It’s not worth playing non-VR. To be blunt, all of the game elements other than graphics really kinda suck from a traditional gameplay perspective and are forgiven or ignored because of what VR adds. The levels are claustrophobic, the weapon and enemy variety is horrid, the AI was handicapped to make it easier to shoot in VR, there isn’t even a jump button or melee attack in a franchise known as a boomer shooter with a crowbar-wielding protagonist. It’s not a traditional Half-Life game and trying to play it as one will likely lead to disappointment.
The reverse isn’t true, playing the VR mods for the rest of the franchise is a blast and there are plenty of amazing VR conversions for other games, so I find it saddening this is the direction Valve took for Alyx.