*Black Mesa* is a fan made homage to the sci-fi horror game, Half-Life.
*Story* If you haven't played any of the Half-Life games, this is the one to
start with. The developers who worked on this project have crafted an
*extremely faithful homage to the first Half-Life game*. Black Mesa takes you
through the horrors of the events at Black Mesa leading to the Combine
invasion of Earth. All of the different elements within Black Mesa create an
*extremely immersive environment and story*. The people and lab feel
completely real and lived in. There are many little details in the
environment that make you *want to wander around to see all the little
details*. All of the characters from Half-Life make their return and look
better than ever. You really feel for them if you've been a fan of the
series. Seeing them young and whole *really taps into gamer nostalgia*.
*Graphics* The graphics of the original game have been completely scrapped.
The textures and environments in Black Mesa are all new, giving the game a
fresh feel and look. There are *minute details* scattered throughout the game
that make the Half-Life world feel lived in. The graphics in Black Mesa are
so detailed at times that you'll find yourself reading a sign or staring at
all the switches on a computer console. While the *Source engine is quite
old*, the graphics in Black Mesa make put the whole franchise on the same
graphical level. The original Half-Life looks aged but Black Mesa looks
contemporary but *won't impress folks who've been used to the stellar
graphics found in modern games like Sleeping Dogs*. *Gameplay* Gameplay for
Black Mesa is exactly what you would expect if you've ever played a Valve
game. Designed for a first person perspective, Black Mesa is a first person
shooter. All of the controls are identical. Even the heads up display is very
familiar, although a bit smaller and easier to read than the one in Half-Life
2. Black Mesa includes some *puzzles, which are simple but satisfying*.
You'll find yourself mostly navigating around unknown environments and
shooting alien creatures to death. You start off with the iconic crowbar, but
will be given guns and other weapons later in the game. *Gameplay is fun for
the most part but is very linear*. Black Mesa made sure that it didn't stray
too far from the game that everyone loves and keeps all of the elements that
made Half-Life great. Level designs have changed a little bit but overall, it
is a faithful homage and still fun learning the story of Black Mesa. *Sound*
The original soundtrack has been completely scrapped. *Black Mesa features an
all new, original score that you can download at Black Mesa's website*. The
soundtrack is ominous and works well to set the mood for different scenes.
Voice acting has also been updated but still utilizes the voices from the
main characters in the original Half-Life. *Other characters in the game have
been re-voiced and given different lines*. Each character will interact and
speak with you so desire, making the world feel more realistic. The original
voice acting in Half-Life was good but felt robotic at time, especially when
combined with blocky graphics. It's great to see, and hear, that the
developers overhauled everything from the voice acting to the soundtrack.
*Wrap-up * *Black Mesa is an incredible re-make of a classic game*. While it
doesn't deviate too far from the original, where it does deviate makes it
successful in refreshing a old game and making it relevant again for 2012. If
you haven't played any Half-Life games, this is a must play. Still, the game
is not perfect, marred only by its extremely lengthy installation and long
loading screens. *Overall, Black Mesa is a must download. Its excellent
story, soundtrack, and attention to detail make it one of the best gaming
experiences out there.*Download *Black Mesa* in Softonic
