Black Mesa's Xen is mesmerising.
Half Life atmosphere is at its best when it puts to good use its setting as a means of story-telling. In this regard, the original Xen really wasn't as fleshed out as the rest of the game. Thankfully, Crowbar Collective's efforts in recreating the chapter did justice to the original idea and managed to go even beyond said idea.
That said, I didn't like a few design choices and gameplay tweaks that were made. Namely, some awfully designed open area gunfights, and the recurring physics-based puzzles pulled straight out of Half Life 2.
Moreover, it doesn't retain the same grottesque atmosphere as the original. Albeit preserving the same chromatic dichotomy of dimly lit sterile indoors and colourful sunbathed outdoors, the new character and gun models and detailed scenery really strip the game off of its original uncanniness.
Not that I'm complaining; on the contrary. I love that it is its own thing.
Half Life atmosphere is at its best when it puts to good use its setting as a means of story-telling. In this regard, the original Xen really wasn't as fleshed out as the rest of the game. Thankfully, Crowbar Collective's efforts in recreating the chapter did justice to the original idea and managed to go even beyond said idea.
That said, I didn't like a few design choices and gameplay tweaks that were made. Namely, some awfully designed open area gunfights, and the recurring physics-based puzzles pulled straight out of Half Life 2.
Moreover, it doesn't retain the same grottesque atmosphere as the original. Albeit preserving the same chromatic dichotomy of dimly lit sterile indoors and colourful sunbathed outdoors, the new character and gun models and detailed scenery really strip the game off of its original uncanniness.
Not that I'm complaining; on the contrary. I love that it is its own thing.