'Black Mesa' Update: Fan-Made 'Half-Life' Remake Gets Next-Gen Visuals in Latest Update, More Features on the Way [DETAILS]
"Black Mesa," the fan-made remaster of the 1998 original "Half-Life" game, just got a massive update that drastically improves the graphics and visuals.
The "Half-Life" remake even looks better than the game it was based off of as the update adds real-time dynamic lights, lens flares, god rays, and a slew of other features that build on the earthbound sections of the game.
As Crowbar Collective explains of the "Black Mesa" update:
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The goal of this update is to get the released version of the game as close to our internal build as possible. This way, the final Xen release can be closer to a simple map drop; with less potential for engine and code issues affecting players on their first time playing Xen. We are hoping to test the engine and solve all feature and performance problems before the real release, so that everyone can enjoy our definitive vision of the game without issues.
The team also shared a batch of screenshots to show off the overhauled "Black Mesa" graphics, and the "Half-Life" remake truly enjoys the next-generation treatment with the update.
Crowbar Collective also provided an update on their work on the Xen chapters, explaining that the goal is to make sure this part of the game is "fun, well thought-out, and cohesive."
At this time, the Xen in "Black Mesa" includes 14 maps distributed in the final five chapters. Each of these maps are "significantly larger" than the originals.
We are putting our full effort into completing Xen in a timely manner so that everyone can have the complete "Black Mesa" experience!
As if the team could not be more impressive, they also made it their next mission to improve the prop lighting in their "Half-Life" remake. Their tweak will allow massive and detailed objects to get the proper source lighting.
The new lighting is much less flat overall, displays colours which are truer to the scene's real tone, and shadows in a much more appealing and realistic manner.
The comparison pictures taken from "Black Mesa" — one shown below — promise major enhancements.
Players can read in detail all about the changes in the "Half-Life" remake here.
