Black Mesa

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1219 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,071 out of 1219
  2. Mixed: 101 out of 1219
  3. Negative: 47 out of 1219

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  1. Mikimax
    Sep 30, 2012
    10
    This game is fantastic. Perfect remake made by gamers for gamers with passion and devotion to the finest details. I could not have asked for more then this.

    THANK YOU!
  2. KangarooKurt
    Jan 6, 2022
    10
    Hard to even contemplate how much work went into this game, based on all the detail and long, long gameplay. What an absolute treat to play this if you liked or loved Halflife!
  3. NorBdelta
    Sep 18, 2012
    10
    Ok where to start. Black Mesa is a complete remake of Half-life. Now to sum it up would be "a masterpiece".The graphics have been totally revamped, characters (scientists, guards, etc.) have totally remade models and are now different from one another not the same guard over and over, the textures and other props have been replaced with higher quality ones. Some levels are slightlyOk where to start. Black Mesa is a complete remake of Half-life. Now to sum it up would be "a masterpiece".The graphics have been totally revamped, characters (scientists, guards, etc.) have totally remade models and are now different from one another not the same guard over and over, the textures and other props have been replaced with higher quality ones. Some levels are slightly different but I found them very fluid and I believe they were worked to make the story more cohesive. Enemies are more intelligent and look amazing. Guns totally remade. This game is certainly on par with the original quality of story wise. The quality of work is of the highest I have seen in a mod and it is a "Valve" level of quality product. I find little else to say as this mod is so amazing I am lost for words trying to explain how highly I respect this remake and the dev team behind it was done such an amazing job.… Expand
  4. LD9000
    Nov 26, 2012
    10
    A perfect remake. Action packed survival, and I really enjoyed how the secrets of black mesa are brought to life with voice acting and in-game whiteboards. Playing this game after so many years, some of the levels seem small, especially if you know what's coming. Other than that, a fantastic remake, and it's free!
  5. Lordeldar
    Sep 29, 2012
    10
    When I first heard about Black Mesa, I was excited. When it came out, I was not disappointed at all. A few moments of the game have been changed from the original. And almost all the time, it has improved on the original. In Half Life, I found On A Rail really annoying. Black Mesa completely redid the chapter and it was a major improvement. That's basically how I would sum up Black Mesa, aWhen I first heard about Black Mesa, I was excited. When it came out, I was not disappointed at all. A few moments of the game have been changed from the original. And almost all the time, it has improved on the original. In Half Life, I found On A Rail really annoying. Black Mesa completely redid the chapter and it was a major improvement. That's basically how I would sum up Black Mesa, a major improvement on Half Life. It brings Half Life up to, and possibly beyond, the quality levels of Half Life 2. Definitely worth the long wait. Can't wait to see the Xen chapters… Expand
  6. PoWn3d_0704
    Oct 24, 2012
    10
    Waited a long time for this mod, and it exceeded all my expectations.

    I feel like many of the people who give this mod bad ratings don't know anything about the Half-Life series. And that is fine, same as the people throwing tens around (Guilty) are neck deep in nostalgia. The movement (saw some complaints) is true to the Original Half-Life. Fast paced and really good for the style    Waited a long time for this mod, and it exceeded all my expectations.

    I feel like many of the people who give this mod bad ratings don't know anything about the Half-Life series. And that is fine, same as the people throwing tens around (Guilty) are neck deep in nostalgia.

    The movement (saw some complaints) is true to the Original Half-Life. Fast paced and really good for the style of play. Takes a second to get used to, if you never have played Half-Life or quake or anything before. Trust me, that movement is the reason the Multiplayer is going to be so good.

    As for FPS dips, it happens only on AMD based systems. My upgrade from an AMD 1090t to an Intel 3570k stopped all of those issues. Just something you'll have to wait for a patch to be fixed.

    Overall, this mod is FREE, looks amazing, and brings back that good old Half-Life nostalgia. What isn't to love?    … Expand
  7. Rice303
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    An amazing game that gives half-life fans more to get excited over it's funny how it's been over ten years since the original has been released yet the gameplay still remains nearly completely unchanged and it still manages to be fun and fluid, there are some aspects of the game that could have been improved, but as a fan project it's a solid ten, I doubt i'd ever be able to make anythingAn amazing game that gives half-life fans more to get excited over it's funny how it's been over ten years since the original has been released yet the gameplay still remains nearly completely unchanged and it still manages to be fun and fluid, there are some aspects of the game that could have been improved, but as a fan project it's a solid ten, I doubt i'd ever be able to make anything like this even with my passion in gaming… Expand
  8. oso
    Oct 1, 2012
    10
    Incredible Remake! Can't believe this is for free, i'd even pay a Full Price for this Masterpiece. There is absolutely nothing they could have done better. By far the best fps i've played in a dam' long time.
  9. silentshade
    Oct 8, 2012
    10
    If a mod actually receives reviews from critics then you know its going to be good. This mod truly brings Half life 1 back in the best way possible.
    Best mod ever!
    Period.
  10. bazkie
    Sep 24, 2012
    10
    black mesa is probably the best halflife 1 remake possible. there's clearly been a lot of attention to details, and the atmosphere is very similar to the original - in my eyes an important trait for a remake of any game. i was expecting much from black mesa, after all these years of waiting, but it delivered, at least for me!
  11. RobiePax
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    Truly amazing re-work. It turned out to be a lot better than I expected to. I'm also glad that Valve approved Greenlight for this mod, we need more worthy mods on Steam than crap like Revelations 2012 which is an Alpha stage non-free mod...
  12. Kanazawa
    Dec 31, 2012
    10
    Good god what an incredible game. It was also VERY time consuming spanning about 10 hours long it felt endless yet still enjoyable. It was bland and boring at the start with an extremely creepy atmosphere and gradually switches genres completely becoming something else. Yes that may be describing Half Life, but this redo of the game was incredible. I was stunned at the graphics comparisonGood god what an incredible game. It was also VERY time consuming spanning about 10 hours long it felt endless yet still enjoyable. It was bland and boring at the start with an extremely creepy atmosphere and gradually switches genres completely becoming something else. Yes that may be describing Half Life, but this redo of the game was incredible. I was stunned at the graphics comparison to the previous and it blows it out of the water. I usually have trouble playing dated games, and this really helped out.… Expand
  13. t0bssu
    Jan 8, 2013
    10
    Best mod ever made. It's not just a mod. It's a different game. I recommend playing HL1 first because this one does not tell the story as good as the first one did. Nostalgia is so big part of this game.
  14. camycamera
    Oct 26, 2012
    10
    the one of the greatest remakes of one of the greatest games of all time. This is Half-Life, but better. If you have never played Half-Life and wonder what all the fuss was all about, this is a great opportunity to try it out.... for free!
  15. sLm
    Sep 29, 2012
    10
    I can't tell fairly enough how awesome is this game, and I say game not mod, because this game surpass its original by lightyears. Perfect. .
  16. XhAPPYSLApX
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    Simply one of the best tributes to anything ever... This is the Half Life: Source we should have gotten. Great graphics for a 10 year old engine, fantastic gameplay, great story. And just near perfect all round in my opinion, I hope Valve hires these people to make Half Life 3, that is how good they did in my opinion.
  17. Bax21
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    So much waiting, and now after 8 long years im completly overwhelmed by Black Mesa. It's really stupid to call this masterpiece a "modification" for HL2. It's f***** more than that! Its deserves to be an absolutely great remake of legendary Half Life. Many thanks for creators of this new,fine version, whoever u are!
  18. wumbajomba
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    I own the complete Half-Life series and I am a huge fan and I must say that I am impressed with what the team did with this re-make. Awesome Mod !! I would recommend this Mod to anyone. This Mod has my 10 out of 10.
  19. sherbz
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    There are some things in life that are not really recognised for how important they really are until perhaps years after they actually happen. Black Mesa fits in to that category. For a group of fans to create something so professional, so polished, and so good is truly an extraordinary thing in itself. But the sheer scale, scope and length of time devoted to Black Mesa demonstratesThere are some things in life that are not really recognised for how important they really are until perhaps years after they actually happen. Black Mesa fits in to that category. For a group of fans to create something so professional, so polished, and so good is truly an extraordinary thing in itself. But the sheer scale, scope and length of time devoted to Black Mesa demonstrates what fans can actually achieve when they work together. The developers managed to create a game that can easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the titles you go out and buy, but they did it for free, which i think is a beautiful and quite remarkable thing. Black mesa, like half life itself, is the new yard stick to compare fan created games, and will be for years to come.… Expand
  20. somethingguy912
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    the black mesa production team has done a wonderful job of revisiting Half-Life into the Half Life 2 engine in not only the source engine but also of the time and effort they took to remodeling all the NPCs, improving the dialogue quality while providing new voice actors, and providing much more attention to detail with the environment of the black mesa research facility. I was glad thatthe black mesa production team has done a wonderful job of revisiting Half-Life into the Half Life 2 engine in not only the source engine but also of the time and effort they took to remodeling all the NPCs, improving the dialogue quality while providing new voice actors, and providing much more attention to detail with the environment of the black mesa research facility. I was glad that they did get rid of parts of the game that seemed to go on for decades (going through ventilation shafts for an eternity, that is), and they also put more complexity and more realism to the facility area, like the crate smashing room (in Half Life it almost seemed like they deliberately made it for you to jump that way). Also, I was quite surprised at how they added a new feature to the game: gore on your weapons. It's a nice emphatic touch to the ventures that Freeman must go through to reach to the Lambda core. The AI also has been improved as well, especially with the soldiers (although, sometimes the enemies will just stand there if they can't reach you from range, and this is frequent with the Slaves, e.g. vortigaunts). Also, there are some subtly hilarious parts in the game that you will encounter (like when you acquire the hive-hand, and Freeman reluctantly sticks his hand into what appears to be it's ass, or when the scientists foolishly go inside a ventilation shaft filled with monsters and the scientist who tries to get him out brakes his neck from falling from under the ladder). Everything that made the first half-life great can still be found in the effortless commitment that the black mesa production team had put into revamping the game, and seriously, all of this for free? You can't get a better deal than that! If you've been painfully impatient about the release of half life 3 (or episode 3), this game will give you the same feeling of nostalgia from both Half Life releases for a very long time!… Expand
  21. Stickheadz32
    Feb 19, 2013
    10
    I have to say right out that this is the best mod ever created. Really smooth gameplay with the Source engine, level design is really complex, enemies in the game are worth the challenge, great AI with humans, HECU soldiers and aliens. Again, there's lots of freedom you can have in the maps, even though some of them may be linear, it leaves a great space of open field, so we won't careI have to say right out that this is the best mod ever created. Really smooth gameplay with the Source engine, level design is really complex, enemies in the game are worth the challenge, great AI with humans, HECU soldiers and aliens. Again, there's lots of freedom you can have in the maps, even though some of them may be linear, it leaves a great space of open field, so we won't care about linearity at all. Amazing re-recorded monologues and dialogues and even the new ones. Everything else is also very awesome. The graphics at high and very high levels are stunningly beautiful in everything. At that preset when I turned around after fleeing from the Tentacles when I watched them, the framerate dropped down to 40 on my GTX660Ti. The soundtrack is also really good and it's a mix of atmospheric and action tracks. As i played it in almost 5-6 days and completed the game I feel satisfied and amazed about the game. It's free, it's a mod, you do need Source SDK Base 2007 to run it, but by all words, this is an immersion.… Expand
  22. Kingmannie
    Oct 2, 2012
    10
    Wow. The amount of memories that come flooding back to me was incredible. This project puts a lot of professional projects to shame. From a technical perspective the voice acting is a bit strange but the atmosphere that's obviously been a labor of love for the devs - smashes any negativity. Surprising, tense and thrilling are some of the feelings you will get if you play this for theWow. The amount of memories that come flooding back to me was incredible. This project puts a lot of professional projects to shame. From a technical perspective the voice acting is a bit strange but the atmosphere that's obviously been a labor of love for the devs - smashes any negativity. Surprising, tense and thrilling are some of the feelings you will get if you play this for the first time. A sincere feeling of nostalgia is what you will get if you played the original like me. For free this is 100% worth your time.… Expand
  23. fabbolous
    Sep 19, 2012
    10
    I've been waiting for this mod since the very beginning. Half Life is just one of the greatest PC Games ever made and walking Black Mesa again with these all new graphics it feels like coming home...well...home is nicer though :-)
    I have found no bugs so far. Everything has been rebuilt very accurately. No wonder this mod took about 8 years and it was worth every second. Hope the mod team    I've been waiting for this mod since the very beginning. Half Life is just one of the greatest PC Games ever made and walking Black Mesa again with these all new graphics it feels like coming home...well...home is nicer though :-)
    I have found no bugs so far. Everything has been rebuilt very accurately. No wonder this mod took about 8 years and it was worth every second. Hope the mod team will come up with the last part of the Half Life on Zen very soon!!    … Expand
  24. CrazyGoat
    Sep 21, 2012
    10
    Black Mesa has the polish synonymous with a Valve property, and has surpassed all expectations in light of the sheer difficulty of the project. The amount of dedication, passion, and love the developers put into this game is immediately apparent as you explore the depths of Black Mesa, and uncover the secrets of this research facility.

    Black Mesa transcends the level of 'modification' -    Black Mesa has the polish synonymous with a Valve property, and has surpassed all expectations in light of the sheer difficulty of the project. The amount of dedication, passion, and love the developers put into this game is immediately apparent as you explore the depths of Black Mesa, and uncover the secrets of this research facility.

    Black Mesa transcends the level of 'modification' - they didn't modify anything. They created this game (save for a few sound bites, etc) from the ground up - in an impressive feat not many could accomplish. Having played Half-Life 1, this game left me without a single gripe or complaint regarding it's faithfulness to the original. The additions (of which there are a few) utilize the source engine's physics and graphics in ways that remind you of Half-Life 2. These are not modders, they're developers - and have made a shining masterpiece which raises the bar on third-party game development in the source engine. It's faithful to the original, and yet creates this bizarre sense of deja vu with Half-Life 2 - making them feel like one contiguous game, no longer separated by 6 years or different engines. They have truly done the impossible. This is a must-play.    … Expand
  25. bethegame
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    When I first played the Half Life games, I thought to myself, these games can't get any better than they already are. Shows you what I know. This game is perfect. No doubt about it. A ten all the way. In every aspect that Half Life was perfect in, Black Mesa perfected the perfection. The graphics are great for this game are much better than the first Half Life, (it did come out in 1998,When I first played the Half Life games, I thought to myself, these games can't get any better than they already are. Shows you what I know. This game is perfect. No doubt about it. A ten all the way. In every aspect that Half Life was perfect in, Black Mesa perfected the perfection. The graphics are great for this game are much better than the first Half Life, (it did come out in 1998, great graphics for then) the plot is almost the same so far, (some levels are different) and it is easy to tell how much these developers really love the game. They put all there passion into it. I am glad that now not every scientist is identical. I would say this game gets 98 out of 100 or above. Now, about Half Life 3...… Expand
  26. ConsumedKangi
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    I've been looking forward to this for the whole of this year. Half life introduced me to awesome first person shooters by Valve. Then once I heard of Black Mesa I expected the best thing ever. It did not fail my expectations. Flawless design. Everything has been rebuilt very accurately with extra additions of perfection to top it off. There's been no bugs at all and I just can't seem toI've been looking forward to this for the whole of this year. Half life introduced me to awesome first person shooters by Valve. Then once I heard of Black Mesa I expected the best thing ever. It did not fail my expectations. Flawless design. Everything has been rebuilt very accurately with extra additions of perfection to top it off. There's been no bugs at all and I just can't seem to point out anything wrong. This is a mod of Gods!… Expand
  27. Xytaglyph
    Oct 29, 2012
    10
    Black Mesa is one of the best and most polished mods i have ever played in my life. The mod is a perfect replica of half-life while still adding some new and interesting things such as the npc interaction and the improved ai. This game is DEFINITELY worth playing seeing as the original is still and always will be my favorite single player game of all time. If you haven't played this iBlack Mesa is one of the best and most polished mods i have ever played in my life. The mod is a perfect replica of half-life while still adding some new and interesting things such as the npc interaction and the improved ai. This game is DEFINITELY worth playing seeing as the original is still and always will be my favorite single player game of all time. If you haven't played this i would be hesitant to call you a gamer, especially if you're my age...… Expand
  28. Wolv
    Oct 30, 2012
    10
    Like most people, I too have been waiting a long time for this mod and its amazing, enjoyable to both people who have and haven't played Half Life, the level design is fantastic, all the areas are essentially the same with some minor differences and some areas changed almost completely, its playable so far up to Lambda Core and Xen hasn't been released yet, they are working on it. TheLike most people, I too have been waiting a long time for this mod and its amazing, enjoyable to both people who have and haven't played Half Life, the level design is fantastic, all the areas are essentially the same with some minor differences and some areas changed almost completely, its playable so far up to Lambda Core and Xen hasn't been released yet, they are working on it. The soundtrack is amazing and voice acting is brilliant, some nice subtle references to half life and their own mod in the game which I found amusing, the only flaw I found was jumping which felt a little clunky but it didn't affect much, its on Source engine not GoldSrc so your gonna expect a different feel to the motion, it was the same with CS 1.6 and CS:S. The game is still as hardcore as Half Life, the marines are hard which I find good, there is a bug however with the helicopter on Surface Tension but that seems to be the only one I've found. I would recommend this mod to anyone, it feels like a commercial Valve game and plays like one and I enjoyed every single moment of it. So much work has gone into this and you can tell 10/10… Expand
  29. Vorfeed
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    Surprisingly this project did not turn into Vaporware. This is by far the best remake of a game I've ever played, down to the very last detail of that lonely vulnerable feel you got when you first fired up Half Life years ago. I loved every minute of this FREE game that puts this year's triple A titles to shame.
  30. Cupcakeboy14
    Dec 4, 2012
    10
    Really fun playing an old classic. It is nice to have something half-life related since HL3 or HL2 ep3 is no ware to be seen. Good job at an amazing remake.
  31. Freakazoid1
    Dec 6, 2012
    10
    I always wished for another Half-life installment. Half-life is one of the most legendary games I have ever played. I confess that was disappointed that this game didn't continue the story, but I was incredibly happy when I found out that this game hadn't altered any Half-life gameplay. Thank you, Valve. You have made yet another masterpiece.
  32. chanceloganlego
    Jan 3, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is remake is more amazing than the original Half-Life, with enhanced levels, better AI, more challenging gameplay, Half-Life 2 styled puzzles, but be warned, but it's not for people who want a 1-1 remake with only the textures and models changed like Halo Anniversary, EVERYTHING is changed and improved. Although some areas in the game were cut, such as a portion of On a Rail and a portion of Surface Tension, I still think it is amazing and takes on a "Valve quality" design. Black Mesa also has some new areas as well, such as more test labs and experiments in Questionable Ethics, and an amazing ambush from the HECU at the end of the chapter. Overall it was amazing and I give it a 10/10… Expand
  33. Xonerix
    Dec 13, 2020
    10
    Absolute masterpiece, a remade Half-Life game with extremely good and efficient graphics, Xen got a complete overhaul, beautiful alien scenery, more levels, bigger and longer with spectacular events.
  34. HipsterMonster
    Jun 9, 2013
    10
    I am going to write my review in Spanish because I do not want to write anything wrong for the review of this game.

    Cuando jugué esta mod por primera vez, realmente me pregunté ¿Es esto una mod?, Porque resulta que lo es. Ademas lo bastante bien hecha como para superar al original Half Life o el Propio juego modificado, Half Life 2. Es sencillamente una obra maestra que no debería    I am going to write my review in Spanish because I do not want to write anything wrong for the review of this game.

    Cuando jugué esta mod por primera vez, realmente me pregunté ¿Es esto una mod?, Porque resulta que lo es. Ademas lo bastante bien hecha como para superar al original Half Life o el Propio juego modificado, Half Life 2. Es sencillamente una obra maestra que no debería recibir criticas tan bajas por parte de las webs de criticos. Se nota cuando algo esta hecho por una empresa sin ánimo de lucro y de un juego gratuito.    … Expand
  35. earthprime163
    Apr 30, 2013
    10
    Anyone who just 'doesn't get it' is from the new generation of gamers and wasn't there in the beginning (1998) when Half Life changed the industry. This MOD is a gem a love letter to the Half Life series and it's free!! CrazyGoat's review is spot-on that the amount of dedication by the MOD's creators is unsurpassed.
  36. MasteRR
    May 15, 2013
    10
    Black Mesa is a total Source conversion of the original critical acclaimed game Half-Life.

    For a mod, it does everything very well. The level design looks both similar to the original game, with Hi-Res props, much improved physics new animations and improved scripted events. The gameplay however feels even more linear, by unfortunately cutting a lot from On a Rail chapter, which    Black Mesa is a total Source conversion of the original critical acclaimed game Half-Life.

    For a mod, it does everything very well.

    The level design looks both similar to the original game, with Hi-Res props, much improved physics new animations and improved scripted events.

    The gameplay however feels even more linear, by unfortunately cutting a lot from On a Rail chapter, which in the original game it was far bigger, and more like a maze, now just activate this, enable this, and keep going. In original game the chapter took a lot to be completed, even after many times playing.

    However, the gameplay certainly feels a lot more intense, the new sounds, enemy design an AI makes everything feel both intense and realistic, but also more brutal sometimes. For instance, now when you kill a HECU soldier you get an exaggerated blood around him.

    In gameplay terms the mod brings some things not seen in any Half-Life game, the Gibing System. Basically it seems to have certain models, and works for certain kills, like when killing enemies with explosive barrels, grenades, RPGs, mines, and even headshots, which is a welcome and great addition.

    About the animations, both for weapons and NPCs is nice, with very good lip syncing and detail. Unfortunately, the dying animation in certain situations look ridiculous. For instance, the dying scientist in the beginning of Blast Pit has an exaggerated death animation, being too convulsive.

    Also the mods features another new system, which adds blood/acid and others on player's hand, which is a lot more realistic, but could've been better, on some guns, the blood doesn't go in a precise mode, like on the Glock, when a half of the hands have blood on certain parts, and on the other one on other parts, which isn't realistic and very good.

    The levels like said before, are very similar, but some are different, such as On a Rail which is a lot shorter, which is a bit disappointing, but it eventually fits better.

    The weapons, compared to original game are well made, sound realistic, look HD and behave realistic, but some of them, if carefully watched, behave weird, for instance the Magnum sounds very powerful, but if not shot in the head, it can even take to up to 3 hits to kill an enemy.

    The shotgun also feels very light but it really powerful in fact.

    The voice acting is great, but not for everyone. Eli's voice doesn't really fit, sound like a child with a sore throat, rather than an adult.

    The addition of the female scientist is also a good thing, and their voices fits perfectly.

    This is mod's quality in gameplay terms, now let's see the graphics and the performance.

    The graphics can't be described very detailed, there are dynamic lights, very sweet particle effects and realistic physics, with some demos right after the Test Chamber explosion at the beginning, and also in Apprehension, right after Gordon is caught by the HECUs and placed in a room to be squished.

    The performance however isn't really good. After playing aprox. 1-2hours you might get the ,,Failed to allocate the required Memory,, error.

    Also the mod has a severe lack of optimization in some areas which really don't look to be so hardware demanding, such as the Resonance Cascade scene, the beginning of apprehension, when a part of the Hydro Electric Dam in Surface Tension, some areas in Office Complex, Blast Pit, and the fighting scene before jumping into the portal at the end of Lambda Core, which is quite disappointing for a game that was in development for more than 8 years, but this is how's happening when a game if not fully ready, the mod is missing the Xen chapters, but even so, it provides a great experience until then, and you can't be very curious to see the revamped Xen, which has the biggest potential to be vast with great graphics, effects, physics, and other great stuff.

    The mod has as well several bugs, such as non-matching textures, like Scientists and Zombie Scientist, Barney and Barney Gibs, and Sniper Bullet, which wasn't replaced at all, being exactly the same from Half-Life 2. Another not super great thing is that the portal to Xen looks very similar to City 17's Citadel Core, but even so, again, it fits well.

    The soundtrack is a brand new addition, instead of re-used songs from the original one, but is very well made, gives suspense, fits with the action and environment, especially with the combat.

    The brand new achievements are well made, but could've been a bit better, like, well... ,,Drown in he Lambda Core Coolant,,?

    So, final verdict. Black Mesa is a masterpiece for a mod, which is also absolutely FREE which is a very great thing, as it's a mod. And it's stopped from being rated with a 10/10 ONLY because of the few bugs and glitches, some exaggerated death animations, and the lack of optimization in some chapters, and some unbalanced weapons.

    But overall, it certainly deserves the Mod of The Year award and can't wait to see what will bring Xen and BM:DM.    … Expand
  37. HorrHeyy
    May 28, 2016
    10
    Black Mesa is an homage to the greatest FPS game of all time (minus the few perplexing end levels). Didn't think Half Life 1 could get any better? Well it just did.
  38. gracjanski
    Nov 3, 2020
    10
    This is why I love PCs: normal people rewriting a classic game to a new engine, so that we players can have fun again with one of the best shooters of all time. Black Mesa is as great as Half Life was: very interesting story that has a lot to tell and changes while you re playing. A diversified gameplay, so that you dont have to shoot only. A great atmosphere and good immersion: It is aThis is why I love PCs: normal people rewriting a classic game to a new engine, so that we players can have fun again with one of the best shooters of all time. Black Mesa is as great as Half Life was: very interesting story that has a lot to tell and changes while you re playing. A diversified gameplay, so that you dont have to shoot only. A great atmosphere and good immersion: It is a lot of fun just to hear, what NPCs are talking about. There is only 1 problem in Big Mesa: even after 3 years there are still some missions missing :(… Expand
  39. xxdiyxx2
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    Taking into account that the game is free, you can say that this is a masterpiece from the team of fan developers. there were some flaws in artificial intelligence, but again, the game is free. Done a lot of work on the subject, it became more interesting, without disturbing the original. The music in the game is good. Graphics to the limit game engine in 2006, very good.
  40. chaotic_mayhem
    Nov 24, 2018
    10
    This game captures the imagination, and awe that was the original Half Life with updated visuals, sound, and gameplay.

    You know the story: You're a scientist named Gordon Freeman. Accident happens. Xen aliens run amok throughout the facility. Survive and fix the mess you caused. While Xen has been teased for a 2019 release date. This game does an excellent job at recapturing almost    This game captures the imagination, and awe that was the original Half Life with updated visuals, sound, and gameplay.

    You know the story: You're a scientist named Gordon Freeman. Accident happens. Xen aliens run amok throughout the facility. Survive and fix the mess you caused.

    While Xen has been teased for a 2019 release date. This game does an excellent job at recapturing almost everything that players had to go through the first time. While also offering some interesting spins.

    Multiplayer is in this game
    Controller use is in this game.

    This isn't a mod. This is in my opinion a well-done remaster of the original Half Life game. If players are seeking to play the Half Life series; i must say it's best to start here because the original does have some clunky mechanics, etc. That here in 'Black Mesa' the team was able to polish and update to give a smooth experience.

    I recommend it    … Expand
  41. Crispy_
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    A brilliantly crafted remake of the original Half-Life. The design was handled by experts, and even rivals much of Valve's work. The developers really knew what they were doing when bringing the world of Half-Life into modern standards. Even if you know Half-Life from top to bottom, you should still play this game. It's a whole new experience and contains many new and heavily touched upA brilliantly crafted remake of the original Half-Life. The design was handled by experts, and even rivals much of Valve's work. The developers really knew what they were doing when bringing the world of Half-Life into modern standards. Even if you know Half-Life from top to bottom, you should still play this game. It's a whole new experience and contains many new and heavily touched up areas.

    It might be more taxing on your hardware than Half-Life 2: Episode 2, but it's very understandable. They've done changes to the engine itself to bring you new graphical effects and many assets were designed for a 4k resolution. They're pushing the source engine beyond its limits.    … Expand
  42. Ceully
    Oct 14, 2013
    10
    What do you get when you mix one of the greatest FPS ever made and a fresh new engine Black Mesa. This mod is truly excellent, as a fan of Half-Life, playing the story with the HL2 graphics was very pleasant, you feel like playing a new game... but with familiar sensations, very cool.
    Everyone who enjoyed the original should give this mod a try, you won't be disappointed
  43. MichMart
    Mar 1, 2014
    10
    This is one of the largest and best mods ever made! It was in development for 8 years and it was really worth the wait. Some of the "worst" parts of Half-Life are deleted and some parts are even more impressive now, which makes Black Mesa an even better game than the original one!
    It can't of course revolutionize the FPS and the graphics are not top notch for today's standards, but for a    This is one of the largest and best mods ever made! It was in development for 8 years and it was really worth the wait. Some of the "worst" parts of Half-Life are deleted and some parts are even more impressive now, which makes Black Mesa an even better game than the original one!
    It can't of course revolutionize the FPS and the graphics are not top notch for today's standards, but for a mod it's a masterpiece for sure. Now we have to wait a bit for xen...    … Expand
  44. Andre19926
    Dec 24, 2015
    10
    I've played this game before when it was a free mod to be downloaded on the Black Mesa homepage.
    I liked the game and I also still like it. Great adaption of a great game!
    You haven't played it yet? What are you waiting for??? Go get it!
  45. Jason312
    Jun 12, 2015
    10
    Black Mesa is now available to purchase and download on Steam and is currently on early access. It costs £14.99 on Steam UK and it's well worth it. It's impressive what the Crowbar Collective have done by taking the seminal and classic Half Life and re-mastering the game using Valve Software's Source engine. So visually it's much improved over the original Half Life and if you ever playedBlack Mesa is now available to purchase and download on Steam and is currently on early access. It costs £14.99 on Steam UK and it's well worth it. It's impressive what the Crowbar Collective have done by taking the seminal and classic Half Life and re-mastering the game using Valve Software's Source engine. So visually it's much improved over the original Half Life and if you ever played Half Life then you should enjoy Black Mesa.… Expand
  46. DarrenMc
    Jul 6, 2020
    10
    I went to the Steam Summer sale and saw all the aaa discounted games but felt like a kid at the Blockbuster video store,all these games but not many I am interested in,the only one that stood out for me was Black Mesa,I love the hl2 engine,the hl2 game and I was yearning for more single player first person shooter story gaming goodness and I wasn’t let down.

    This game is fantastic,the    I went to the Steam Summer sale and saw all the aaa discounted games but felt like a kid at the Blockbuster video store,all these games but not many I am interested in,the only one that stood out for me was Black Mesa,I love the hl2 engine,the hl2 game and I was yearning for more single player first person shooter story gaming goodness and I wasn’t let down.

    This game is fantastic,the ai are smart,the locales are very atmospheric and pull you in to the game but the sound is incredible,the crispyness of the weapons sounds,the cavernous sounds when you go through tunnels or big underground rooms,the voice acting.

    For me,this is the best game I have played for a long time and actually outdoes the original.

    All who worked on the development should be congratulated.

    And this game does not cost a ransom either,it is a true labour of love,not contrived in any way,just pure perfection.    … Expand
  47. Mariogamer1231
    Jan 13, 2014
    10
    Black Mesa basically, improved the original Half Life. Though it's not completely done, it still improved the graphics using the source engine. I would give a 10 to the developers.
  48. DeadpoolDash
    Jan 3, 2014
    10
    This is an excellent remake, it has new voice acting and a new soundtrack which fit perfectly with the original game. The plans to remake the latter stages of the game will be interesting to see but since there is no info on that I cannot comment about it, the same goes for the upcoming multiplayer.
  49. MadJaples
    May 23, 2015
    10
    I rate this 10 purely on it's aesthetics. That is ALL.
    Some twenty odd years after having played the original Half Life, I was impressed with the improvements that were made to some degree. For whatever reason the torch was, I find, a bit too dim to be user friendly.
    If it were the original game, I would rate it 6 based on the renewed frustrations of the years gone by, whilst trying to    I rate this 10 purely on it's aesthetics. That is ALL.
    Some twenty odd years after having played the original Half Life, I was impressed with the improvements that were made to some degree. For whatever reason the torch was, I find, a bit too dim to be user friendly.
    If it were the original game, I would rate it 6 based on the renewed frustrations of the years gone by, whilst trying to traverse conveyor belts MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY goddamn times over.
    Good job.    … Expand
  50. AstiX
    Mar 26, 2020
    10
    Possibly the best remake ever made! So much love and years of effort was put into this and it's apparent in the abundance of amazing detail I experienced throughout the game.

    I was blown away when I reached Xen. I had not realized how much they changed and added to it over the original Half-Life and it had me in disbelief and amazement.

    Immensely enjoyable. Amazing game.
  51. gimus
    Feb 12, 2016
    10
    Perfect game! But, do not think it is Half-Life, do not expect the same game experience. Enjoy new game! ;-) I recommend it to everybody, who likes good old Half-Life and wants to taste something new...
  52. Catric
    May 22, 2014
    10
    El nuevo sistema de manchas en las armas y el motor source hicieron un buen trabajo. Nos dieron un mejor punto de vista al accidente de black mesa. AQUÍ VIENEN LAS DESVENTAJAS, los BUGS... Pero aun así le daría un 9.8
  53. pigsy2400
    May 23, 2014
    10
    I can remember buying the original and my jaw hitting the floor at such a revolutionary game back in 1999. My jaw similarly hit the floor 14 years later with Black Mesa, the attention to detail in some of the areas is fantastic!

    I was an avid modder when the original Half-life 1 SDK was released and the same with Half-life 2, some of the corridors that take seconds to walk down would    I can remember buying the original and my jaw hitting the floor at such a revolutionary game back in 1999. My jaw similarly hit the floor 14 years later with Black Mesa, the attention to detail in some of the areas is fantastic!

    I was an avid modder when the original Half-life 1 SDK was released and the same with Half-life 2, some of the corridors that take seconds to walk down would have taken months to create.

    Don't play this expecting anything groundbreaking, just sit back and enjoy the ride and appreciate it for what it is -;

    A faithful recreation of a masterpiece!    … Expand
  54. RoqueNE
    Aug 14, 2023
    10
    Knowing what nowadays is considered tripple-A, this game would deserve quintuple-A. A masterfully forged love letter to one of the best games of all time, expanded so incredibly far that it partially surpasses even the sequel to the original. Especially the new Xen levels are so extensive and so filled with new ideas and gameplay mechanics that this game easily deserves a place among theKnowing what nowadays is considered tripple-A, this game would deserve quintuple-A. A masterfully forged love letter to one of the best games of all time, expanded so incredibly far that it partially surpasses even the sequel to the original. Especially the new Xen levels are so extensive and so filled with new ideas and gameplay mechanics that this game easily deserves a place among the greatest of all time.… Expand
  55. derek10
    Mar 1, 2015
    10
    Whether you already played Half Life or not, Black Mesa is worth a try, excellent level design based on HL but way bigger and detailed (because it uses a more modern engine), excellent graphics, sounds, voice and levels that makes it a very professionally made game. It's a very good way to replay Half-Life with updated visuals and resembling more Half-Life 2.

    Waiting for the Xen part!
  56. Epicfury
    Sep 16, 2014
    10
    I very polished and refined experience. This remake of Half-life is superb in every way. Despite not having xen, Black Mesa has familiar maps and weapons from the original Half-life but if a few tweaks to balance out the gameplay.
  57. FrenchToast
    Nov 9, 2014
    10
    Absolutely fantastic remake of an incredible game. I recommend downloading it from Desura instead of other websites. Controls are spot on, visuals are great, and the sound is better than ever. It's free, get it now!
  58. TomasLacerda
    Mar 8, 2020
    10
    I feel a lot of respect for these guys, the story is really interesting, great to see the effort and the fine tuning given to this classic. Visually, looks good, great immersion and great realism given to the voice acting, the script itself and the scripted events. Really, really pleased with the game.
    Definitely worth a buy.
  59. SarudeDankstorm
    Aug 18, 2015
    10
    It's literally a remastered Half Life 1. What's not to like? Both the story and the multiplayer seem just a good as they were back then, if not better.
  60. Prime_Clarity
    Mar 10, 2020
    10
    Takes what the original did well and improves upon it in multiple places. Certain sections of the levels on Earth may not be nearly as good but Xen ends up being the pinnacle of what was the weakest part of the original game. It's come a long way since the beginning and I don't think people give Crossbar enough credit for what they were able to pull off.
  61. thygpig
    Feb 4, 2020
    10
    this is a amazing remake and very impressive for being a indie team. this is one of my al time favorite games and can't wait for it to be finished. i hope they remake the expansions for the original as well!
  62. vuckoland
    Mar 16, 2017
    10
    Excelent remaster of one of the best single player shooter of all time. Half Life epic story and campaign is must play for everyone! If only todays shooter are half as good as this one... they will be considered a masterpiece
  63. Sheip
    Dec 28, 2015
    10
    Bom para quem jogou half life, e ama a saga, black mesa foi um mod que refez o primeiro jogo na source engine, e com o tempo ganhou apoio da própria valve lançando o game na ultima versão da Source Engine. Muito bem feito em todos os aspectos vale apena você compra, se você pega pirata você e um cuzão!
  64. Powerelsa
    Jun 24, 2016
    10
    Lovely game, The only reason I didn't want to give it a rating of 10 at first instance was because of the missing zen chapter. But that would be a bit unfair as it is the best game i have ever played
  65. npc_barney
    Oct 18, 2016
    10
    A stunningly great recreation of the original Half-Life. Very well made, maybe even better then the original game. Simply the best remake I've ever seen in my life.
  66. eva3si0n
    Jan 8, 2021
    10
    Black Mesa is a great game that is so important to modern game dev. First of all, this is a remake of cult classics, which many did not find. Personally, I did not play the original Half-Life, and Half-Life Source did not go through until the end. Secondly, it is just a very high-quality game with its view of the game world, recreated by Valve. In 2020, the game was finally finished afterBlack Mesa is a great game that is so important to modern game dev. First of all, this is a remake of cult classics, which many did not find. Personally, I did not play the original Half-Life, and Half-Life Source did not go through until the end. Secondly, it is just a very high-quality game with its view of the game world, recreated by Valve. In 2020, the game was finally finished after 16 years and you can get full gaming experience from it. Everything is done perfectly, such adventure shooters have not been done for a long time, the heads are elementary simple, but they are not limited to 4 buttons that need to be pressed in a certain sequence. The only thing that failed in Black Mesa is the tightness of Xen episodes. They are excellent, but it takes almost 1/3 of the game, because of this, the dynamics of the game and the plot subsides.
    Cult remake that everyone should meet.    … Expand
  67. albertoxd987
    Aug 11, 2017
    10
    espectacular, digno de su compra.

    Me ha gustado muchisímo, de hecho estoy ansioso de que saquen la versión de oposing force y blue sift, si se le puede poner alguna pega al juego es que el audio solo está disponible en inglés pero tampoco es algo que me moleste demasiado... el juego es una obra maestra, si eres fan de la saga half-life tienes que juagarlo sí o sí, para mí el juego es    espectacular, digno de su compra.

    Me ha gustado muchisímo, de hecho estoy ansioso de que saquen la versión de oposing force y blue sift, si se le puede poner alguna pega al juego es que el audio solo está disponible en inglés pero tampoco es algo que me moleste demasiado... el juego es una obra maestra, si eres fan de la saga half-life tienes que juagarlo sí o sí, para mí el juego es 10/10    … Expand
  68. hl2episode2
    Nov 25, 2017
    10
    This is an awesome looking remake of one of the best games of all time. It is worth more than 20 dollars. It does everything half life has and better, and the little bits in chapters like on a rail that dragged are tweaked. They got rid of the few flaws half life had and generally made improvements everywhere in the game. This is the definition of a perfect remaster
  69. CrowbarKill
    Dec 19, 2018
    10
    Black Mesa is a awesome game, good gameplay, badass soundtracks and best Al of the game, the vegetation and the graphics are very ultra beautiful.
  70. Mxmz
    Mar 13, 2020
    10
    A masterpiece. You can see the amount of love put into this game. And Xen was improved in a way that is almost not recognizable anymore, in a good way.
  71. COTOR
    Jul 24, 2019
    10
    One of the best remake of all time for the best game of all time
    Waiting for Xen :)))
  72. Babutto
    Mar 11, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I rarely leave any comment. However, this is the case.

    We can discuss for long how far the development went, how it started back then, why it took so long, etc. But it's done. I don't mean game play or game design, but more like level design. Black Mesa back then in 1998 was a new thing in the genre, making the gamer the actor in the show not just killing machine like before. You were part of the movie. No surprise Valve Software invested in VR and Alyx will be using the new tech. It's their chance to put their narrative on a brand new level as well as to secure their share of the new world tech.
    However, now... The soldiers storming the base without a decent plan? Where all those trucks and crates came from? And how? How for the God sake all those grenades and ammo appear in random places? The whole Black Mesa seems not functional at all. And it's the problem of the original game.
    With Xen it's more simple - the border world is not the Earth, the logic we are used to may not be applicable to Xen.

    To make Black Mesa more logical and functional it will require huge budget, a solid team of scriptwriters, military, science advisers to actually "build" the base on the paper and then "build" it in the game with massive interactive capabilities like screens, buttons, crates (that may conceal the supplies and ammo), science teams, science team rescue achievements, possible unpredictable outcomes and so on. Not RPG, but very deep interactive level of the action game that is modern but still hard to make.

    What's more important the engine itself is outdated. It cannot compete with UE. Texture problems, physics, body explosions after shotgun shot, etc.

    All these is NOT the problem of the Crowbar developers and ALL involved in the development and release. Because what they've done is tremendous, marvelous. You actually feel passion, will to make the game better, influence of their individualities (like in Xen, obviously influenced by System Shock 2). This kind of feeling now is a rarity, barely recognizable with world known brand companies. But it was actually in almost any game in '90s.

    Moreover, Crowbar and the end of the development will be a HUGE deal for others who work at fan remastered versions of other games (or remakes). For example, Guard Duty, Operation Black Mesa, System Shock remake, Tomb Raider 2, etc.

    I want to thank the team, all the fans, who bought the game (I bought it looong time ago) and, of course, Valve, Steam, who did not stop the development (like some other companies with fan products), supported and made it possible. If you do not want to develop the franchise, help fans to preserve its heritage.

    Thank you guys.

    P.S.: yes, there are issues, glitches, bugs, mistakes. But I will support fans with the top score. The result is great. 16 hours of being like in 1999 when I first played HL. And personal thanks for cutting "on a rail".    … Expand
  73. serpen786
    Jun 8, 2020
    10
    I was glad that the old half life was embodied in a new gameplay, more colorful and expanded. I was happy to complete the game and be amazed at how you can improve the game and think through so many details that expand the playing space. Thanks to the developers of the game and the ones who were "refreshing" it. Its amazing. It feels that it were made with passion of love to remake good games.
  74. Solaris123
    Apr 3, 2020
    10
    Best FPS Remake in the world ,half life 1 is just pure games + xen is awesome HL > all new boring fps
  75. Makarov20
    Mar 16, 2020
    10
    This game is amazing. In fact it is SO good that you can almost hear Gordon Freeman's voice
  76. panamera
    Nov 27, 2020
    10
    amazing atmosphere, challenging opponents, easy recommendation to buy!
    well done!
  77. Baffli
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    10/10

    Ну што ж, после получения всех достижений и четвертого полного прохождения игры, можно уже, наконец, смело оставить свой отзыв. Познакомился с Black Mesa я совершенно случайно и совсем недавно: года 2 назад. Скачал я пиратку, т.к. денег, чтобы купить в стиме, не было. Зайди в игру, уже тогда у меня почти в буквальном смысле отвалилась челюсть - то было просто невероятно! Уже    10/10

    Ну што ж, после получения всех достижений и четвертого полного прохождения игры, можно уже, наконец, смело оставить свой отзыв.

    Познакомился с Black Mesa я совершенно случайно и совсем недавно: года 2 назад. Скачал я пиратку, т.к. денег, чтобы купить в стиме, не было. Зайди в игру, уже тогда у меня почти в буквальном смысле отвалилась челюсть - то было просто невероятно! Уже начав вторую главу я сразу хотел отправиться в Зен, т.к. я просто обожаю космос и всё, что с ним связано, но решил пройти игру честно.
    Тогда мне очень понравилось то, что главу "На Рельсы" обрезали, т.к. в оригинальной халве я тратил несколько часов на её прохождение. Музыка, анимация стрельбы из оружия... Глюонная пушка вообще вызвала у меня бурю положительных эмоций, и вот я тут - возле телепорта Лямбды. Чуть ли не со слезами крича "ДА!", я уже готов был бросаться в ещё не готовый портал, но всё же решил подождать. И вот, я прыгаю и... Мне пишут что-то вроде "Продолжение следует...". С каменным лицом и сильным напряжением я полез в интернет, т.к. думал, мол, у меня может быть испорченная или старая версия, но мои надежды не оправдались - игра действительно была не доделана. И я забросил её.

    Спустя 2 года я совершенно случайно увидел на YouTube видео "Битва с Нихилантом" в Black Mesa. И тут я понял, что если в игре есть Нихилант, то игру уже доделали. Тут я решил уже купить игру в стиме "до этого я копил деньги, чтобы просто были". Прошёл большую часть игры и тут я снова я стою там и передо мной уже готовый портал в Зен. Во мне всё равно были капли сомнения, может, я что-то не так понял и игру так и не доделали? И никакого Зена нету? И я прыгнул... Мои надежды оправдались. И в тот момент я действительно ОХРЕНЕЛ! Зен просто невероятный! А музыкальное сопровождение только умножило моё удовольствие в 300 раз. Мне просто хотелось стоять там и просто смотреть на небо этого прекрасного мира.
    Хоть в игре и есть много багов, но их полностью закрывают красивая графика, чудесное музыкальное сопровождение и всё в этом духе.
    У меня слабая видеокарта, на 1гб видеопамяти и поэтому у меня ФПС был в диапазоне 30-40, а иногда даже до 15 опускался, но, не смотря на это, мне всё равно было очень приятно и интересно играть.
    Низкий поклон и мириады апплодисментов Crowboar Collective за такой шедевр. Я ни капельки не жалею, что потратил столько денег на игру, и я настоятельно рекомендую, хотя бы фанатам вселенной HL, поиграть в это чудо.    … Expand
  78. AmirCrysis
    Mar 7, 2020
    10
    in few days ago i played hl1 and today i finished this game and black mesa is best fan remake in all of time
  79. xaro
    Mar 21, 2020
    10
    Black Mesa is a Cinematic Experience you cannot miss out on if you want to revisit Half Life with newer Tech solutions and a new perspective to the story. 10/10, this game gave me goosebumps!
  80. Elboros
    Mar 27, 2020
    10
    Even though i haven't played the original Half-life, this remake made me feel crazy about it! Xen world has blown my mind! I hope this studio will be bought by Valve soon to develop Episode 3.
  81. Patuzzoz
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    This games is for everyone who has or hasn't played the original Half Life. Remake aspect of the game feels and looks phenomenal and perfectly fills in the gameplay and visual gaps I had with the original without ruining the immersion.
    Best part about this remake is the complete overhaul of XEN. Making it more lengthy, interesting and most importantly stunning to look at.
    The music kicks    This games is for everyone who has or hasn't played the original Half Life. Remake aspect of the game feels and looks phenomenal and perfectly fills in the gameplay and visual gaps I had with the original without ruining the immersion.
    Best part about this remake is the complete overhaul of XEN. Making it more lengthy, interesting and most importantly stunning to look at.
    The music kicks in at perfect times and enhances the experience immensely. As a remake, this game is 10/10 for me. But as a standalone game, it still falls short as its predecessor. Mundane story, repetitive enemies and poor engine mechanics keep the game from a perfect 10. But based on the remake, it's a 10 for me.    … Expand
  82. GatoShinx
    Apr 6, 2020
    10
    Increíble que unos fans hayan hecho esta maravilla, el amor que le han puesto a este remake es algo que no se puede explicar con palabras, la experiencia del primer Half Life mejorada a su 1000000% y sobre todo XEN, que aunque demoró en salir valió totalmente la pena, hermoso en todo sentido, immersivo, divertido, desafiante y un verdadero mundo nuevo
  83. NCODER
    Apr 14, 2020
    10
    Great game with awesome soundtrack!
    Adds a lot of juice to the Half-Life experience!
  84. K02
    Nov 9, 2020
    10
    One of the best remake game ever !! Half-Life (1998) is a great game , but Black Mesa is way more better than the original one. Not only did Crowbar Collective improve entire graphics and gameplay, but they also recreate Xen. Xen in black mesa is drastically changed ! They remake graphics and created a great level designed in Xen that took me longer to play than expeceted ! Great game withOne of the best remake game ever !! Half-Life (1998) is a great game , but Black Mesa is way more better than the original one. Not only did Crowbar Collective improve entire graphics and gameplay, but they also recreate Xen. Xen in black mesa is drastically changed ! They remake graphics and created a great level designed in Xen that took me longer to play than expeceted ! Great game with a cheap price !
    Thank you Crowbar Collective for remaking this game !!    … Expand
  85. TerenaKalir
    Apr 19, 2020
    10
    Like many, I played Half Life 2 first, and while I understood that the original game was groundbreaking for the time, it was a chore trying to go back and play it after playing the sequel. I'm not very good at, or enjoy most first person shooters.

    I LOVED Black Mesa. It recaptured the feeling I had playing Half Life 2 for the first time, I was fascinated with the setting and the story    Like many, I played Half Life 2 first, and while I understood that the original game was groundbreaking for the time, it was a chore trying to go back and play it after playing the sequel. I'm not very good at, or enjoy most first person shooters.

    I LOVED Black Mesa. It recaptured the feeling I had playing Half Life 2 for the first time, I was fascinated with the setting and the story unfolding around me, and my puzzle hungry brain was having a ball with the clever and intuitive environmental puzzles. My husband actually commented that he's never seen me play an FPS so much.

    Even if you're not into action/FPS games, this is absolutely worth a look.    … Expand
  86. metesuzuk
    Jan 11, 2022
    10
    How should a remake be? A great result worth the effort. I'm happy to be able to play the legend like this.
  87. RSH128
    May 30, 2020
    10
    Pure perfection of Half-Life.
    Black Mesa offers slightly different take on Half-Life, while keeping core gameplay and game design aspects ( in some places expanding them ) close to a vanilla game. It's really hard for me to lambaste this game for anything, without sounding too nitpicky, but I'm sure there's some aspects of it some die hard fans had voiced their opinions about.
  88. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    10
    A well deserved remake for a revolutionary game. Still better than most shooters today. Atmosphere, pacing, variety and gameplay are great. Only the fanmade Xen at the end falls short and does not feel like the great game that came before.
  89. raziel5000
    Dec 24, 2022
    10
    I finished Half Life (and all its successors) tens of times. My expectations with Black Mesa were super high. I didn't get disappointed. My God this game is good. So faithful, rich and overall a much more modern and appealing experience in 2022. A full 10/10.
  90. DefaltWorld
    Oct 31, 2022
    10
    Lo mas recomendable de steam su exclusivo, el clasico half life.
    Gracias a los fans y a la aprovacion de valve tenemos este juegazo de vuelta en forma de remake respetando, el juego original y mejorandolo
  91. Onlyclassicvg1
    Feb 1, 2021
    10
    Black Mesa (previamente conocido como Black Mesa: Source) es un remake completo del videojuego Half-Life, originalmente en forma de mod de Half-Life 2 y posteriormente como juego standalone. El objetivo de la modificación era reconstruir totalmente el juego, empleando la potencia del motor gráfico Source para modernizar la jugabilibad y aspecto del mismo. En 2015 el proyecto pasó a ser unBlack Mesa (previamente conocido como Black Mesa: Source) es un remake completo del videojuego Half-Life, originalmente en forma de mod de Half-Life 2 y posteriormente como juego standalone. El objetivo de la modificación era reconstruir totalmente el juego, empleando la potencia del motor gráfico Source para modernizar la jugabilibad y aspecto del mismo. En 2015 el proyecto pasó a ser un juego comercial gracias al proyecto Greenlight de Steam y cuenta con el apoyo oficial de Valve quien ha puesto a disposición una versión mejorada de Source. Su lanzamiento como juego completo, el 5 de marzo de 2020, le otorgó numerosas críticas positivas en los análisis de revistas y medios especializados.… Expand
  92. SergeiZ
    Jan 15, 2021
    10
    This is how remakes should be, not like War Craft 3 Reforged.
    Special thanks for the reworking of obsolete mechanics and the new design of the XEN world
  93. fr1m0900
    Nov 19, 2021
    10
    Игра всех времен и народов!!! Отличный ремастер от фанатов. Чего не хватает большинству новых ААА релизов
  94. HiNooNDooD1544
    Jul 6, 2020
    10
    I bought this game because I wanted to play a remastered version of the original Half Life. I swear this has to be the best remake/remaster ever. Game of the year.
  95. 481dkrakkers
    Dec 11, 2020
    10
    Imagine Half-Life but better, that's how impressive this game is. It takes what make Half-Life good, like it's storytelling and combat, and turn it to 11. There's almost no reason to pick up the original if you are new to Half-Life, that's how good the game is.
  96. WHITESIXOMAR
    Apr 24, 2022
    10
    This remake is a masterpiece! Man, I was a teen when I played half-life, It was a new, life-changing experience! Been trying to come back to it a couple of times, but it's impossible for me. Not only for the graphics, but I'm also used to modern standards -even thou revolutionary for 1998- half-life is an unpolished, plane, dated, and boring shooter with almost no gameplay narrative toThis remake is a masterpiece! Man, I was a teen when I played half-life, It was a new, life-changing experience! Been trying to come back to it a couple of times, but it's impossible for me. Not only for the graphics, but I'm also used to modern standards -even thou revolutionary for 1998- half-life is an unpolished, plane, dated, and boring shooter with almost no gameplay narrative to connect the masterpiece plot. I needed Black Mesa to satisfy this nostalgia.

    The 1st time I tried the MOD was in 2013 I believe, it was a blast! I remember writing an email to the guys at crowbar collective to thank them for the hard work, I really appreciated their effort. Then I bought the game when it was released on the Steam platform as a stand-alone game around 2017. Man, that was an awesome experience! What a great way to relieve the story that started my deep connection and passion for the games and their lore.

    But after completing the Lambda Core chapter, when I jumped into the portal instead of taking me into the alien world, I was told that the game was not completed yet. I would have to wait for the final chapter to be released! They did not have the XEN chapters ready yet. OMG, I didn't like that at all, I was frustrated, felt history repeating itself, felt the same way I felt when it was becoming evident that Episode III was never going to be released. A few years went by, and then I saw the Black Mesa definitive edition including the XEN chapters, it was beautiful. You could see the passion, the love, and the hard work these guys put their back into it. I felt the lure, calling me back to complete the story, become the freeman once again and kick the nihilant ass.

    It was beautiful, I enjoyed it. Man what a Masterpiece. Wish we could see Half-life III someday.    … Expand
  97. B1gM43t
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    An absolute masterpiece from start to finish, the sounds are incredible, polishing and lighing is impeccable and the music is an absolute banger, hell I thought at one point I was listening to Mick Gordans soundtracks, Joen Nielsen did an amazing job with the music, I am absolutely bamboozled on how this is only a " Fan-made game ", no this is Art with love and respect from the bottom ofAn absolute masterpiece from start to finish, the sounds are incredible, polishing and lighing is impeccable and the music is an absolute banger, hell I thought at one point I was listening to Mick Gordans soundtracks, Joen Nielsen did an amazing job with the music, I am absolutely bamboozled on how this is only a " Fan-made game ", no this is Art with love and respect from the bottom of the people hearts, Xen was the biggest shock for how they made a 15 minute 4 chapters into a 2-3 hour four chapters, the follow up of the Half-Life story is on point and makes things way more sense with modern technology, highly recommend to people to play this game instead of the original and I am really hoping that Crowbar Collective will make a Half-Life 2 and all its episodes a remake as well.… Expand
  98. middle324
    Oct 11, 2022
    10
    Black mesa is the definition of the "Remake".
    it's awesome, it enhance the whole game, and it's a great experience
  99. Kcoryz
    Oct 30, 2020
    10
    Es precioso, sin duda un gran remake no tiene los mejores gráficos pero son disfrutables, el episodio de xen es hermoso me encanta como lo mejoraron a compraracion del half life original.
  100. lxRs451
    Nov 9, 2020
    10
    Back in 2012 i would never imagine it could turn out so well, but it did. We waited a long time for this remake to be finished but the new Zen levels are worth it. This is how a remake should be done.
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Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best PC Game of 2012
30
#30 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. GameGrin
    Feb 8, 2021
    70
    Black Mesa remains true to the original Half-Life with updated graphics, improved sounds and redesigned levels. However, the graphics still look old for a “modern” game and loading screens are still a pain as it freezes the game for a few seconds.
    Read full review
  2. Washington Post
    Mar 31, 2020
    80
    Those with a taste for retro-gaming or lighthearted sci-fi shooters, take note: few games with a foot in the nineties hold up this well.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Mar 23, 2020
    87
    Reasonable innovations and a completely new Xen complement the authentic Half-Life atmosphere: This is what a remake should look like.
    Read full review
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