When people think of classic FPS games from the 90s, they often think of eitherDoomorHalf-Life. While the former helped set the stage for the genre, the latter kicked things up a notch, and although the 2004 sequel is consideredone of the best first person shooters ever made, Valve’s original release played just as pivotal a role in the industry. So vital was it, that a fan remake calledBlack Mesawas released, and now some screenshots from the work-in-progress DLC have been unleashed.
Recently, some images and teaser footage forBlue Shifthave been unveiled. The screenshots show the environments from theHalf-Lifeexpansion, while the short video aims to demonstrate some of the game’s atmospheric sounds. Currently, episodes one, two, and three are available to download, with these latest screenshots and video representing the next episode. There’s no release date for the fourth installment just yet, but it’s apparently 70% ready and due this summer.
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Black Mesa’s new campaign screenshotswere shown off last December. Referred to asOperation: Black Mesa, this new DLC aims to bring remakes of both theOpposing ForceandBlue Shiftexpansions that were originally released in 1999 and 2001, respectively. These new campaigns essentially told the story of the disaster at Black Mesa from different perspectives, with the former placing the player in the role of one of the marines, while the latter had them running around the facility as a security guard.
The fan remake of the originalHalf-Lifewas released in 2012 as a free mod before it became a fully endorsed project, with an early access version going live in 2015 and the final version releasing in 2020.Black Mesamade a number of changes to the original game. As well as a vast improvement to the visuals, it also changed up some of the environments, had new voices for all the dialogue, and significantly extended the game’s final sections that take place on the alien Xen world.
Asone of the best video games of the 90s,Half-Liferepresented not just the next stepping stone in the FPS genre, but it also helped skyrocket Valve into overnight success. It was the new studio’s first release, incorporating environmental storytelling and compelling gameplay. Given its significance in a post-Doomindustry, it’s hardly surprising that fans created a remake, and it’s nice that the studio behind it is also bringing back the expansions as well.
Half-Lifewas released in 1998 and is available on PC and PS2.
