History Awesome / BlackMesa

* First and foremost: an unofficial remake of the first Half-Life with graphics quality on par with its sequel. For ''free,'' no less!
** Even better, the team hasn't received a "cease-and-desist" order; but were instead offered the chance to ''sell it on Steam!'' For a low price, even!
* Many awesome moments from the original game return, but the CROWNING moment is a meta example: Black Mesa is a fanmade, updated re-release of the original Half Life using the Source engine. Despite using the same engine as the newer Valve games, it also has many features that those games don't, and is superior in many respects to most of what Valve has made. It was done by a group of fans on their own time.
* Also one for Valve: most video game companies would freak out if a bunch of fans started making a free, improved version of a product that they were still selling for ten dollars. Valve, on the other hand, put it up on Steam for download and said that they were just as excited for the release as everyone else was. A lot of people are taking odds as to whether or not the BM development team gets hired up by Valve.

** Related to that, the satisfaction of plugging one of those HECU Assassins with it and getting the Dead Reckoning achievement is just amazing

"[[OhCrap Son of a]]... Back up! ''back up!'' BACK THE ''[[CurseCutShort FU]]''--" ''(tank is hit by the Manta's laser and explodes)''

-->'''Scientist:''' ''[seeing the carnage]'' Look what you did!
-->'''Security Guard''': Holy ''shit''.
-->'''Scientist:''' I...''can't believe'' what you did!

--> '''Guard:''' ''Jackson?'' Good God man, how many lives do you have?!
--> '''Jackson:''' None, if it wasn't for my new buddy here.

-->"This is Mastiff-1. Multiple targets in the open. 3 o'clock! 50 metres, on the way!"\\

*** As of the Surface Tension Uncut update, there's a scene where one chases a military jet fighter (contrary to a previous scene where one was chased by a jet fighter itself) and another where it actually uses its belly cannon and ''vaporizes'' a tank that was in the way.

* A nod to the opposing forces--they're [[AdaptationalBadass much deadlier this time around]]. Examples include...

** The Tentacles you fight in the Blast Pit are a lot more sensitive to noise and movement this time around.

** The human grunts get this, too. The commandos have all their original strategic maneuvers, plus they can run ''and'' shoot, now. Oh, and they're more accurate with their guns. They even have ''medics'' this time around!
* Even the allies get some. While they still aren't as strong as the opposing forces, they're ''smarter.''
** Security guards will sneak up on enemies and put up a definite fight, lasting much longer most of the time than they normally did.
** Scientists will use caution and tend to stay out of your way more often so they don't inadvertently die as easily, and they still heal, much better actually.
* Hell, even the Alien Crafts (commonly referred to as Manta Rays or just simply Mantas by fans) are more badass than they were in the original, even though they're still simply just background objects. They don't make the same jittery movements and animations as they did in 1 due to the much more powerful engine, and [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome the dogfights they have in Forget About Freeman are absolutely stunning.]]
** As of the Surface Tension Uncut update, there's a scene where one chases a military jet fighter (contrary to a previous scene where one was chased by a jet fighter itself) and another where it actually uses its belly cannon and absolutely destroys a tank that was in the way.

* Many awesome moments from the original game return, but the CROWNING moment is a meta example: Black Mesa is a fanmade, updated re-release of the original Half Life using the Source engine. Despite using the same engine as the newer Valve games, it also has many features that those games don't, and is superior in many respects to most of what Valve has made. It was done by a group of fans on their own time. And it's ''free''.

** As of the Surface Tension Uncut update, there's a scene where one chases a military jet fighter (contrary to a previous scene where one was chased by a jet fighter itself) and another where it actually uses its belly cannon and absolutely destroys a tank that was in the way.
* Many awesome moments from the original game return, but the CROWNING moment is a meta example: Black Mesa is a fanmade, updated re-release of the original Half Life using the Source engine. Despite using the same engine as the newer Valve games, it also has many features that those games don't, and is superior in many respects to most of what Valve has made. It was done by a group of fans on their own time. And it's ''free''.
* Also one for Valve: most video game companies would freak out if a bunch of fans started making a free, improved version of a product that they were still selling for ten dollars. Valve, on the other hand, put it up on Steam for download and said that they were just as excited for the release as everyone else was. A lot of people are taking odds as to whether or not the BM development team gets hired up by Valve.

** The Houndeyes' shockwaves do more damage, and they blur your screen a little while a ringing noise fills your ears for a moment.

* Keep an old, balding guard alive during "Forget About Freeman": After the other old balding guard realizes you're not marines, we get this exchange
--> '''OOBG:''' How many lives do you have, Jackson?
--> '''Jackson:''' None, if it weren't for my new buddy here.
* Magnum ammmo is a little more plentiful in this game. As such, you'll be using it more often...and every time you kill a hostile Headcrab Zombie or military trooper with it--hell, just ''firing'' that hand-cannon, thanks to the updated graphics and sound--will make the player feel powerful.

--> '''OOBG:''' How many lives do you have, <some name that always starts with J>?
--> '''J:''' None, if it weren't for my new buddy here.

* Keep an old, balding guard alive during "Forget About Freeman": After the other old balding guard (OOBG) realizes you're not marines, we get this exchange

* A nod to the opposing forces--they're [[TookALevelInBadass deadlier this time around.]] Examples include...

** The Ichthyosaurs--they tend to lurk in murky water, so you won't see them until they're ''[[OhCrap practically on top of you.]]'' Here's hoping you've got a steady trigger finger and nerves of steel...

** The human grunts get this, too. The commandos have all their original strategic maneuvers, plus they can run ''and'' shoot, now. Oh, and they're more accurate with their guns. And they even have ''medics'' this time around!

--> '''OOBG:''' How many lives do you have, Johnson?
--> '''Johnson:''' None, if it weren't for my new buddy here.

** The human grunts get this, too. The commandos have all their original strategic maneuvers, plus they can run ''and'' shoot, now. Oh, and they're more accurate with their guns. And they even have ''medics'' this time around!

** The human grunts get this, too. The commandos have all their original strategic maneuvers, plus they can run ''and'' shoot, now. Oh, and they're more accurate with their guns.

** On the human side of things, the helicopter gunships used by the military pack a hard punch, and can take punishment just as well as they dish it out. Bring your heaviest firepower, and find cover.

* A nod to the opposing forces--they're deadlier this time around. Examples include...

* Magnum ammmo is a little more plentiful in this game. As such, you'll be using it more often...and every time you kill a hostile Headcrab Zombie or military trooper with it--hell, just ''firing'' that hand-cannon, thanks to the updated graphics and sound--will make the player feel powerful.

--> '''Johnson:''' None, if it weren't for my new buddy here.

* The [[spoiler: Lobby Ambush]] in ''Questionable Ethics". A quick but vicious fight against the toughest enemies of the game, which the player is given suitable kudos for surviving by the [[{{NPC}} NPCs]].

-->'''Scientist:''' I...''can't believe'' what you did!