Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 13 - "Forget About Freeman!" [Hard]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ย. 2024
- Chapter 13: Forget About Freeman
With the HECU in full retreat following their decisive defeat at the hands of the aliens, Freeman takes shelter in the Lambda bunker as airstrikes pummel the surface, realizing that he is now the only one who has a chance of stopping the invasion. The Lambda Complex lies just up ahead, but to get there, Freeman must contend with the relentlessly assaulting alien forces and remnants of the HECU who were left behind in one final topside showdown at sunset.
Playlist with all completed chapters:
• Black Mesa: Definitive...
Notes:
- The security turret at 0:51 will target Xenians and humans alike. In past versions it was friendly to Black Mesa personnel
- If Gordon stands ontop of the spot where agrunts or vorts teleport in (such as at 1:28), they won't spawn at all
- Going through the Snark Nest instead of shooting it will trigger the Snarks regardless (2:12)
- In addition to the rock and shed, the Abrams can also topple the power line poles during the topside sequence if the shell hits them
- The final corridor at 15:06 is supposed to have two sentry guns that target Freeman as he turns the corner. For some reason they are both toppled over in my save game (perhaps due to me using a quicksave point earlier in the map). I decided to run with it as it goes well with the theme of the HECU losing most if not all of their encounters with the Xenians
Trivia:
- In past versions of the game, the gated fence at 8:43 was open and Freeman did not have to climb the pipes to get past it
- The Manta destroying the convoy at 8:51 is a new addition to the 1.0 version of the game (released in 2019)
- If one follows the Apache chasing the Manta all the way over the cliff, it can be seen that the Apache has crash-landed (you can see evidence of this at, the smoke trail in the top right corner at 10:45 belongs to the burning chopper)
- Freeman can destroy the Abrams in the maintenance bay at 13:42 himself, instead of waiting for it to blow up
- The Abrams has a tendency to target Freeman instead of the aliens, though its turret will never be able to swivel more than 180 degrees in front of it (13:42)
- In HL1, Freeman is the one who blows up the garage door at 13:42; the tank is unoccupied and he interacts with its controls to operate the main cannon
- The Abrams will only destroy the doorway at 13:52 if a Vort is in front of it
- The final corridor at 15:06 featured a Xen Energy Cannon in HL1, that is operated by Alien Grunts. This weapon and sequence is omitted in Black Mesa, but it can be restored using the following workshop mod: steamcommunity...
![Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 14a - Lambda Core [Hard]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/isALxbOMhE8/mqdefault.jpg)
![Black Mesa: Definitive Edition - 14a - Lambda Core [Hard]](/img/tr.png)
Forget about Freeman is the culmination of the story arc that started in We've Got Hostiles, when the HECU were first introduced. In that chapter, they arrived in force and dominated the surface. But, as they began to encounter the Xenians, they started to lose this foothold. As well, Freeman has turned out to be a resourceful, resilient and dangerous one man army that has managed to kill hundreds of marines and evade all their attempts to stop him. By the time Surface Tension ends, the HECU have been completely defeated and are forced to withdraw; the surface now belongs to the Xenians. The desperate radio message that opens this chapter, the rumble of the constant barrage of airstrikes, the growing areas of Xen infestation, and of course the spectacular topside battle with the dogfighting and fleeing Ospreys reinforce this fact. With this change in tide comes a new hard truth - Gordon is now alone in his fight to bring an end to the invasion, and the aliens aren't going to stop flooding the facility, especially now that they have no HECU to hold them back.
The fact that this chapter takes place at sunset adds a lot to this theme of defeat, as does Joel Nielsen's spectacular track during the topside fight. The HECU put up a good fight, but their loss is the start of the downfall of the world as people know it. Portal storms will continue to rage across the Earth, Xenians will forever alter the planet's ecosystems, and of course, the conditions are now ripe for the Combine's eventual invasion. Black Mesa nailed the importance of this moment and delivered in spades.
Poor Earth
Wow well everything isnt going well for the Marines.
Damn, it hits differently after reading this! Godly gameplay and deep analysis are what brings me here again and again
Finally going outside to catch some fresh air, only to find out everything went completely tits up gotta feel bad for Mr Freeman. Time to grab the Gloun Gun, take a deep breath and get that Lambda reactor back online :D Would love to see some tripmine action moving forward too ^^
Great review.
One last battle
One last sunset
One last time on the surface
Gordon and the entire planet is no longer living a life full of freedoms. Soon they’ll only be living a *Half-Life*
I read this in my best movie trailer narrator voice and it's awesome :)
Hello there
I believe thats actually the core theme of the franchise.
Wow buddy! Very poetically said!
*carol of the bells starts playing*
10:55 was the last time freeman ever saw the outside world before being taken over by the combine I think
True. The next time he'll ever witness a sunset is when he's being bombed by a Hunter-Chopper.
Yup. Great observation, next sunset will be in Water Hazard for him.
@@rvgr420 Freeman: "What's with all those helicopters trying to kill me? Will I ever see a friendly one?"
HL-team: "We will add a friendly helo into HL-3! You will be able to control it, fight against Combine interceptors and access secret locations! There will be realistic damage system, affecting your flight. Alyx will help you and provide inspiring and sometimes snarky comments! It will be awesome!"
Freeman: "Huh... Thanks, I guess?"
HL-3: *postponed*
Freeman: "Yeah, thanks for nothing, guys..."
nah gman showed him a peak of the outside world during the ending cutscene.
The last time he would ever see his Earth. Imagine coming back after 20 years to a world you didn't recognize.
I like how they added the Apache chasing that Manta Ray. Looks neat
Yeah, I loved how close they made that Manta to the ground as well. Gives a great sense of how large they actually are.
If they made it more realistic, the manta would have been shredded by the Chaingun. :D
The image of them desperately trying to gun that Manta Ray down, only to fail, helps add to that feel of hopelessness, because now Gordon's the only one left fighting the aliens. (And Adrian Shepard, but he's been retconned out of existence. Never forgive, never forget.)
The amount of detail put into Black Mesa is so insane that it makes most games being released today with higher budgets look like nothing
Not gonna lie, when I first played it I saw 2 tanks and some marines on that part. Was gonna take them all down until I saw the Manta Ray randomly came by and blew them all up.
I looked up and see bunch of Manta Rays and Choppers swarming the skies. Thats when I knew I’m in for some intense fight as I have been caught in the crossfire between those 2.
2:25 this is my favourite line in the entire game
The Guards in this game have the best lines hahaha
I played this part in front of my dad and said "I'm going to have to start saying that..."
@@grygoo2680 W dad
*What the shit is this shit?*
Such a short chapter but an epic one!
8:51 is epic.
One of the best moments of the game for sure!
@@Sexy_NutellaGordon freeman vs the Abrams tank who will win?
10:01 the Abrams exploded in the right time of the OST, impressive gameplay bro👌👍
Thanks man! I made sure to time the Abrams explosion to that beat drop :)
@@Sexy_Nutella the last kill was pretty timed tho
Fun fact: if you use noclip to enter the crashed osprey during the topside battle you'll find a dead HEV suit, I'm pretty sure you know wat his nameplate says.
Yup, though I'm not immersed in the whole Dr. Horn lore enough to know why his corpse is there, but also in Xen.
God speech Dr Horn. Tried escaping but only got met with death
I dont get it@@crowdarnoldsen2933
I really enjoyed how Crowbar Collective did this chapter. The original felt off putting since the Marines said they were pulling out, yet almost looked like they’re at the Lambda’s doorstep. It didn’t set right, the HECU in Half Life almost won every fight against Xenians that wasn’t huge monsters.
Black Mesa, however, nails this theme to a T! Mantas destroy any armoured vehicles, Alien Grunts are stronger, Snarks are more present, too many portal spawns, everything is too much for these guys! The topside fight really drills that in. At first there’s no focus on Freeman, just trying to leave, but when that isn’t an option, they put everything they got on this fight. It feels somber, like Freeman unknowingly putting these desperate Marines out of their misery before the Combine.
I loved how you handled all the scripted scenes, really makes the definitive edition feel finished. I love and wait to see the next episode!
Yeah, that's a great description of how BM's rendition of the chapter improves upon the original. I also love the attention to detail in how there are HECU corpses strewn all throughout the sewers leading to the Lambda Complex. It's almost as if they did make it to the facility, losing many men along the way, only to stop right at the final bay doors because they have been ordered to retreat.
In Half Life 1, I always thought the main reason they are retreating is because of Gordon continuing on persisting and killing their men to the point of retreating because he’s too much for them to handle.
Black Mesa explains EXACTLY why they are retreating. They were never afraid of Gordon Freeman, they were afraid of the situation they are in to the point of retreating, willing to leave any surviving soldiers behind for the sake of their own survival if they take too long.
So they are considering to order all men to forget about Freeman and just evacuate the area, as they consider to pull out from there with all the chaos they cant contain.
Black Mesa absolutely did so much into the game, a perfect remake that makes it feel like a reboot.
Really hope you guys enjoyed that topside fight. I've been looking forward to showing this segment of the game ever since I first started the series. Every moment in that sequence has been planned, with the exception of the HECU commander SMG grenade kill, which I had to do to get him off my back. I've basically listened to Joel Nielsen's score for this section on repeat for hundreds of times just to "storyboard" the gameplay in my head. Hopefully it shows in the video :)
It's jawdropping how you choreograph these encounters
Yeah, it is really cinematic!
It turned out really well, that was a great capstone to all the intense marine fights in the game.
@@DoctuhD Thanks! Yes, knowing that this is one of the last HECU encounters in the game really made me double down on presenting a good final fight against them.
perfect combat and music timing , as always , i tried to emulate that but its difficult, anyway , good work and keep going :)
I think 13:03 in this video is a super underrated moment in the game. The HECU have been a hugely formidable opponent for the entire game and they’ve set up countless ambushes and traps along your way. You’ve fought turrets, tanks, and attack helicopters to get to this point. Now, however, they’ve been beaten back by the Xenians and all that’s left is a few stragglers. This is really the final trap the soldiers ever set for you, and it’s a single pathetic flaming barrel. It’s the exact same thing you encountered in the very first proper level of Half-Life 2 fighting the most basic enemies in the game. I think it really drives home just how far the HECU have fallen.
Totally. To me it's heavily implied they lost a lot of men fighting to the Lambda Complex, only to receive orders to fall back after arriving at its doorstep. You can really tell they were getting desperate by this point
that topside fight was INSANE, i just LIVE for how high-quality your gameplay is.
I am so glad you thought so, I've spent a bunch of time on it to make it suitably epic :)
YOU FOOLNESS CRAP!!!!! I DON'T LEAVE THIS NIGGA HLALYX'S POINT EXTRACTION AS CRAPNESS!!!!! IT WILL BE REPLACED BY HL2'S WATER HAZARD!!!!!!!, 5:55 - 5:56
10:01 10:24 10:48 Damn that Tau shot pretty much became your trademark and I never get tired of it, that dance with the song really made it feel like this is your final battle against the HECU. One of your best videos.
I too am fond of this video :) Thank you
I said it a year ago and I’ll say it again. 10:02 is an absolute nut moment with the beat drop and the flying Abrams turret.
I remember your exact comment on my old video :) crazy that it's already been a year.
Imagine this your a marine that has been left behind and now has to say at black mesa longer before more ospreys arrive and you start losing hope of seeing your family or loved ones so you lose hope and accept death until suddenly the man you’ve been hunting the entire time comes and ambushes all of your comrades and tanks before you die. Really terrifying experience almost makes me feel bad for the hecu
Y'know I legitimately feel sorry for the grunts here, it's obvious that they were gonna try and make a break for it, a desperate attempt to evacuate as a unit and it's not a far off assumption to make that the two LAVs upfront that got blown up were probably loaded up with wounded marines... such a shame Gordon had to come across them
Wow, I never thought about how the LAVs might've been carrying wounded soldiers. That is such a dark thought and adds to their doomed plight. I agree that this chapter has a touch of sadness beneath all the epicness of that topside fight; it is clear that they only fought Freeman because they still think he's a threat. If only they knew what Freeman was actually trying to do.
@@Sexy_Nutella If the H.E.C.U had just listened to Gordon, they could've saved the people who were left in Black Mesa, shut down the portal, and prevented the Combine from ever finding Earth. So many people died because they chose to follow orders. Literal billions.
@@connorgolsong290 It wouldn't have mattered in the end. Gman wanted the Resonance Cascade to happen, and he made sure that Black Mesa really was nuked at the end. Whatever his plans were, he was willing to sacrifice billions in the name of this unknown cause
@@gianlalwet647 I guess you're right. Man, can you imagine what billions of human beings looks like to a being like the Gman? We must seem so small and inconsequential.
@@connorgolsong290 The definition of “One wrong (something) during the worst time possible results in catastrophe.”
I can only only image the grin on your face once you finally landed that last Tau shot on the soldier ;) I really love the first moments of the chapter, when the airstrikes are audible and caving in parts of the facility; It emphasizes the urgency of taking shelter, but at the same time makes you feel like you're being entombed.
You can't imagine, I've spent so long on this that when I actually made it through without screwing up the timing, I was elated.
Yeah, those air raid sirens are ominous as hell. I also love how, in Lambda Core, when you're activating the coolant tanks, the complex still shakes violently as well, implying they are still tearing the surface apart while Gordon is deep underground activating the reactor.
10:54
This hits so different from the Shadow Lady in HLA. Gman literally stirred up hell and then disappeared.
Yup. Looking at the battle going on in the sky hits doubly hard when you think about how all this was orchestrated by the Gman
It's like you're a movie director directing a scene. Very well made.
Thank you! That was the intention :)
Mom when she finds your search history 2:26
8:49 The HECU group seems to trying to escape on the desert. They were leaving the Lambda complex. After that last air vehicle left(the guard at the beginning mentioned it) they knew they were wouldn’t want to be killed by the nuke. They brought a tank to shoot that fence. Just a theory. Too bad an orange ice pop came.
Yeah, that's how I interpreted it too. Shame they ran into Freeman
Orange ice pop 💀. Nice vocabulary, bro.
The choreography on that tank fight was insane.
Appreciate the kind words. It took me forever to depict the way I wanted
its my friends birthday n she was waiting for this upload thank u so much!! she is so happy
Awesome! Happy birthday to your friend :)
A girl that plays half life...
Perfect.
You really show an impressive level of dedication in your videos, and that's amazing... i keep loving it
The topside battle with the TAU shots synced with the music was beautiful just like in the lobby bsttle in QE.
And i got to see new interactions with the guard that i didn't know they existed, just like in surface tension with the 2 guards, you take the time to show everything black mesa has to offer and it's so cool.
You are great.
Thanks man. That's my main objective with this playthrough, and is why I'm taking my time with each chapter. Thanks as always for the patience and kind words :)
That last battle with HECU. In the Questionable Ethics battle scene video we talked about the psychological toll on Gordon as suggested by the post- hyperventilation eerie guitar sounds at the end of the track. I feel a much more intense direction here towards Gordon assuming himself as one of the horrors of Black Mesa itself; those soldiers were escaping to the dessert defeated, tired and scared shitless and in their last push they encounter Gordon who obliterates them with a badass track that no longer gives a tense or fearful vibe but rather an empowering one.
Joel Nielsen track is a killer in this one, taking a hard turn on the tone making you feel like one of the god tier enemies HECU has to face, rather than a terrified scientist who is just improvising in the smart way. I think is bold to assume Gordon is enjoying the slaughter at this point, but he is definitely aware of the threat he represents and again, in this scene you are the villain no doubt.
I would love to read your take on this, Nutella. Thank you again and forever for the effort on these videos!
Thanks for sharing! Yeah, the track on the topside battle really does encapsulate a bunch of different themes and is the perfect fit for the sequence; on the surface, the guitar that dominates most of the track is a great companion to the action itself and to me represents him rising to the occasion and dominating the HECU, but the beat of the track (I believe that's a snare in the background?) also provides a sense of urgency, which symbolises the HECU's failed operation and desperate last attempts to leave Black Mesa. Like you mentioned, the synth that underscores it all and gets brought to the forefront at the end of the track to me represents the sadness beneath all of the chaos - this really is the start of humanity's downfall at the hands of the Combine.
I agree with what you said in your own comments, this really is an amazing climax to the HECU section. The way Black Mesa polished it up really sells it even stronger than in the original. Those aliens pouring in, destroying tanks..helicopters dog-fighting with alien flyers... it really feels more like a war zone than it did originally. Amazing fighting on your end too..the way you move around and engage just..beautitful. I'd be afraid of anyone who can do that too. Your time invested in getting this just right was well worth it, because this was a masterpiece.
Thanks mate :) One of the things I always try to do is to utilize the entire combat space when fighting enemies. Realistically I'd imagine Gordon would've stayed behind the rocks and just keep shooting rockets at the tank until it blows up, but I prefer playing through these sections as if it's an action movie to maximize the stakes and entertainment factor.
@@Sexy_Nutella and it’s way funner to think of Gordon freeman as a zero to hero badass than a dude sitting behind a rock with a rocket launcher trying to not expose himself
@@thekevinator3184 Totally. Freeman earned his "badass" title.
The topside battle was so cool. Must have taken you a really huge number of attempts. If any half-life movie was to be made, this is exactly how they should choreograph the fight. Thanks for this amazing gameplay.
I love how Black Mesa uses American Flags as another symbol of the H.E.C.U losing control. At the Beginning of Surface Tension, the flag is flying high, clean, and proud. As it goes on, they slowly become more and more ton and dirtied until it culminates in the one at 11:04 barely clinging to the pole. It would've been amazing if they'd had it get torn off and fly away into the distance, but symbolism only goes so far, I guess.
Great observation, I took a look back at the early sections of Surface Tension and the flag was indeed not damaged yet. The transition to what it looks like at the end of FaF is awesome.
I really like how you always kill the last enemy when the music ends. First in We've Got Hostiles, then the Apache in Surface Tension and now the grunt here. Fantasic.
Glad you like that, it takes a while to pull them off.
I love this chapter so much. The music, the final topside battle, the sunset: all of these to keep you rushing with Adrenaline. Not only those but also because this is one of the chapters in the game with DECENT optimization. Great video, as always!
Couldn't agree more! Thanks for the comment.
This truly shows what one hell of a battle went down.
Yup. I loved how they added the burning trail of upturned sand behind the crashed Osprey.
I swear you're like the dude that every game company hires for gameplay cinematics, you are a true expert at your craft. I absolutely love the way you showcased that topside battle. That takes a ton of skill to make such a clean battle while showing all the crazy stuff going on during it.
Thanks! With every sequence, I do aim to present it as if it's an E3 showcase, so I'm glad it feels that way haha. That topside battle took me hundreds of run-throughs just to get it the way I want it (and even then there are things I'd do differently). Glad you liked it!
10:02 Holy shit! The timing on the charging, firing, explosion, and music was epic!!!
Glad you liked it! Took me forever to get a run where I could get the timing right
I’d say this chapter is filled with so much action, love the music too!
The FaF song is one of my favourites on the OST :)
10:02 has a good beat drop as soon he blows up the tank lol.
Made sure to time my Tau shot to that drop for maximum epicness haha
5:00
Vortigaunt: Jerk!
Gordon: *fires shotgun
Honestly, it's amazing how even at this point the army is still trying to kill you, even when flying stingray things are vaporizing entire tanks. You'd think they'd accept that they've got bigger problems.
I love how the tank kill around 10:00 syncs up with the music
Glad you enjoyed that :)
10:01 that timing! that synchronization with music!
the way this guy play makes everything feel like a cutscene and i love it
Glad you think so!
@@Sexy_Nutella seriously. at the start, i was like 'this is a long ass cutscene' until i realized it was just you playing
@@buzzlightyearpfp7641 happy it turned out that way :)
This Chapter is so Badass, The HECU have some of the best tanks in the world. Yet Freeman Just runs right towards them with no Hesitation Whatsoever.
Freeman is a big orange tank himself haha ;)
To be fair, in the modern world every tank is extremely vulnerable to anti-tank systems. No matter how technological this tank is.
Man this final topside fight was ADRENALINE PUMPIN’ ACTION, and you captured it entirely, you didn’t end the fight too early or too late for the song to fade, and you made use of many different weapons, watching this was beautiful, and very sexy (Nutella)
Glad you enjoyed! Timing the song was very important for me :)
9:14 HOLY SHIT those revolver shots sync so goddamn well with the song, thats fucking awesome.
Glad you picked up on that :)
Forget about Freeman We're cutting our losses and pulling out! Anyone left down there is now on his own! Repeat if you are not alrea--- oh shit NO NO N--- With the perfect louder mortar strike is the best thing ive ever seen.
Yeah, you really get a sense of the stakes
I love this chapter. It's short but sweet, and the final battle with the HECU coupled with the dogfight between them and the manta rays in the background is just amazing. You can really feel how bad the invasion is getting, with the HECU being so desperate just to escape with their lives, and Xen terraforming taking over most of the base. The atmosphere and music in the last battle also really give the feeling of Gordon getting revenge on the HECU for all of the scientists and security guards they killed.
Can't wait for Lambda Core. It's been one of my favourite chapters since HL1, and it has an awesome balance of action, puzzles and exploration. Anyway, FANTASTIC playthrough, I know others have said this before but watching your playthroughs really does feel like watching a movie.
Thanks man! Glad you're enjoying the playthrough. I also really dig Lambda Core, it has such a sense of "finality" to it, even though by that point you're only 2/3 of the way through the game. It definitely feels like the fate of the world depends on Freeman getting the job done.
this video is insane, showing the amazing potential of 'scripted' fights like these when they play out 1:1, i got something like the tank blast on the guitar drop on my own playthrough and it was an absolutely insane moment. i hope there's more games like these in the future
Yeah, the fact that the music lines up exactly with what happens during the fight shows how great the composition is
Can we just appreciate how synced the gunshots at 9:14 - 9:20 were to the music?
You're the first to mention the timing on those. Glad you caught it :)
That topside battle was actually amazing.
I agree. The score, the skybox, the combat, it all adds up to make an exceptional sequence.
love that manta taking out the convoy
Mhmm. Poor marines, they didn't even have a chance :(
This is beautiful bro you have made us proud keep doing this
I appreciate that :) will do
Wow that final sunset fight was so perfectly choreographed to the music! Such a beautiful moment of triumph before the grey concrete and steel veil of the underground Lambda complex completely engulfs Gordon during his final hours on Earth... before the darkness comes and the world is forever changed.
I appreciate you purposely taking extra damage to show the tank destroying the destructible rocks & guard station, and to show the Apache chasing the manta ray. :)
No probs! It was important for me to showcase those elements of the fight and take my time with the encounter instead of running straight for the Lambda complex doors.
The fact that the invasion was a surprise for everyone and that’s why they do the dog fight in the air, because the AWACS can’t figure out what kind of enemy is… is beautiful
10:01
Aaaaand you did it again a year later, nice timing!
Thanks for sticking around to see the change between that video and this one :)
The rampage you went on after destroying that tank legit had me curling my toes, literally became lore accurate gordon freeman for a moment lol
9:02 Shepard and the boys
Shepard's boys minus Shepard unfortunately :(
lol Não tinha notado essa possível referência, mas acho que o Shepard chegou antes, lá em We've got Hostiles.
More to Trivia:
*5:30 - the security guard mentioned leeches which absent in BM, but in original game the sewer down below was swarmed with leeches;
*8:54 - it's strange that devs didn't added trail from the Manta's energy beam on the ground like they did in 'Surface Tension' ( th-cam.com/video/qTD_Xe5XSB0/w-d-xo.html );
*9:23 - this crashed Osprey is resembling the one we saw in the beginning of the HL:OpFor ( th-cam.com/video/VEmwml4GJ-E/w-d-xo.html );
*9:23 - also there's a corpse/H.E.V. suit of Dr.Horn inside of this Osprey which is another easter egg from Dev and could be connected to the Pizza ARG;
*11:17 - this is a game's sin: how did the convoy escape from this tunnel if it's swarmed with snarks?
Hmm, did not know there was a corpse inside the Osprey, that's really neat. Regarding the tunnel with snarks, it could be that the lone marine left behind was attacked after the convoy passed through that tunnel.
Wait, Doctor Horn died? Man, that sucks. He's so funny.
Good gameplay, showing the details, timings with the epic music.... its like i am watching a movie. I love your work man! Thank you for the epicness you deliver us!!!
Thank you :) I really did try to aim for a movie-like vibe with this series, so I'm glad it's paying off
8:51 I be waiting for this moment. Love this version music! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So badass. Love the way you play! It gives such a beautiful cinematic sense - especially with that tank fight and the way you sync'd up the explosion.
I should definitely reinstall this game.
Thanks! I always look forward to this moment when I play :)
Man killing them HECU's now makes me feel bad, due to them retreating to a extraction point and (possibly) their fate due to either the 7 hour war or the Xenians (or Race X if OP is canon to the series)
Yeah, by the end of FaF I felt really bad for having to kill them. Those marines that got incinerated by the Manta probably were going to an extraction point.
I feel really bad for the people who live in New Mexico. They have to leave their homes because of a lab problem. Must’ve been scary. I wonder if any Xenians attacked outside of Black Mesa.
I think the portal storms from the Resonance Cascade did affect the world outside of Black Mesa too. You can hear from the EAS radio transmissions that nearby states were also affected.
Man, i could imagine him having PTSD and deppresion after 20 years in stasis but, he feels happy that he reunites with old friends and new ones
Definitely, though I'd imagine for him it felt more like an instant between HL1 and HL2 given that G-man put him in stasis!
2:25| Guard: What the shit is this shit?
Loved that line and delivery.
This Comment is pretty late and will inevitably get lost, but I feel like I should give my 2 cents on this chapter and the topside battle in particular.
The end of this chapter feels like the climax to the earthbound sections, but also a bit of a bittersweet one. Yes, the HECU are now leaving the facility, which means there is one less enemy that Freeman has to slog through to stop the invasion. But as it stands, you get the distinct feeling that that final topside battle didn't need to happen; and it probably shouldn't have happened.
Had Freeman shown up only 5 or 10 minutes later, the Marines would probably be long gone even as the Marine Aviators in their Harriers continued their dogfights with the Xenian Manta's to hold them off long enough for air evac to get out.
You can see as Freeman fights this last platoon of Marines, the Osprey's running out of the combat area at full tilt; flying as fast as they can go to get the hell out of there and evacuate the loads of Marines and wounded that they are doubtlessly carrying.
You get the distinct sense, that when Freeman showed up; and those doors had been closed, those Marines were probably right on the Verge of knocking down that fence and taking their chances hoofing it through the desert, anything to get away from that Facility.
In the end, all they can do is fight; they can't run, they can't survive to fight another day. All they have left in them is fight the man who has already killed 100's of Marines by this point, and hope that they get to be the lucky one to take him down; or conversely, that he kills them quickly and spares them the madness that will inevitably befall Earth once they leave.
Keep in mind, the events of Half Life 1/Black Mesa take place in the late 90's, early 2000's.
The United States was the undisputed Hegemon of the World; the only places that weren't direct allies or weren't under our sphere of influence could be counted on one hand. China was still rebranding itself, and Russia was struggling out of the post Soviet Union pit that it had fallen under. The last Emergency Broadcasts can be boiled down to saying, "Aliens have invaded the South-western United States and northern Mexico; we got our asses kicked, and nothing can stop them."
Freeman, by the end of that chapter, truly is the last hope for the human race.
Great thematic breakdown! This chapter does indeed sell the hopelessness of Earth's forces in containing the invasion, while also emphasizing Freeman's now legendary status through his trial by fire.
Imagine the Russian wage a Patriotic War or the overwhelming chinese human wave attack against the Xenian aliens and later against the combine forces
that sync when the laser hit the tank and the music kicked up....
Glad you enjoy it :)
Hey friend! I just discovered your channel because of the last BM: Blue Shift chapter and then I instantly clicked on this video here. I've been a fan of Black Mesa work since 2009 when I discovered it, and of course I waited for it all these years until we could finally play it.
Said that, I know exactly how fun is this game to play (cause I've done it hundred of times) and what it means to this community, and I have to say that watching your gameplay is just insane. I love how you make every sequense a perfect match with the soundtrack, and how you know exactly every detail about every map so you stop to show them to us. I love and appreciate how much effort you put in your gameplay.
Aditionally, I read some comments and I really like to realise how much people loves this game as much as I do, cause I really feel that this remake deserves way more recognition. But then, I read the description of this video, and I realized that you put a lot of notes and trivia. I knew a lot of them because I've played this game a lot of times since 2012, and I've seen so many changes by myself, but I got so hyped to see what else can I discover because of the information that you provide us, so I will definitely watch the whole playlist from now.
As a HL fan that has also followed this remake for 10+ years, I really want to say THANK YOU for all the effort, talent and love that you put in these videos, making this game look so cinematic and extremelly fun (plus you have an enviable aim lmao).
I'm sorry for this large text, but I wanted to show you that I really appreciate the work that you put in all of this, not just because of the flawless video and gameplay, but for all the extra content as information and trivia, you really make me feel that you love this game as much as I do, and that makes me so happy. A lot of channels could learn some things from you.
Best regards, and I think you definitely deserve a lot more support, so here you have a new sub
Thanks so much for the comment; always happy to read how others appreciate this ort of content and even better when it's a fellow Black Mesa fan that's been there since the early days. I'm glad you are able to pick up on many of the notes/trivia given you've been along on the ride for so long, but still find these videos enjoyable. I hope that the rest of my videos are equally fun to watch :)
i liked the sundown 11:04
One of the more beautiful skyboxes in the game :)
I like how you used the tau cannon more this time, it's my favourite weapon. (The charged shot at least, primary fire is boring, I find that charged shots save ammo anyway so I only do those)
Yeah, I was looking back at my Surface Tension videos and wasn't happy with how less I used the Tau Cannon there aside from for the vehicles, so I thought I'd utilize it a lot more here.
@@Sexy_Nutella my favourite thing to do with it is to line up 2 enemies, preferably alien grunts with a charged shot and kill them both at once
could be quite a spectacular thing to do if you can pull it off yourself
What I love about the most of this part is the how the dev team kept and made its narrative progression better.
Throughout the game, the HECU was presented as this powerful threat that seemed to have control of the situation, and the Xenians as this annoying plague they were going to be exterminate quickly.
But once this chapter begins, you see how *bad* the situation really is: the Grunts have been reduced to a few scattered groups, so demoralized and beaten at every turn by the Xenians that they're calling airstrikes _on themselves_ to stall the aliens.
And as the title and the radioman says, the other target they were chasing, _You,_ gets forgotten along with whoever remains in Black Mesa. There's no backup, no chances for exfil. They're left for dead.
And the worst part is, there was no escape for them...
Forget About Freeman, good times! I remember playing this part of the level with the music...
BLASTING! 🤘🤘
Oh Black Mesa....you never disappoint me...ever!!
Edit: my god, those timing's you did.....Fucking Awesome!!!! Loved it! Every.Single.Part!
Glad you enjoyed the timings! Took a bunch of tries to nail it down
I really love that there are perfectly timed moments alligned with the OST, like the Abrams exploding or when killing the last marine
Wow! This is really cool! Look forward to lambda core
Me too. I really like that chapter :)
Interesting fact. The buildings you spend most of this chapter in comprise Black Mesa Central Command according to the original game. It was likely the military’s primary command post before you just tear through what’s left of it.
That's interesting! Makes the HECU's evacuation from Black Mesa even more dire
@@Sexy_Nutella Here’s proof, BTW.
combineoverwiki.net/images/6/69/C3a1a_tank01.jpg
The original’s rather lackluster counterpart to the tank battle has Black Mesa Central Complex stamped on the building you go into. You gotta squint just a bit.
During the "forget about freeman" ost area with the large outdoor fight the gameplay is lined up with the music so well it's hard to describe.
The musical score of Forget About Freeman is an epic bgm in Black Mesa before Xen world.
I also used this in a rescore. Which i made
I'd love to take a look at that :) do you mind linking?
@@Sexy_Nutella
Link: th-cam.com/video/NAm5JKIwU5s/w-d-xo.html
I have more of these actually the Earth and Xen World . Would update the thumbnails soon.
Clip is from Frozen
how do I like this video multiple times?
Once is enough :) thanks dude
8:51 - 11:14
He might not be a super soldier, a trained military veteran, or even a space marine, but that's what makes it all the more impressive. Is that he isn't all those things. He's, for the most part, just a normal dude going against all the odds to survive. He's the man that went through hell and came back. He's just simpley, Gordon Freeman.
Also, nice gameplay dude, showing off how cool this section really is. Nicely done.
That kind of also goes for Barney as well, cause he went through similar things like Gordon, except he didn't have power armor. AND, unlike Gordon who got zapped out of time by Gman. Barney had to go through the combine invasion, takeover, and fighting for the resistance, for nearly 40 years in normal time. And he survived long enough to see Gordon again and crack a joke with him. Just saying Mr. Calhoun doesn't get enough credit.
Glad you liked the gameplay! And yeah, how you describe Gordon is exactly why I think he's one of the greatest heroes in gaming. Just a regular dude taking on massive alien empires
the forget about freeman HECU arena is in my opinion the best HECU arena in Black Mesa. it’s just because the tank, the overhead ospreys, mantas, and fighter jets. the sheer number of soldiers, the music, and just the visuals are insane.
A little fun fact. When the Apache is chasing the alien over the hill if you wait a little longer you can hear an explosion and see a massive smoke pile. Not sure if it’s intentional or an oversight because it takes a decent amount of time to happen. If it is an oversight my guess is the game script kills the helicopter but who knows!
Definitely not an oversight, you can noclip over the hill to see the destroyed Apache itself. I guess the implication is that it got too close to the hill, or the Manta took it out.
The way you time your attacks to the music is INSANE
I remember Watching Sexy Nutella's black mesa Play through 3 years ago this is was one of my favorite ones pure nostalgia
Topside battle starts at 8:48
Fucking love your walkthroughs. Pure skill, no useless blabling like BigMacDavis
Glad you're enjoying the content :)
That timing with the music at 10:03 is amazing
Glad you liked it!
8:47 they did a fantastic job on this part. Was definitely one of the most forgettable moments in the original half life
Topside Is use to be my favorite Battlefield since Half life 1 but On black mesa Going to surface is like A world war 3
Yeah, I love how they made that section so much more like a warzone.
The surface is a Goddamn warzone really everywhere in Black Mesa. From We've Got Hostiles to Forget About Freeman, you're always in the middle of some huge battle when you go aboveground.
It's like you're dancing to the beat of the music but it's a great fight.
I did approach it like a dance in the sense that I choreographed certain things to happen at certain instances of the song. Glad it paid off!
In the original Half-Life i always feel this is a filler chapter but MAN! In Black Mesa its way better! Good gameplay by the way.
I agree, the original chapter in HL1 pales in comparison to this version for sure. In the original game the tank was just kind of sitting in an enclosed passageway that lead straight to the Lambda Complex, if I recall correctly
it's always "Forget About Freeman!" but never been "Remember Shepherd"
11:24 the snark looks so happy :)
Yenno, if it weren't for the fact that they explode, they'd be really cute pets. Granted, Alyx does that exact thing in HL:A
Everything's sexy about Your channel, not just name. Subbed and don't keep me waiting too much for more Half Life related videos, as I love how You make 'em :D
I appreciate the kind words :) I'm still working on Lambda Core. Work has just been crazy busy and I haven't had time at all to sit down and crush out the recordings. But I will have an update when the time comes.
Dios. Cada vez que subís de nuevo está batalla es mejor y mejor
Me alegro de que pienses eso :) Traté de hacerlo mejor que lo que he hecho antes
10:01 : Perfectly timed Tau Cannon kill
10:04 : Second Perfectly timed Tau Cannon kill
10:07 : Perfectly timed death of the soldier
10:13 : Perfectly timed RPG shot
10:24 : Third Perfectly timed Tau Cannon kill
Perfectly timed to: the music.
(btw the third one might be a stretch I dont think it was intentional anyway.)
EDIT: missed one
10:49 : FOURTH perfectly timed Tau Cannon kill
Glad you noticed all the timed Tau shots ;) the SMG kill on that HECU soldier was indeed not planned, though I'm glad it worked out with the timing
Sexy Nutella providing the sexiest gameplay, syncing that fight with the music perfectly.
My worst moments in Half Life was being forced to go back underground after spending so much time on the surface, I always dreaded reaching the Lambda Complex for that.
Glad you enjoyed!
Man, I love your videos. You're Emperor! :)
Glad you like them!
being the second reason to the military pulling out is probably the most badass thing i've ever thought of
For some reason at 0:32 made me burst a laughter
The captions for the ‘forget about freeman’ radio call ended with “(Indiscriminate screams of impending doom)” makes me chuckle.
I don’t know why, it’s not particularly silly or anything, it kind of just feels like one of those voice acted 4chan posts to me😂
Why the fuck are HECU soldiers still trying to kill Freeman at this point? My guys, you have more pressing matters at the moment. They should have sent a message out via the radio system ( if it was still working at this point) offering a ceasefire to Gordon
I guess they are way too vengeful to consider that he might be on the same team as them. He did kill dozens of marines so for all they know he's the #1 target haha
i like the music picks up as the tank explodes
Definitely aimed to highlight that in my timing :) glad you liked it