Fan-made Half-Life tribute with over 100,000 positive reviews on Steam gets 75% discount

Twenty years after Half-Life 2, we still do not have Half-Life 3. We probably never will, but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill from churning out the occasional report or two. But, if you want to scratch your Half-Life itch without replaying the originals, Black Mesa just might be the game for you.

The game has received a hefty 75% discount on Steam. Developers Crowbar Collective have pushed the Source engine to its limits with its modern-day recreation of Half-Life. While it stays true to the original in terms of story, Black Mesa adds a ton of content that makes it feel like an entirely different game altogether.

Gordon Freeman's bad day at work comes alive with a cast of new and recurring characters (and friendly Vortigaunts because why not), all set in an elaborate recreation of Black Mesa.Even the introductory tram ride has been embellished with meticulous detail. If you found Half-Life's Xen section underwhelming, Black Mesa turns it into one of the most entertaining sections of the game, with some decrying it to be too long.

It packs an entire DLC worth of content and introduces a ton of new mechanics not found in the original. Fun fact: it is the main reason Black Mesa was launched in 2020 and not earlier, but anyone who has played through it will tell you the wait was well worth it. And, if you want to dive into Barney Calhoun's adventures in Blue Shift, a bunch of talented developers created a free Steam Workshop add-on that lets you experience the classic with modern-day visuals. And plenty of puzzles.