Half-Life remake Black Mesa gets massive spruce-up in new Definitive Edition beta Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Half-Life remake Black Mesa gets massive spruce-up in new Definitive Edition beta And there's currently 50% off. News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 30 Oct 2020 30 comments Black Mesa, the stellar remake of the original Half-Life, has just plopped its previously teased Definitive Edition update, intended to further improve the Version 1.0 release, into public beta. Developed by Crowbar Collective, Black Mesa - which started out as a fan project before shifting to a Valve-sanctioned commercial release - finally got its full launch back in February, five years after entering Steam early access and a whopping 16 years after development began. Writing at the time of Black Mesa's release, Crowbar described Version 1.0 as "the best, most polished, and most fun version of the game yet", but had already announced plans to revisit certain parts of the experience post-launch for polishing and improvement. Outdoor areas get a huge art pass in the Definitive Edition update, including here in We've Got Hostiles... ...and here in Questionable Ethics. The first fruits of that process are now available in public beta as part of the jokingly titled Definitive Edition update, and it's a whopper, making extensive changes and enhancements throughout the game - but particularly focussing on areas that, as a result of Black Mesa's protracted development, looked dated in comparison to more recent additions. To that end, Black Mesa's Earthbound outdoor environments - including those from levels such as Questionable Ethics, Surface Tension, and We've Got Hostiles - have all received a significant art pass to bring them inline with the striking work done on the Xen portion of the game. Watch on YouTube Elsewhere, Interloper has received improved detailing, while Power Up and On A Rail have both seen lighting improvements and gameplay tweaks designed to improve the flow of the experience. The latter stage's rocket, says Crowbar, "now gets the respect it deserves". The massive list of improvements implemented in Black Mesa's Definitive Edition, including a game-wide collision pass and new designated supply boxes, can be found on Steam. Existing owners can access the Definitive Edition beta by right-clicking the game in their Steam library and selecting Properties; from there, go to the Betas tab and choose "public-beta" from the dropdown menu. And those that don't already own a copy of Black Mesa can currently pick it up with a 50% discount, putting it at £7.49, as part of the Steam Halloween sale. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 4 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 6 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 6 Latest Articles Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 4 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store