Black Mesa: Definitive Edition released

[Kalik]

We are happy to announce that we are releasing our final big update to Black Mesa as a free 'Definitive Edition' update...Since March, we have worked to polish the game in terms of both art and design...

Highlights of the Definitive Edition

-Massive polish and art updates throughout the game
-Complete lighting and gameplay pass to the chapter "Power Up"
-Complete redesign of second "On A Rail" map (map B)
-Significant optimizations across the whole game that will improve performance on low to mid range PCs
-Outdoor art passes for "We've Got Hostiles", "On A Rail", "Questionable Ethics", "Surface Tension", and "Forget About Freeman"

full patch notes:
https://store.steampowered.com/newshub/app/362890/view/2895214724133808811

 

[Khanimus]

!!!

 

[not_smiff]

Time to start my journey through the Half Life games during this holiday season.

 

[Croash]

Huh! Glad I chose to wait until 2021 to finally play this with Xen. To think it's been 8 years since I played the mod...
I wonder what's next for that team. Perhaps console ports before moving on to a new game?

 

[WhateverItTakes]

Great! I've owned the game for a while but haven't found a time to get stuck in- backlog is getting formidable!

 

[Patitoloco]

I might play it again! I loved Black Mesa 1.0, if this is even better, I'm giddy

 

[ryushe]

If I already own Black Mesa, this is just an update right?

 

[Asklepios]

Nice! Now I wish someone would update Half Life 2 using assets in Black Mesa.

 

[Kalik]

If I already own Black Mesa, this is just an update right?

Click to shrink...

yes...free update

 

[ThreepQuest64]

Did they improve the AI?

 

[aisback]

I've been meaning to get this. It seems the perfect time to jump back in

 

[Ahti]

Installing now.

 

[Kalik]

I wonder what's next for that team. Perhaps console ports before moving on to a new game?

Click to shrink...

they should go back and remaster other classics like the original Deus Ex...they would give Bluepoint Games a run for their money as the best remaster/remake studio...

 

[ChemicalWorld]

Cheers for the heads up! Downloading now =)

 

[BraXzy]

Damn, I ended up playing through this (and the entire Half-Life series) earlier this year in time for HL: Alyx release. Shame this wasn't out then but still awesome for future playthroughs.

Looking forward to a comparison vid on YouTube.

 

[Serious Sam]

Don't sleep on this people. Game is amazing with some of the best OST ever.

 

[Stowaway Silfer]

Guess this is how I try getting into Half-Life

 

[BAW]

I was just about to replay this! Awesome!

 

[Dictator]

Don't sleep on this people. Game is amazing with some of the best OST ever.

Click to shrink...

Yeah - i love it! Black Mesa is so damn good!

 

[olimpia84]

What about full controller support?

 

[Static]

What about full controller support?

Click to shrink...

Known Issues
We're still working on controller support for the main menu

Click to shrink...

 

[ghostcrew]

Definitely gonna finally buy this and play through it this Christmas

 

[olimpia84]

Static There it is, thanks. I'm not a software engineer but it blows my mind when features like this take forever to get implemented. I literally can't play the game through my Nvidia Shield due to this issue.

 

[RowdyReverb]

If anybody like me wants to play this, but doesn't have a PC, it has been added to GeForce NOW. You could always play it via Steam, but since August it has had native support

Static There it is, thanks. I'm not a software engineer but it blows my mind when features like this take forever to get implemented. I literally can't play the game through my Nvidia Shield due to this issue.

Click to shrink...

... but maybe not on a mobile device!

 

[Patitoloco]

Don't sleep on this people. Game is amazing with some of the best OST ever.

Click to shrink...

I agree highly of the OST comment.

Even when the game was barely an alpha, the Joel Nielsen soundtrack was there, and it was awesome. Super haunting and atmospheric OST that fits the decaying nature of Black Mesa perfectly.

It's so good.

 

[Mr Swine]

Oh very nice, can they remake opposing forces expansion pack also? 🥺

 

[plagiarize]

I bought this when they first offered a way to buy it. I've never gone all the way through, but it finally feels like time.

 

[JustinBB7]

I've waited till this was 100% done. Seems it's finally time!

 

[Pai Pai Master]

great just great I was about to replay HL Alyx and now I gotta replay Black Mesa first oh goshhh that's the worst

 

[FaviousM]

The most disappointing thing about this is that there isn't an HL: Opposing Force equivalent, I love that game almost as much as the original.

Will have to play through Black Mesa again though now

 

[olimpia84]

If anybody like me wants to play this, but doesn't have a PC, it has been added to GeForce NOW. You could always play it via Steam, but since August it has had native support


... but maybe not on a mobile device!

Click to shrink...

I'm a GeForce Now founder and that's how I intend to play the game. But I like my comfy couches, TVs and controllers hence why full controller support is critical. I can't get past the title screen if I play this through my Nvidia Shield. Overall, if games don't have full controller support they are a pain in the butt to play through the Shield TV.

 

[GrrImAFridge]

The most disappointing thing about this is that there isn't an HL: Opposing Force equivalent, I love that game almost as much as the original.

Will have to play through Black Mesa again though now

Click to shrink...

There is one in development by another team, but as with all ambitious fan-made projects, it's best not to assume it'll see the light of day. "Wake me up when it's done" and all that.

 

[LiK]

Nice, was planning on finally checking it out soon.

 

[RowdyReverb]

I'm a GeForce Now founder and that's how I intend to play the game. But I like my comfy couches, TVs and controllers hence why full controller support is critical. I can't get past the title screen if I play this through my Nvidia Shield. Overall, if games don't have full controller support they are a pain in the butt to play through the Shield TV.

Click to shrink...

Same here. I was actually hoping to use this as an opportunity to try out the new iOS web app

 

[PlayBee]

Dammit, why is full controller support so hard

 

[kyle mechlachlan]

I just played the game like 5 or 6 months ago. I wonder if the changes are big enough to do another.

 

[Jazzem]

Oh gosh ahah, I played this earlier this year, perhaps should've waited a few months 😅

Lovely remake though, enjoyed it so much as a way to finally experience Half Life 1

 

[xyla]

One of the best games I've played this year!
And it only got better it seems - maybe I'll dip back in.

 

[FaviousM]

There is one in development by another team, but as with all ambitious fan-made projects, it's best not to assume it'll see the light of day. "Wake me up when it's done" and all that.

Click to shrink...

Oh absolutely. I remember seeing one years back where someone was working on a dinosaur game in cry engine and thought "that looks cool, will never happen though" and boy was I right

 

[deadfolk]

I'm a GeForce Now founder and that's how I intend to play the game. But I like my comfy couches, TVs and controllers hence why full controller support is critical. I can't get past the title screen if I play this through my Nvidia Shield. Overall, if games don't have full controller support they are a pain in the butt to play through the Shield TV.

Click to shrink...

If it's only to get past the menu, iirc you can use the shield mobile app like a trackpad from your phone.

Unrelated: does this cover the whole of the original base game now?

 

[Chixdiggit]

Time to play this masterpiece again.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

So now its time for them to start on a Half Life 2 remake right? Eta 15 years?

 

[Kaeden]

Just picked this up. Not sure why I never got it before but now is def the right time. It look so damn good!

 

[yokochan]

It's also on sale on Steam for 9€ now.

 

[medyej]

Black Mesa is terrific! Don't sleep on it!

So glad these devs finally finished their project after so long and it turned out great.

 

[NeoBob688]

Last I dropped in about a year ago, the game looked a little bit dated. I don't know if that has been addressed.

 

[Deleted member 18021]

I think I last played Black Mesa when it was a mod, lol.

Did they ever tone the blood and acid down? I remember it would get all over your guns and was incredibly over the top.

 

[GrinWithoutaKat]

I need to play this now. I never played the first Half-Life, and always intended to play Source, but never got to that either.

 

[TeenageFBI]

Era, this is basically a Valve-caliber remake. Easily one of the best fan games I've ever played.

 

[Laiza]

So I started my playthrough of this, just in time for this update, it seems.

I'm still not a fan of how tanky the marines are (tanking several bullets to the face, lol), but the game really does feel like "Half-Life as I remember it" so far. Only up to the Blast Pit sequence so we'll see how well the rest of the game holds up.