Gunplay feels weak and unrewarding

[devil_505]

I played Black Mesa when it was released back in 2015, completed it (minus the missing XEN levels) and didn´t thought about it for the next 4-5 years. Now I decided to play it again for the XEN levels.

I am playing on Black Mesa difficulty this time. Most of the guns I encountered to this point (battle against the M1A1 after the cliffs) feel very weak and almost useless.

Especially the SMG seems to me more like a nailgun then a real weapon (not that cool Quake gun, the tool you use to put nails in walls).. Enemy ground soliders takes up to 30 - 40 hits unless you are lucky and land a headshot on them or they get so close that they can facehug you. But that is not that easy, because the MP5 is not very accurate on mid range or further away. Happens more by coincidence.

The only weapons that are fun to use are the 357 revolver and the second firemode of the shotgun.

The shotgun on the other hand seems to be useless against soldiers, because the weapon spread at mid range is way to big (maybe that is realistic) and you have to go banzai attacks on soldiers firing at you with much more useful weapons then you have. Is more for hunting Vortigaunts and Headcraps. ;)

That brings me to another point, because weapons are so weak and there seems to be no real cover system (peeking out of cover and only parts of you show out) you stand a lot in the open and collect hits, melting your HEV suits energy and your healthbar away, while you try to melt your enemies away.

If enemies guns would be as weak as yours that would be no big deal, but they seem to hit you with naval artillery and you shoot back with BB guns.

Gunplay in original Half Life was much better and more rewarding than it is in Black Mesa. Except for the Glock, which you only used for a few minutes until you found the shotgun in Office Complex every gun in Half Life was useful.

That should not happen to a remake.

regards

[RainingMetal]

Anyone who thinks the SMG in the original Half-Life was better than it was in Black Mesa needs a serious reality check. Sure, the magazine isn't as large and the ammo reserves all around have been cut drastically, but in Black Mesa you can actually use the damn thing against the soldiers, whereas in Half-Life you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it at range and it was only effective against the weakest enemies.

[Ludovico]

Nah, SMG and shotgun are fine when used in the right circumstances.