The Black Mesa Xen levels are intended to both overhaul and remain faithful to an original Half-Life vision. — AFP Relaxnews
First-person adventure Half-Life set new standards when it launched 20 years ago. Now, approved fan homage Black Mesa is moving closer to completion, with a trailer for its next big update showing how its otherworldly final levels are taking shape.
Towards the end of 1998's paradigm-shifting action adventure Half-Life, goatee'd theoretical physicist and crowbar-wielding everyman gains access to a floating interplanar world called Xen.
As the closing chapter of that initial story, it became known for introducing a sharp, otherworldly contrast to the rest of the game and its government facility aesthetic – but the contrast was so great that Xen was often viewed as out-of-step with the rest of the experience.
Remake project Black Mesa, an ongoing affair since 2004, became commercially available in 2015, and the team at Crowbar Collective are now offering a preview of a planned 2019 delivery of the closing Xen levels.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
