Black Mesa Retrospective

[@PaintsAreOp]

Something people these days don't know, most of the bugs in Half Life Source were not there back in 2004. They've been introduced later with updates to the Source engine, Valve just isn't interested in fixing them.

[@olzhas1one755]

Half-Life Source was still a lackluster port of HL1, even without the bugs.

[@slipperynickels]

@@olzhas1one755 it being a slap-dash port is the reason why so many bugs keep cropping up from engine updates

[@noppe9183]

half life source sucked day 1 even without bugs

[@GuyOnAChair]

Thank you for spreading the word. :)

[@oonmm]

What is so bad about the source port? I first played Half-Life on the PS2 which was the source version, and did not really find it bad. But I've never played the original version. Is there any big differences except for the graphics?

[@ljdarden5180]

Something I think you neglected to mention about Surface Tension is that you can pass by radios where you can hear the marines speaking to each other while trying to fight off the aliens, and just how bad they're losing. Really, the voice acting in this game is phenomenal and the guy who did the marines did a GREAT job.

[@littlechickeyhudak]

The radio conversation you can overhear of a soldier bleeding out while another tries to radio over first aid advice is my favourite moment in the game

[@EmptyMag]

Michael Tsarouhas (better known as "the Insurgency guy") was brought in for it and it was a homerun from there lol

[@ownage11445]

I always love the dialogue between the soldiers especially when they’re talking about how it sucks to eliminate the scientists for no reason.

[@josephikrakowski1137]

The marine voice acting is whatever in half life 1 and fits the tone of some of the comic mischief, whereas black mesa makes them sound like they’re in over their head and suffering the repercussions

[@Reubachi]

What’s he gonna do, mention everything you find interesting about the game?

[@chloewebb5526]

I love how every time you catch the public alert broadcast, it mentions the radius to evactuate and it's always bigger, until they tell everyone to flee New Mexico towards the end of Surface Tension, as well as telling any civilians that have military, law enforcement, or even just firearms training, to report to the nearest authorities to help. The game just oozes atmosphere and smart environmental storytelling. I played through the original game and it's DLC this year for the first time since I still own the disc, back in 2003. It was great, but playing Black Mesa afterwards was like the first time playing Half Life 1 and 2 combined. That track "Resonance" really sets the tone for the type of ride you're in for, and I love it.

[@ar7hur06]

This. This right here. Something a lot of people give credit to in the original Half Life's Black Mesa incident is how grounded in reality it is, because everything in Black Mesa feels alive... but it was always just drowned below layers upon layers of HL's slapstick humor to me, which made it feel all the less real and gutural as it would've felt like if the game just took itself a bit more seriously and took the time to flesh out some more aspects of the narrative. For example, in HL we know that the military is supposed to be struggling with fighting off the Xen forces, after all, Forget about Freeman is all about the Military's retreat, but we don't really see the struggle itself in gameplay, or at least not in as much detail as we see these events unfold in Black Mesa. Surface Tension and Forget about Freeman are my favorite chapters because of how seamlessly they tell a story through level design, sound design and voice acting, focusing on the gradual process of the military losing control over Black Mesa with desperate calls for help in HECU radio comms, the sky getting darker and foggier as the battle progresses, as well as the numerous setpieces that emphasize how ill-prepared the Marines are against alien forces that can teleport. It feels so hopeless, so in your face, it's like the game wants you to go: "Oh shit, humanity is fucked."

[@thatrandomguy8157]

I think Black Mesa itself is the prime example of how a remake could be done but also how a remake can enhance a franchise

[@akimomalrov3241]

I completely agree. the only remake/remasters that I believe have ever been truly worth their weight, is Black Mesa, and Age of Empires 2 Definitive edition.

[@murderman8578]

​@@akimomalrov3241and RE2

[@noppe9183]

@@murderman8578re2 remake cuts out content vital to the original, so no. the re4 remake was far higher quality

[@murderman8578]

@@noppe9183 which content

[@boombler4320]

​@@murderman8578there was quite a lot cut out but the biggest is Run B which is replaced with totally lackluster "Second run" and major simplification of lab in the final part of the game. Re1 Remake is a much better example of great Re Remake

[@PolarDog]

Eyy!! It's finally here!! I remember that Half-Life Source livestream you did a couple years back! I especially remember how you "saved" that scientist from the first HECU grunt by 360 no-scoping him with the shotgun while leaving the grunt alive... good times!

[@PeJota615]

You didn't mention this, but there's an added level of genius to Xen/Gonarch's Lair section. Through a rather long, multi-chapter spanning puzzle, you can avoid the final battle with the Gonarch. Completing "The Plan" achievement requires you to carry a cyanogen can from the lab in Xen all the way through to the first Gonarch encounter, then finding a small teleporter and sending the cyanogen can through. Finally you make it all the way through the Gonarch chase, but before entering the final arena to fight the Gonarch there's a small room to the side where you can find the cyanogen can you teleported. You can then take the can to a cyanogen machine and press a button, gassing the entire arena and killing the Gonarch without you having to directly battle it.

[@scalarmotion]

Even better, you can also choose NOT to use the gas after you reach that point, and just leave the room without killing the Gonarch.

[@MegaChickenfish]

I give just as much credit at this point to Black Mesa: Blue Shift. Different team, but I wouldn't have been able to tell by the sheer polish it's managed. It actually makes me appreciate bits I didn't notice about Blue Shift when I originally played it. Can't wait for them to get to the Xen levels and I hope that same team does Shepherd's story.

[@Miguensio_]

@MegaChickenfish I don't think Hecu Collective is going to do a Opposing Force remake, not because they lack the skills, but the fact that you can't modify code in Black Mesa itself. Black Mesa Blue Shift is possible because it plays exactly the same as regular HL1/Black Mesa, so a faithful remake can be done; but in the case of Opposing Force, you need to program new enemies, new weapons like the barnacle gun and the mechanics that come from them, the squad system, etc, so it's literally impossible within Black Mesa to do a faithful Opposing Force remake. This is the reason why Tripmine Studios is doing Operation Black Mesa as a HL2 mod, completely from scratch (And I think they announced that they are using the csgo branch of source now). So yeah, sad to say that we will probably never see Hecu Collective's vision of a Opposing Force remake, unless they decide to put their all in making the entire thing from scratch (or miraculously get a license to use Black Mesa's source branch).

[@Extremogato123]

@@Miguensio_ quick question, why can't they modify black mesa's code?

[@Miguensio_]

@@Extremogato123 They need a license to modify Black Mesa's source branch. To get that license they would need to get through Crowbar Collective and Valve. Crowbar Collective are completely done with Black Mesa, and Valve nowadays is more strict on giving Source licenses to people

[@AgentWolnyTyl3k]

​@@Extremogato123 Because source code is protected by Valve. Only handful of mods get to have it and completely modify the game like Black Mesa or did (custom dynamic lighting for example). But after the fiasco that was Hunt Down the Freeman (and many other moders that leaked some of Valve stuff) it's to risky for them.

[@Chariot_Rider]

Black Mesa really is the SOURCE of a lot of joy, HAMMERING out a lot of enjoyment that COLLECTIVELY astounds me

[@KhoroBruh3650]

you could even go as far as to say it's at least HALF more fun compared to the original game, and fun in LIFE is what matters

[@runktheruler]

i HALF LIFE agree TWO

[@PalaceDude]

I guess we really do live in a Black Mesa.

[@osokratos]

​@@PalaceDudeThat's why we need to wear these ridiculous ties.

[@Yashirmare]

Got some Very RAD puns ;)

[@HQ_Default]

For as much as I love Black Mesa Xen and think it is an massive improvement on the original (except for the second half of Interloper)... I want to talk about an alternate perspective that I find really interesting... A friend of mine who had played Black Mesa _prior_ to Half-Life actually came to me and said he pretty strongly preferred the original version. And his reasoning was that HL1 Xen felt unique in how completely _dead_ it was as an alien world. In fact it's deader than dead, it wasn't ever alive to begin with. Remember that Marc Laidlaw said that _nothing_ is native to Xen. All of the plant life, animals, and inhabitants are all from different dimensions. And with that in mind... yeah, I have to admit, HL1 sells that vibe a little better. Nothing was ever supposed to live in Xen, the whole place only exists as a cross-dimensional technicality. And now you're just one interloper of many, it's just that all the other aliens got there first. I dunno. I think when keeping that in mind, there's definitely an argument to be made that it should have retained the barren feel of the original. Even if I still prefer the new version.

[@trykove]

I never thought of that. But that's really interesting.

[@DuBaas007]

If valve had more time tho they would have made it feel more alive. They did plan to make a swamp level and jungle etc.

[@ps3andrhcp]

I mean maybe, but too me it was limitations or both time and tech and it feel like it. The new version in Black Mesa is strongly improved too me.

[@Laxhoop]

That may be true, but non-native species don’t tend to not spread everywhere. If a non-native species doesn’t immediately perish in a new environment, they tend to flourish instead. So it makes more logical sense that Xen is basically floating space Australia.

[@gordonneverdies]

I love the second half of Interloper.

[@512TheWolf512]

31:45 i can NOT BELIEVE you forgot to mention the scientists' reaction to the result of that battle! it's such a great touch and you didn't even mention it

[@llmkursk8254]

Or the fun animation for equipping the bee gun for the first time, or putting it on in front of the guard and his reaction!

[@iamveryspy715]

Thank you SO MUCH for calling attention to the pacing of Blast Pit 3 and how well it fits both the emotion and action of that particular section of gameplay. Every time I listen to that track it makes me wish I knew how to work SFM so that I could animate Gordon running that gauntlet, tossing grenades left and right before finally slamming the launch button, all perfectly synced to the music.

[@DexterMorganRIP]

Make it a short lol

[@Aguyontheinternet]

I personally love Interloper simply due to the easter egg within the Ascension (v2) track. The notes in the song's crescendo are arranged in a way to make out the Black Mesa logo Imagine the notes like this during 2:17 mark of the track: 🎵----- | \🎵-- 🎵------- \🎵---

[@Mr_Bones.]

Holy cow, what a catch

[@therealpancake7140]

That's insane. I love interloper in black mesa just because of how good it conveys the true unfathomable scale of the tower you're climbing, but this just gave me a whole new perspective. One problem i had with the citadel in hl2 is how otherworldly and indomitable it seemed while you made your way towards it, but as soon as you make your way inside you do a couple of fights and get on some rides that just take you to the top. It really undersold the scale of the citadel for me personally. This is why i love how they tackled interloper here. Absolutely lovely

[@feritye767]

@@therealpancake7140 I agree with the citadel feeling undersold at the end. as a matter of fact, I feel like half-life 2 has very good gameplay and story, but nothing was exactly jaw-dropping in my opinion. nothing happened that made me think ''wow, that was amazing''. however, half-life alyx and black mesa had moments like this for me, mainly the setpiece of the bridge being ripped apart before the vault crashes down in hla, and basically every single moment that was accompanied with music in black mesa

[@gajxo]

31:06 the lobby fight with that track playing is my favorite addition of Black Mesa. It caught me by surprise and it was epic. I love how even the scientists comment on it :)

[@frozarburst6350]

As a guy who saw the progression of the source engine up to Alyx's release, I don't think I've ever seen a game on a previous engine look and play THIS GOOD compared to what's out now. The Xen levels' art direction, lighting, and scope, the outside of the facility, and the detailed interior corridors of Black Mesa really stood out, feeling borderline like real photos of places we could explore instead of jpgs stitched together. But the only time I felt that way about any of half life's titles was the original Xen level. Valve does a damn impressive job when designing stages and Crowbar Collective nailing the skill should be given a round of applause

[@LOEKASH]

This video's timing is astounding for me, because I first played through Black Mesa just two days ago, and as someone who's played both Half-Life games, I can say without a doubt that this is my absolute favorite.

[@DexterMorganRIP]

Future good enough to say it's gonna have mods and or whatever remake. Blue shift etc . Hl2 rts I think it's a good idea to make it so much more graphic design to see and is a great idea. À video in here for it as well showed me the way it'll look. L4d needs A remastered version and for look so is more modem honestly

[@VinVonVoom]

What does "Both Half-Life games" mean? Black Mesa and Half-Life 2? Do you mean you haven't played the original Half-Life?

[@LOEKASH]

@@VinVonVoom It's a fan game.

[@VinVonVoom]

@@LOEKASH Oh is "this is my absolute favorite" referring to the video?

[@caruizalfaro]

There is one detail that I love about the game, and it's how it treats the npcs. They feel and act like real people and are important allies for Gordon troughout the game. Even while he's in Xen. However as much help as they provide, it becomes all the more tragic the more you progress, the scientists killed, the security guards dying all around, either shot, or even beaten to death despite surviving against all odds previously. On A Rail has one of the most heartbreaking moments. There is a security guard, it's optional to keep him alive, but if you do, he becomes like a friend to Gordon, commenting on the rocket and what needs to be done. And when you go down the elevator to release the rocket, he stays behind to cover you. While you release the rocket, you hear him fighting, almost sounding like he's winning against all odds. In a way he does. Hearing him fighting is encouraging for us and Gordon to hurry, to kill the soldiers and aliens, and to release and ready the rocket as fast as we can to get back to him and help. But no matter what, when we get back to him, he is dying on the floor, proud of the work he's done and we're proud of him as well. Dying a hero's death, a simple npc, nameless and unremarkable manages to make us feel motivated to keep fighting so his sacrifice is worth it.

[@wurlmon5191]

No joke, Black Mesa is the first game I've played that made me feel bad for the NPCs. Killing NPCs in Half-Life? Sure thing it's fun Killing NPCs in Black Mesa? God, no, they're already fighting through hell. Half-Life makes you feel like a badass. Black Mesa makes you feel like a hero.

[@monicavix6036]

One thing I NEVER understood about HL1 fans is how many people dislike On A Rail. In my mind, it was a really solid chapter that was fun in its own right and the fact that it was completely changed to be barely recognizable in Black Mesa did peeve me off a bit. It had a feel of freedom that the BM one doesn't really have, arguably ruining the point of it in my mind. I feel the vehicle sections of HL2 were mainly built off the back bone of On A Rail in a sense. A clear path with a bit of wandering about with the secret alcoves and such. Part of me wished they had multiple paths you could take to get to the same end goal.

[@xylophobiaa]

Yeah I liked on a rail

[@CatsT.M]

I do agree with that opinion on On a Rail. I have never played Black Mesa but I genuinely enjoy HL's On a Rail. One of the devoloper's before hired made the On a Rail Uncut mod which is supposed to have fixed the chapter.

[@LordShadowZ]

I dislike On A Rail so little that I still use the extended version in the Steam workshop. Without it, the chapter just feels too short.

[@joshshrum2764]

Pretty sure vinny vinesauce loves on a rail.

[@VinVonVoom]

​@@joshshrum2764depends what you define as "love", it's still his least favourite part of the game alongside Residue Processing. He just likes the whole game so he still vibes with it.

[@VEN0M415]

With regards to the music, it adds to my headcannon that this is gordon sleeping in half life 2 somewhere and were witnessing his dream/nightmare of his final days in black mesa. The music emits a tone of remorse, regret, melencholy and at times hope or even achievement, all of which expresses gordons emotions without any words being needed, it was SO well done and I often use black mesas OST for my work out.

[@clydemarshall8095]

Black Mesa is what got me into PC games. I owe a lot to it and the free build that was available circa 2013.

[@Itheil]

Black Mesa is one of my favorite games of all time - so excited to watch and hear your thoughts!

[@sourlab]

Do you think it's good for new comers im new to pc gaming and im not ..........Great let's just say is it still accessible in terms of gameplay and cotrolls

[@prestonlim2237]

@@sourlabI would play portal 1 before it if you have issues with pc controls

[@sourlab]

@@prestonlim2237 welp yeah that would help

[@Itheil]

@@sourlab the game can be challenging combat wise but it's got a great blend of multiple different mechanics found in many other games as a whole. Portal, like preston said, is a great start

[@sourlab]

@@Itheil thnx well then I'm gonna try it out

[@tavish1658]

The only mistake the Black Mesa devs made was the model of the Nihilanth. Valve's Nihilanth is weak, gross and decaying. Its feeble legs are rotted away and most importantly, its third arm is stitched onto it, as if it wasn't born that way. It's a shadow of its former self, much like the stalkers in Half-Life 2 (which also suggests that it is a product of the Combine). In Black Mesa none of that holds up. The Nihilanth has abnormal body proportions to what we are used to, but it looks healthy and its third arm is its own. I really enjoy the theory that the Nihilanth is the Combine's attempt at harnessing teleportation, but at its own will escapes them and tries to free itself from their grip. A line in Valve's Half-Life also suggests that very thing, as it has a rare chance to say "We are slaves" when Gordon arrives.

[@D-Vinko]

This is a big issue I have with Black Mesa, too. They treat the nihilanth as though it is a primary villain, when it was clear throughout the entire end of HL1 that the Nihilanth was a slave, the last of his species, trying to find somewhere safe to live.

[@VinVonVoom]

​@@D-VinkoExactly correct, they made the Nihilanth generally just way less compelling. The fight might even be worse.

[@wombatpandaa9774]

Black Mesa was one of those games that changed how I game. Such a masterpiece. Edit: Xen is just...so beautiful. When I came across it in my first playthrough, I legit just sat stunned in wonder with tears welling up in my eyes for at least ten minutes. I don't know if anything will ever transcend that experience in a video game for me. Oh, and Gonarch, man...Gonarch!! Such an amazing fight. The way you trade blows back and forth makes it feel like a real antagonist, one that you develop a relationship with throughout the fight. That coupled with the beautiful music made me legitimately sad when the fight came to an end. It felt like I was putting down a majestic and besutiful creature because I had to, not because I wanted to.

[@feritye767]

the music is so fucking good in black mesa. the gonarch fight would NOT feel anywhere near as amazing without the music at the last fight. I just love how the climax is perfectly synced with the gonarch exploding after you kill it

[@TheEmeraldSword04]

I've been waiting a long time for this one, Black Mesa was a big influence on me and my desire to share and support others passions and projects outside of the big companies, really glad to see this game be talked about more to hopefully inspire the same in others.

[@gghhoosstt1233]

In half life 2 the citadel tower showed how much progression we had made and how close we are getting to it when we could observe it from a distance on many levels of the game, showing our goal the destination we need to reach. Xen replicated that sense of progression just like that perfectly with the Nihilanth tower which we could see throughout most of the game and how close we are getting to it. As for the gonarch in black mesa it really felt like the Gonarch was effectively the brood mother of the Headcrabs. And how many Headcrabs has Gordon killed up to this point? To Gordon, he was a scientist fighting an alien monster that stood between him and saving Earth but to the Gonarch, she was a mother fighting an alien monster that murdered her children.

[@DexterMorganRIP]

Try getting the achievement Drs signature. I got it on my channel of course Many dead trials and swings at the nutsack running my PC at 2fps. And blowing up the headcrabs with a grenade it got me another one. I hated gonarch know what I mean frickin 5 hours of work. Use those jet back strafing boosts. Nihilanth was easier the battle as well was so close to the old but different. He was easy compared to gonarch. Running for a 2 day span. On a better computer I'd love to play it no fps lag. I did a lot of shorts damn surface tension was the slowest due to the graphics and open areas. Max Payne shit to fight lol Not meant fo be a slow fight. 1fps timed out shots if you can get it done on a good system I'd never have gotten stuck.

[@dkskcjfjswwwwwws413]

ngl that kind of took out the big shock of being randomly put on a bunch of floating rocks in a dark, empty void, only a few jumps away from an eldritch teleporter to god knows where

[@cURLybOi]

Joel's wife also sang most of the female vocal solos in Xen songs :)

[@Groaznic]

Did she do that before, during, or after that aforementioned wet slap on the cheek for sound effect capture? XD She's a soldier!

[@thisgamedev]

I’ve been waiting for another Liam retrospective of a valve game (…or a remake of one!). Great video as all ways!

[@espenstoro]

Same. We Valve fans are used to waiting. 😁

[@speedygamey7160]

Okay you may think I'm crazy but I was just playing black mesa for the first time today after contemplating on it for months and now I saw a review from one of my favorite retrospective youtubers. Made me have a little chuckle

[@DexterMorganRIP]

Is a nice feeling like wow an extra scoop is My computer is basically old just been using potato lol Love multiplayer too

[@sheperd6768]

I wish you would have mentioned the Lambda core song that plays down the elevator once you initially make it to the lambda complex when talking about the end of black mesa prior to xen. It has subtle, yet superb parallelism because that is the "same" song that was played when you were first entering black mesa on the train ride (inbound part 3), except it has this undertone of added experience melded with the curtain starting to come down for the end of the story. Contrast this to inbound part three where the curtain is initially going up, and you realize the game is just beginning (where the crescendo of the song is when you see the scientists attempting to contain the leak on the train ride whilst the overlay of the PA lady says "work safe, work smart". These two songs are probably my favorite when compared due to their meanings. ...The fact that nearly every song is amazing in its own right speaks volumes. The ability for each song to add such a violent feeling of emotions through the story is a true testament to the genius of this games soundtrack. Bravo Joel. Bravo.

[@hawke4946]

Been waiting for this one! I remember being a kid playing HL1 and trying out an earlier release of Black Mesa. It’s been a great journey seeing it evolve over time into what it is now

[@DexterMorganRIP]

Me too man I had good 5 disc set

[@RainbowMan9407]

I always love watching whatever you decide to cover, Liam. Great video!

[@rustyshackleford4117]

Hey Liam, just wanted to say once again that you absolutely have the most heartfelt, thorough, genuinely introspective and entertaining videogame retrospectives on all of KZbin. I just relistened to your ones on Mario Sunshine and Galaxy, and they are top notch. It boggles my mind you don't already have a few million subs, as your content is just so much more well-thought out and interesting than several big names out there. I was just listening to another's take on the Bioshock franchise with 2.5m views and just as many subs, and I couldn't take how dry and nitpicking his content was compared to yours. You're one of the few guys out there who appears to be genuinely passionate about the games you talk about, and while displaying your love you're also able to constructively criticize the games without being overtly negative or overbearing like many reviewers are. No one wants to listen to a guy rant and whine about the unrealistic nature of Bioshock's audio logs for 30 minutes of a 3 hour retrospective. You don't do that, or if you did you'd bring it up in a non-obtrusive way that's enjoyable to listen to and think about. So many game reviewers and KZbinrs just love to focus on the negative aspects in a condescending way, it's refreshing to hear your take which is typically simply much more sublime and engaging. Just wanted to say, keep up the great work and keep making content when you can. I'll take one of your great videos even if they're only every few months over some of these guys pumping out weekly content about games they clearly are only kinda interested in. I also love that pretty much all of your favorite games growing up mirror my own, almost perfectly that it's almost uncanny. Cheers bro!

[@Kirbro64]

I find it increasingly funny that this and the other Half Life videos you'vemade practically sold me on the ideas and stories in this franchise. I just bought Black Mesa today and it's most most fun I've had so far, which is hard to beat with having already played HL1&2. This also reminds me that I've been going through the shooter genre in order, starting off with Doom, then Quake, and now Half Life 😅

[@Skayelite]

There really is no way for me to explain how happy I am that Black Mesa exists. I remember trying it out in 2012, completing earthbound multiple times and when finally Xen hit..I was enchanted. The beautiful music this game has, the vibe in Xen..(fun fact: go listen to Official Black Mesa Questionable Ethics OST and Assassin's Creed: Ezio's Family, they sound the same). What this game did was take a masterpiece and make it possible to be experienced by people of new generation who don't really feel any deep emotion about classic stuff. I fell in love with Half Life through love for cs 1.6 and I will never forget playing it for the first time. My PC has Lambda logo on the side and front, I have a t-shirt hanging with Lambda logo and anytime I can choose a color I will choose orange. This game was revolutionary and all current shooters link back to the amazing writing this game received, which is not so obvious at first but when realised, truly amazing. I hope to one day play Half Life Episode 3 (or named differently) which I have huge hopes for considering what HL: Alyx did with it's ending, enabling HL3 without epistle spoilers. I wish you all an amazing time playing this game and much love.

[@LeonardTavast]

I think the added content added by the devs (the complete overhaul of Xen) is the best part of Black Mesa. It's so beautiful and fun.

[@Monody512]

I have to disagree about the length of Interloper, but then again I'm someone who enjoys the mod that restores the full length of the On A Rail chapter, so different tastes seem to be at play. :P Something very cool about the Xen chapters is that if you start a new game at the first one, you start with only a crowbar, and everything from there on is designed to slowly give you the rest of the arsenal. It's a surprisingly different and very cool experience. Xen really is like its own highly condensed Half-Life game within a Half-Life game, and can be played as such. I also like how Xen wears its influences proudly on its sleeve, visually and musically. James Cameron's Avatar in the jungle... Oddworld in the Vortigaunt village and the factory... Prey (2006) in the factory and the ascent. The music track Ascension Reprise even sneaks in the chord progression of Prey's main theme. Speaking of Ascension: The way that track builds towards a final climactic drop into the original Black Mesa Source theme no longer used as the game's main theme is a brilliant nod past the fourth wall to the journey the devs and the fans went on together over all those years. I was only a distant onlooker for the game's development, but even I get emotional at that. And speaking one last time of a Xen music track and emotion... Internal Conflict. It was the track used in the fantastic trailer for the Xen update, and even just because of that it already had some emotional weight. Going into Xen we knew we'd be hearing it at some point... The tracks used throughout the Gonarch's Lair chapter _slowly_ evolve closer to it. Alien. The Hunting. Lair. Mind Games. They all flow into eachother by naturally progressing the themes from the previous tracks... all culminating in a very familiar opening as you're chasing the fire you lit down into the heart of the home of the creature you are about to murder for doing nothing more than defend its young. The enthusiasm and excitement associated with the track from the trailer is turned on its head in a gutwrenching realization of your role in this unnecessary destruction. It's tragic and it's beautiful and I love it. " _D o n e . W h a t h a v e y o u d o n e ._ "

[@CrabGamingTF2]

So glad you're returning to Half-Life. Your retrospectives are some of my favorite videos

[@TheExFatal]

3:12 I waited patiently for the full game since the mod version, waiting a little bit more for your video was okay. Can't wait to watch the video

[@asocksual4910]

My favorite Black Mesa detail (aside from having the ability and being encouraged to spare the vorts on Xen, the fact that there are now female scientists, and the Nihilanth hurling chunks of the facility at you): the Black Ops assassins appear to be equipped with gear on their lower legs that very strongly resembles the fall-damage negating knee replacements and boots developed by a certain rival applied sciences company.

[@VinVonVoom]

You can spare the Vortigaunts in the original too during Interloper.

[@stormhought]

Thank you for talking about my favourite Half-Life game dude.

[@lionsxxden]

OMG I'm so stoked to watch this. Haven't yet, and usually I'll listen at work but I'm actually going to grab a beer and soak this up. WE LOVE YOU LIAM!!

[@madookamagooka743]

this games visuals, level design, attention to detail, and sound design alone make up for one of the most immersive easy to get sucked into a real living world games ive ever played. i love walking through each level slowly sucking in all the detail and atmosphere.

[@Rookie643]

something I don't think you mentioned is how the colors of Xen start with blue purple -> blue green-> green red the colors slowly shift to be more hostile the deeper you go

[@asongeveryday]

31:12 This is my least favorite part of Black Mesa, and what's worse is its addition was such a deliberate effort too. It would have been much more tolerable if it were shorter, but the waves of soldiers just keep coming. The lobby itself is left largely unchanged, so it's not a good arena from a game design perspective, especially for that many enemies. It's not very fun, you're constantly getting hit from every which direction, and you feel like you only overcome it due to luck, not due to you being Gordon Freeman. I prefer to not save scum at every opportunity because it breaks flow, but at this point in the game it's necessary for me to mitigate frustration. Definitely not a high point for me, and one unexpected since the rest of the game feels so great to play.

[@WastedPotentiaI1]

Sounds like a skill issue

[@Thornisss]

one thing i think most people missed out on was how the sky went from blue to orange red ish while fighting the aliens topside, in forget about freeman you can see the sky getting more and more red and the aliens flying around just makes you feel like we lost. That made me "wow" and is still one of my favorite detail in this game

[@FirnetheJackal]

Oooh, I've been waiting for this. Excited to hear your thoughts on Black Mesa!

[@mysterpapo]

Finally, a 1 hour long in depth video on my favourite video game of all time.

[@rickpgriffin]

I do love Black Mesa, but after I played through it fully the first time, it was immediately apparent to me that Interloper could have been cut fully in half and still been perfectly fine (probably with significantly improved pacing). But it was also my opinion that letting you go ham with the Gluon Gun was something that was missing from the original--you do not get enough time with it otherwise. Very clearly paralleling the powered-up gravity gun sequence from HL2. My only other complaint with the game was that signposting wasn't nearly as clear as Valve's usually is. I did eventually pick up on "which lights you need to follow" but they tend to get lost in the sparkly new graphics.

[@MOTHblank]

Cutting Interloper in half would elevate the game so much.

[@AnimeshPathak]

Thanks for making this! Can't believe it showed I was able to start it nine minutes after it was posted! :-)

[@eccodreams]

I am one of very few people who has plahed Black Mesa yet hasn't played the original Half-Life. I own the game; it's been in my library for longer than Black Mesa has, but I just can't bring myself to play it when I had such an unspeakably incredible experience with Black Mesa. I just can't fathom being able to enjoy my time with Half-Life the way I feel I need to.

[@VinVonVoom]

I also played Black Mesa first and I actually now prefer the original even though I enjoyed both a lot. Give it a shot!

[@shadowpoet4398]

Out of all, ALL, of the HL games, Black Mesa is the most True Believer of good faith remastering I've ever seen. It is officially my favorite HL game, and I played the original back in 1999 when I was in 7th grade. My computer teacher called it the "Half-Life Hangout" when she yelled at us about playing it in class lol. Black Mesa is beautiful. It's so wonderfully and faithfully made. Thanks for covering it!

[@controlschemekeaton]

Liam I love you. Been sick for the past week and had to take an LOA from my work, this videos have been my savior.

[@JumpinJoe]

I have disagreements with your assesments regarding Xen but you are correct. Fanctastic video as always. As a Source fan you have done very well

[@JohannVonVorst]

Man this games got so much heart Also I don’t necessarily mind interloper being so horribly long because it means the best level of the speedrun isn’t over in an instant

[@Cpt_H00K911]

black mesa music sounds like a memory music I feel it's composed on the idea of how Gordon remembers black mesa and you are replaying through his memorys and feelings as well

[@TheElderStunt]

Love what you have to say about Blast Pit, syncs up with my experience and feelings perfectly.

[@Zeppelee]

Howdy, Liam. I am so glad to see that you have released a video on Black Mesa! I may be a huge fanatic of the entire Half-Life series overall, but I mean by what I say is that Black Mesa is the best remake of a game that I have ever played thus far. Oh, and this November 19th marks the 25th anniversary of the Half-Life series! Here's hoping that Valve releases something to celebrate their golden child.

[@existingperson]

I like how this game goes from desperately fighting alien life and soldiers to exploring a beautiful yet disgusting world and killing a giant fetus monster

[@droson8712]

Surprised you made a video about this game, it really doesn't get the recognition it deserves

[@Alonne1]

i've been waiting for this since you announce it, finally is here

[@BriceH9]

Can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting for this video

[@justme14900]

Liam you are a legend!

[@raimyonlinewarrior236]

I love how each video sound like a video game art form. Telling what games can do. We're not watching a movie but experiencing a adventure.

[@x5566asd]

I appreciate how Joel Nielsen tried to differentiate his soundtrack from the original but I think he didn't establish the identity of Black Mesa soundtracks a decade ago, evidently through how some of them were re-written in the last weeks before the grand release, and the differences of the techniques in XEN soundtrack with his improved skill through the decade. Black Mesa TERRA OST offers many great ambient tracks, but when it comes to action tracks, they usually being too fast for the elements shown on the screen. When comparing the tracks that were remastered from Half-Life OST and the original, you see they are in the identical pace, yet the original ones used gitar and synth to bridge the notes and made them steadier and feels slower. Those riffs evoke a sense of violence and isolation to me, which is a similar feel the vocal in XEN soundtrack offers. We've got Hostile in BM sounds more in sync with female assassins than the grunts. You're Not Suppose to Be Here is a very fast pace track in HL2, but it is played when you are equiped with a mounted MG that fires a torrent of bullets in an instant. Outside of the official OST, a track called Year of Death from the On a Rail uncut mod is my favorite track being in line with the style of the official tracks. It uses the instruments that Joel intended to symbolize the Black Mesa facility, which being piano and gitar, and draws more inspiration from Half-Life OST. To me this one is on the sweet spot between the two. And then there's Black Mesa: Blue Shift OST. It establishes its own identity. Collided is the track amazes me the most, it captures the attack pattern of Vortigunts really well, and the pressure it builds up urge me to dodge the incoming beams.

[@uruigi]

I love your retrospectives. It was a joy seeing you made another one, and on yet another Half Life game no less. Keep it up! :)

[@bostonian4650]

I will admit that I am a bit biased because Black Mesa is my favorite game of all time (and my favorite half-life game) but I actually don’t mind interloper’s length. I do agree that if a section should be cut it should be the three puzzles or the conveyor section, but one vastly underrated section of this chapter is the final elevator fight before Nihilanth. The track is Joel Nielsen’s magnum opus, and that sequence truly cements Gordon Freeman’s legendary status that he has in Half Life 2

[@Scarletdex8299]

15:08 3 of them in fact. Another announcement plays from a radio in an old underground lobby at the beginning of Blast Pit, before you get to the cart to the old silo. It overwrites the one from Office Complex, as the evac order is now applied to much wider radius, and also there are warnings about symptoms of biohazard contingency and irradiation. Makes you believe that the disaster is slowly but surely engulfing all of New Mexico. And the third one plays in Surface Tension tunnels right before the garg chase. A radio inside a wrecked security car broadcasts a public announcement from US Departement of Defense, that "An unknown hostile force has been declared present at the Black Mesa Recearch Facility and the surrounding areas" (something you definitely never heard over radio irl), and the entire population of New Mexico state is to evacuate immediately as the massive airstrikes are soon to begin. This perfectly sells the apocalyptic implications of resonance cascade and the 7 Hour War which is now only a matter of few more steps down a timeline. Even in Lambda Core, when we are basically safe underground in clean lit complex, there are still quakes from bombs above and damaged ceilings, that remind you "You're still in the end of the world"

[@CabbageGod]

I'm probably amongst the smaller population of young half life fans- that is I played Black Mesa before ever playing Half-Life. Honestly, its hard for me to enjoy HL 1 because of this. I play through the chapters and cant stop thinking about how much better it is in black mesa. The clarity alone that they provide in black mesa is enough to make it stand out- IE "green means go". I find myself walking in circles and trying to recall my black mesa experience just to complete some chapters. I feel spoiled by the modern iteration, but it's a testament to the effort and dedication that the team put into it. Truly a marvel that has *never* been done before, and may never happen again.

[@greatazuredragon]

Absolutely amazing episode.

[@thiagof414]

Thanks! Also, really glad you're on Nebula!

[@itsliqs]

YES! I was waiting for this. Black Mesa is one of my favorite games ever.

[@scopesic]

To say crowbar collective done half life 1 justice is a complete understatement, this is easily the best reimagining of a video game I have ever played. I actually got chills during unforeseen consequences and hearing the EAS alarm in office complex, the entire sound design and atmosphere is unmatched. It kinda makes me happy that HL source was lacklustre since it lead to this masterpiece being created

[@lolzers7986]

28:14 Immediate 10/10 video for mentioning that fact

[@UmbraFaux]

20:50 as a note, all weapons have had spare ammo reduced with the exception of the gluon gun and TAU cannon. MP5/G17 250 > 150. MP5 reduced from 50 to 30 in primary magazine. M203 10 > 3. Shotgun 125 > 64 XBow 50 > 10 To compensate, ammo is much more readily available with the exception of M203s.

[@denifnaf5874]

15:00 that's in hl1 as well

[@lionsxxden]

9:33 "Im gonna walk thru this game chapter by chapter, analyzing the - " *Scoots chair closer*

[@FoulballProductions]

This adaptation is a truly generous offering. I had no problem replaying and replaying half life but black mesa offered me even more.

[@cheezkid2689]

I love Black Mesa with all my heart. It's terrifying, the gunplay is solid, the music is fantastic, the level design is suffocating in the best way possible. It's quite possibly the perfect remake. In my playthroughs, the main drop of the Blast Pit song hits once I turn on the button and lasts just enough that the song cools down as the engine stops firing, leaving the quiet ending and a smoldering pile of alien charcoal.

[@Just__Garbage]

I remember when first playing Blast Pit I was going back to kill the tentacles. The music started up and i was a expecting a nice somber sneaking track as i crouched down and threw my grenades. Then the guitar started and i was completely thrown for a loop. "What the fuck?" I thought, as i just started booking it. I wasn't even throwing grenades and somehow made it through unscathed, and like clockwork as soon as a pushed the button the track started winding down. You are absolutely right about how music can effect a games design and the way its played, and blast pit i feel is much more powerful for this change.

[@DATskorge]

Another cosy liam video. YES

[@Blue_Lambda]

Watched your half-life 2 and half-life: alyx retrospective videos multiple times, glad to see your doing one on black mesa!

[@JohnDoe-xj6mf]

Without even hitting play, I comment. I know you'll serve this series well. Man after my own heart

[@Cpt_H00K911]

may everybody disagree with me but Interloper here is the best chapter of the game and i wished it never ended while playing it because it's incredibly awesome

[@svnark]

i thought this video was cancelled, pleasant surprise! love what you make

[@twohorsesinamancostume7606]

For me, Xen as a whole overstayed its welcome. The entire thing felt like a showcase for a giant pile of ideas which brought the pacing of the game overall to a screeching halt because up until then the momentum had been building on itself for quite awhile. If they had cut maybe half of the puzzle segments Xen would have kept its pacing with the rest of the game. As it was, by the time I reached the Nihlanth I was so annoyed with the thing I just wanted it to be over.

[@ronbenatia6682]

Black mesa did what half life deserved... I've played half life 1 multiple times when I was a kid and revisit it now and then today, it feels that black mesa finally shined some spotlight on the original and did it in the best way possible Black mesa has become one of my all time favourite games and it's amazing to see how remaking the original didn't only not ruin it, but expanded upon the original experience in an amazing way Thank you liam for this video and keep doing what you're good at

[@Vermilleno]

My best moment in this game is Questionable Ethics. The lobby where you get ambushed by the military. The music that plays there is just... oh god I love it. It's a moment where Gordon stops being just a scientist and becomes unstoppable.

[@Run2Seeun]

On Gonarch's Lair, most people do not know that there are 3 different ways to clear that chapter. You can kill her normally, you can let her go without killing or you can use the "2nd plan" which is mentioned in the labs constructed in Xen to use Cyanide to eliminate Gonarch.

[@viniciusbaltar632]

I've been looking forward to this! Congratulations on the release of the video Liam! You did a fantastic job!! Wish I could've used this back in my Bachelor's dissertation haha

[@PaintsAreOp]

Amazing video. Well researched, well written, well spaced. This is the content I subscribed for!

[@ravensharpless]

I have a friend that worked on one of the Half Life games back then, I was streaming Xen to him in discord and he also noticed that the end was starting to get exhausting, what he said though was that this is a technique commonly used because the whole game is like you're popping popcorn the entire time and if if it just ended you'd be wanting more so the technique is to overwhelm the player near the end. Unsure if that is their intent but it works for it if anything

[@mattemattics5667]

I never played Half Life 1. I played Black Mesa, it blew me away.

[@Wyattporter]

As good as Black Mesa is, I don’t feel it’s a replacement for the original. It is far too distinct in its visual style from the rest of the series.

[@dkskcjfjswwwwwws413]

thats because it wasnt made 15 years ago

[@Wyattporter]

@@dkskcjfjswwwwwws413 yeah

[@cubescihist6737]

That's what he says towards the end, that it isn't meant to be a replacement :)

[@Ivanselectsongs]

00:31 a real human BEAN

[@robertmorrison5916]

All the elements you mention are why Black Mesa is one of the best FPS games ever made, even rivalling HL2. Hats off to the developers all the years spent on this project paid off in a major way!

[@ninshu9073]

you’re probably my favorite youtuber, especially because half life and zelda are my favorite games ever

[@alecsii4273]

I just recently passed black mesa after I finished HLalyx. And holy god. It’s so unbelievably good. The sound design. The gameplay. Unbelievable it started off as a mod. Hope to see more from crowbar collective. They crafter a masterpiece man

[@Cpt_H00K911]

speaking of the last part at blast pit I was ordinarily sneaking my way but when I heard that music kicks in I said to myself "I gotta run now"

[@VentA_7]

My 2nd favorite part of this remake (besides Xen) is how this game handles the miltary, the extra dailogue, tweaking of tone for existing dailogue, and the new setpieces with really hammer how absolutely harrowing of an experience being a solider in black mesa was. They highlight how terrible it is they’ve just gunning down unarmed scientists who refuse to fight back, you hear the panic, even in their laughs, as they engage with you: they’re quite obviously scared of Gordon and how he rips through soliders, you see the sheer terror while they get obliterated by the aliens, and all the new radio talks show how depressing it is to hear soliders slowly being picked off. They do an incredible job humanizing the military. This, coupled with the mass slaughter of the scientists & security, the enslavement and abuse of aliens in interloper, and the background details of the evacuation of New Mexico & the implications of the incoming Nuke: Black Mesa fully highlights what a utter nightmare the Residence Cascade is for all parties involved, as it should be for humanity’s first exposure to alien warfare.

[@alexello1189]

The one thing about black mesa that I actually HATE is the overdark bug, large parts of levels are swamped with shadows and low lighting. The flashlight isn’t even helpful. Thankfully some people on steam have figured out a console command fix but I wish crowbar collective would actually patch it. It’s annoying to have to copy and paste it every time I start the game….

[@ahugefan7059]

Almost 3 years since "Understanding the Music of Half-Life", and boy is it good. It is good.