Lambda Core strikes me as a very interesting final Earthbound segment. The sense of finality permeates the entirety of the chapter and is instantaneous once the blast door opens up and reveals the Lambda Reactor Complex sign at the start of the level. The goal ever since the end of WGH, when the scientist tells you to seek out the Lambda Team, has been to reach this part of the facility. With the buildup of how important it is to get to this point of the story, I'd wager most players are itching to find out what crazy revelation is next in store. But the way the chapter is designed cleverly withholds a lot of this information for the second half, instead foreshadowing Gordon's eventual journey to Xen by the scientists' dialogue, where they nonchalantly talk about "teleportation labs" and the "tip of the Lambda Reactor". Obviously, if you've played the original Half-Life, you'll know what's in store, but imagine hearing those phrases for the first time ever. Teleportation? What the hell is going on? What's the Lambda Reactor??" Alongside this sense of curiosity and finality is also a feeling of foreboding. This is reflected very well in the elevator ride that opens the chapter. The music by Joel Nielsen really hammers home the fact that you're almost there, but there's still a bunch of obstacles that you need to get through first. The relative emptiness of the facility, punctuated by sudden and unexpected sequences like the Assassin fight in the cargo bay, the alien ambush at the entrance to the reactor complex, and the rumbling of the corridors because of the surface bombing keeps the chapter feeling tense and instills a sense of urgency; whatever it is the Lambda team is working on, you know that it's big and the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
I like this view on the matter of Lambda Core. It really is better when they reveal that Lambda Complex is where teleportation has been experimented on. I'd say it's also connected to Questionable Ethics by the fact that it reveals how the BMRF has been capturing the alien wildlife.
@@santinodelossantos7152 I believe the assassins only camoflage on Hard difficulty. Even then, you can always slightly see their cloak outline, it doesn't really make the encounters harder unless they are really far away and sniping you with their pistols.
That's actually because the springs on the boots were originally meant for the Combine Assassin, a cut enemy from Half-Life 2 that worked functionally identically to the Black Ops assassins. Valve repurposed the design for the Portal long fall boots.
I feel like this chapter is pretty underrated and not given enough credit to. It’s hard to put into words, but this chapter is a great “cool-down” to the chaotic and intense environment the last two chapters established. Sure it has it’s own moments such as the activating the Core itself and having grunts thrown at your face, but it’s mostly a calm puzzle section with some enemies here and there. Hell, there’s a reason why it acts as a shelter or haven for the science team. It makes for some exceptional pacing and world-building, too. Moments where you hear distant explosions or air strikes give you the sense of how the surface is still going through a constant battle and is pretty much a war zone. Makes it feel like you’re not the only one fighting through this.
I like this analysis! Lambda Core has always been "that jumping puzzle level" for the longest time to me, but I've recently become more appreciative of its slower pace like you mentioned. There's a great sense of finality in this chapter given the build up of how important it is to get to the Lambda Complex. The cold, steel corridors really accentuate the feeling of danger and hostility that is still present.
Usually the chapters without hyper action are the underrated ones, which is understandable, but after the QE-ST-FAF action spam it was definitely fitting to have LC as , in your words, a cool-down chapter. That aside, I'm a big nerd for science fiction, and I /love/ how CC made the Lambda Reactor Complex... /complex/ (pun intended kek) and simply well-crafted, so this is definitely my favorite earthbound chapter. Plus points to it being the place where we get the Gluon Gun, as well. Yum.
It was one of my favorite chapters back when I was a kid, but I'm not sure why. Maybe because I love the sci-fi aesthetics and pretty much prefer to kill monsters than soldiers.
It's definitely confusing at times. When I first played I kept thinking there was something I needed to do in the coolant tanks, rather than having to solely go for the switch in the pump stations. I think the game could have simply forced players to go to the maintenance room and have the scientist there explain what he has to do before even letting them go to the coolant tanks themselves.
Yeah, this map had me so lost. It was the only one I had to look up a walkthrough for. I had no idea which switch or button I was supposed to be pushing and in what order.
Yeah, in the 1.0 version they absolutely SHREDDED your health before you can even get to cover. Don't know why it was like that because in previous versions you always had time to seek cover. But this revamped layout is great like you said. Forces players to utilize the entire loading bay area more instead of booking it straight to the stairs. And adds an awesome cat and mouse gameplay element when hiding in the containers ;)
YOU FOOLNESS CRAP!!!!! I DON'T LEAVE THIS NIGGA HLALYX'S ARMS RACE AS CRAPNESS!!!!! IT WILL BE REPLACED BY HL2'S WATER HAZARD!!!!!!! AGAAAAAAAIN!!!!!, 5:55 - 5:57
I like how they introduce the teleporting mechanic here in a more "controlled" environment before your bouncing around Xen like a mad man. It helps to explain from a story perspective the pieces that are escalating into the final confrontation. It's just good build up to me, and the additions in black mesa specifically of various scientist and their funny little conversations add more life to an area that is..relatively speaking, less damaged than the rest of Black Mesa.
For sure, Lambda Core definitely holds a special place amongst all the other chapters because it does feel like an "endgame" type of level, but not in the typical "throw enemies into your face" kind of way (though that battle at the top of the reactor is indeed pretty great).
Blue collar, underpaid, jaded ex-cop, security guard: "Have you ever seen anything like this?" Theoretical physicist holding a gluon gun, who cannonballs himself into toxic coolant like its no biggie: "..."
Quick note on a change I made that is not part of the base game: I really love the opening few seconds of Joel Nielsen's "Lambda Core" track, but this portion is omitted from the in-game version and can only be found on the album release. I always thought that it'd fit in the game if it looped over and over after Freeman flips the breaker for the elevator until the lift descends, so I bought the track from Bandcamp and incorporated it into the gameplay by looping the first part of the .wav file until the in-game version starts. I'm pleased with the results and hopefully it's seamless when you watch the video (I looped the track from 0:50 to 1:05).
@@nin10dogmod90 unfortunately, I was an idiot and deleted all my working files after I rendered the video. So the Lambda Core track is deleted from my PC. But you can always just buy it for $1.50 USD from Bandcamp if you really want that version of the song. Otherwise it's on youtube as well.
0:50 - 2:08 This has to be my favorite chapter intro of the game. It's one of my favorite Joel tracks as well and it melds smoothly with the waiting in the elevator. I got goosebumps when the title "LAMBDA CORE" appears at the exact moment the music ramps up at 1:05, and then again at 1:20 when you/Gordon reload your weapons and prepare for the secrets and challenges you'll find in what it might be your last mission. As you said, Gordon spent much of the game desperately aiming to get to this point with all the others' support and hope pinned on him, and this sequence conveys the appropriate sense of finality after all the build-up. (Also, the song ends precisely with a killshot 2:07 I see what you did there)
I like how this level is similar in design to Blast Pit, but everything is clean. The cooling pools almost look refreshing and have a nice blue color, in contrast to the green radioactive sludge in Blast Pit. You get the impression that Blast Pit is the "heart" of Black Mesa, while Lambda is the "brains."
Lambda Core really shows how advanced Black Mesa actually is. It really does seem like the brain, with all the high-tech equipment compared to the rest of the facility.
Thanks. When I was approaching this encounter, the thing that i wanted to highlight was the "Think" portion of Half-Life's "Run. Think. Shoot. Live" motto. I always thought that Gordon Freeman's success against all odds was not only because he's a good fighter, but also because of his smarts and the way he can outsmart others. I wanted this segment to feel like a Jason Bourne movie where he uses all the resources at his disposal to get an upper hand over the enemy.
Interesting! Did it also have that idle animation where Gordon fidgets with the handle? Just wondering if that was originally to toggle the firemode on that gun hah
For some reason I always forget Lambda Core is a full chapter. Like after the climax of actually reaching it after Surface Tension and Forget About Freeman my mind just remembers it as like some cutscenes and then going straight to Xen.
Perhaps it's because it's not as setpiece heavy as the former two chapters! I've actually grown to like and look forward to Lambda Core more and more on each subsequent playthrough - something about navigating the Lambda Complex gives a great sense of finality
Awesome!! I was excited to see how you took care of the assassins. Seems like everyone has their own way. I love this level so much. It was my favorite in the base game.
My goal for that assassin fight was to utilize all the weapons at Gordon's disposal, and really make it seem like he's Jason Bourne, in the sense that he is vastly outnumbered but still manages to gain the upper hand and win because of his ingenuity with the resources around him. That's why I opted to use tripmines, satchels, and the snarks mostly :)
I'd say that you are as close to '' canon" Freeman as we are going to get. Carefully planing out incouters, using strategy and how you slowly walk observing everything around you is also how I'd imagine a real person would act in that situation
no a real person would panic, shit his balls and then stumble into a mine that they didn't see like what happened to that poor scientist at the start of we got hostiles. Gordon freeman is truly one of a kind and is the main reason why the Gman goes for him
I've been really enjoying this playthrough! You really make it feel almost like a movie, and the way you time things to the music..! I know a lot of people see the cool blue glow of the coolant pools and think it's relaxing, but it gives me the heeby-jeebies in a way that the original in HL1 didn't. The color is just a little too much like what I saw inside a live research reactor. When the water glows that blue, you know the fission chain reaction is active. Edit: Upon second thought and referring back to a picture I took, the real-life color is a darker blue and the glow is localized to the fuel rods, but you know what? The visuals here _feel_ accurate at first blush, and so I approvve regardless
Wow, I didn't realise they reskinned the egon-gun's creator to look like an actual ghostbuster xD Cool touch treating each LAYDEE with a different cause of death and in return they treated you with a unique death pose too. I particularly liked how you forced the one at 5:45 to reveal her position by releasing the Snarks, so she could be served a 3.57 xD I knew you were styling out when you pulled out that Tau cannon for the last one, lol. That was well worth the wait.
That reskin is actually not part of the base game. It comes alongside the BMCE mod that I'm using (this was responsible for the more varied character models, hats and faces in past chapters). I'm pretty proud of that Snark part as well. I didn't expect it to go as well as it did!
Nice going in this chapter. You made short work of those Assasins. I always wondered how they got down here, since looks like no one else could except haxxor aliens using teleport. I really feel for new players trying to navigate the Lambda core without knowing what they'd supposed to do. Crowbar Collective added a lot more detail to make it more realistic, but at the same time it made it more labyrinthine. Good on you for using the Gluon gun. I'm somewhat of a hoarder in games, so I'm always keeping that energy weapon ammo for later, tougher fights, that never come :D (On that note, I guess I should buy the new Resident Evil games because I'd crush those XD )
Yeah, I guess the implication is that those Black Ops assassins were skilled enough to infiltrate the Lambda Complex without having to brute force their way through scores of alien forces. Not that it mattered anyway once they were pitted against a theoretical physicist with tripmines and snarks ;) Lambda Core is definitely not friendly to new players. However, like you said, the added detail really makes the complex seem like it could exist in real life. I've worked in a water treatment plant before and this level was just going through my head whenever I entered the plant itself lol. And yes, I'm also a hoarder when it comes to powerful weapons and saving their ammo. I realized through going this chapter multiple times that they really do spoil you with Gluon ammo if you knew where to look, which is why I elected to use it more (beyond the fact that I wanted to show it in action after having freshly acquired it).
Strangely felt that Lambda Core was one of the weaker parts of the game. Maybe because I knew the journey was coming to an end for Freeman, but that was original Half Life vibes; this is once again exquisite and has definitely changed my mind 😎
I do like this version more than Half-Life 1's as well. The added detail does make it confusing (especially for new players, that teleporter puzzle must be brutal), but it makes the facility seem that much more realistic.
Ahh, yes, the pipe parkour chapter The elevator satchel charge trick? Amazing. At first I was like "There's no way this is gonna work" but then it did Also that added music intro is 👌👌👌👌 perfection
The part with sending a bomb via elevator reminded me about similar trick in VtMB - during endgame, when you have an option of using explosives to deal with enemy troops. But there it was a scripted option, not something executed by player's creativity.
Thanks :) that idea of sending the satchel up the lift had been in my head for some time (I think I did it in my 2019 playthrough too). It's something that I KNOW I had to do because I always thought that Freeman would be looking for ways to outsmart his enemies, given that he's vastly outnumbered.
@@Sexy_Nutella "Damn it, Eli, I'm a doctor, not a soldier!" Stepping aside from game logic, Freeman was probably often forced to rely on tricks and misdirections to get through all that madness. Closer to "Splinter Cell" than "Doom")
Freeman enters the lambda complex by its back entrance, he would fight a black ops team and would finally enter the area, freeman would have to turn on the coolant systems, all while the full-scale war happens on the surface.
La verdad me gusto el nuevo cambio del lugar *(Lambda Core)* fue algo increíble y también los alienígenas......... Q bueno q volviste *Sexy Nutella* extrañe tus video ^^........espero q sigas así, te deseo lo mejor👍🏻.
Gracias por ser paciente. El trabajo ha sido muy duro últimamente, así que no tuve tanto tiempo para subir. ¡Espero que valió la pena esperar este video!
4:28 As the Black Ops arrive at Black Mesa to clean up the mess the HECU failed to contain, they started to execute the Xen invaders, the rest of the remaining HECU marines, and another force that'll become a threat soon. Despite the odds, Gordon Freeman, with his HEV suit and arsenal, could defend himself from the Black Op units that entered near the Lambda Complex, killing some of the personnel. Meanwhile Gordon is in the Lambda Complex, Adrian faces the consequences of the ongoing war on the surface. I wanted to dive deep into the lore.
Foreshadowing: Despite the HECU have been given orders to retreat from Black Mesa, these Black Ops assassins are still around in the facility. If you take it as face value, it seems that they got left behind. However as shown in Opposing Force, these Black Ops assassins are actually there to wipe out all personnel including HECU marines that got left behind like Adrian Shephard and blow up the entire facility.
I never had a Barnacle swallow one before! I've only ever had it pick up a live grenade but they've always detonated before entering the mouth. What happens if it swallows a grenade that hasn't been primed yet?
This chapter right here IS Black Mesa to me. After all the wild action and spectacle of the previous chapters, you’re left in this empty, silent labryinth of machinery and high-tech. It feels oppressive because of how artificial an environment it is, deep into the Earth, no organic life whatsoever, tight corridors, just disorienting overall. In fact, arriving to Xen ironically feels soothing; you finally have an open world, life around you, a sky above you, etc. If this kind of cold high-tech void is the world the Freeman calls his home, it’s not too far a stretch to imagine him being able to tolerate the world of Xen.
Excellent commentary; yeah the cold steel of Lambda Core is really quite daunting when compared to Xen. Love this part of the game for the atmosphere it creates.
Ahhh yes, the last time freeman will ever see black mesa, and the last chapter before xen... Seeing the facility mostly abandoned and full of aliens is a really good way to show us how the alien invasion has taken over, not even the military is there anymore to try and stop them, they gave up and had to run away and those who didn't are just trying to keep themselves alive. Do you know why opossing force is my favourite dlc? Because it has the same feeling this chapter has, no one is there anymore, just aliens killing humans and humans trying to survive... 21:24 why that floating👀
I realized when I was recording that I should have visited that area at the end, but I already did at the start of the video, so I didn't want to go back up there. So I improvised xD
32:56 Guard: "You ever seen anything like this?" Scientist with a superweapon who has spent the whole day slaughtering soldiers and aliens: "..." Guard: "...Yeah let's go". 35:29 Yeah thanks guard, you got one. 😅
I always wondered why people said the assassins where so hard to kill, then I reached those containers where the final Assasin fight takes place and realised why, I have ptsd from that day onwards
Just a heads up about the song Harbinger in the latter part of Xen, The Definitive Edition speaks loudly the work of Gordon and how he really is the ‘bringer of change’ to Xen, But just an idea, you could use the original iTunes release of Harbinger, which is more reminiscent to the menu music used in the PS2 release of Half-Life. IMO, it speaks more volumes of the series in general-adding just an extra layer of depth regarding the Black-Mesa Incident and the resonance of Freeman’s accidents through it. Just a thought though.
Are you referring to this version? th-cam.com/video/kd2IxztOvIw/w-d-xo.html Good suggestion, I actually do love the piano in this one. Although I know that Joel deliberately made a "V2" version of Harbinger because he didn't think the original version fit the game. I'll have to see when I get to that point of Interloper.
Lamba core, i really like this chapter in ther original game. But here In Black Mesa the begining where you have to active the reactors is very confusing for me. Altough i admit the rest of the chapter is so cool. Keep it on, you are almost in Xen.
You're not alone, I was super confused the first time I went through this chapter too. The incredible detail they added makes the space actually feel lived-in, but like you said it also lead to a lot of confusion lol
Alternate Crossbow Scope: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2309251960 Glock Sprint Animation Fixed (when you run you can see both hands): steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1993171194 Particle Enhancement Project: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1945786736 Permanent Bloodpools: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2288289404 Improved Viewmodel Blood: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=453382921 BMCE: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2068862348
To be honest, probably not for a while. I'd rather do some other videos rather than revisit an old game with a full playthrough. Though I do intend to get some videos of some of my favourite moments in that game up at some point.
@@Sexy_Nutella The bride tried to assassinate Bud with a katana sword in his trailer car(he also a hightly trained assassin), she opened the door and rushed inside, but got shot in the chest by a shotgun loaded with a salt rock xD She flew right outside as soon as she stepped inside xD
![Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 14b - Lambda Core [Hard]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/i2aZDafVR3M/mqdefault.jpg)
![Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 14b - Lambda Core [Hard]](/img/tr.png)
![Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 12c - Surface Tension [Hard]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qTD_Xe5XSB0/mqdefault.jpg)
![[WORLD RECORD] Half-Life 1 NO DEATHS/NO SAVES Speedrun in 27:21](/img/n.gif)
Lambda Core strikes me as a very interesting final Earthbound segment. The sense of finality permeates the entirety of the chapter and is instantaneous once the blast door opens up and reveals the Lambda Reactor Complex sign at the start of the level.
The goal ever since the end of WGH, when the scientist tells you to seek out the Lambda Team, has been to reach this part of the facility. With the buildup of how important it is to get to this point of the story, I'd wager most players are itching to find out what crazy revelation is next in store. But the way the chapter is designed cleverly withholds a lot of this information for the second half, instead foreshadowing Gordon's eventual journey to Xen by the scientists' dialogue, where they nonchalantly talk about "teleportation labs" and the "tip of the Lambda Reactor". Obviously, if you've played the original Half-Life, you'll know what's in store, but imagine hearing those phrases for the first time ever. Teleportation? What the hell is going on? What's the Lambda Reactor??"
Alongside this sense of curiosity and finality is also a feeling of foreboding. This is reflected very well in the elevator ride that opens the chapter. The music by Joel Nielsen really hammers home the fact that you're almost there, but there's still a bunch of obstacles that you need to get through first. The relative emptiness of the facility, punctuated by sudden and unexpected sequences like the Assassin fight in the cargo bay, the alien ambush at the entrance to the reactor complex, and the rumbling of the corridors because of the surface bombing keeps the chapter feeling tense and instills a sense of urgency; whatever it is the Lambda team is working on, you know that it's big and the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
I like this view on the matter of Lambda Core. It really is better when they reveal that Lambda Complex is where teleportation has been experimented on. I'd say it's also connected to Questionable Ethics by the fact that it reveals how the BMRF has been capturing the alien wildlife.
@@delta9685Nice analysis! It did give off the same vibe of discovering a dirty little secret in Black Mesa
@@Sexy_Nutella lol "dirty secret" is a great choice of words. Thanks for replying! :D
The fact that there is maintenance in his game 😲
Xen = The Cave of the Past
7:26 "Draw me like one of your Assassin girls"
those assasings have camoflage now ? :)
@@santinodelossantos7152 I believe the assassins only camoflage on Hard difficulty. Even then, you can always slightly see their cloak outline, it doesn't really make the encounters harder unless they are really far away and sniping you with their pistols.
😂
6:30 Wow, those boots look extremely similar to Portal ones, which explains how assasins can make high jumps with no damage.
Yup. I loved that bit of lore in the game, really sells the Aperture Science/Black Mesa rivalry as well.
That's actually because the springs on the boots were originally meant for the Combine Assassin, a cut enemy from Half-Life 2 that worked functionally identically to the Black Ops assassins. Valve repurposed the design for the Portal long fall boots.
I feel like this chapter is pretty underrated and not given enough credit to. It’s hard to put into words, but this chapter is a great “cool-down” to the chaotic and intense environment the last two chapters established. Sure it has it’s own moments such as the activating the Core itself and having grunts thrown at your face, but it’s mostly a calm puzzle section with some enemies here and there. Hell, there’s a reason why it acts as a shelter or haven for the science team. It makes for some exceptional pacing and world-building, too. Moments where you hear distant explosions or air strikes give you the sense of how the surface is still going through a constant battle and is pretty much a war zone. Makes it feel like you’re not the only one fighting through this.
I like this analysis! Lambda Core has always been "that jumping puzzle level" for the longest time to me, but I've recently become more appreciative of its slower pace like you mentioned. There's a great sense of finality in this chapter given the build up of how important it is to get to the Lambda Complex. The cold, steel corridors really accentuate the feeling of danger and hostility that is still present.
Usually the chapters without hyper action are the underrated ones, which is understandable, but after the QE-ST-FAF action spam it was definitely fitting to have LC as , in your words, a cool-down chapter. That aside, I'm a big nerd for science fiction, and I /love/ how CC made the Lambda Reactor Complex... /complex/ (pun intended kek) and simply well-crafted, so this is definitely my favorite earthbound chapter. Plus points to it being the place where we get the Gluon Gun, as well. Yum.
@@pizzazzindoofus Yeah, the art and environmental design of the Lambda Complex is great :) So much detail in every room!
It was one of my favorite chapters back when I was a kid, but I'm not sure why. Maybe because I love the sci-fi aesthetics and pretty much prefer to kill monsters than soldiers.
@@AndersonMallony-EricCF lol yea
No matter how many times I play Half Life, I always get a little lost in Lambda Core
It's definitely confusing at times. When I first played I kept thinking there was something I needed to do in the coolant tanks, rather than having to solely go for the switch in the pump stations. I think the game could have simply forced players to go to the maintenance room and have the scientist there explain what he has to do before even letting them go to the coolant tanks themselves.
Yeah, this map had me so lost. It was the only one I had to look up a walkthrough for. I had no idea which switch or button I was supposed to be pushing and in what order.
I really like the new Assassin arena layout. Makes me feel like I stand 0.7% more of a chance against those demons.
Yeah, in the 1.0 version they absolutely SHREDDED your health before you can even get to cover. Don't know why it was like that because in previous versions you always had time to seek cover. But this revamped layout is great like you said. Forces players to utilize the entire loading bay area more instead of booking it straight to the stairs. And adds an awesome cat and mouse gameplay element when hiding in the containers ;)
YOU FOOLNESS CRAP!!!!! I DON'T LEAVE THIS NIGGA HLALYX'S ARMS RACE AS CRAPNESS!!!!! IT WILL BE REPLACED BY HL2'S WATER HAZARD!!!!!!! AGAAAAAAAIN!!!!!, 5:55 - 5:57
I like how they introduce the teleporting mechanic here in a more "controlled" environment before your bouncing around Xen like a mad man. It helps to explain from a story perspective the pieces that are escalating into the final confrontation. It's just good build up to me, and the additions in black mesa specifically of various scientist and their funny little conversations add more life to an area that is..relatively speaking, less damaged than the rest of Black Mesa.
For sure, Lambda Core definitely holds a special place amongst all the other chapters because it does feel like an "endgame" type of level, but not in the typical "throw enemies into your face" kind of way (though that battle at the top of the reactor is indeed pretty great).
Blue collar, underpaid, jaded ex-cop, security guard: "Have you ever seen anything like this?"
Theoretical physicist holding a gluon gun, who cannonballs himself into toxic coolant like its no biggie: "..."
Gordon's HEV suit is probably just covered with the blood and giblets of HECU and Xenians alike at this point as well haha!
@@Sexy_Nutella hahah, you can't make that up! Some of those "dialogues" seem so bang on :D
Quick note on a change I made that is not part of the base game:
I really love the opening few seconds of Joel Nielsen's "Lambda Core" track, but this portion is omitted from the in-game version and can only be found on the album release. I always thought that it'd fit in the game if it looped over and over after Freeman flips the breaker for the elevator until the lift descends, so I bought the track from Bandcamp and incorporated it into the gameplay by looping the first part of the .wav file until the in-game version starts. I'm pleased with the results and hopefully it's seamless when you watch the video (I looped the track from 0:50 to 1:05).
Download from your edit?
@@nin10dogmod90 unfortunately, I was an idiot and deleted all my working files after I rendered the video. So the Lambda Core track is deleted from my PC. But you can always just buy it for $1.50 USD from Bandcamp if you really want that version of the song. Otherwise it's on youtube as well.
@@Sexy_Nutella why would anyone buy it if it's free on youtube 🤔
@@Infamous_Val_05 I bought it to support the creator.
if u ever get the chance please upload it as a mod on the steam workshop that would be EPIC
Surface tension gargantua: takes around 12 seconds to break open the gate. Lambda core alien grunt: TAKES 1 SECOND TO OPEN THE GATE 9:50
Haha! Alien Grunts are strong af I guess
i like how paranoid the player is in the container room
Ah yes freeman fought miles just to get to a reactor, but his journey dosent stop there. Good luck.
Yeah, I love this chapter because it really makes going to Xen seem like a big deal.
Hey, so can you make a vedio on how to donload mods for black mesa and half life goldsrc, please?
0:50 - 2:08
This has to be my favorite chapter intro of the game. It's one of my favorite Joel tracks as well and it melds smoothly with the waiting in the elevator.
I got goosebumps when the title "LAMBDA CORE" appears at the exact moment the music ramps up at 1:05, and then again at 1:20 when you/Gordon reload your weapons and prepare for the secrets and challenges you'll find in what it might be your last mission. As you said, Gordon spent much of the game desperately aiming to get to this point with all the others' support and hope pinned on him, and this sequence conveys the appropriate sense of finality after all the build-up. (Also, the song ends precisely with a killshot 2:07 I see what you did there)
Glad you appreciate the timings. I made sure to swing my mouse so that the Lambda Core title crawl happens in tandem with the sign right above it :)
I like how this level is similar in design to Blast Pit, but everything is clean. The cooling pools almost look refreshing and have a nice blue color, in contrast to the green radioactive sludge in Blast Pit. You get the impression that Blast Pit is the "heart" of Black Mesa, while Lambda is the "brains."
Lambda Core really shows how advanced Black Mesa actually is. It really does seem like the brain, with all the high-tech equipment compared to the rest of the facility.
Seeing those Black ops being outsmarted in that way Made this chapter more amazing that it could be normally. Great Job on this, man. ❤️
Thanks. When I was approaching this encounter, the thing that i wanted to highlight was the "Think" portion of Half-Life's "Run. Think. Shoot. Live" motto. I always thought that Gordon Freeman's success against all odds was not only because he's a good fighter, but also because of his smarts and the way he can outsmart others. I wanted this segment to feel like a Jason Bourne movie where he uses all the resources at his disposal to get an upper hand over the enemy.
The Gluon Gun was supposed to have an actual alt fire in the original game, but it got cut.
Interesting! Did it also have that idle animation where Gordon fidgets with the handle? Just wondering if that was originally to toggle the firemode on that gun hah
What did the alt fire mode do? Would be cool if someone added it to a mod
@@matthayward7889 this video explains: th-cam.com/video/YLqwlGq4A_o/w-d-xo.html
@@Sexy_Nutella Yep, & Yep.
@@lyokianhitchhiker thanks!
For some reason I always forget Lambda Core is a full chapter. Like after the climax of actually reaching it after Surface Tension and Forget About Freeman my mind just remembers it as like some cutscenes and then going straight to Xen.
Perhaps it's because it's not as setpiece heavy as the former two chapters! I've actually grown to like and look forward to Lambda Core more and more on each subsequent playthrough - something about navigating the Lambda Complex gives a great sense of finality
Awesome!! I was excited to see how you took care of the assassins. Seems like everyone has their own way. I love this level so much. It was my favorite in the base game.
My goal for that assassin fight was to utilize all the weapons at Gordon's disposal, and really make it seem like he's Jason Bourne, in the sense that he is vastly outnumbered but still manages to gain the upper hand and win because of his ingenuity with the resources around him. That's why I opted to use tripmines, satchels, and the snarks mostly :)
I'd say that you are as close to '' canon" Freeman as we are going to get. Carefully planing out incouters, using strategy and how you slowly walk observing everything around you is also how I'd imagine a real person would act in that situation
I'm glad - that was definitely my approach to this series
no a real person would panic, shit his balls and then stumble into a mine that they didn't see like what happened to that poor scientist at the start of we got hostiles.
Gordon freeman is truly one of a kind and is the main reason why the Gman goes for him
When Freeman is more trained assassin than assassin's themselves . :)
Freeman assassinated the assassins for sure ;)
Assassinception :^
As always with this channel great entertainment. Well done mate 👍
Glad you enjoy it!
I've been really enjoying this playthrough! You really make it feel almost like a movie, and the way you time things to the music..!
I know a lot of people see the cool blue glow of the coolant pools and think it's relaxing, but it gives me the heeby-jeebies in a way that the original in HL1 didn't. The color is just a little too much like what I saw inside a live research reactor. When the water glows that blue, you know the fission chain reaction is active.
Edit: Upon second thought and referring back to a picture I took, the real-life color is a darker blue and the glow is localized to the fuel rods, but you know what? The visuals here _feel_ accurate at first blush, and so I approvve regardless
That's awesome! I saw footage of nuclear reactor startups and they look so similar to the Lambda Reactor I was amazed.
@@Sexy_Nutella Yeah, the people who designed the Lambda Reactor *had* to be working off images of real water-cooled reactors.
Wow, I didn't realise they reskinned the egon-gun's creator to look like an actual ghostbuster xD Cool touch treating each LAYDEE with a different cause of death and in return they treated you with a unique death pose too. I particularly liked how you forced the one at 5:45 to reveal her position by releasing the Snarks, so she could be served a 3.57 xD I knew you were styling out when you pulled out that Tau cannon for the last one, lol. That was well worth the wait.
That reskin is actually not part of the base game. It comes alongside the BMCE mod that I'm using (this was responsible for the more varied character models, hats and faces in past chapters). I'm pretty proud of that Snark part as well. I didn't expect it to go as well as it did!
@@Sexy_Nutella aaah, I see! Good that you've put your own flare there indeed :-] Looking forward to the next episodes!
Yey! Finally one of my favorite chapters!
It's a great chapter for sure. I didn't mind the platforming because I love how you can see that you're climbing the reactor and making progress.
Aw yess, this was one of my favourite chapters in Black Mesa
It is one of mine as well :)
Nice man finally you create new video again and almost to the XEN
Yes. Thanks for the patience. Xen is just one video away now!
whenever i hear the word "Lambda Core" I immediately think of the Half-life 2 music of the same name (btw good video)
God I love that track from HL2. The part where it plays with the Hunter-Chopper chasing Gordon is one of the best parts of that game for me.
Nice going in this chapter. You made short work of those Assasins. I always wondered how they got down here, since looks like no one else could except haxxor aliens using teleport.
I really feel for new players trying to navigate the Lambda core without knowing what they'd supposed to do. Crowbar Collective added a lot more detail to make it more realistic, but at the same time it made it more labyrinthine.
Good on you for using the Gluon gun. I'm somewhat of a hoarder in games, so I'm always keeping that energy weapon ammo for later, tougher fights, that never come :D (On that note, I guess I should buy the new Resident Evil games because I'd crush those XD )
Yeah, I guess the implication is that those Black Ops assassins were skilled enough to infiltrate the Lambda Complex without having to brute force their way through scores of alien forces. Not that it mattered anyway once they were pitted against a theoretical physicist with tripmines and snarks ;)
Lambda Core is definitely not friendly to new players. However, like you said, the added detail really makes the complex seem like it could exist in real life. I've worked in a water treatment plant before and this level was just going through my head whenever I entered the plant itself lol.
And yes, I'm also a hoarder when it comes to powerful weapons and saving their ammo. I realized through going this chapter multiple times that they really do spoil you with Gluon ammo if you knew where to look, which is why I elected to use it more (beyond the fact that I wanted to show it in action after having freshly acquired it).
1:46 There is really a combine(or HL2) touch in this part of the track.
Yeah, it definitely reminded me of "Guard Down" from HL2EP1
Strangely felt that Lambda Core was one of the weaker parts of the game. Maybe because I knew the journey was coming to an end for Freeman, but that was original Half Life vibes; this is once again exquisite and has definitely changed my mind 😎
I do like this version more than Half-Life 1's as well. The added detail does make it confusing (especially for new players, that teleporter puzzle must be brutal), but it makes the facility seem that much more realistic.
You are the best hf/bm player I've ever seen until now.
Thanks, that means a lot. Hopefully I can keep that going till the end of the game!
Ahh, yes, the pipe parkour chapter
The elevator satchel charge trick? Amazing. At first I was like "There's no way this is gonna work" but then it did
Also that added music intro is 👌👌👌👌 perfection
The part with sending a bomb via elevator reminded me about similar trick in VtMB - during endgame, when you have an option of using explosives to deal with enemy troops. But there it was a scripted option, not something executed by player's creativity.
Thanks :) that idea of sending the satchel up the lift had been in my head for some time (I think I did it in my 2019 playthrough too). It's something that I KNOW I had to do because I always thought that Freeman would be looking for ways to outsmart his enemies, given that he's vastly outnumbered.
@@Sexy_Nutella "Damn it, Eli, I'm a doctor, not a soldier!"
Stepping aside from game logic, Freeman was probably often forced to rely on tricks and misdirections to get through all that madness. Closer to "Splinter Cell" than "Doom")
Freeman enters the lambda complex by its back entrance, he would fight a black ops team and would finally enter the area, freeman would have to turn on the coolant systems, all while the full-scale war happens on the surface.
La verdad me gusto el nuevo cambio del lugar *(Lambda Core)* fue algo increíble y también los alienígenas.........
Q bueno q volviste *Sexy Nutella* extrañe tus video ^^........espero q sigas así, te deseo lo mejor👍🏻.
Gracias por ser paciente. El trabajo ha sido muy duro últimamente, así que no tuve tanto tiempo para subir. ¡Espero que valió la pena esperar este video!
@@Sexy_Nutella Ntp yo sere paciente de esperar te deseo suerte en tu trabajo👍🏻
4:28
As the Black Ops arrive at Black Mesa to clean up the mess the HECU failed to contain, they started to execute the Xen invaders, the rest of the remaining HECU marines, and another force that'll become a threat soon. Despite the odds, Gordon Freeman, with his HEV suit and arsenal, could defend himself from the Black Op units that entered near the Lambda Complex, killing some of the personnel. Meanwhile Gordon is in the Lambda Complex, Adrian faces the consequences of the ongoing war on the surface.
I wanted to dive deep into the lore.
half-Life lore is so extensive, I love it!
Common enemies:
Houndeye
Vortigaunt
Alien Grunt
Hecu soldiers
Headcrabs
Uncommon:
Headcrab zombies
Bull-squid
Rare:
Black ops
Stabby trees
Rock covered houndeyes
Baby headcrabs
Xen controllers
Tentacles
Legendary:
Gonarch
Nihilanth
Not yet spawned:
Race X
Outstanding! 👍
Thanks for the kind words :)
this remake is awesome
Honestly one of the best remakes of any game I've seen.
Foreshadowing: Despite the HECU have been given orders to retreat from Black Mesa, these Black Ops assassins are still around in the facility. If you take it as face value, it seems that they got left behind. However as shown in Opposing Force, these Black Ops assassins are actually there to wipe out all personnel including HECU marines that got left behind like Adrian Shephard and blow up the entire facility.
watching these walkrhroughs as a new black mesa player feels like receiving a new assignment from your teacher
Good job! When I was playing Black Mesa, I discovered that barnacles can swallow grenades.
I never had a Barnacle swallow one before! I've only ever had it pick up a live grenade but they've always detonated before entering the mouth. What happens if it swallows a grenade that hasn't been primed yet?
@@Sexy_Nutella when barnacle swallows one, it just detonates
16:20
Man, that guard at 15:46 sure wasnt kidding about "old man
This chapter right here IS Black Mesa to me. After all the wild action and spectacle of the previous chapters, you’re left in this empty, silent labryinth of machinery and high-tech. It feels oppressive because of how artificial an environment it is, deep into the Earth, no organic life whatsoever, tight corridors, just disorienting overall. In fact, arriving to Xen ironically feels soothing; you finally have an open world, life around you, a sky above you, etc. If this kind of cold high-tech void is the world the Freeman calls his home, it’s not too far a stretch to imagine him being able to tolerate the world of Xen.
Excellent commentary; yeah the cold steel of Lambda Core is really quite daunting when compared to Xen. Love this part of the game for the atmosphere it creates.
Good vídeo!
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed!
the chapter name sync deserves an oscar
my man it is 4 am and I’ve been fuckin waiting
I am sorry to do that to you! Hopefully you were still able to get some sleep haha
Ahhh yes, the last time freeman will ever see black mesa, and the last chapter before xen...
Seeing the facility mostly abandoned and full of aliens is a really good way to show us how the alien invasion has taken over, not even the military is there anymore to try and stop them, they gave up and had to run away and those who didn't are just trying to keep themselves alive.
Do you know why opossing force is my favourite dlc? Because it has the same feeling this chapter has, no one is there anymore, just aliens killing humans and humans trying to survive...
21:24 why that floating👀
Yeah, the lack of HECU really sells that it's up to you to stop the aliens now.
33:20 hmmm, creative
I realized when I was recording that I should have visited that area at the end, but I already did at the start of the video, so I didn't want to go back up there. So I improvised xD
32:56
Guard: "You ever seen anything like this?"
Scientist with a superweapon who has spent the whole day slaughtering soldiers and aliens: "..."
Guard: "...Yeah let's go".
35:29 Yeah thanks guard, you got one. 😅
That Barnacle kill was hilarious. At least he...helped?
7:27 - "Paint me like one of your french assassins."
I always wondered why people said the assassins where so hard to kill, then I reached those containers where the final Assasin fight takes place and realised why, I have ptsd from that day onwards
Yeah, they are tough for sure
nice!
Thanks mate :)
are you running an appearance mod? I didnt see some of these unique guard and scientist outfits in my playthrough...
Yeah, I'm running the BMCE mod that gives NPCs more varied faces and attire.
Bellissimo, bravo! 👍
Grazie per le gentili parole :)
I am so excited for you to go to XEN whoops I pooped myself there
I am excited too. It's been a long time coming!
nice
Thanks! :)
Just a heads up about the song Harbinger in the latter part of Xen,
The Definitive Edition speaks loudly the work of Gordon and how he really is the ‘bringer of change’ to Xen,
But just an idea, you could use the original iTunes release of Harbinger, which is more reminiscent to the menu music used in the PS2 release of Half-Life. IMO, it speaks more volumes of the series in general-adding just an extra layer of depth regarding the Black-Mesa Incident and the resonance of Freeman’s accidents through it.
Just a thought though.
Are you referring to this version? th-cam.com/video/kd2IxztOvIw/w-d-xo.html
Good suggestion, I actually do love the piano in this one. Although I know that Joel deliberately made a "V2" version of Harbinger because he didn't think the original version fit the game. I'll have to see when I get to that point of Interloper.
Lamba core, i really like this chapter in ther original game. But here In Black Mesa the begining where you have to active the reactors is very confusing for me. Altough i admit the rest of the chapter is so cool. Keep it on, you are almost in Xen.
You're not alone, I was super confused the first time I went through this chapter too. The incredible detail they added makes the space actually feel lived-in, but like you said it also lead to a lot of confusion lol
How did you manage to play at high graphics without lagging?
Also tnx for the tips for lamda cores
It's really just a matter of me having a rig powerful enough for the game I guess. Black Mesa is undoubtedly demanding though
Yessssss👍
Hope you enjoy!
And the vortigaunts says "Galunga" in this remake ot "Half-life".
Galalung!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙
Word
👍👍👍👍👍
Can you make a list of all of the mods you're using?
Alternate Crossbow Scope:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2309251960
Glock Sprint Animation Fixed (when you run you can see both hands):
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1993171194
Particle Enhancement Project:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1945786736
Permanent Bloodpools:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2288289404
Improved Viewmodel Blood:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=453382921
BMCE:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2068862348
Thanks :)
@@wyatt3985 Anytime!
I can't make that jump at 21:15, even while sprinting and holding the crowbar.
I believe you can just go around via the fire doors on the left. That jump is tricky and I'm not sure if it's intended to be the main path forward.
@@Sexy_Nutella indeed. It was just frustrating that I couldn't do what you made look so easy, heh
@@TorstenPihl It took me several tries for sure!!
This remake looks like the new remake of "Half-life Blue shift" from last year. But Half-life is cool game.
The Blue Shift remake is a mod of this game, if we're talking about the same one!
21:23 Floating battery?
Classic Source Engine funkery xD
*HL2 MMod with combine better aim playthrough when*
To be honest, probably not for a while. I'd rather do some other videos rather than revisit an old game with a full playthrough. Though I do intend to get some videos of some of my favourite moments in that game up at some point.
I hate barnacles and always shoot them all!
7:19 if this is not a reference to Kill Bill, I don't know what is xD
It's been a while since I watched Kill Bill - what do you think this is referencing?
@@Sexy_Nutella The bride tried to assassinate Bud with a katana sword in his trailer car(he also a hightly trained assassin), she opened the door and rushed inside, but got shot in the chest by a shotgun loaded with a salt rock xD She flew right outside as soon as she stepped inside xD
@@dustypaint Oh right I remember that now. The fight between her and Elle in the trailer afterwards was so good.
Doctuh you so noooooobbbbb hahahahahahahahwhwha
Lambda Core is my favourite chapter in Black Mesa, especially because of the Gluon Gun.