freeman made me tickle my penor

The incident of Black Mesa – a tale as old as time, well since the release of this masterpiece of a game.

Storyline/ Chapters:

Not only Dr. Gordon Freeman’s but also his team’s questionable (work) ethics set him up to having a bad, a really bad day. Having triggered the incident (unwillingly, by instruction) he ends up left with very few security guards and scientists and with lots of creatures that invaded the facility through the portal – the threat is big, the panic is bigger.

Throughout the escaping process you witness what the government has been cooking on the floors of the facility. The government may have had good intentions by trying to shut down the facility, but having experts under the ruins getting ambushed by unknown dangerous creatures is more dangerous than fighting these (like who the fck would know better than them?). Thus, the governmental actions are debatable. Definitely pay close attention to what the scientists, security guards, soldiers say (also their radio calls).

The build-up of the chapters is quite well done, especially from Apprehension to Lambda Core . but it is an ironic feeling that the soldiers were a “side quest” on the way to the portal. Surface Tension lived up to its name, and it felt like the longest mission in the game? Idk, what sure is that the last couple of missions were really pain to finish.

After surviving the chaos of Black Mesa, the final scene forces you to confront the biggest illusion of all — who’s really been in control. Choose wisely!

Having started the game, I was not sure if I actually played it before. With discovering the new guns step by step the puzzle pieces started to fall into place. Turns out I played a mod of Half Life in internet cafes, people called it “counter strike cockroaches” back in the day. Was fun, too, but this game is different, it has got a story and evoked nostalgia due to the guns, the models, the lighting.

Since I played Half Life 2 before this: Is it a shame? Bad? Was it a full spoiler? Hell no. Every time I heard about (the incident of) “Black Mesa” in Half Life 2 it fascinated me, going back to the roots where it all started has been really, really special experience in regard of gaming but the game lore itself. I’m hooked on this game.

Thank you for this remarkable, path-defining contribution, Valve.

hidden gem