>>285139271
Well, again it's a pocket dimension for Alyx to prove her loyalty to Gman.
Several things don't make any sense in the world itself if it truly is time travel.
>Alyx's gun doesn't transform into an SMG at the end of the game
>Combine SMG's are different then AR2's and they use SMG's and Shotguns primarily in HL:A despite having future guns
>we never see the alien combine again after this game
>The citadel is FUCKHUGE instead of being very tall
>Nobody ever mentions Russel again
>Alyx never mentions G-Man again
>Alyx saves her father in Episode 2 despite "not knowing what she wants yet" and never mentions to him HOW he dies
>The combine EVER capturing a being that can literally stop time and fuck with space itself

Literally all of this and several other things i'm forgetting about right now, all point that it's a test by the Gman to hire Alyx after the events of Episode 2