Really good remake taking many queues from Valve design post Half Life 2. Very faithful when it needs to be and unafraid to take its own direction when the source material doesn't hold up. For the most part it nails bringing Half Life up to date for modern audiences. Everything before Xen is damn near everything I could've asked for in a remake.
Xen on the other hand I'm mixed about. It feels like it's own mini campaign stapled onto Black Mesa. I appreciate all the design work that went into creating the almost entirely new version of the world but I feel Crowbar Collective went too far with it. It's 4 times as long and definitely overstays its welcome. That and they somehow made the Controllers even worse enemies than the original game. Overall the Xen chapters aren't bad but they don't really fit with the design and vibe of the rest of the game.
Xen on the other hand I'm mixed about. It feels like it's own mini campaign stapled onto Black Mesa. I appreciate all the design work that went into creating the almost entirely new version of the world but I feel Crowbar Collective went too far with it. It's 4 times as long and definitely overstays its welcome. That and they somehow made the Controllers even worse enemies than the original game. Overall the Xen chapters aren't bad but they don't really fit with the design and vibe of the rest of the game.