Enchanting fan made masterpiece, released at a right time.

User Rating: 9 | Black Mesa PC
By iaxxxa | Review Date:
I propose an experiment. Let's take two test groups, one of thirty-some old Half Life fans who had been there 14 years ago and another one of younger people with no previous HL experience. That way we could determine how much nostalgia is involved in the overwhelming satisfaction with Black Mesa. My guess is that even the newbies would love the game as it only reminds us that few games of its genre came near its story and environments the original Half Life has presented. After all, 14 years is a good time to replay this classic. I remember the impression it made but have forgotten many details.
The fact that the game is a fan made freeware definitely provides immunity to criticisms that would in other case apply to some minor technical flaws. What matters in this aspect is that it created a perfect balance between being faithful to the original and taking advantage of what Source engine could offer in addition to that. Yes, Black Mesa is well playable recreation of Half Life, unfortunately it lacks the cosmic levels of the original, but what it does offer is more than enough for what it costs. All my respect goes to the folks involved in its creation, and to Valve as well - for the original and its permission to hand it to the fans.

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