A passionate fan remake that in some parts, improves on the original. It feels a lot better to play, it sounds a lot better, and it looks so much better. I'm almost tempted to say this is the definitive Half Life One experience, but Black Mesa does a few things, particularly in the level design department I don't 100% agree with. Some of the eerie nature of HL1 is also lost a bit when it comes to how certain characters behave and talk. Furthermore, while Black Mesa's revamped Xen levels are certainly pretty and ambitious, I feel like they go on for far too long and end up dragging. Overall though, I'd say this stands toe to toe with the original, which if you know the legacy of the original Half Life, is not something that is easily done.