Black Mesa Play and Review(Description)Part 6-KJS
0This is a mod I've followed since the early days. I remember checking their website every month or so hoping to see a new render or screenshot. When that first trailer dropped over 12 years ago, I was blown away. This was the version of Half-Life I had to play. The animation on that blast pit tentacle was superb. It looked better than any other fan game anyone had seen. 2009 it said.
2009 came and went. Radio silence befell the Black Mesa Source devs and for years, the ETA became a blanket "when it's done." The Source engine was rapidly losing its new car scent. Were the devs losing interest? Were they lying low in fear of Valve's lawyers? Was there any hope for this mod?
The game released in 2015 as a "Greenlight" title, which was an initiative allowing Steam users to vote on which games would be added to the Steam store next; a process which thankfully became much easier later on. Not only did this confirm they had Valve's blessing, it enabled them to monetize a project they had volunteered countless hours to.
I admire Crowbar Collective for sticking with it. I can't imagine how hard it is to coordinate a volunteer project this size with no expectation of getting paid for it. I also admire Valve's sensible attitude toward modding their games. Cooperating with your fan community is mutually beneficial and seems like a no brainer. I don't see why other companies like Nintendo are so quick to send a cease and desist when a fan project gains traction; It only breeds contempt in those most passionate about your brand.
Black Mesa is still actively being developed as of 2020 and is nearing its Definitive Edition release. The game didn't blow me away like I'm sure it would have in 2008. The novelty of ragdolls and DirectX 9 lighting has worn off. I'd still recommend playing Half-Life first, but Black Mesa is a beautiful remake. Especially the Xen areas. With enough Steam Workshop magic you can make it sound and feel more like the original. My criticisms are honestly pretty minimal. I think Black Mesa deserves recognition among the other great Source engine games.