The other key difference is, while Alyx is an official Valve-produced entry in the Half-Life canon, Black Mesa is a fan-made remake of the original 1998 Half-Life game. Unlike the $60 Half-Life: Alyx, it's a more reasonable $20. Black Mesa, on the other hand, is a standard PC game, available via Steam. It's easily the most-anticipated virtual reality game of the modern VR era. Half-Life: Alyx is a VR-only game, so you'll need a VR headset and good amount of open living room space. Neither are the mythical Half-Life 3, but both Half-Life: Alyx and Black Mesa are a chance to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with this long-running sci-fi game series.
It's rarer still to get two in a single month. It's a rare thing to get a new Half-Life game.
