I will defend the merit of Xen's gameplay and dissent against its alleged drop in quality until the day I die. Overall, I have only three complaints against the levels:>The cave at the first section of Interloper could have been signposted a little better.>The game takes a cheap shot when you're dropped into the pool after riding the assembly line in the factory.>Gonarch is a pretty janky fight. Baby headcrabs are pretty annoying, the splash attack has a wonky hitbox, and the fight has somewhat poor feedback. It passes the vibe check though.Literally every other complaint I've heard is just a skill issue.>the platforming is hardSkill issue.>the alien controllers are hardSkill issue.>there is too much of a difficulty curveSkill issue.>where do I even go?Skill issue.>Nihilanth is confusing.Skill issue.The supposed difficulty spike just isn't there. You have so many tools at your disposal at this point, you have fought every enemy you'll face before and should know their patterns by now, and every single enemy attack is a projectile that can be consistenly avoided. Xen is such a varied and dynamic combat sandbox, filled to the brim with creativity. It has such a beautifully eerie and isolated vibe, Nihilanth is a truly awesome final boss, and the whole section is just a joy to play from start to finish. A fantastic climax to a legendary game, and I will not stand for any slander against it. Pearls before swine, I say.
>>12544170Just play the Black Mesa remake, it fixes all of Xen's issues. Simple as. The game actually leaves a good impression on you, rather than souring it with a shitty final zone.
>>12544179>Black Mesa remakeSoulless.
Xen is absolute kino>>12544179>it fixes all of Xen's issuesNo it doesn't lol. Xen in the original game was a surreal and decidedly alien place whereas in Black Mesa it's too much like Earth, too habitable, and too beautiful. Not to mention they extended it from 1-2 hours into half the fucking game and it way overstays its welcome.
>>12544170I was one of the dudes that hated OG Xen. Then I played black mesa and the xen there was so fucking tedious and boring that I became a fan of OG Xen. I deeply apologize to OG Xen.
>>12544246>Xen in the original game was a surreal and decidedly alien placeThis is why I've never understood the hate against it. It doesn't feel rushed or forced, it's alien as fuck. It fits the theme. Even the physics there don't make sense, as it's a "border world."
>>12546287Same. It's the perfect mindfuck epilogue, and one of the best depictions of being trapped in a different dimension of eldritch horrors beyond your comprehension. One of the most isolating experiences in all of gaming, I just love it. People loved it when Twin Peaks did this, they loved when Majora's Mask did this, but for whatever reason Half-Life is not allowed to do this.
>>12544179Last time I tried, Interloper was unplayable. Engine errors after every 3 minutes.
