Deal | "This is what a remake should look like!": Shooter classic with 123,000 reviews (95% positive) for about $4 in Steam Sale

Released in 1998, Half-Life remains one of the most influential shooters of all time, celebrated for its groundbreaking storytelling and immersive world. But more than 25 years later, its age shows most clearly in the visuals and animations. That’s where Crowbar Collective stepped in. What began as an ambitious fan project to modernize the game gradually evolved into a full-scale production – and eventually into a professional studio. In a rare move within the industry, Valve officially licensed the remake, even though the team continued to operate independently.

In Black Mesa, players step into the role of physicist Gordon Freeman, fighting for survival after a disastrous experiment in a secret research facility. Armed with firearms, high-tech equipment and his iconic crowbar, he must battle both an alien invasion and ruthless military forces. While the story remains faithful to the original, one of Half-Life’s most criticized sections – the Xen worlds – has been completely reimagined. Once regarded as clunky and frustrating, these alien sequences are now seen as one of Black Mesa’s standout features.

In its German review, GameStar praised not only the redesigned Xen sections but also the cleverly updated level design and the game’s rich atmosphere. The AI behaves more intelligently, combat feels more engaging and the remake makes full use of the Source engine’s capabilities. However, that engine – developed by Valve – is now considered outdated, which stands out as one of Black Mesa’s main drawbacks. Fans shouldn’t expect the visual polish of modern AAA titles. According to GameStar, the limitations are particularly evident in character models, particle effects and animations.

Despite some technical shortcomings, Black Mesa has earned strong reviews across the board. GameStar awarded it 87 out of 100 and concluded: “This is what a remake should look like.” On Metacritic, the game holds a solid Metascore of 84 and a User Score of 8.7. Most impressive, however, is the response from the Steam community: 95% of more than 123,000 user reviews recommend the game.

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