Black Mesa

In a word: breathtaking. Some flaws, sure, but as an ambitious whole it delivers a passionate reimagining of Half Life, bringing the story—if non-canonically—right up to the start of Half Life 2.

Without a doubt the biggest change is to the final Xen area. What was a disappointing, unfinished afterthought in the original here became big, lush, exciting, and diverse in design and gameplay. It's now the fleshed-out "part 2" that the original game deserved. I was often surprised and delighted by the creativity and, yes, artistry of it. There are striking vistas, intimate moments, and epic dangers. And I appreciate the team's careful balancing act between making something new and still nodding to our collective memory of the original, flabby Xen.

The rest of the game also got a makeover. Levels are more intricate and feel better connected to each other such that Black Mesa adds to the strong sense of place for the game's namesake, which made Half Life stand out in 1998. Many games do it well these days but back then it was rare. Only 1994's System Shock came close.

So, yes, it's a much bigger game now, and it also looks much better. If I have any complaint it's that I wish it were converted to an engine newer than Source, with better textures, lighting, and no annoying loading screens (they are thankfully brief). Maybe the team can remake it again in the future? :) Of course, the advantage of using Source is that it fits so well with Half Life 2. I mean, we can't ask them to also remake that game, right? Right?!

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the gameplay has, as a whole, improved over the original. For my second playthrough I decided somewhat foolishly to go with a gamepad, and though it does work and can be fun, at the higher difficulty level I chose it could also get frustrating. Aim is bad and the precision requirement is unforgiving. Luckily it's trivial to save scum and every encounter can be overcome.

Alas, I think the controls are clunky even with mouse and keyboard. The physics engine definitely shows its age: jumping is weird and getting out of water is goofy. The scheme is such that the potential for more tactical combat is squandered. Though the levels look like they have places to duck and cover in, in doing so you will be fighting against mechanics that are more like Doom's than Metro 2033's. Black Mesa wants you to move in and strafe fast. The blood should pump. The brain should revert to its primitive core.

There are puzzles, too. They are basic but still provide a nice change of pace. Xen especially has many fun ones. It's as if Portal came over for a day and gave the developers some tips. It would make sense for fans of this franchise.

Wow. What a ride. My heart is still racing as I type this review.

Play it.