I'm not sure HL is as physics driven as Boneworks - physics play such a huge role in the core design of Boneworks (especially puzzle solving which is very free-form).
That's OK, HL doesn't need it - it's its own thing.
Boneworks, to me, feels like a continuation of what Trespasser started where you can make your own path and solve problems in multiple ways. It's far glitchier as a result but I think it's really engaging in that sense. Of course, HL does have body physics in that objects react to your invisible body and you can get stuck on things but, unlike Boneworks, it doesn't cause the view to move.
In Boneworks, you can pickup and use just about anything as a weapon or tool. Firearms aren't attached to your hands, you physically need to hold them, but when you run dry or drop a weapon, you can grab anything around you to immediately go on the offensive. You can also directly interact with enemies - pushing them, punching them, grabbing them etc. The weight of an object and how you hold it determines the amount of damage done as well. It's the sheer variety of options that makes it so unique.
They straight-up use headcrab like enemies in Boneworks and the difference between the encounters in both games is quite significant. You can directly grab them on your head in BW, pull them apart, use them as a weapon, smash them against the wall, throw them then shoot or smash them etc. There are so many options available at any point. I haven't found ways to deal with headcrabs in HL beyond shooting them, using an object to push them or blowing them up with a canister or some other explosive device. The encounters are still excellent, mind you.
Another example - very early on, when you encounter the first turret in Boneworks, I just grabbed a trashcan lid and used it as a shield. OK, cool. Got behind it and disabled it with the pull handle. I had a key to unlock a door ahead but there were enemies within and I had no real weapon (other than debris). The turret is difficult to carry due to its weight and physics so I used a dolly to wheel the turret up the ramp. I activated it and opened the door to wheel it on in then used it to kill the enemies. There was no need to do this, mind you, but that kind of scenario presents itself often - where you can use things within the world to solve problems. Everything being super physics driven and fiddly, however, can make it frustrating.
I think this is such an interesting topic, though, as they both take a different approach. I love them both equally though I'd recommend Alyx first to people as it's more polished and easier to get into.
