Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware

Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware
Thumbnail for Act 1 of Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware, featuring the main cast. From left to right: Gordon Freeman, Dr. Coomer, Bubby, Tommy, and Benrey (holding a passport).
Genre	Improv, role-playing, let's play
Presented by	WayneRadioTV, Radio TV Solutions
Voices of	WayneRadioTV Baaulp Hollow_tones MasterGir Socpens Spaghoner Logmore Lauren
Ending theme	Aquacycle
Composers	Aquacycle its3oe
Original language	English
No. of episodes	9
Original release
Network	Twitch
Release	March 5 (2020-03-05) – April 19, 2020 (2020-04-19)

Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware (sometimes shortened to Half-Life VR: Self Aware AI and abbreviated HLVR: AI) is a role-playing themed livestream and machinima series staged within a recreation of the video game Half-Life using a virtual reality version of Garry's Mod. The series, live streamed to Twitch with highlights later uploaded to YouTube, follows Gordon Freeman accompanied by the Science Team (controlled by other improv actors) as they loosely follow the events of the original Half-Life game.

The series was met with positive reception by critics. On May 12, 2020, a cast commentary series began to be uploaded to the wayneradiotv YouTube channel. On May 31, 2020, a sequel, AI Crushes All Banks was streamed as part of a charity drive, set in Payday 2, in which the main cast begins a bank robbing spree across the city of Washington, D.C. On November 25, 2021, a spin-off series titled Half-Life: Alyx but the Gnome Is Too Aware was released. On December 16, 2023, a similarly-styled stream was done, this time parodying the plot of Breaking Bad. It was advertised with a trailer similar to the beginning of Half-Life 2 as a bait-and-switch on long time fans. At the end of the stream and soon after in the WayneRadioTV YouTube channel, a trailer was released confirming a sequel to the original series, titled Half-Life 2 VR: Self Aware AI, was in production and due to be released in 2025.

Format

Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware loosely follows the events of the original Half-Life, albeit with a more humorous and comedic tone, with main character Gordon Freeman (played by series host WayneRadioTV) accidentally causing a Resonance Cascade and exploring Black Mesa to try to escape (and later undo his actions). The series' main divergence from that of the original is the introduction of original self-aware AI characters, who despite the name of the series, are performed by other improv actors.

Similarly, the series is actually played within the game Garry's Mod, as Half-Life lacks all of the features necessary for the staging of the series (such as limitations with object spawning and map sizes). The most notable actor-controlled characters are the series' supporting cast: three scientists named Bubby, Dr. Coomer, and Tommy, as well as an antagonistic security guard named Benrey (alternatively spelled "Benry"), all four of whom follow Gordon in his journey through Black Mesa, generally to Gordon's detriment.

Plot

Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware is structured as a live stream where the host, WayneRadioTV, acting as Gordon, plays a virtual reality version of Half-Life with machine-learning AI. Walking through Black Mesa, Gordon comes across three AI scientists with eccentric personalities: Dr. Tommy Coolatta, a scientist that speaks and acts like a child, Dr. Harold Coomer, a friendly scientist that acts helpful but tends to glitch out, and Dr. Bubby, a cranky scientist that acts rude towards Gordon. Gordon also encounters Benrey, an AI security guard that regularly antagonizes him and constantly asks him for his passport.

After triggering a Resonance Cascade, Gordon makes his way through the now destroyed facility in an attempt to escape, accompanied by the three scientists and Benrey. Along the journey, Bubby and Benrey start to grow tired of Gordon leading them, and Dr. Coomer becomes unnerved when he noclips outside the map and finds nothing there. After going towards a health station, Gordon is betrayed by Bubby and Benrey and attacked by the military, who cut off his right arm and throw him into a trash compactor.

A delirious Gordon comes to and makes his way to an abandoned section of Black Mesa where he finds Tommy, who accompanies him. He then encounters Dr. Coomer, who attempts to use Gordon as a way to escape into the real world. However, his plan fails, so he rejoins Gordon's group. Gordon finds Bubby trapped inside a tube, himself betrayed by the military after they attacked Gordon, and allows him to rejoin to group after he offers to pay Gordon five dollars. Gordon also encounters Benrey, and reluctantly allows him back into the group as well. Gordon also has an encounter with the G-Man, who encourages him to continue his adventure to the end.

Gordon and the team make their way to Black Mesa's Mixology Department, headed by Darnold. Darnold fits Gordon's missing arm with a machine gun, and the team fight their way to Black Mesa's Lambda Complex, where they teleport to Xen. In Xen, Benrey has grown into a giant and floats around the others, messing with them. Upon reaching Nihilanth's Lair, the team encounters Benrey, who goes on a bizarre rant claiming that he was trying to stop Gordon at the start because his penis had slipped out of his HEV suit, which prevented Benrey from clocking out and playing Heavenly Sword on the PlayStation 3 with his friend. Benrey transforms into a monstrous form, and the scientists work together to defeat him.

After defeating Benrey, Gordon meets with the G-Man, who thanks him to taking down Benrey and invites him to Tommy's, who's revealed to be his son, birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Gordon is bewildered at the invitation but accepts it, and the scientist team and G-Man celebrate Tommy's birthday, much to Gordon's internal despair. In a post-credit scene, Dr. Coomer, now fully aware that he's in a video game, makes a phone call to Gordon. He congratulates Gordon for beating the game and thanks him for taking the scientists along for the adventure, asking him not to forget them once he exits the game.

Characters

Main characters

• Dr. Gordon Freeman (played by WayneRadioTV): The primary protagonist of the series. A scientist at Black Mesa, Gordon is the straight man of the series, reacting with confusion and horror to the rest of the cast's actions. While generally having profound perseverance and emotional stability throughout the series, he is also shown to break down after major events and often loses his patience with members of the group. Gordon is a natural leader and looks out for everyone on the team, and is hesitant to take innocent lives, unlike the other scientists. He has his hand cut off by soldiers midway through the series; one of Darnold's potions results in Gordon growing a gun-like appendage that fires fingernails in its place. However, he later regains his missing hand at the end of the series. His favorite video game is revealed to be Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days. He mentions having a son, Joshua, and has a picture of the two of them in his locker at Black Mesa, however he is only mentioned one other time when mocking Benrey's passport.
• Dr. Harold Pontiff Coomer (played by hollow_tones): A scientist known for his cheerful demeanor, superhuman strength, and glitched tutorial NPC behavior. He is a skilled hand to hand combatant, having started the Black Mesa Underground Fight Club. Unlike the other members of the cast who generally treat the events of the series as if they were real, Dr. Coomer regularly breaks the fourth wall to inform Gordon about various made-up game mechanics, such as a currency named "PlayCoins™". While Coomer at first appears unaware of these "glitches", the gag culminates with him falling into an existential dread, realizing and making explicit references to the fact that he is in a video game. At one point, he attempts to take control and escape from the game by ambushing Gordon with the help of his "clones". He speaks directly to Gordon at the end of the "game", suggesting that he takes the Science Team with him. One of his most used quotes is "Hello, Gordon!". He often speaks about Wikipedia, and his favorite game is Super Punch-Out!!.
• Dr. Tommy Coolatta (played by Baaulp): A friendly, childlike scientist who turns 37 at the end of the series. He shows concern for following rules and consulting written references for information, often referencing Wikipedia and OSHA regulations as they explore the ruined science facility. Tommy forms a bond with Gordon over the course of the series, as the only member of the Science Team who never antagonizes or betrays him. Despite his kind nature, he is highly distractible and easily manipulated by the other characters into allowing their wrongdoing. Tommy has the ability to read the Black Mesa Sweet Voice, an ability used by several characters throughout the series, including his dog Sunkist. Tommy has the ability to "see faster" due to his constant consumption of soda. He is revealed to be the adoptive son of the G-Man at the end of the saga. Tommy is an orphan, and was allowed to pick his last name, which he decided on after reading the name of a frozen beverage in a Dunkin' Donuts.
• Dr. Bubby (played by MasterGir): A crass, impulsive, and egotistical scientist. His ego and demeanor often lead him to clash with Gordon, and later in the series, Bubby betrays him to the military when Benrey convinces him that Gordon was holding them back from escaping Black Mesa, which ultimately ended with Gordon losing his arm. He was created from assorted chemicals as an experiment in Black Mesa.
• Benrey, alternatively Benry (played by socpens): A sullen and hostile security guard. Prior to becoming the main antagonist in the final act of the series, Benrey follows along with the Science Team while constantly harassing and arguing with Gordon, demanding to see his passport and accusing him of various misdeeds while deliberately ignoring the wrongdoings of the other characters. He has an absentminded demeanor, often ignoring the team and asking for simple directions or questions to be repeated. He exhibits near invincibility, murders indiscriminately, and casually remarks that he is "not human" as a response to Gordon's concern that he would be inflicted by radiation poisoning if he entered the test chamber without an HEV suit. In the finale, Benrey reveals his alien nature and turns against the Science Team, blaming Gordon for the events of the Black Mesa incident and for ruining his plans to relax and play Heavenly Sword on his PlayStation 3 with his friends because he ran out of PlayStation Plus. Benrey also edited the Wikipedia article for All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 to say that Gordon Freeman died at the end, a moment which led to real-life vandalism of the article, causing the page's semi-protection.

Recurring characters

• G-Man (played by spaghoner): An enigmatic alien being that frequently attempts to give Gordon cryptic advice. He is later revealed to be Tommy's father, having aided Gordon to kill Benrey and organized a birthday party for Tommy at Chuck E. Cheese. In a cast commentary, he is referred to as Mr. Coolatta, implying he took his adopted son's last name.
• Forzen (played by socpens): An HECU Marine and minor antagonist. Forzen claims to have formerly been Benrey's best friend, and the two have similar personalities and mannerisms. Despite his appearance, he is shy and does not seem interested in going out of his way to cause violence. He holds Tommy's dog Sunkist hostage until the science team accepts that the Irate Gamer is not a ripoff of the Angry Video Game Nerd, but flees when the outcome disfavors his intentions.
• Skeleton (played by socpens, spaghoner, Lauren, and Logmore): A mysterious skeleton that haunts Gordon. It is initially left ambiguous as to whether the Skeleton is a hallucination or not, and much of the nature of the skeleton is left unclear, although it is associated with Benrey in some way, and displays similar behavior to Benrey, such as using the Black Mesa Sweet Voice. A team of skeletons is summoned under Benrey's control in the final battle of the series.
• Darnold (played by Logmore): The head of the Black Mesa Mixology Department. Darnold aides the Science Team by equipping them with advanced technology and administering a potion that transforms Gordon's severed arm into a minigun. While initially excited about joining the Science Team on their escape mission, he turns back after witnessing the violence they commit. He returns in AI Crushes All Banks to support the team remotely.
• Sunkist (played by Lauren): Purported to be the perfect dog. He was created by Tommy, and is immortal. Sunkist is a large, two-dimensional stock image of a Golden Retriever, almost the same height as Gordon. He is shown to be obedient, bulletproof, able to use the Black Mesa Sweet Voice, capable of flight and can rearrange his own atoms to clip through physical matter. He is named after the soft drink brand.
• Dr Coomer's ex-wife: Dr Coomer's ex-wife is mentioned multiple times. When the science team tries to name the Vortigaunts, Dr. Coomer says they look like his ex-wife. When asked if Dr. Coomer has any family, he responds with "I did have a wife, but they took her in the divorce". It is implied he has multiple ex-wives. When asked about his knowledge of military terminology, Dr. Coomer attributes this to his ex-wife being a former military code speaker.
• Dr. Coomer’s clones: Due to the original Half-Life reusing models for scientists, several NPCs share the same model as Dr. Coomer. A running gag in the series is Dr. Coomer referring to these NPCs as his clones. This gag culminates in Dr. Coomer (having become self-aware at this point) summoning dozens of clones and ambushing Gordon with them in an attempt to take control of Gordon's body, and escape the game.
• JohnWicklover1994: A mysterious person who joined the Science Team temporarily during the AI Crushes All Banks stream. Portrayed as a gamer whose server was invaded with the team members. Has an apathetic and negative personality strikingly similar to Benrey's. Benrey later claims that JohnWicklover1994 was his brother using his account. It is unclear whether this younger brother is Emmet Calhoun, a character first mentioned in Half-Life: Alyx but the Gnome Is Too Aware by Gnome Chompsky.

Reception

Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware was well received by reviewers. Emily Rose of Ars Technica drew comparisons to the works of William Shakespeare and improvisational theater in general, saying "...the convergence of performer and digital performance has come full circle. Perhaps the culmination of the trend is [Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware]." Kotaku's Zack Zwiezen stated it was "as good as [Freeman's Mind and G-Man Squad]", two other well-known Half-Life series, calling it "a funny and oddly compelling show". Quint Iverson of The Pacific Index stated that "the frequency at which 'Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware' turns me into a laughing mess is unparalleled". The series also resulted in the All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 page on Wikipedia being semi-protected due to the sheer number of people editing the page to say Gordon died in the end.

External links

• wayneradiotv's channel on YouTube
• WayneRadioTV on Twitch
• Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware at IMDb