With an ending like that, the game's legion of fans were primed and anxious for the trilogy's conclusion. The success is short-lived, however - two nightmarish aliens capture and kill Eli and are about to kill Freeman and Alyx until a last-minute rescue leaves them safe but devastated as the game fades to black. At the end of Episode Two, Freeman, Alyx and Eli experience a temporary victory, closing a portal that traps the Combine aliens on Earth and giving humanity a last shot at freedom. Throughout one full game and two episodes, protagonist Gordon Freeman is accompanied by all-around badass Alyx Vance, who has worked with her father, Eli, to help humanity resist the aliens that have enslaved the species. Episode Two, on the other hand, had a very Empire Strikes Back ending that begged for resolution. The first Half-Life and its sequel had endings that wrapped up the main story in each game, though both games left players with plenty of unanswered questions. Unfortunately, this is where the Half-Life universe ends. Episode One and Episode Two were released in 20, respectively, with the second ending on a major cliffhanger. It was the second of three announced games that directly continued the story that started in 2004's heavily lauded Half-Life 2. Ten years ago today, Valve released Half-Life 2: Episode Two.