half-life black mesa

Black Mesa's iconic Half-Life is as fun as it was 20 years ago

It took a long time, but waiting paid off. Fourteen years since the announcement, a remake of the cult Half-Lif has finally come out, and even if it lags behind in terms of graphics, it can withstand the biggest hits of today.

When the first Half-Life came out in 1998, he changed the game world without the slightest exaggeration. Not that he was the first shooter from the perspective of his own eyes, who has ever tried to tell the story in addition to the action, but unlike all the previous, but he really did. This is mainly due to the brilliant level suggestions, which did not resemble a self-purposeful maze filled with monsters. On the contrary, it was, at first sight, a self-functioning world, through which the hero protrudes as if unintentionally, although everything is, of course, prepared and detailed in detail.

The initial unplayable sequence during which Gordon Freeman arrives at the Black Mesa Research Center, which will soon be attacked by aggressive extraterrestrials, has clearly indicated that a revolution is coming. An unimaginable five-minute passage where you can just look around? What's that supposed to be? And it wasn't over, for at least half an hour had passed before the main character ever got a gun in his hands. Being a refund at that time, who knows how many people would be able to hold on to this genius game until it really started.

Today, this section does not sit on anyone's ass, because we have seen it many times before. But that doesn't mean he doesn't work again in Black Mesa. Despite the graphics, which despite all its improvements on today's competition is significantly losing, the game retained the atmosphere. Although the story itself has no great depth, it can tie players to it.

All shades of the genre
I am still fascinated by how masterfully the authors were able to work with the pace of the narrative. Sometimes it is a regular horror, where you sneak through the dark offices and save every charge, sometimes basically a space adventure, where you have to think carefully where and how you need to get. There is also a classic shootout against odds and in the end the game turns all the rules upside down and becomes something like a psychedelic platformer.

All these forms work great, so you never know what to expect in the next level. When I compare it to most modern production, which, despite taking place in much more detailed worlds, basically only alternates creeping passages with action ones, it seems like a step backwards.

Black Mesa also shows that many of the mechanics that are now thought to be outdated today are actually great when they work well. You will often have to go back over a significant part of the map, encounter conventional weapons unbeatable opponents and the exception is not even the necessity of millimeter accurate jumps.

Not that I didn't get mad at the game, but after perpetual watching the arrow on the map, the invisible walls preventing the fall into the abyss, or the glowing hit zones near the bosses, I felt after a long time that I was not just dragged on a leash, but I really play.

Finally a dignified conclusion
The only reason why my original Half-Life ranking did not make it to the top ten in my personal ranking of the most popular games of all time was its totally unmanageable conclusion. While the whole story takes place in more or less believable scenery, the end has plunged you into the extraterrestrial dimension of Xen, which seems more like an uncoated hallucination.



In Black Mesa, of course, Xen is also missing, but it is completely dug and even though it is still more weird than good, his otherness is eventually quite nice. If it hadn't been for Xen, the game could have been out for years, as the authors spent several years modeling it. The result is obvious, however, at least visually it is the most impressive passage. More than shooting is about jumping, but everything you make up in two grandiose bossfighty.

This is the only fundamental difference from the original, if you do not have the original Half-Life riddled several times, you probably do not even notice, so naturally works. Sometimes the lengthy scene is shortened, other times a few extra things are added, but everything is only for the benefit of the thing. The biggest change is the physical engine known from the second episode, which makes (not only) gunfights look more natural.




Unfortunately, as for the main character's movement dynamics, there was no adjustment. That Gordon was climbing rocket-ladders wouldn't matter, but some of the bouncing passages are more about patience than skill because of inertia.

But these are just small spots on the overall virtually perfect game. Half-Life still has its charm and who calls himself a player has no excuse not to go into it. The twenty hours to finish it were some of the funniest in recent years, and the upcoming Half-Life: Alyx will have to make a big effort to at least settle on the high bar.

By:mystifax

one of my fav game

A fan game 15 years in the making, so glad it turned out great!

yes, really great story

I have both half life and black mesa. They have the xen update it is beatiful I would recommend trying black mesa.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY GOD GAME

This is the best game ever

This is the best game ever.

I have both half life and black mesa. They have the xen update it is beatiful I would recommend trying black mesa.

They finally finish this game? Am I dreaming? It took way to long for Crowbar Collective to complete the game. But now that Xen is finally done maybe it's time to play this game because I have it in my Steam library but I didn't touch it because I know what to except. It's just Half-Life. But hey, I might play it again for the n'th time.

They finally finish this game? Am I dreaming? It took way to long for Crowbar Collective to complete the game. But now that Xen is finally done maybe it's time to play this game because I have it in my Steam library but I didn't touch it because I know what to except. It's just Half-Life. But hey, I might play it again for the n'th time.really

I need gems bruh

Black Mesa is a phenomenal game. It improves original game by upgrading graphics, adding new areas and remodeling characters. It's a must play if you're a fan of the original half life.