Black Mesa: Undertow is an okay Custom Map overall, and includes some of the most iconic areas from Half-Life 1 as a notable novelty.

However, it notably suffers from some significant jank.

Examples of Black Mesa: Undertow’s jank include: as soon as the map starts the horde and Special Infected timers start counting down; there’s no grace period, some of the Safe Rooms aren’t safe and oddly include Infected-spawning vents that lead into them; undermining them, the Safe Rooms also feature no grace period from the horde and Special timers, the Survivor Bot pathing is extremely bad, the map includes lots of explosive barrels/crates that can deal massive damage/instakill Survivors near them, the explosive barrels/crates on the map instantly explode if any physics props make contact with them (IE Gas Cans, Propane Tanks, Oxygen Tanks, etc), there are extremely fast elevators that can be activated without everyone on (and which people can fall off of), the map includes overpowered HL1 Health Stations that contain way too much health and even allow Survivors to heal back up to (and temporarily beyond) 100% HP; via an Area of Effect healing effect (as well as having an extra First Aid Kit on top/near some of them), there is a deep-water ‘swimming’ area that you can drown in; despite the fact that you can’t swim in Left 4 Dead 2, and there is an electrified water ‘jumping puzzle’ where the water isn’t actually electrified and you can’t complete the jumping puzzle anyway.

There are no Gauntlet events on this Custom Map, which makes it easier. However, there are also scripted Tank events in some areas, which make it harder.

Overall though, the relative difficulty of Black Mesa: Undertow is compromised as a result of the nigh-omnipresence of Health Stations and First Aid Kits (and a guaranteed Laser Sights pickup). There is so much full-health healing present, that you’d struggle to be on low health for significant periods of time.

In spite of the ever-presence of healing on BM:E, it should also be noted that there is a relative rarity of other key pickups throughout much of the campaign, such as throwable explosives and secondary weapon pickups. Which adds to the difficulty somewhat.

Black Mesa: Undertow’s Finale is a relatively easy Defend-Tank-Defend-Double Tank set within a modified version of the Black Mesa Dam.

This Finale is pretty easy overall, as there’s good spots to hold, lots of Fireworks, two mounted guns, and lots of room to kite the Double Tanks.

Black Mesa: Undertow’s Finale notably also has some jank including no/hidden Ammo Piles (though there are lots of Tier 2 weapons all over to swap out for), Triplets of a given Special Infected spawning randomly out of nowhere at set times (IE 3 Chargers), and there being an accessible military helicopter escape vehicle asset located in the Finale area; which is not an actual escape vehicle on this Finale.

The helicopter escape vehicle jank is especially significant, as it inevitably results in people running and sitting inside of the helicopter escape vehicle when the ‘Rescue Has Arrived! Get Aboard!’ message appears, instead of Virgil’s boat, which is the actual escape vehicle on this Finale.

Which is especially problematic, since it’s not clearly telegraphed to the player that you’re supposed to get on the boat, besides the Survivors screaming ‘Get to the boat!’ voicelines, which could just as plausibly be Vocalizer lines (until they’ve repeated enough, of course, but by then it could be too late due to the ending Tank and horde attacking). This helicopter should be blocked off with some unbreakable crates, like on other Custom Maps that wanted to use the military helicopter asset.


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