Black Mesa

Are You Ready to Mess with the Dark Side?

Black Mesa is a tribute to Half-Life and offers gamers plenty of the same explosive elements as the popular first person shooter. But is this a good game in its own right or simply a clone? Read on to find out.

Exploring the large and very detailed landscapes of Black Mesa provides gamers with a real thrill as more than a touch of déjà vu. The level design, textures and models are almost identical to Half-Life 2. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as the gamers have managed to recreate all of the element s that made this game great.

There are lots of cool levels to run through and the good thing is that many of the levels have been completely redesigned to make them feel fresh and exciting. There are new challenges to complete and lots of new things to discover in the game. the voice acting is very good and helps draw players into the game, while the soundtrack adds an extra texture that is very haunting.

The game manages to capture all of the popular features of a first person shooter game and add a little extra to the mix. the choice of weapons is very satisfying and learning how to use them can provide plenty of explosive fun. There are several different game modes to choose from, and finding the perfect fit and taking on new missions is one of the most exciting elements.

All of the landscapes are very detailed and there are plenty of things to hide behind while getting in the perfect position to take out the enemy before being spotted. Unfortunately the graphics leave a bit to be desired and feel rather dated. Despite this small flaw, the game provides plenty of other surprises that are sure to get the adrenaline pumping.

It has been more than a decade since Half-Life took the gaming world by storm. Many gamers have been waiting impatiently for a new version to be released, but it is very slow in coming. Black Mesa may well provide the perfect solution. While in many ways this is an updated version of Half-Life, there is enough variation to the game to keep players engaged and coming back for more.

Pros

• Detailed and engaging environments
• Great soundtrack
• Lots of modes to choose from

Cons

• The graphics are a bit dated