While actual retro games are our gravy at Gaming Retro UK, remakes are kind of acceptable if they fulfil a simple criteria: they’re based on a great game and remain faithful to it.
Half-Life remake Black Mesa: Definitive Edition is now available to play, and looks amazing. First released in 2015 (following life as a mod in 2012), Black Mesa is now the full package, complete with the (at first missing, and now completely reworked) Xen level. They’re done, there will be no more revisions – Black Mesa: Definitive Edition is precisely that.
Various tweaks have been made to the graphics and performance across the game:
- Complete lighting and gameplay pass to the chapter “Power Up”
- Complete redesign of second “On A Rail” map (map B)
- Significant optimizations across the whole game that will improve performance on low to mid range PCs
- Outdoor art passes for “We’ve Got Hostiles”, “On A Rail”, “Questionable Ethics”, “Surface Tension”, and “Forget About Freeman”
It may be a far cry from Half-Life: Alyx, but a hell of a lot more people will be able to play Black Mesa: Definitive Edition. Recommended system stats:
- OS: Windows® 7 (32/64-bit) or Greater (or SteamOS/Linux)
- Processor: 3.2 Quad Core Processor or Greater
- Memory: 8 GB RAM (6GB SteamOS/Linux)
- Graphics: 4 GB Dedicated Video Card or Greater
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 20 GB available space
If you already own Black Mesa, you’ll get Definitive Edition as a free upgrade. Otherwise, head to Steam to buy Black Mesa: Definitive Edition now.
(Via GamingOnLinux)
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
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