise, our iconic protagonist Gordon Freeman, along with Alyx Vance and their allies, embarks on a perilous journey. Their mission? To locate a mysterious research vessel known as the Borealis. But why the urgency? They believe that the Borealis must be destroyed before it falls into the clutches of the Combine, the formidable alien invaders.

Their quest takes them to the Arctic, where the Borealis is rumored to be stranded. However, their helicopter is unexpectedly shot down by unknown forces—likely tied to the Combine. Upon reaching the vessel, they discover a mind-bending truth: the Borealis is unstuck from time itself. It appears randomly, and the Combine has established facilities to study its unpredictable appearances.

As Gordon and Alyx explore the ship, they encounter a fascinating twist: the Borealis was originally meant to be sent to the Arctic via a portal during the Combine invasion. However, a misunderstanding of portal technology caused it to drift through time and space. Gordon even catches glimpses of Aperture Science from the ship as temporal shifts occur.

The climax arrives when Alyx and Gordon grapple with a crucial decision: should they destroy the Borealis or harness its power? Alyx shoots Judith Mossman, who had joined their cause, and persuades Gordon to transform the vessel into a time-traveling bomb. Their desperate plan aims to cripple the Combine’s ability to traverse dimensions.

But just as the explosion looms, the enigmatic G-Man intervenes. He speaks to Alyx as if they share a mysterious past. She walks away with him, leaving Gordon to witness the vastness of the Combine war machine—a force they can never outright defeat...

SO IT STILL WOULD HAVE ENDED ON A DUMB CLIFFHANGER! WELL DONE, VALVE! YOU PISSED OFF A LOYAL FAN!