Stop Recommending Half-Life 1 over Black Mesa

With the release of Half-Life Alyx next month, there's no better time than to return to where it all began. Now we all know Half-Life 1 is an excellent game, but I'm here to argue Black Mesa is a better game that is much more deserving of your time.

[UltimateSanto]

If only kids today could get on my shoes and see how epic Half-Life was when it realeased, they would understand why many of us still prefer the original one. Sadly that experience can't be replicated today.
It's hard for a young gamer to go back to 1998 game design and appreciate it for what it is and meant, so i would totally recommend a little gamer to play Black Mesa instead, the developers did a magnificent job.

[Profchaos]

I played it back then to and know exactly what you mean I replayed it not long ago and looking at it with a modern perspective it was fairly rough the scripted sequences were as predictable as ever the animations rough the dialogue muffled (we really had no consideration for sound quality then).

It's still special but that's mostly nostalgia it came from an era where there was no stories in games and spawned so many clones. Which is why Black mesa is a good thing it's a new coat of paint on a classic story that may encourage new players or players that missed it because they were to busy playing vice city or halo on console to actually pick up sticks and try it.

I'd easily still recommend hl2 though as it actually still genuinely holes up in the visual department

[FullDiveDerail]

yeah the XEN chapters are very modern and look better than most games now.

[DEAGLETURK]

I can play orginal half life 1 and opposing force every year again and again because i am a real gamer and you are not.You are a casual player

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

I tried Black Mesa years ago and couldn’t get into it. I have played the original Half-Life too many times, the game is old but has aged fairly well. The original Half-Life is a must play for shooter fans.

[Hungryalpaca]

Black Mesa is not as good as the original. The changes it made don’t work and changes the fundamentals of the game play.

[Vanfernal]

Black Mesa is an early access game and the Xen update came out in December. So it wasn't even the whole HL1 experience until 2 months ago. So not until just recently (and even now it's debatable) has this game become a suitable alternative to the original. Classics are classics for a reason. HL1 revolutionized fps when it came out. It's sad that nowadays people go back to old games, compare them to modern ones and complaint about all the things they are "missing" instead of appreciating the things they did for their time and setting the building blocks for modern gaming.

[Fluttershy77]

Why are the titles of all these articles so negative, you could say: "Black Mesa is a Fantastic Game" and I would be ohhh what is Black Mesa?

[Sidewinder-]

You either played it back then or you didn't. If you didn't, it wouldn't surprise me if you'd prefer the "modern" game.

I couldn't help but laugh at what was coming across as a bizarre, baity, self-righteous analysis of a "Classic Game" vs a "Mod" made over 20 years later though. And to title the video with "Stop doing x" is even more hilarious.

As he says, you'd expect things 'should' be better in Black Mesa. Visually, of course it is. Pacing and Gameplay wise, I've no idea. I did play it way back, before early access, while it was still only a Mod. It looks a hell of a lot more refined & fleshed out today (again, obvious is obvious). Not sure i feel the urge to try it out anytime soon however.

[AK91]

I think that line of thinking is silly I'm somebody that prefers the original RE1 game over the sensational Remake that being said I won't fault anyone for liking the Remake over the OG game. Your allowed to like either game better than the other for your own reasons.

[lellkay]

Played Black Mesa through for the first time this year. Really enjoyed it!! XEN (even the newer version) is still a huge chore though.