Skip to main content

Black Mesa

Black Mesa may show its age in some areas, but that doesn't detract from what is an otherwise stunning achievement. It's not only Half Life at its best - it's one of the finest shooters available today.
Black Mesa Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
graphics, story
optimization, stability
95% User Score Based on 132,918 reviews
Critic Score 78%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCTabletCloudPhoneWindows
Buy Nowfrom $3.99
Buy NowGet on Steam $3.99
Black Mesa Game Cover

About

Black Mesa is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with warfare and science fiction themes. It was developed by Crowbar Collective and was released on March 5, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Black Mesa" is a challenging, first-person shooter game that recreates the classic "Half-Life" experience with updated graphics and physics. Players step into the shoes of research assistant Gordon Freeman, navigating through a mysterious research facility while combating alien invasions and solving intricate puzzles. With an emphasis on exploration, combat, and problem-solving, "Black Mesa" delivers an immersive and thrilling sci-fi adventure.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
Black Mesa screenshot
+8
Skip User Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 132,918 reviews
graphics7.8k positive mentions
optimization472 negative mentions
  • The graphics in 'Black Mesa' are stunning and represent a massive improvement over the original, particularly in the reimagined Xen chapters, enhancing both gameplay and storytelling.
  • The game successfully modernizes the classic 'Half-Life' experience with improved gameplay mechanics, engaging combat, and a faithful yet expanded narrative that immerses players in the chaos of the Black Mesa Research Facility.
  • The absence of microtransactions and a focus on quality gameplay create a refreshing experience, allowing players to enjoy a well-crafted title without modern monetization distractions.
  • Many players report significant performance issues, bugs, and crashes, particularly in the later chapters, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • Certain gameplay mechanics feel dated or overly repetitive, especially in the later sections, leading to a tedious experience for some players.
  • Character development is criticized for lacking depth, with key figures not receiving adequate backstory or motivation, which diminishes the emotional impact of the narrative.
  • graphics
    19,726 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in "Black Mesa" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual upgrades compared to the original 1998 "Half-Life." Players appreciate the meticulous redesign of environments, particularly in the Xen chapters, which are described as breathtaking and immersive. While some critiques mention performance issues and occasional graphical glitches, the overall consensus is that the game successfully modernizes the classic experience with impressive graphics that enhance gameplay and storytelling.

    • “It takes the 1998 classic and rebuilds it with modern graphics, smoother gameplay, and a reworked Xen section that finally makes the alien world as epic as it was always meant to be.”
    • “The graphics on higher settings in Black Mesa are almost as good as a slightly older Destiny 1 game, the gameplay is excellent and overall this is a truly wonderful remaster that makes an old classic look better than ever!”
    • “The graphics are a massive improvement, and it's way less prone to crashes.”
    • “The graphics are good, though not great.”
    • “The graphics are a bit outdated in 2021, but they are certainly much more pleasant to look at than the original.”
  • story
    11,378 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Black Mesa" is a faithful reimagining of the original "Half-Life," enhancing the narrative with modern graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, and expanded environmental storytelling. Players appreciate the engaging plot that unfolds through gameplay rather than cutscenes, allowing for a more immersive experience as they navigate the chaos of the Black Mesa Research Facility. The remake not only retains the core story but also adds depth and context, particularly in the Xen chapters, making it a definitive way to experience the iconic tale of Gordon Freeman.

    • “Absolutely gorgeous tribute to the original Half-Life, just enough is different to make it feel like I'm playing a new game but it also has enough familiarity to its predecessor that I'm hit with a ton of nostalgia during play. It really brings to life how good of a story this is.”
    • “The seamless blend of storytelling and action keeps you engaged from the very first moment, ensuring a rich and flavorful gaming experience.”
    • “Black Mesa is the definitive way to experience the iconic story of Half-Life with modern visuals, improved gameplay, and a level of polish that makes it feel like a brand-new game.”
    • “The story feels somewhat hollow without proper context.”
    • “The story is simplistic; scientists cause an alien invasion, a black ops team is taking every scientist out, and you, a scientist named Gordon Freeman, have to find a way to stop the invasion.”
    • “The story is a very short term based format and it always seemed that I forgot what I was doing or what the overall task was for that mission.”
  • gameplay
    11,150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Black Mesa" has been widely praised for its modernization of the classic "Half-Life" experience, featuring enhanced graphics, smoother mechanics, and a reimagined Xen chapter that significantly improves upon the original's shortcomings. While many players appreciate the nostalgic elements and the engaging combat, some critiques highlight that certain gameplay mechanics feel dated or overly repetitive, particularly in the later sections. Overall, the game successfully blends familiar gameplay with modern enhancements, making it a compelling experience for both new players and veterans of the series.

    • “It takes the 1998 classic and rebuilds it with modern graphics, smoother gameplay, and a reworked xen section that finally makes the alien world as epic as it was always meant to be.”
    • “The breathtaking visuals, refined gameplay, and masterfully expanded xen chapters elevate this from a simple remake to a reimagining of legendary proportions.”
    • “Black Mesa is a masterful reimagining of a classic, blending nostalgia with modern gameplay enhancements.”
    • “The gameplay gets boring fast, with two hours of the most mind-numbing puzzles.”
    • “However, you can still notice that the core gameplay is very old and doesn't always hold up, plus there were some minor bugs over the course of the playthrough that makes me feel like the game wasn't properly playtested.”
    • “The gameplay in black mesa is a blend of traditional first-person shooter mechanics and puzzle solving.”
  • music
    9,652 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Black Mesa" has received widespread acclaim for its quality and emotional impact, particularly in the reimagined Xen chapters, where it enhances the atmosphere and gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the new soundtrack composed by Joel Nielsen, some express nostalgia for the original Half-Life music, noting that the new tracks can occasionally feel out of place or overly loud. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement, contributing to the game's immersive qualities and elevating key moments throughout the narrative.

    • “The reimagined soundtrack pays homage to the original while injecting a modern, cinematic flair that perfectly complements the action and exploration.”
    • “The soundtrack is worth listening to on its own and the visual storytelling is great.”
    • “The music is so classic and beautiful, and truly captures the era this game came from, while also adding to the thematics of each point in the game and throughout.”
    • “I also personally felt like some of the music just didn't fit the style of the game, though maybe I am just supplanting the style of the original game's music in my mind.”
    • “For as big and grandiose as they were able to go with the visuals, I feel like some music beats tried too hard to meet that same level and didn't accomplish much ambience or tone for the background.”
    • “The soundtrack, while well performed, doesn't always fit the situation.”
  • atmosphere
    2,790 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Black Mesa" has been widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, effectively blending modern graphics with the original game's eerie tone. Players have noted the impressive sound design and atmospheric soundtrack, which enhance the overall experience, particularly in the newly reimagined Xen chapters. While some feel that certain elements of the original's atmosphere have been altered or lost, the majority agree that the remake successfully captures and expands upon the essence of the beloved classic.

    • “Every environment has been meticulously redesigned with modern visuals while preserving the atmosphere that made the original so memorable.”
    • “From the ominous hum of machinery to the echoing growls of lurking aliens, the audio creates a tense, immersive atmosphere.”
    • “With stunning visuals, refined gameplay, and an unforgettable atmosphere, it’s a true labor of love that honors the original while improving upon it in every way.”
    • “The atmosphere from the shocking first chapters gradually turns into a grim and lonely battle of one freeman against virtually everyone.”
    • “The atmosphere and tonal changes were very stark to me, with the tense and creepy feeling especially early on in the game being gone.”
    • “As much as I adore and love what the game had improved, it misses the mark entirely on what atmosphere Half-Life 1 had, and made it more Half-Life 2-y which on its own is a massive downgrade because HL1 > HL2 by far.”
  • optimization
    1,966 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of "Black Mesa" has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in the later chapters and the Xen levels, where frame rates can drop drastically. While some users have noted that the game runs smoothly on high-end systems, others have experienced frequent crashes, stuttering, and inconsistent performance even on capable hardware. Overall, while the game showcases impressive graphics and gameplay, its optimization remains a major concern that detracts from the experience for many players.

    • “✅ [b]mostly stable[/b] - [u]as a polished, commercially released game, Black Mesa is generally stable and well-optimized[/u]”
    • “Black Mesa preserves the spirit and feel of the original game, updating it with modern graphics (beautiful lighting, amazing details, and overall a well-optimized remake).”
    • “Despite some optimization issues here and there, Xen is beautiful and dangerous, and properly displays what Xen was supposed to be like from the get-go.”
    • “Graphically it looks beautiful, but the game is poorly optimized.”
    • “I've already accepted performance is horrible because Black Mesa is so unoptimized, so at 720p it can hold a locked 40fps, but at 1080p I settle for 30fps.”
    • “Unfortunately it's optimized pretty poorly.”
  • stability
    1,719 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "Black Mesa" has received mixed feedback from players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in the later chapters like Xen. While some players found the game enjoyable despite these issues, others described it as unplayable due to game-breaking glitches and performance problems, especially on Linux systems. Overall, while the game showcases impressive graphics and gameplay improvements, its stability remains a significant concern for many users.

    • “The game is excellent, it runs great, the visuals are stunning and it improves areas that were not that good in the original.”
    • “Almost bug free and what feels like a true remaster of an iconic game.”
    • “It looks great, it runs great, it feels great to play and up until xen (on a rail excluded) it feels like a fantastic re-imagining of half life that polishes up rough areas.”
    • “Sudden freezes, lags, and non-working scripts.”
    • “Unplayable on linux with crashes and constant visual glitches.”
    • “The game is quite buggy and very unstable.”
  • grinding
    1,456 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "Black Mesa" has received mixed feedback from players, with many highlighting the tediousness of the later chapters, particularly in the Xen levels. While some players appreciate the visual enhancements and improved pacing in certain sections, they often find the gameplay to be repetitive and drawn out, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, while the game is praised for its remake quality, the excessive length and tedious puzzles in Xen detract from the enjoyment for many players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grindy (60-100 hours).”
    • “Grinding isn't necessary to progress.”
    • “The interloper chapter was particularly tedious and repetitive, some parts poorly construed and thrown together.”
    • “Xen easily takes up half the length of the entire game, and it's filled with nothing but tedious, repetitive, boring, uninspired section after section.”
    • “The game turned into a tedious chore that I hated every moment of.”
  • humor
    760 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Black Mesa" is widely praised, with players enjoying its clever dialogue, funny NPC interactions, and numerous Easter eggs that enhance the gameplay experience. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend dark humor with lighthearted moments, such as the comedic reactions of characters and the absurdity of certain situations, making it both entertaining and engaging. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the remake, appealing to both new players and long-time fans of the original "Half-Life."

    • “1 hour of me laughing from throwing objects to NPCs to see how they react is really peak gameplay.”
    • “30 minutes in and I'm laughing my ass off because the guy that calls Gordon a highly trained professional is voiced by the Stanley Parable narrator.”
    • “The voice actors did a great job, and there was a surprising amount of humor and easter eggs scattered around the world.”
    • “The new added voice lines are not funny or cool.”
    • “However, they decided to add too many levels in the Xen part that really made it unfunny.”
    • “On the other hand, Xen, which was released later on, is too long and the other half of it is boring, repetitive, and really unfunny.”
  • emotional
    536 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Black Mesa" resonates deeply with players, evoking nostalgia and heartfelt connections to the original "Half-Life." Many reviews highlight the game's ability to elicit tears through its impactful storytelling, character development, and stunning musical score, particularly during the Xen sequences. Players express a profound sense of immersion and emotional weight, often feeling a renewed appreciation for the franchise and its themes of tragedy and camaraderie.

    • “Black Mesa is a remarkable tribute to the original Half-Life, and as a long-time fan, I found it to be a deeply emotional experience.”
    • “The emotional journey you embark upon in Black Mesa is unforgettable.”
    • “Watching the world crumble under the onslaught of the alien invasion is genuinely heart-wrenching; it struck me on an emotional level that no other game has ever been able to strike within me personally.”
  • replayability
    382 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is significantly enhanced by mod support, allowing players to create and share custom content, which fosters a vibrant community. Many reviewers praise the engaging campaign, achievements, and the overall fun factor, noting that the game is more playable than the original. However, some players feel that the linear nature of the story limits replay value, particularly without mods or additional gameplay options.

    • “The game offers high replayability, driven by its updated mechanics and mod support.”
    • “This game is peak in every possible way, it improves upon everything that Half-Life 1 did by 1000x. I legit can not get enough of this game even after replaying it 4 times; it's just that replayable.”
    • “The availability of modding tools allows players to create and share custom content, extending the game’s replayability and fostering a vibrant community of creators and players.”
    • “If it were a perk/option to change the gameplay for variety/replayability, there would be no issue whatsoever, but since it's the only option, it forces people to never be able to get the original experience, which ultimately does a disservice to the love-letter that a remake like this is supposed to be.”
    • “While this provides some basic replay value, there is no significant way to alter the course of the game’s plot.”
    • “To unlock all the achievements, players will need to complete multiple runs, meeting very specific conditions, which is a shame considering its limited replayability.”
  • monetization
    142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is largely praised for its absence of microtransactions, subscriptions, and overpriced DLCs, which many players find refreshing in contrast to current industry trends. Reviewers appreciate the game's focus on quality and gameplay over profit-driven mechanics, describing it as a labor of love rather than a cash grab. Overall, the lack of monetization strategies enhances the gaming experience, allowing players to enjoy a well-crafted title without the distractions of modern monetization practices.

    • “No subscriptions, no microtransactions, no overpriced DLCs.”
    • “It's pretty refreshing to play a game in 2020 with no microtransactions, no upgrade trees, no RPG elements, etc. just a solid story of a doctor who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
    • “This is the glory days of gaming when games actually had content, thoughtful level design, quality and passion put into the work, and all without microtransactions inhibiting the fun.”
    • “At this point, between rdr2 making it a requirement, EA's monetization practices, Steam doing both, and now this?”
    • “I remember thinking I can't wait for the technology to get better so these games really shine... well welcome to 2022... we have everything at our disposal to make something like Half-Life on a massive scale but no one ever will because in-game purchases come first and 'the message' comes second.”
    • “After playing this, I am sad about what games have become nowadays with everything being open world, map markers, trailing missions, level gating, microtransactions, skins, and so many restrictions.”
  • character development
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the improved character design and engaging story elements that enhance the overall experience, others criticize the lack of depth in character backstories and motivations, particularly for key figures like scientists and villains. Despite these shortcomings, many agree that the game excels in its immersive environments and gameplay mechanics, making it a worthy addition to the Half-Life series. Overall, the character development is seen as a significant aspect that could have been better executed, but the game's strengths in design and gameplay often compensate for this.

    • “The story and character development of this world are both spectacular and engaging, and the setting trumps any science fiction production I have experienced since.”
    • “Furthermore, the character design is very much improved, with more variation in the physical appearance of characters, and some very competent voice talent as well.”
    • “Half-Life at the time it came out was so much more than these due to the story arc, character development, and immersive environment.”
    • “There's zero character development here - we learn literally nothing about any of the scientists, the main villain(s), the motives of the military and why they want to kill you.”
    • “What it lacks in character development, it more than makes up for by being one of the most well thought out FPS games of all time.”
    • “It is more of a puzzle game; your character finds items like weapons to help deal with the locals, with no character development.”
Skip Critic Reviews

78%Critics’ scoreBased on 7 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Black Mesa

14h Median play time
34h Average play time
15h Main story
23h Completionist
7-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 306 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Black Mesa

Games Like Black Mesa

Half-Life ImageHalf-Life ImageHalf-Life Image
94%97.2kreviews

Half-Life

1998Shooter
LinuxPlaystation 2PC+6
Half-Life: Alyx Image
94%55kreviews

Half-Life: Alyx

2020Shooter
PCOculus RiftWindows Mixed Reality+4
Half-Life 2 Image
94%139.6kreviews

Half-Life 2

2004Shooter
Playstation 3Xbox 360Android+10
Resident Evil 2 Image
96%67.6kreviews

Resident Evil 2

2019Survival Shooter
Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPC+9
Silent Hill 2 Image
95%28.8kreviews

Silent Hill 2

2024Survival Action Adventure
Xbox Series X|SPCXbox Game Pass+6
More games like Black Mesa
Skip Game News

Get 7 incredible FPS games including Prey, Doom Eternal and Black Mesa for $20 in Humble's sci-fi shooter bundle

February 7 on pcgamer.com

The latest Humble Bundle gives you Black Mesa and other FPS games for under $3 each

February 3 on pcgamesn.com

10 years in the making, this total conversion based on Half-Life is every bit as ambitious as Black Mesa

December 13 on pcgamer.com

Rogue Point looks like the Rainbow Six Vegas successor I've been waiting for, from the studio that made Black Mesa

December 4 on pcgamer.com

Half-Life: Insecure Offers An Alternate Take On The Black Mesa Incident

November 13 on thegamer.com
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Black Mesa is a shooter game with warfare and science fiction themes.

Black Mesa is available on PC, Phone, Windows, Linux and others.

The main story can be completed in around 15 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 23 hours to finish. On average players spend around 34 hours playing Black Mesa.

Black Mesa was released on March 5, 2020.

Black Mesa was developed by Crowbar Collective.

Black Mesa has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its optimization.

Black Mesa is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Half-Life, Half-Life: Alyx, Half-Life 2, Resident Evil 2, Silent Hill 2 and others.