Even if you’ve memorized Half-Life off by heart, Crowbar Collective’s take on Xen will put you to the test. Yeah, it was weird, and more than a little bit of rubbish.īlack Mesa includes an entirely reworked ending to Half-Life, massively developing the closing Xen level to add entirely new environments, puzzles, boss fights and objectives. All except for the closing Xen section which saw you bouncing around an alien landscape before launching rockets into a giant baby’s open skull. If you weren’t aware, the original Half-Life is almost entirely beloved. Oh, and there’s also this little thing called Xen. Finally, you can even challenge your friends in updated multiplayer which includes maps from throughout the Half-Life Universe. Updated AI makes enemies more challenging than ever, and some particularly ugly alien faces are even sporting some deadly new moves. That’s not it either, voice acting and a fresh soundtrack by Joel Nielsen add a wealth of atmosphere to the game at crucial times. These are introduced to original areas, as well as brand new or expanded levels. The jump to the Source engine grants access to a wealth of extra physics options, and Crowbar Collective has taken full advantage, adding plenty of new physics puzzles similar in style to those found in Half-Life 2. So the graphics may not blow you away, but this retro revival is packed to the brim with updates to the core game as well. Think of it more as staying true to the ‘90s style, with a touchup to the paintwork helping to meet the expectations of our rose-tinted glasses. Black Mesa is intended to run on most PCs, and the graphics fall much closer to Xbox 360 and PS3 levels. The blurry textures of the late ‘90s have been updated and replaced to offer up crisp, clear visuals at a smooth framerate. So what’s new in Black Mesa?īlack Mesa is much more than a simple graphics update, though that’s obviously the first thing you’ll notice when jumping in. Even for the seasoned theoretical physicists among us, there’s plenty of new content here that makes a return trip far more than a nostalgia ride. With the release date for Half-Life: Alyx cresting the horizon, Black Mesa is the perfect chance to grab that famous crowbar for the first time and get swinging. If only the army were here! Oh wait, they are, and they also want you dead. Headcrabs, vortigaunts, barnacles and all manner of alien creatures are invading the laboratory halls, transforming scientists into zombies and generally making a mess of the place. The story – for the newbies among us – sees scientist Freeman caught in the midst of a dimensional overlap at the Black Mesa research center. The Half-Life series is one of the most iconic in gaming, but with the original releasing back in 1998, we’ve no doubt many modern gamers haven’t experienced Gordon Freeman’s maiden adventure. Recommended: Elite Pro 2 Headset + SuperAmpĭesigned in collaboration with leading esports teams the Turtle Beach® Elite Pro™ 2 + SuperAmp™ Pro Performance Gaming Audio System for PS4™ Pro, PS4™, PC and Xbox One is built to win! Shop Nowįinally, after 8 more years of development, Black Mesa received its official 1.0 release on March 5 and is available to play via Steam. First made playable back in 2012, it’s been updated in increments since, and has proven successful enough to be officially sanctioned by Valve. Valve already made the engine jump themselves with Half-Life: Source, but Black Mesa dared to be much more than just a port. Now hold up and put those pitchforks down – before you claim this is just a remake and not a new Half-Life game, give us the chance to explain. It began nearly 10 years ago as a simple mod, aiming to bring the original Half-Life game to the Source engine with updated graphics, physics and gameplay. What is Black Mesa?ĭeveloped by Crowbar Collective, Black Mesa has been on a long journey. Worry not though, because whether you’re losing your mind over the wait for Alyx, or are weeping at the price of a Valve Index, there’s a new Half-Life game you can enjoy right now, and it’s called Black Mesa. That Half-Life: Alyx gameplay sure looks fun, huh? Too bad it’s not out until March 23rd, and even then, only for those of us lucky enough to own certain VR headsets.
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