A
fter 16 years in development, Crowbar Collective’s
remake of the original Half-Life is (basically)
complete. While Black Mesa: Earthbound was
released eight years ago, that version only took players
from Gordon Freeman’s arrival at the facility through to
his teleportation to Xen. However, Half-Life’s famously
underwhelming finale was left out, as Crowbar Collective
opted to spend more time fashioning it into something special.
That second half of the game is finally out, and calling it
a second half isn’t an overstatement. Crowbar Collective’s
interpretation of Xen is nothing short of remarkable,
comfortably transcending Valve’s original work, and making
Black Mesa not just a remake but a game in its own right.
Before we discuss this more recent
update, though, it’s worth briefly going
over Crowbar Collective’s work on
updating the Black Mesa parts of the
game. Eight years since release, these
parts hold up remarkably well. While
they undoubtedly show their age in
certain areas, Black Mesa still offers
a massive visual upgrade over the
original Half-Life. Key scenes such as
the introductory tram ride have been
packed with additional detail, while
the scientists and guards of the facility
are now unique personalities rather
than eerie clones.What made Black Mesa particularly interesting was that,
although it was broadly a recreation, it wasn’t afraid to add
its own spin on certain aspects of Half-Life, even making
edits to the original structure where it felt necessary. Certain
chapters, such as On a Rail and the mid-part of Surface
Tension, had the more tedious sections edited out. It still
treated the more iconic moments of the Half-Life story with
the respect they deserved though. The resonance cascade,
the monster in the Blast Pit and the battle with the helicopter
in Surface Tension were all carefully recreated.
Even without the Xen chapters, Black Mesa is an
astonishing bit of work; a fan remake that goes above and
beyond what anyone could have expected. Freed from theGAMES / REVIEWS
SURFACE
TENSION
+^ Huge visual
upgrade
+^ Faithful recreation
of key levels
+^ Incredible
redesign of XenUNFORESEEN
CONSEQUENCES-^ Source showing its
age in some areas
-^ Interloper level
too long
Black Mesa / £14.99 inc VAT
DEVELOPER Crowbar Collective / PUBLISHER Crowbar Collectivec
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A
fter 16 yearsin development,CrowbarCollective’s
remakeoftheoriginalHalf-Lifeis (basically)
complete.WhileBlackMesa:Earthboundwas
releasedeightyearsago,thatversiononlytookplayers
fromGordonFreeman’sarrivalatthefacilitythroughto
histeleportationtoXen.However,Half-Life’sfamously
underwhelmingfinalewasleftout,asCrowbarCollective
optedtospendmoretimefashioning it intosomethingspecial.
Thatsecondhalfofthegameis finallyout,andcallingit
a secondhalfisn’tanoverstatement.CrowbarCollective’s
interpretationofXenis nothingshortofremarkable,
comfortablytranscendingValve’soriginalwork,andmaking
BlackMesanotjusta remakebuta gameinitsownright.
Beforewediscussthismorerecent
update,though,it’sworthbrieflygoing
overCrowbarCollective’sworkon
updatingtheBlackMesapartsofthe
game.Eightyearssincerelease,these
partsholdupremarkablywell.While
theyundoubtedlyshowtheiragein
certainareas,BlackMesastilloffers
a massivevisualupgradeoverthe
originalHalf-Life.Keyscenessuchas
theintroductorytramridehavebeen
packedwithadditionaldetail,while
thescientistsandguardsofthefacility
arenowuniquepersonalitiesrather
thaneerieclones.What made Black Mesa particularly interesting was that,
although it was broadly a recreation, it wasn’t afraid to add
itsown spin on certain aspects of Half-Life, even making
editsto the original structure where it felt necessary. Certain
chapters, such as On a Rail and the mid-part of Surface
Tension, had the more tedious sections edited out. It still
treated the more iconic moments of the Half-Life story with
therespect they deserved though. The resonance cascade,
themonster in the Blast Pit and the battle with the helicopter
inSurface Tension were all carefully recreated.
Even without the Xen chapters, Black Mesa is an
astonishing bit of work; a fan remake that goes above and
beyond what anyone could have expected. Freed from theGAMES / REVIEWS
SURFACE
TENSION
+^ Huge visual
upgrade
+^ Faithful recreation
of key levels
+^ Incredible
redesign of Xen
UNFORESEEN
CONSEQUENCES
-^ Source showing its
age in some areas
-^ Interloper level
too long
Black Mesa/£14.99inc VAT
DEVELOPER Crowbar Collective / PUBLISHER Crowbar Collectivecc
uuss
tommPP
CCP
R
E
M
IU
M^ GR
A
D
E