The alien segments of Half-Life, once a simple collection of crude floating islands, becomes a massively remastered, reinterpreted set of missions that capture the mystique and scale of this alien dimension. Even more so than the revamped Black Mesa complex, Black Mesa‘s Xen missions have been completely redone. This brings Black Mesa to a close, and this was such an incredible experience. Freeman reluctantly accepts, knowing there is probably no other way to survival.

When he awakens, he finds himself face-to-face with the enigmatic G-Man, who provides him with an offer of employment.

Freeman knocks out the healing system keeping Nihilanth alive and destroys the creature’s brain, killing it in a series of titanic explosions that also knock Freeman out. After making his way up through the facility’s cavernous interior, Freeman reaches a portal that takes him to Nihilanth’s lair. Freeman is able to prevail over this beast, and its death opens a new portal, leading him to a massive factory that manufactures the Alien Grunts. This powerful alien monstrosity initially appears resistant to all of Freeman’s arsenal, but after Freeman lands a few good hits with the rocket launcher, the Gonarch takes off. In order to continue, Freeman activates a series of portals, eventually winding up in the Gonarch’s Lair. Along the way, he passes by numerous research facilities and other HEV-equipped researchers who’d visited previously. Upon arriving in Xen, Freeman is met with the same fauna he’d encountered at Black Mesa, and begins making his way through the floating islands that constitute Xen. They agree with me, that you have limitless potential.” –The G-Man I have recommended your services to my employers, and they have authorised me to offer you a job.

Black mesa gluon gun