Valve loves a silent protagonist and Gordon Freeman embodies everything a silent protagonist should be heroic and quiet. His silence allows other characters to shine in the spotlight and Alyx Vance becomes one of gaming's most memorable sidekicks as a result. She's absent for large periods of Half-Life 2 but features more prominently in Episode One and Two the continuations of the Half-Life story. What makes Alyx so awesome then? Her friendly, chatty personality helps to break up the lengthy periods of silence in the game, and she's not afraid to mock Gordon for his absent vocal chords, calling him a man of few words and asking if he's going to speak up for her at various points. She also replicates a zombie growl during one of the game's darkened sections turning to her with the light on prompts her to laugh and say "Gotcha!". Capable with a variety of weapons including pistols and sniper rifles, it makes her a great ally in combat too. If rumours are to be believed, Valve could be abandoning the idea of an Episode Three, opting to make Half-Life 3 instead. Considering her story arc ends on a huge cliffhanger with Episode Two, a third game without Alyx would be a travesty she's a far more interesting character than the silent but deadly hero of the series.